How to automate project status reports with Soffi.io

How to Automate Client Status Reports and Stop Stressing on Fridays

If you manage projects in an agency, you know the scenario: Thursday ends, dozens of unread messages in the chat, deadlines swirling in your head, and tomorrow morning you need to deliver a status report to the client. While you’re collecting updates from designers and comparing numbers from spreadsheets, the sun is already setting, and your inbox is still empty.

This “Friday roulette” is easy to switch off. Below is a calm, step-by-step guide on how to set up automatic status update emails via Soffi.io in one evening. No code, no complex integrations, and most importantly, no stressful messaging like “Who updated the ‘Done’ column?”

1.
Organize Your Data

First, check your source of truth.
Is your team already maintaining a shared Google Sheet with tasks? Great — use it. If there are several sources:

1.
Create a new spreadsheet called Project_Status_Master.
2.
Copy in the key columns: Task ID, Responsible, Status, Overdue (days), Comment.
3.
Agree that every Friday by noon the team marks the current status: “Done,” “In Progress,” “Risk,” or “Blocker.”

Pro tip: Add a “Next Step (one short sentence)” field. Clients like seeing not only the facts, but also the next specific action.

1.
Create a Report Template — Once and For All

Open a blank Google Docs and draft the structure of your future email. The clearer, the better.

Hi, team!

Below is the weekly status report for the project.

📈 Completed:
{{done_list}}

🔄 In Progress:
{{in_progress_list}}

⚠️ Risks:
{{risk_list}}

Upcoming milestones:

•
—
•
—

Regards,

Curly braces are markers where Soffi.io will automatically insert data from your spreadsheet. The marker format doesn’t matter: you can use {{}}, %%, or [[ ]], just be consistent.

1.
Connect the Spreadsheet and Template to Soffi.io
2.
Sign up or log in to Soffi.io.
3.
Click “Create task” → “Data sources.”
4.
Choose Google Sheets, give access to Project_Status_Master.
5.
On the “Template” step, upload the Google Doc you created.
6.
Set up the mappings:
- •
  {{done_list}} ↔︎ filter Status = Done.
- •
  {{in_progress_list}} ↔︎ filter Status = In Progress.
- •
  {{risk_list}} ↔︎ filter Status = Risk OR Overdue > 0.

Soffi.io will show a preview: the list of tasks will automatically convert into neat bullet points. If needed, add sorting by priority or deadline — this logic is set up in just a few clicks.

1.
Schedule the Distribution and Breathe Easy

Open the “Schedule” tab and set:

•
Day of the week: Friday
•
Time: 18:00 (or earlier if your client is in a different time zone)
•
Delivery channel: Email → list of project addresses

Pro tip: add yourself to the copy so you receive the first email. That way you can check the formatting, ensure links work, and verify that emojis display correctly.

1.
Test With “Empty” Data

Run the task manually, even if the spreadsheet only has a couple of lines so far. Soffi.io will generate a draft and you’ll immediately see:

•
extra spaces
•
long links that should be shortened
•
tasks with no responsible person (an empty field stands out)

After making corrections, click “Save and activate” — automation is ready.

1.
Make Micro-Enhancements as You Go

•
Readiness graph. Include a simple “% completed” chart in the report — Soffi.io can insert images from Google Charts.
•
Emotional marker. Add a smiley icon to the template that turns red if there are “Blockers.” Silly, but clients pay closer attention.
•
Time summary. Use the formula =NETWORKDAYS(A2,B2) in the spreadsheet to calculate remaining working days until a key milestone and insert the number in the email.

1.
What If Plans Change?

Projects are dynamic — deadlines shift. No problem:

1.
Change the release date in the spreadsheet.
2.
Run a test launch in Soffi.io — the template is already updated.
3.
No manual edits in Outlook, no “Oops, forgot to update the document.”

Conclusion: Friday Is Yours Again

After a couple of weeks, you’ll notice a curious effect: clients ask fewer clarifying questions, and the team becomes more disciplined — knowing that statuses are sent out motivates everyone to update their rows in advance.

The main thing to remember: automation shouldn’t be complicated. Provide Soffi.io with clean data, a clear template, and a precise schedule. Everything else is no longer your headache.

As a result, you can spend Friday evening not in front of a screen, but with a cup of coffee (or whatever you prefer). The status report will be sent without the rush, and you’ll close your laptop exactly at six, knowing the process is finally “on rails.”