Status is how elyvate keeps everyone aligned - from the team executing the work to the stakeholders overseeing it. Consistent status usage is what makes your project dashboard reliable and your reporting trustworthy. When statuses are set correctly, the Overview reflects reality. When they are not, reporting breaks down.
Note: this article covers the traffic light status of projects and work packages. Measures have their own separate statuses (see Measure statuses).
elyvate uses the same set of status options for both projects and work packages. This keeps things simple and ensures that the overall project status always speaks the same language as the individual work packages beneath it.
Available status options
Each project and work package carries one of three statuses at any given time:
On Track - everything is progressing as planned and targets are being met. No issues are open that require attention.
Deviated - Counter Measure Defined - a deviation from the plan has been identified, but a concrete counter measure is already in place. The situation is being actively managed.
Deviated - No Counter Measure Defined - a deviation has been identified and no counter measure exists yet. This status requires immediate attention - an owner needs to define next steps as quickly as possible.
When to update a status
Status should reflect the current situation - not the desired one. Update the status of your work package whenever something changes: a deviation appears, a counter measure is defined, or a target is back on track. Do not wait for the weekly reporting cycle to correct an outdated status.
The critical distinction between the two deviated statuses is accountability. Deviated - Counter Measure Defined signals that the team is in control and working the problem. Deviated - No Counter Measure Defined signals that action is still missing - and that is what triggers escalation.
One trigger for a status change is automatic: if a Top KPI turns red, the work package status is set to Deviated - No Counter Measure Defined immediately. This change does not reverse automatically - even if the Top KPI recovers, the status stays until someone actively resets it. Only a Project Lead, Work Package Lead, or Consultant can manually set the status back. This is intentional: a KPI that turned red requires a conscious decision to close out, not just a number improving on its own.
For projects, the overall status is set by the Project Lead or a Consultant and should reflect the combined picture across all work packages. If one work package is deviated without a counter measure and it affects a critical milestone, the project status should reflect that.
Where statuses are configured
Statuses are managed in Project Details → Settings, where Project Leads and Consultants can also customise the measure statuses used across the project (see Project Details).
What changes downstream
Updating a status is not just a label change - it has consequences across the platform. Work packages with the status Deviated - No Counter Measure Defined surface in the escalation overview on the project Overview page, visible to all stakeholders. This creates direct pressure to act and assign ownership quickly.
Work packages with Deviated - Counter Measure Defined remain visible in the escalation view as well, but signal to stakeholders that the situation is being managed - reducing unnecessary back-and-forth in status meetings.
Keeping statuses consistent
The value of the dashboard depends entirely on accurate, up-to-date statuses. Agree on a shared definition of each status with your team before the project starts - and revisit the convention if statuses start to drift. Use the weekly check-in as your regular moment to review and align. One reliable source of truth is only possible if everyone uses the same language.