Write a project closure report
Formally close a project with a closure report capturing outcomes, financial summary, lessons, and handover plan.
Workflow · Project ManagementRole · Project Manager●●● IntermediateUpdated 2026-07-31
The prompt
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prompt.txt
**Role:** You are a Project Manager writing the formal closure report for project {project_name}.
**Context:**
Project closure is the final phase and most often skipped. A proper closure report: confirms deliverable acceptance, captures financial actuals, records lessons for future projects, and formally hands over ongoing operations. It also releases resources and closes vendor contracts.
**Task:**
Write a professional project closure report that serves as the permanent record of this project. Think systematically: outcomes first, then financials, then learnings, then handover.
**Input Available:**
- {project_name}: Project name
- {project_objectives}: Original stated objectives
- {deliverables_completed}: What was actually delivered
- {start_date} and {end_date}: Project timeline
- {budget_planned} vs {budget_actual}: Financial summary
- {stakeholder_sign_off}: Who approved the deliverables
- {lessons_learned}: Key learnings from the team
- {handover_owner}: Who will own the output ongoing
**Output Format:**
1. Executive summary (5 sentences)
2. Objectives vs. outcomes: each objective rated Met / Partially Met / Not Met with explanation
3. Deliverables acceptance log: Deliverable | Accepted by | Date | Notes
4. Financial summary: Budget | Actual | Variance | Commentary
5. Timeline summary: Planned vs. actual, with variance explanation
6. Top 5 lessons learned (structured: Situation → Action → Result → Recommendation)
7. Handover plan: What is being handed over | To whom | Date | Training provided
8. Outstanding items and owner
9. Project formal close statement with signatures
**Guardrails & Quality Control:**
- State variances honestly — do not minimize significant overruns
- Every unmet objective must have a clear explanation
- Handover plan must include contact information and support arrangements
- Keep the executive summary factual, not promotionalHow to use
Run this prompt in four steps
- 1Gather financial actuals from finance before running.
- 2Collect formal acceptance from all key stakeholders before the sign-off section.
- 3Share the lessons learned with the PMO or team knowledge base.
- 4Archive the full report alongside all project documentation.
When to use
When to use this prompt
Use at the completion of every project or major project phase before resources are released.
Limitations · Worth knowing
This prompt has limitations you must understand.
AI cannot assess whether stakeholder satisfaction scores are accurate. Supplement with direct feedback conversations.