Work-in-Progress Tracker Template for a Solo Service Business

What you can use
Track queued, active, blocked and completed client work with a simple template, a filled example and clear next actions for each unfinished output.

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SOLOHATCH FIELD GUIDE · SOLO WORKFLOWS

A work-in-progress tracker shows which pieces of client work have started, what happens next and what is preventing completion. Keep queued work separate from work already under way. Count blocked items as unfinished work, even when you cannot act on them today.

Use the tracker when several client outputs are moving at once and your to-do list no longer explains their current state. One row represents a specific output or reviewable part of a project. A spreadsheet, document table or paper sheet can hold the same information.

Give each work item a recognisable state

“Client project” is often too large for a useful row. “Prepare the two-page service overview for review” is specific enough to have a next action and a completion check. If one part is waiting while another can continue, separate those parts rather than marking the whole project blocked.

Use these state definitions consistently.
State	What it means here	What the row needs
Queued	The output is identified, but work on it has not started.	The condition that would let you start, such as approved inputs and an available work slot.
Active	Work has started and a useful next action is available.	A concrete action you can take, rather than “continue project”.
Blocked	Work has started, but the next necessary step cannot proceed.	The missing input or decision, its owner and a next check.
Done	The stated completion check for this item has been met.	The result, version or other evidence that closes this particular item.

The Kanban Guide defines WIP around work that has started and has not finished. Applied to this tracker, WIP is the number of active rows plus blocked rows. The fields and worked example below are a practical SoloHatch adaptation for small service work.

A file being sent does not automatically make its row done. If the item is “prepare a review draft”, sending the agreed draft may meet its check. If the item is “obtain approval of the final text”, an unanswered review request remains unfinished. Write the check before choosing the state.

Copy the fields into your working document

Keep the record short enough to update when something changes. Use your existing client or project identifier; avoid copying private client material into a public or broadly shared board.

WORK-IN-PROGRESS TRACKER
Review date and time:

Work item / specific output:
Client or project reference:
State: queued / active / blocked / done
Started on: [leave blank until work actually starts]
Next useful action:
Waiting for: [input or decision + owner, if applicable]
Next check / review point:
Done when: [observable completion check]
Result / version / notes:

REVIEW TOTALS
Active items:
Blocked items:
WIP = active + blocked:
Queued items are separate and have not started.

DECISION BEFORE STARTING SOMETHING ELSE
What can be finished or unblocked first?
What would a new start displace?
Any agreed timing or client update to revisit?

“Next check” is a reminder to inspect the situation. It is not a new delivery promise. If a date is only an estimate or awaits agreement, label it that way and keep the agreed client timing visible in the project record.

For a larger piece of work, use the existing project scope template to define the output and review conditions. The tracker then records where that work stands; it does not replace the agreed scope.

Filled example: four website tasks with different next steps

Illustrative example: a solo web designer reviews four fictional tasks on Tuesday morning. The example demonstrates the states; it does not set a recommended workload.

Tuesday review: two started items remain unfinished.
Work item	State / started	Next action or dependency	Completion check
Cedar: booking-page review	Blocked / Monday	Ask the client which booking destination to use. Check the request Tuesday afternoon.	The confirmed destination is linked and the agreed review checks are complete.
Harbour: mobile navigation fix	Active / Tuesday	Check the menu on the agreed screen sizes and correct the wrapping issue.	The menu can be opened and its links used at the named sizes.
Maple: new FAQ page	Queued / not started	Confirm approved answers and a work slot before starting.	Define the page checks before moving the row into active work.
River: image descriptions	Done / Monday	Keep the completed change list with the project record.	The agreed descriptions have been added to the named images and checked.

Harbour is active and Cedar is blocked, so WIP is two. Maple has not started and River is complete. The count describes this example; it is not a limit for every solo business.

The designer can finish checking Harbour while waiting for Cedar’s booking decision. Starting Maple would add another unfinished task. Keeping Cedar in the count makes the returning work visible.

Review the unfinished rows before adding a new start

Check what changed. Move a row only when its actual state changes. A new client message might unblock it, reveal another missing decision or change the next action.
Look for a finish. Ask which active item can reach its stated completion check with the next available work session.
Make waiting actionable. Name the missing decision and its owner. For the message itself, use the relevant approach in your project communication record; avoid copying a reminder without checking what is needed.
Assess another start. Review the existing unfinished work, expected review returns and available time. Choose a working WIP policy that fits these conditions, and revisit it when observations show a problem.

A blocked row still represents a commitment that may return to your schedule. Use the weekly capacity worksheet or free Client Capacity Calculator when deciding whether there is room for another project. An item count alone cannot tell you how many hours remain.

If work is cancelled or deliberately stopped, record that decision and move it out of the working view with its history preserved. Do not label unfinished work “done” merely to make the board look clear.

Keep the tracker current without turning it into another project

Update a row when you start, finish, become blocked or learn something that changes its next step. Choose a review point that fits the work; there is no universal interval or item limit for every solo service.

At your weekly business review, use the rows to identify patterns: inputs repeatedly missing, work items too broad to finish clearly, or queued work being started without a realistic slot. Change one working rule and observe what happens. A cleaner tracker is useful only if it improves the decisions you make from it.

Start by entering your current unfinished outputs, assigning honest states and writing one next action for each. Continue through Solo Workflows for the surrounding planning and delivery steps.

This guide was developed with AI assistance for SoloHatch, operated by My Target Limited. Examples are illustrative, and planning templates should be adapted to your project. About SoloHatch.