Coaching reports: template and steps for coaches
Coaching reports: template and steps for coaches
A coaching report is a record of the progress or outcome of a coaching journey, based on measurable goals and observations. You use the progress report to adjust course along the way, and the final report to wrap up the journey and account for it. A good report shows which goals were agreed, what has demonstrably changed, and which next steps make sense.
In short:
- Record at the intake when you will report, who receives the report, and which goals, success criteria and measurement methods apply, so expectations are clear.
- Measure goal attainment, behaviour change and coaching effectiveness on a scale of 1 to 10, with measurement moments at the start, midway and at the end.
- Back up scores with concrete observations; give the coachee all the details, but share only an anonymised summary without identifiable data with a client.
- The GDPR sets no fixed retention period for coaching reports; decide yourself how long retention is necessary, record this in your privacy policy and delete the data afterwards.
- Keep the main report short and include goals, baseline measurement, scores, behaviour examples, recommendations and next steps for a decision about the journey.
Table of contents
- When do you use a progress report and when a final report?
- How do you apply the ICF evaluation process to your reports?
- What do you measure: behaviour, goal attainment and the 1 to 10 scale?
- What should a report contain at a minimum?
- What does the GDPR require of you when storing reports?
- How do you present results to the coachee and the client?
- How do you go from session notes to a finished report?
- Why does good reporting make you a better coach?
- How does Exantur help you finish reports faster?
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
When do you use a progress report and when a final report?
You choose the type of report based on the moment in the journey and the recipient. Make that choice already at the intake, so no one is surprised later on.
- A progress report suits fixed check-ins, for example during those check-ins, to see whether the coachee is on track.
- A final report suits the conclusion of the journey, for the evaluation with a client or for your own archive.
- Record at the intake when you will report, who receives the report, and which success criteria and measurement methods apply.
That last agreement is not a formality. The ICF recommends agreeing goals and measurements at the start with the coachee and, where relevant, the manager. This way you avoid ambiguity about what success means when you write the final report.
How do you apply the ICF evaluation process to your reports?
The ICF describes an evaluation process in five steps. It works well as a skeleton for both progress and final reports. Here is how to translate the steps into your daily practice:
- Define success criteria. Formulate goals you can verify, for example using SMART (specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, time-bound).
- Draw up evaluation questions. Consider which questions you will ask the coachee and, if there is a client, the manager or sponsor.
- Choose measurement points. Measure at the start (baseline), midway and at the end, so you can truly compare.
- Share results. Choose the right level of detail per recipient and anonymise where a sponsor is reading along.
- Assess the process itself. Look back at what worked, what took too much time, and what you would do differently next time.
Pro tip: Goals can shift along the way. So don't hold rigidly to your evaluation questions, but focus on the outcome that is most meaningful for the coachee and the organisation.
That last point also comes up in research into coaching evaluation. The ICF also emphasises that evaluation is an ongoing conversation about success and not an administrative sign-off. It also helps you grow as a coach yourself. Measuring business results is often difficult, so short qualitative breakthroughs from your sessions are a valuable early indicator in your report.
What do you measure: behaviour, goal attainment and the 1 to 10 scale?
Measuring doesn't have to be complicated. Choose a small number of points that match the coachee's goal and measure them in the same way every time.
- Coaching experience and the coach's effectiveness, as assessed by the coachee.
- Visibility of behaviour: does the environment notice that something is changing?
- Goal attainment: how far has the coachee come with the agreed goals?
- Impact on the work or on the organisation's results.
The ICF recommends a scale of 1 to 10 for this, as described in the article on the ROI of coaching.
Measure critical success factors such as coaching effectiveness, visibility of behaviour change and goal attainment on a scale of 1 to 10, with a baseline at the start of the journey.
A score says little without context. So add a short observation from your session notes to each score, for example a situation in which the coachee responded differently than before. Numbers show the direction; examples give the story.
What should a report contain at a minimum?
A report is only usable once the reader can work with it without further explanation. These elements belong in it at a minimum:
- Identification details and the period you are reporting on.
- The agreed goals and success criteria, with the baseline.
- The scores and a short summary of the measurement points.
- Qualitative observations and clear examples of behaviour change.
- Recommendations and next steps, with a name or role attached.
- Confidentiality, consent and who has access to the report.
Keep each element short. A short report that gets read beats a thick file that disappears into a drawer. Above all, write what the reader needs in order to make a decision or to continue with the journey.
What does the GDPR require of you when storing reports?
The GDPR is the European privacy law. As a coach you decide yourself which data you collect and why, and so you are the controller. For coaching reports there is no fixed legal retention period. You have to decide yourself how long retention is necessary and justify that.
- Keep reports for as short a time as is needed for the purpose.
- Record the retention period in your privacy policy and maintain a register of what you process and why.
- Delete data as soon as you no longer need it.
- When reporting to a sponsor, use anonymised summaries, without data that could identify the coachee.
If you want to check step by step whether you are in order, use our GDPR checklist for coaches.
How do you present results to the coachee and the client?
Not every recipient needs the same information. The coachee receives all the details about their own progress. A sponsor or manager receives an anonymised summary with the outcome and the recommendations.
- Work with short charts and summaries in bullet points. Long tables belong in an appendix, not in the main report.
- Schedule a debrief after each important report. The coachee and, where appropriate, the manager then reflect together on the outcome.
- Afterwards, ask for feedback on the report itself. You use that input in step 5 of the evaluation process.
This way a report doesn't become an endpoint, but a discussion piece that moves the journey forward.
How do you go from session notes to a finished report?
With a fixed way of working, reporting takes little extra time. Go through these steps:
- Make agreements at the intake about goals, measurement points and recipients.
- Measure the baseline before the first real coaching work begins.
- Jot down a few short observations after each session.
- Update the scores at the agreed measurement moments.
- Compile the report from your notes and scores.
- Share the report with the right people and archive it according to your retention period.
Keep your full session notes in your own file. In the report you include only a summary of what matters to the reader. You can find a free template in our session report generator for coaches. To keep track of scores and goals, read more on our page about tracking coaching goals.
Pro tip: Schedule a fixed moment after each session to write down your observations. Then the report is already largely in your notes.
Why does good reporting make you a better coach?
Many coaches see reporting as paperwork. I see it differently: it is the moment when you show what your work delivers. Those who measure and look back also discover which approach really works and which merely feels good. Clients and managers trust a coach more quickly when they can explain, with evidence, what has changed. And improving your reporting, for example based on feedback, is just as much part of your craft as your conversational skills.
— Martijn
How does Exantur help you finish reports faster?
Practice software saves time, because notes, goals, scores and documents are all in one place rather than scattered across separate files. We built Exantur for coaches who value structure and confidentiality. Our platform is hosted in Frankfurt and is built for GDPR-conscious data processing.
- Session notes, goals and progress stay linked to the right client and the right journey.
- An optional AI assistant drafts final reports from your own notes.
Take a look at our page on reporting software for coaching or start a free trial.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a progress report and a final report?
A progress report gives interim insight and helps you adjust course. A final report concludes the journey, shows the outcomes and provides recommendations for what comes next. Both use the same agreed goals as their starting point.
How long should I keep a coaching report?
There is no fixed legal retention period for this. You decide yourself how long retention is necessary, justify that and record it in your privacy policy. Data you no longer need should be deleted straight away.
Which scale should I use to measure progress?
The ICF recommends a scale of 1 to 10 for aspects such as coaching effectiveness and the visibility of behaviour. Measure at the start, midway and at the end, so you can compare scores. Supplement them with short examples from your sessions.
How do I report to a client without compromising confidentiality?
Agree at the intake what you will share and then use anonymised summaries. Leave out details that could make a coachee identifiable. Only the coachee themselves receives the full write-up.
Sources
- Measuring the ROI of Coaching: A Pragmatic Approach for Coaches - ICF
- Storing personal data | Dutch Data Protection Authority