source/pmc/reporting.md

---
title: PMC Reporting
tags: ["pmc","reporting"]
---

Each PMC must submit a quarterly report to the Board of Directors
according to a schedule set by the Board.

You can find your project's reporting schedule by visiting the
committee's page on
[projects.apache.org](https://projects.apache.org/committees.html). You
will also receive a reminder from the Secretary a few weeks prior to
your report's due date.

The *official* record of PMC reporting schedules is the file
[committee-info.txt](https://svn.apache.org/repos/private/committers/board/committee-info.txt)
(requires password authentication).

The complete detailed policy and process for reporting may be found on
the [board website](https://www.apache.org/foundation/board/reporting).

## Writing a report

While you may use the [reporter tool](https://reporter.apache.org)
to draft your report, avoid submitting auto-generated content. Instead,
use this opportunity to reflect thoughtfully on your project's health,
objectives, and any challenges it's facing. Take time to be introspective
about your project's short- and long-term goals and identify any risks or concerns.

Consider including these important topics in your report:

* Technology trend changes that will influence your project's direction
* A very active contributor, or company, joining or leaving the project
* Mergers or acquisitions between active participant organizations in
  your project
* Notable increases or decreases in your project's momentum or popularity
  that may affect the community

While the Board of Directors is your primary audience,
reports become [publicly available](https://whimsy.apache.org/board/minutes/)
once the board minutes are approved. Enclose any
Foundation-confidential sections in <private>...</private>
tags, as described in the formal documentation above.

Consider the secondary audience when writing. For example, if you want
the press to tell a particular story about your project, tell that story
in your report, and provide a quote suitable for an article.

The Chair is responsible for ensuring that the report is filed, but it
should represent the thoughts of the entire PMC. Consult with the entire PMC as
you draft the report. Many projects discuss drafts on on the dev list,
giving the broader community the opportunity to provide input as well.

Submit your report via the [reporter tool](https://reporter.apache.org) or
the [agenda tool](https://whimsy.apache.org/board/agenda), or commit it
directly to the [subversion
repository](https://svn.apache.org/repos/private/foundation/board).

## What makes a good board report

When writing your board report, keep your audience in mind.

The primary audience of your report is the board of directors. While
board members may not be experts in your specific technology, they focus
on project health and sustainability.

Consider these key questions:

* Do you have enough active participants - both committers and PMC members -
  to respond to urgent bugs or security? Think about non-technical, as
  well as technical roles.
* Have you addressed any questions or comments that the board made on
  your previous report?
* Have you highlighted major achievements or challenges in the past
  quarter than an outsider might have missed?

The report isn't just a once-a-quarter box to check -- it's your
opportunity to tell the story of your project,
celebrate your accomplishments, ask for help or advice on challenges
you're facing, and identify places where new contributors might find
something to work on.

We encourage you to review [past board
reports](https://apache.org/foundation/board/calendar.html) for inspiration from
other projects.

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