An open-book report shows committed cost, actual spend, remaining budget and forecast outturn — broken down to the cost plan line items the client recognises. Updated monthly, it removes the mystery from where the money is going.

Clients overwhelmingly say the same thing after their first month of open-book reporting: they’re less anxious, not more. Knowing the numbers is reassuring even when the numbers aren’t perfect.

For investors and landlords, open-book reporting also makes year-end accounting simpler — every cost is already categorised against the project.