25 English Phrases for Async Status Updates

A good async status update answers three questions before anyone has to ask: what moved, what’s next, and what’s stuck. These 25 English phrases help you write that update in a Slack thread or standup channel in under two minutes.

What a Good Async Update Covers

Many teams build their daily standup around three questions. Atlassian’s standup guide lists them as: what did I work on yesterday, what am I working on today, and what issues are blocking me. The Scrum Guide describes the Daily Scrum as a 15-minute event focused on progress toward the Sprint Goal, so a written version should be just as short.

Writing it down instead of saying it out loud changes one thing: the reader can’t interrupt you to ask “what do you mean?” The GitLab Handbook puts async communication first and stresses writing conclusions down, and Doist advises being clear about what you need from the other person and what the deadline is. So add context, links, and a clear ask, and keep sentences short and plain. That also helps teammates who read English as a second language.

25 Phrases for Async Status Updates

The examples follow one fictional teammate working on a checkout redesign. Swap in your own tasks, names, and dates.

Report Progress

#	Phrase	Example sentence
1	Quick update on …	Quick update on the checkout redesign: the mobile layout is done.
2	Yesterday I wrapped up …	Yesterday I wrapped up the payment form validation.
3	… is now live / merged / shipped.	The new address form is now merged and on staging.
4	I made good progress on …	I made good progress on the order summary, about two-thirds done.
5	Still in progress: …	Still in progress: error messages for declined cards.

Avoid vague words like “worked on stuff.” Name the task and, if you can, the state (done, merged, in review).

Share Today’s Plan

#	Phrase	Example sentence
6	Today I’m focusing on …	Today I’m focusing on the declined-card flow.
7	Next up: …	Next up: accessibility checks on the new form.
8	I plan to have … ready by …	I plan to have the PR ready for review by 3 p.m. CET.
9	I’ll pick up … after …	I’ll pick up the copy changes after Leo’s review.
10	No change from yesterday’s plan.	No change from yesterday’s plan; still on the order summary.

Add a time zone to any time you mention (phrase 8). Your readers may be in several.

Flag Blockers and Risks

#	Phrase	Example sentence
11	I’m blocked on …	I’m blocked on the API key for the payment sandbox.
12	I’m waiting on … for …	I’m waiting on Priya for the final error-message copy.
13	Heads-up: …	Heads-up: the design file changed overnight, so I’m re-checking spacing.
14	This might slip to …	The tablet layout might slip to Friday because of the API delay.
15	No blockers right now.	No blockers right now.

Correct vs. less clear:

• ✅ I’m blocked on the sandbox API key. @Sam, could you share it by noon UTC?
• ❌ Having some issues with the API, will look into it.

The first version names the problem, the person, and the deadline. The reader can act without replying with a question.

Ask for Help or Input

#	Phrase	Example sentence
16	Could someone take a look at …?	Could someone take a look at this PR before end of day?
17	@name, could you … by …?	@Leo, could you confirm the button color by Thursday?
18	Looking for a second opinion on …	Looking for a second opinion on the empty-cart message.
19	Happy to jump on a quick call if easier.	Two options in the doc. Happy to jump on a quick call if easier.
20	No action needed, just FYI.	No action needed, just FYI: staging will restart at 6 p.m. UTC.

Phrase 19 is useful because some problems really are faster to solve live. The GitLab Handbook says sync communication is sometimes the better option, especially when you’re blocked, but it shouldn’t be the default.

Link Context and Close the Loop

#	Phrase	Example sentence
21	Details in the thread / doc / ticket: …	Details in the ticket: CHK-142.
22	For context, …	For context, we agreed to drop PayPal from v1 in Monday’s thread.
23	Decision: …	Decision: we’re keeping the one-page checkout.
24	Update: this is resolved.	Update: this is resolved. Sam shared the key, thanks!
25	I’ll post an update when …	I’ll post an update when QA signs off.

Phrase 24 matters more than it looks. Edit or reply to your earlier blocker so nobody spends time on a problem that is already fixed.

A Complete Example

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Here’s how the phrases fit together in one Slack standup post:

Quick update on the checkout redesign Done: Payment form validation is merged and on staging. Today: Focusing on the declined-card flow; I plan to have the PR ready by 3 p.m. CET. Blocked: Waiting on Priya for the final error-message copy. @Priya, could you share it by noon UTC? FYI: No action needed. Details in the ticket: CHK-142.

It’s five short lines in a fixed order, so teammates can scan it in seconds. Use the same labels every day and your channel becomes searchable history, not noise. For more workplace wording, see these English phrases for negotiating deadlines and English phrases for video calls. If your team posts in several languages, this guide on translating Slack messages can help.

If English isn’t your first language, you can check a draft with OpenL before posting, then make sure the names, dates, and links are still correct.

Start with tomorrow’s update: pick one phrase from each section, post it, and see how many follow-up questions you don’t get.

Sources

• Atlassian: Stand-up meetings — the three standup questions and the focus on progress, plans, and blockers.
• The Scrum Guide — definition of the Daily Scrum as a 15-minute event.
• GitLab Handbook: Communication — async-first communication, writing down conclusions, and when sync is better.
• Doist: Asynchronous communication — replacing standups with a written thread, and stating what you need and by when.