The RAG system is a simple traffic-light framework used in project management to communicate the overall health or status of a project at a glance. Red indicates a serious issue requiring immediate attention, Amber signals a potential risk or minor problem that needs monitoring, and Green means everything is on track and progressing as planned. It allows stakeholders to quickly assess project status without needing to review detailed reports.
In WeTrack, RAG status is used for projects and its components (task groups, tasks, and sub-tasks) as well as risks, issues, and opportunities.
In this article:
RAG for Projects and Tasks
Tasks have five possible RAG statuses:
- Grey: Not Started. This task has not yet been started. Not all tasks need to begin at the same time, so Grey simply indicates that work is pending. Once work begins, the status should be updated to one of the other categories. Grey tasks are excluded from any RAG calculations when generating a summary rating for the project.
- Red: At Risk. This task has slipped, is in imminent danger of slipping, or is significantly below the required standard (for example, it has failed a test). Red is the most critical status and should be assigned as soon as an issue is identified, so that additional attention and/or resources can be allocated promptly.
- Amber: Needs Attention. This task is falling slightly behind schedule or only partially meeting the expected standard. It requires monitoring and may escalate to Red if corrective action is not taken.
- Green: On Track. This task is progressing as planned and fully meeting the expected standard. No action is required, but if progress begins to slip, it should be down-rated promptly; early re-rating benefits the whole project.
- Blue: Complete. This task has been finished and formally signed off by the task owner or manager. Supporting documentation confirming completion can be attached directly to the task.
In the planning module, RAG status is updated on each task, either manually or automatically based on preset rules. The RAG status of all other items (projects, task groups, and departments) is calculated based on the RAG status of their underlying tasks. If a task has sub-tasks, its RAG status is calculated from the sub-task RAG rather than updated manually. RAG status for items other than tasks and sub-tasks cannot be controlled manually.
While the colors for RAG status cannot be customized, what each color is called can be. See Configure Planning RAG Status Descriptions for details.
RAG for Risks, Issues, and Opportunities
Risk, Issues, and Opportunity RAG is handled differently. RAG ratings for Risks, Issues, and Opportunities are automatically calculated based on two factors:
- Impact: Scored 1–5, from Low to Extreme
- Likelihood: Scored 1–5, from Highly Unlikely to Highly Likely, with a sixth value reserved for confirmed Issues.
These scores are mapped against a customizable RAG matrix, where admin users can assign colors and descriptions to each Impact/Likelihood combination. See Customize the Risk RAG Matrix for more details.