‘Work in Progress' or 'Work in Process': What's the Difference Between the Two?

Have you heard someone say that something is a ‘work in progress’ or ‘work in process’? What’s the difference between the two? And how do you know which one to use? We’ll go over that in detail in this article, plus teach you how to use the correct phrase in a sentence.

In short:

• ‘Work in progress’ is a phrase that means something is in the process of being completed. It might be used to report capital assets
• ‘Work in process’ refers to a methodology used for accounting inventory.

Some people use these phrases interchangeably, but there are differences between the phrases you should be aware of. Therefore, they shouldn’t be used interchangeably.

‘Work in Process’ vs. ‘Work in Progress’ – What’s the Difference?

The phrases ‘work in progress’ and ‘work in process’ sound similar but not quite the same. Despite that, people still use them interchangeably.

However, they have different meanings, so doing that could cause the meaning of your writing to be lost.

‘Work in progress’ refers to the ongoing construction of complex, long-term assets (such as raw supplies that can be transformed into finished products over a long period of time).

‘Work in process’ refers to goods in process (a manufacturer’s unfinished products). This phrase usually refers to products that can transform from raw supplies to finished, sellable products in a short amount of time.

‘Work in Progress’ or ‘Work in Process’ – Which is Correct?

Depending on the context of what you’re trying to say, either phrase could be correct.

Accounting Applications

In accounting, both phrases refer to the cost of unfinished goods for a business. They might create work-in-progress reports to let the boss know the financial status of their current projects.

Industry Applications

In certain industries, ‘work in process’ means unfinished goods in a manufacturing context. There’s a work-in-process methodology (more helpful for food producers, textile mills, and tech manufacturers) and a work-in-progress methodology (popular in construction).

Definition of ‘Work in Progress’: What Does ‘Work in Progress’ Mean? 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘work in progress’ as:

• A project that is not yet finished.

Definition of ‘Work in Process’: What Does ‘Work in Process’ Mean?

The same dictionary defines ‘work in process’ as:

• Work in any of the stages through which it passes in being made into a finished product out of raw material.

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘Work in Progress’ and ‘Work in Process’ 

Are you wondering how to pronounce these words?

Here’s a short guide.

To pronounce ‘work in process’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:

wUHRk-IN-PROH-GRES

To pronounce ‘work in process’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:

wUHRk-IN-PROH-SES

How to Use ‘Work in Progress’ and ‘Work in Process’ in a Sentence

Now that we know what both phrases mean and how to pronounce them, let’s take a look at how to use them in sentences.

Work in Progress

• This book is a work in progress. I still haven’t been able to come up with a good ending for it. Will you read it and give me some suggestions, please?
• I chose to take a step back from my current work in progress because it’s just too overwhelming whenever I look at it. So I’m taking a little bit of a break from painting.
• How many works in progress do you have right now? I’ve stopped counting mine at this point because there are just too many.
• Henderson is clearly still a work in process. He comes to work looking completely disheveled and unkempt. That divorce must really be coming down on him hard.

Work in Process

• The following products are works in process. They’re in the process of being constructed as we speak.
• We currently have an entire batch of products. Those are our works in process. They’re in the middle of production at the moment.
• I just got the works-in-process report from the accounting department. The numbers look pretty good, but we might need to speed up production to meet our quota.
• We need more raw materials if we’re going to finish the current works in process. Otherwise, production will grind to a halt.
• Joanna gave me an update on the works in process, but the report was hard to read. I’m going to have to go talk to her during lunch to see what’s going on.

Final Thoughts on ‘Work in Progress’ and ‘Work in Process’

To recap, we learned the following:

• ‘Work in progress’ is a phrase that means something is in the process of being completed. It might be used to report capital assets
• ‘Work in process’ refers to a methodology used for accounting inventory.

Some people use these phrases interchangeably, but there are differences between the phrases you should be aware of. Therefore, they shouldn’t be used interchangeably.

If you have any issues with usage or meaning, you can always come back for a quick review of what you learned. We’ve also got a bunch of other content on confusing words you might find helpful as you’re learning this complex language. Feel free to check it out anytime.