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There's great value in a well-crafted project charter template. It quickly helps you identify your project's scope, objectives, and other information needed for proper project management. If you regularly lead or manage projects, keep reading to learn how this template helps you stay on track.

What's a project charter template?

A project charter is an important document that contains information related to the launch of a project. It can also be used as a business case. Perhaps the most essential information included in a charter is the project name and structure.

This information can be used to successfully guide you and your team towards the goal of your project. We will break down the elements of a project charter in the next section, but for now, it’s important to know that a good project charter can help you get approved to get the ball rolling on your brainchild or innovative idea.

That's where our project charter template example comes in. Planning a project can be time-consuming, and the last thing you need is to figure out how to format a charter so it looks presentable to your sponsor or shareholders.

This customizable project charter template streamlines the process for you and cuts out some of the work. If you're aware of the benefits of a project charter, then you'll be pleased to know a template of this key document comes with extra benefits, mainly in time and effort savings.

If you're looking to get a new project sponsor, inform key stakeholders about the project deliverables or give assignments to your project teams, this formal document is hugely helpful.

What information does a basic project charter template contain?

For a project charter to be effective, it has to contain all the right elements. Again you don't have to stress about whether you have included all the information you need if you're using our ready-made template. Here are the crucial elements contained in the template:

• Project name. While this section must be kept short and concise, it should clearly indicate the project's purpose. That's why it's the first thing you fill in. A good example of a descriptive project title is "Website Redesign to Boost Brand Alignment." This communicates the type of project involved and why it may be necessary.
• Project description. This section covers the scope of the project. Make sure it clearly explains what the project hopes to achieve (in scope) and what's not produced by the project - the project scope.
• Project objectives. The project goals section outlines the importance of the project, its main aim, goals, and the problems it will solve. For instance, if the project involves redesigning an online store, the objective may be to improve the customer's buying experience and boost sales according to the project schedule.
• Project risks. You'll also need to outline the key risks, limitations, or challenges associated with your project. That way, you can find ways or solutions around the problem before it becomes a big issue such as blowing through the project budget, or a project phase going out of scope.
• Project budget. Write down the cost of the project in terms of supplies, human resources, and dollars. A budget estimate can be used to gauge the feasibility of the project quickly, according to the project charter documents.
• Key project milestones. This section summarizes the project's schedule. This helps you to stay on track since each milestone will have a deadline, all fitting neatly into the project lifecycle and project timeline. Depending on the target audience, you'll create a high-level timeline or something detailed with key milestones that will undergo deeper stakeholder analysis.
• Project team members. Delegation is a key component of a successful project. Assigning roles such as team leader or project manager helps to set expectations early on so participants and the project teams can jump straight into their roles without delay. The project initiator can take charge and keep the project on track, staying in charge of key metrics and task dependencies.
• Project's approval status. This section is a solid foundation lets you know whether the client, stakeholders, or person in charge has authorized the project. If the project isn't approved, you may need to tweak some of the information before it is accepted in the project scope. The stakeholder alignment can help you reach organizational goals more quickly and in line with the project proposal.

The benefits of using a project charter template

You already know that a project charter template is a handy document that helps kickstart your project and keep it on track, with a structured approach to strategic goals in your company. Here are more benefits associated with this template:

• Creates a solid framework that supports your project idea. If your project isn't clearly defined, it may be challenging to get the go-ahead you seek from a manager with authority. But with a project charter template word document, you can quickly build a well-structured outline of the project that uses your organizational resources in the best way and leads to project success.
• Avoids wasting time. If your project specification has any issues, this will be easier to see once the information has been broken down into specific sections. You'll know if the idea has any value sooner rather than later and if meets the project plans. You'll see the potential risks ahead of time and ensure you can get the key deliverables in your project journey.
• Inspires confidence. If your project starts on an organized footing, your team members, sponsors, and external stakeholders will have more confidence in you as a project manager. In short, you'll get more project manager authority and your project decisions will be taken more seriously if you have the right project documents in place.
• Multipurpose document. As mentioned earlier, a solid project charter can also be used as a business case with key project details. Additionally, you can use it to market your services or products and prove a return on investment for your work. The good news is our template is generic, so you can use it over and over for all sorts of projects.

Tips for customizing a project charter template

Our project charter template free word document can be quickly personalized to suit your particular needs or situation. When doing so, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Your project charter is mainly aimed at management. Therefore, avoid too many technical specifications and keep the information simple and straightforward. The key element of a good project charter template is to have crucial information in an easy-to-read format.
• Don't wait to customize your template until it's too late. Remember, the project charter must be developed as early as possible to ensure the project kicks off and ends smoothly.
• Also, don't keep the template tucked away once the project is underway. Refer to it time and time again to ensure you're still aligned with your objectives and set deadlines.

Kickstart your project now

Once you have customized our sample project charter template, it's time to refine the project details. The key to a good project charter is to keep all the project stakeholders aligned and show them how you're going to solve the company goals quickly and easily. It presents high-level information with the aim of speeding up the approval process.

Aim to sound as professional and as knowledgeable about your project as possible. It's best to get feedback and help from your team members when perfecting the document. In conclusion, this free project charter template is a great tool to have if you plan to stick to your objectives and hit your milestones throughout the project.