The Project Charter is the most important project document. It formally initiates the project and gives the project manager the authority and accountability to plan, implement and control the project. The Project Charter is proof of management commitment to the project. Crafting your project charter is easy when you use a fully customizable MS Word template.

There are two templates in the download file: a detailed template with business case justification for any type of project of any size, and a short-form template for simple projects.

Features of the template include:

• Name and authority of the Project Sponsor
• Name and authority of the Project Manager
• A clear definition of the project's purpose
• Measurable objectives and acceptance criteria
• High-level business requirements
• High-level description of deliverables
• Boundaries of the project (what is in, and what is not in the project)
• Assessment of overall project risk
• Summary milestone schedule
• Pre-approved budget
• List of key stakeholders
• Project approval requirements (what constitutes success, who decides the project is successful, and who signs off on the project)
• Project exit criteria (criteria to be met for the project, or phase to be terminated, or closed prematurely).