A business requirements document (BRD) gives your teams all the details they need to navigate a successful project from start to finish. It’s a repository for crucial information about the project scope, stakeholders and constraints. 

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This business requirements document template will help you create documentation that outlines critical details in a readable, shareable format that’s easy to update as project objectives change.

What’s a Business Requirements Document?

A BRD outlines the scope, constraints and business objectives that make for a successful project. It’s a central source of truth for every stakeholder — providing an executive summary for decision-makers, objectives for project managers and a list of requirements all team members must strive to meet.

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A detailed BRD provides valuable context for every project-related decision. If you need to adjust your budget or reset expectations, this document will help you determine all options and communicate changes to the team.

What Should a Business Requirements Document Include?

Our sample business requirements document includes sections for all the essential details a BRD should cover. These are:

• Executive summary: A high-level overview of the project objectives, scope and constraints written for decision-makers who must approve the project before it can begin.
• Project objectives: A detailed breakdown of the project’s business goals, such as launching a new product or increasing sales for an existing one.
• Project scope: The extent to which the team will go to complete the project, including all the new and existing features and products they’ll work on.
• Business requirements: A section stating requirements that the project must meet before it’s considered complete, such as essential functionalities or technical specifications.
• Key stakeholders: A list of critical players involved, including project managers, development team leaders and business analysts.
• Project constraints: Financial and operational limitations that the project must stay within.
• Cost-benefit analysis: An assessment of the budget for the project along with a justification for allocating it.