When proposing a new project, it is natural to use a tool called the business requirements document. It is the perfect form to show your stakeholders and interested parties not only the business objectives of the project but also relevant information regarding it, like the cost-benefit analysis.

But for the business requirement document to work appropriately and show the key information for stakeholders involved, the project manager must create a solid template containing the main data necessary. Everything can impact the approval process, from the number of categories to the description of the project objectives.

In this article, we will show you how to make the perfect business requirements document template using simple steps. Follow all of them carefully, and you’ll end up with the ideal tool for showing the stakeholders your next successful project.

The business requirements document (BRD) is a tool project managers and development teams use to show relevant stakeholders the key data regarding a new project. It provides a framework with a project overview and logistical details about it. This way, the project stakeholders can evaluate the project’s functional requirements and any other information they find relevant.

Although the main public of the BRD template is your stakeholders, it can be a great project management tool for other parties, such as team members and collaborators. It is a common practice in businesses of all kinds, from software development companies to design organizations.

More than just presenting the project scope to the interested parties, creating these business requirements documents can bring numerous benefits. The first one is that by producing this document, you ensure that the project team and key stakeholders understand the entire project. A good understanding of the executive summary and the project constraints is vital for efficient execution.

Moreover, the business requirement document template can also feature clear instructions on executing the strategy and its components. This minimizes the chances of errors during the process and helps to ensure a more efficient project.

It is an indispensable tool for presenting a comprehensive structure of what needs to be done and how. You can get all the essential details in one document, including business drivers, project requirements, and the business process behind each step.

Many people might think that BRD and FRD are the same documents, but they have some key differences. We will show some of these to ensure you create the correct document for your needs.

To start, the BRD document focuses on the project objectives and high-level needs and is directly related to business problems. It comprehends multiple aspects of the overall process, from the project description to the lifecycle of your product or service.

On the other hand, the FRD document refers to the functions required to fulfill these business requirements. It focuses on how things should be done and when. The FRD is related to the solution for the problem and the requirements for the different business processes.

Notice that you can have more than just one type of BRD template. Understanding the difference between each kind of document is important. 
This way, you ensure you’re using the type that fits your needs and objectives. It not only makes filling in the necessary details easier but also increases the chances of success for your project.

Here we will show you some of the most common kinds of business requirement documents you can find. Make sure to take a look and compare them.

Traditional Business Requirements Document

As the name suggests, the traditional model features the essential categories for creating a BRD document. It can be used for any kind of business and features general categories.

It is a great option but not recommended for businesses with specific needs. For those cases, it is better to create a template focusing on your company's specifications.

The traditional document focuses on defining a proposed project's components and functional requirements. It also features general fields for listing research details, requirements, and other needs related to the project and strategy.

The traditional business requirement template usually features tools to help you compare proposed vs. actual processes and evaluate results. It is an excellent tool for general uses and gathering data like project entails and business analysis.

Agile Business Requirements Document Template

The agile template is one of the most used methods when developing technological solutions and software. The most common objectives when using the agile methodology template are creating a business solution for software projects and improving the organization’s process flows. 

Just like the traditional mode, it can gather numerous valuable information, like the project lifecycle, parties involved, and project requirements. With the agile template, the development team can create smart solutions for the proposed process and provide a detailed overview for the project sponsors.

Software Development Business Requirements Document

Although the agile format is typically used for software projects, there is also a specific template for this action. As the name suggests, the software development BRD template focuses on the needs of a software strategy and the main points it concerns. 

From the project objective to the document outlines, everything is focused on this kind of process, and the template will feature categories focusing on the exclusive needs of this type of development. Some examples of exclusive needs featured in this document are user security features and user experience requirements.

Business Analysis Requirements Document Template

If you’re developing actions for your business instead of a new project specifically, this template might be the best for you. The business analysis template will focus on helping the business analyst to develop strategies and list the main requirements for actions directly related to your business.

Instead of a project summary and lifecycle, when creating a BRD document template for this case, you’ll make a deep-dive analysis of your company and the primary information regarding it. If you write a business analysis template, it can have different purposes, like improving the environment, increasing lead generation, etc. This document will also feature the expected benefits and outcomes with the action to evaluate how important it is for the company.

Now that you know the main types of BRD documents, it is time to see how you can create your own template. Each detail can make an entire difference in your analysis.

Make sure to follow all the steps carefully to ensure the best results. Here are the main categories you should feature in your business requirements document template:

Project Name

The first item to be featured should be the identification. You can have multiple BRD documents at a time and identifying each of them is crucial for your company to help with organization but also for the key stakeholders.

The document identification is typically done through the project it regards. This information is usually highlighted and featured at the top of the document for easy identification. This way, you avoid mistaking one document for another and make the BRD look more professional.

Executive Summary

Executive Summary is one of the most important pieces of information to be included in the BRD. It regards key details, like research conducted, insights generated, project scope, etc.

The summary can be defined as the overview of your entire project. The BRD is different from a functional requirements document, but the primary information of these requirements can also be featured in this document category.

Project Description

Along with the summary, your template should also have a space dedicated to describing the project and its main details. Some of the key information in your description are the main challenges regarding the project and why it is vital for the company to invest in it.

Whether because of the expected outcomes or any other reason, the description should explain why the company needs the project and how it can solve one or more problems of the company. This way, the organization, and key stakeholders will be on the same page and understand the importance of the proposed strategy. 

Project Scope

The project scope is a detailed overview of the main information the development team must know before starting the project. Some of the most common data in the scope are goals, tasks, costs, and deadlines.

With this, the team can create the best strategy for achieving the objectives based on this information. The more detailed it gets, the higher the chances of success.

Current Process

These two pieces of information are also vital for a well-structured document. The current process describes the current actions you’re taking to address the main problems of the project and the steps being taken to progress.

It can be done using visual tools to help with the understanding. Some of the most used are a project timeline or a flowchart.

Proposed Process

Along with the current process, it is also important to illustrate the proposed one. It usually contains the same information from the previous category but can also feature extra information initially proposed.

It is essential to have both categories on the template to compare them. It can be illustrated using the same tools from the current process to make the comparison more precise.

Functional Requirements

Listing requirements are also crucial for a successful business requirements document. In this category, you’ll list all the functional requirements for the project to work and how they will help the project address the issue.

In this step, you don’t need to describe them in detail since this part of the process is done through the FRD document. Since these are the proposed functional requirements, they might not reflect the final version of it.

Non-Functional Requirements

Non-functional requirements also need to be listed in the BRD document. Most items in this category relate to user experience and system behavior.

Listing all of them is important to understand all the project's necessities to succeed. They can also regard tools for quality assurance and the communication with users.

When it comes to the creation of a BRD template, there are tons of options available, from known software to specialized programs. Among all of them, we highly recommend using Microsoft Word for this task. 

It not only has the best tools and features available but is also an industry standard. This means you won’t need extra software for your business tasks.

If you don’t have a Microsoft Office activation key, you can find one at RoyalCDKeys. This way, you get access to all features you need and still save money.

If you don’t want to create your business requirements document template from scratch, there is no problem. Here are some free templates you can download and edit using Word to best fit your needs:

Template #1

Simple business requirements document template. Features all the necessary categories for a traditional BRD report. It can be used for any kind of business and project.

Get this template

Template #2

Business analysis BRD document. Template featuring all the necessary categories for an in-depth analysis of your business and its main pain points.

Get this template

Template #3

Minimalistic BRD template. Document featuring all the essential information for a well-structured business requirements document template. It can also be used for any kind of business.

Get this template

When analyzing a new possible project, having a well-structured document with preliminary information is vital to make the right decision. To help with this, one of the best options is to design a business requirements document (BRD.)

It is a powerful tool that helps with numerous tasks, like cost-benefit analysis and project constraints. But for it to work as expected, it must feature the right categories.

Now that you know everything you need, it is time to start creating your own business requirements documents. Use Word to edit every aspect of your template and end up with the perfect tool to help with your next successful project.