Before even starting a project, you need to paint this bigger picture \u2014 what you expect from the project, your goals, the constraints, and how you\u2019ll get to that finish line. All of this information is packed into the business requirements document.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So how do you write one? And what should it look like? Keep reading to learn more about it and get access to some useful templates too.<\/p>\n\n\n A business requirements document (BRD) is an outline of a project\u2019s business objectives and everything needed to deliver them successfully.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to create and distribute the BRD before the project even kicks off. Otherwise, you\u2019ll just start a project where none of the important stakeholders know what they should do. It\u2019d be like starting an NBA finals without the coach!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should share this document with key project stakeholders<\/a> so that they have an insight into the project\u2019s details \u2014 and even their own responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, keep in mind that the BRD is not used to approve the project<\/strong>, although it can serve as an attached document to help.<\/strong> For that purpose, it’s best to use a project proposal<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 PLAKY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The BRD is also often accompanied by a business case \u2014 after all, both serve a similar purpose. Learn more about writing a business case in this article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plan your projects with Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n As you write your BRD, you might come across another term \u2014 functional requirements. The main difference between these 2 is that business requirements determine <\/strong>what<\/em><\/strong> needs to be done, while functional requirements outline <\/strong>how<\/em><\/strong> it should be done.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Naturally, just like the BRD, there\u2019s also a functional requirements document (FRD) that you can \u2014 and might even need<\/em> to \u2014 write. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The BRD outlines the project objectives and the steps you need to take to achieve them. On the other hand, the FRD takes a look at those steps in detail, outlining exactly how you should perform each task. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the difference between knowing that you need to solve a video game puzzle to level up and looking up a specific cheat sheet online when you finally give up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, who prepares which document? <\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, the BRD is prepared by a project manager or business analyst. <\/strong>Meanwhile, the FRD is usually prepared by a competent team member <\/strong>who can connect the business objectives of the BRD and the requirements of specific tasks needed to achieve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, in smaller projects, it\u2019s possible for the project manager to create both documents \u2014 but generally, you\u2019ll increase team engagement if you delegate effectively<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Implementing BRDs and FRDs requires effective time management, progress tracking, and collaboration features. Find all of these in Plaky by CAKE.com \u2014 the most reliable PM tool!<\/p>\n Like we said, if you don\u2019t create a BRD, you risk your project falling apart pretty early on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, this document doesn\u2019t just eliminate risk \u2014 it also brings lots of other benefits to your project, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure project success with Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n While a high-quality BRD can help increase clarity in your project, a poorly written one will just confuse everyone further \u2014 and you\u2019ll cause more problems instead of solving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To write an incredible BRD, you need to properly analyze and clearly define each of its elements. And, to do this right, you first need to understand them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the 9 elements you must include in your BRD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An executive summary is an overview of what your project is all about, <\/strong>like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All this needs to be clear and concise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone reading your document should get a clear understanding of your project after just reading the executive summary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, it\u2019s best to write this element last \u2014 after all, you can\u2019t summarize a blank document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you want to achieve with this project? Are you looking to change, improve, or fix something? And, how exactly will you track your success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, increase customer retention<\/em> is a goal. But, it\u2019s not clear enough. How many customers retained is necessary to reach the goal \u2014 just one, or a bajillion? <\/em>We\u2019ll never know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To avoid confusion, set S.M.A.R.T. goals<\/a>. These kinds of goals are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using this framework, you\u2019d say: Increase customer retention by 15% over the course of 6 months.<\/em> Of course, you should set up a system to measure this, make sure it\u2019s possible, and that it aligns with your overall business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The needs statement connects your project objectives with the overall business goals. <\/strong>In essence, it\u2019s the reason you\u2019re doing your project \u2014 but in the context of the whole company. How will the project\u2019s result benefit your organization? Which goal does it align with, and how?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will not only secure support from your higher-ups \u2014 but also give a sense of purpose to your team. They\u2019ll know exactly how their work on the project contributes to the overall health of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By defining the project scope, you answer the question \u2014 how much work do we need to do to complete this project?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In essence, the project scope includes all the work that needs to be done, influenced by goals, <\/strong>constraints<\/strong><\/a>, and <\/strong>deliverables<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> For example, you can\u2019t set \u201cOpen 3 brick-and-mortar stores in 3 different cities\u201d<\/em> as a scope item if you only have the budget for one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting the scope early helps you avoid scope creep<\/a> too. This nasty phenomenon happens when you underestimate the amount of work, resources, or budget it takes to complete a deliverable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, scope creep can cause devastating effects on your project \u2014 missed deadlines<\/a>, wasted budget, work overload<\/a>, etc. So, better plan ahead!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should detail how your organization is currently tackling the issue or opportunity your project is focusing on. Then, explain how your project will improve that system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, say your project aims to improve customer retention by introducing loyalty programs. In this element, you\u2019d outline how your organization currently tries \u2014 or doesn\u2019t try \u2014 to retain customers. Then, propose how your project will change this process and reaffirm the impact you think it\u2019ll have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By showing the change you want to see in your organization, you can get everyone on the same page \u2014 and do a service to your project objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Project requirements illustrate what needs to happen to complete the objectives. <\/strong>Essentially, they\u2019re the results of your work on the project \u2014 and yes, this includes project deliverables<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The requirements section will make up for most of your document, and the more work you need to complete, the bigger this element will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also need to sort these requirements by priority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, that brick-and-mortar store your project aims to open needs workers \u2014 but that\u2019s all irrelevant if you don\u2019t get a deal with a construction company to build it in the first place. Then, you need a supply chain for the products you\u2019ll sell. And only then<\/em> can you think about workers. So \u2014 prioritize.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1PLAKY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to improve your prioritization skills, you can check out this useful article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your key stakeholders will have a massive impact on the result of your project. So, you need to identify them and outline their role and impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your stakeholders include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re doing an in-house project, the end users will be your own workforce, but you still need to conduct research and outline their needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, you should have a clear understanding of how each stakeholder will impact the project \u2014 from the freelance graphic designer and lead managers to the user who downloaded your app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Afterward, by sharing the BRD, you can get all the project stakeholders on the same page when it comes to their roles and responsibilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Project constraints include all factors that limit your project work and determine what you can or can\u2019t do in the project. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The main constraints in a project are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to note that these 3 constraints are co-dependent \u2014 you can\u2019t change one without changing the other. E.g., if you decrease the budget, you\u2019ll probably need to shave away some work. Or, if you increase the scope, you\u2019ll need more time to complete the project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also other constraints that can affect your project, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Research these as you\u2019re writing the BRD and determine which are important enough to include.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, you need to show your project will bring more than it\u2019ll take away. So, for this last element, compare how your project\u2019s benefits outweigh its costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, list all costs of your project. Be mindful, there are 2 types of costs \u2014 explicit and implicit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Explicit costs are direct, e.g., creating 100 flyers that cost $50. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, implicit costs are trickier. They essentially mean this thing isn\u2019t used for something else, so that\u2019s a cost.<\/em> The best example of implicit costs is resources that your organization already has. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, include all the benefits \u2014 both explicit and implicit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best example of an explicit benefit is direct sales. An implicit benefit can be increasing brand awareness (it doesn\u2019t directly increase profit, but in time, it will).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Actually writing<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>a BRD is a scary task, though \u2014 and it requires a lot<\/em> of prep work. And even after all that, you\u2019re met with a blank document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, we don\u2019t want that to happen, so we made a few business requirements templates to help you get started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We also filled out the templates with examples, so you\u2019ll have a better idea of the kind of information you should include.<\/p>\n\n\n This example shows the clearest and simplest information in the template \u2014 it applies all the tips listed above for each element. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to try this template, you can download it in the form of <\/strong>Google Docs<\/a>, Word<\/a>, Google Sheets<\/a>, and Excel<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, if you\u2019re writing a BRD for a short, simple project, you don\u2019t need to overcomplicate things for your stakeholders. So, we\u2019ve also created a simple version of the BRD template, for when you just need to share the most basic information.<\/p>\n\n\n Download the template: <\/strong>Google Docs<\/a>, Word<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have a completed business requirements doc, it\u2019s time to work on implementing your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll need to distribute tasks based on your document, set up timelines based on the outlined constraints, and even share the BRD itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For this purpose, a traditional method like a spreadsheet just won\u2019t do. Instead, use project management software \u2014 like our tool, Plaky<\/a> by CAKE.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"BRD](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/BRD-Documents-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat is a business requirements document? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What is the difference between business requirements and functional requirements?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\nWhy are BRDs important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How to write a business requirements document<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#1 Executive summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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#2 Project objectives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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#3 Needs statement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#4 Project scope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#5 Current and proposed process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#6 Project requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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#7 Project stakeholders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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#8 Project constraints<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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#9 Cost-benefit analysis <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Business requirements document example + templates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Business-requirements-document-example.png\")
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Simple-business-requirements-document-template-example.png\")
Exceed your project objectives with Plaky by CAKE.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n