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Business Case

Free business case template for justifying a proposed project's costs, benefits, and risks to decision-makers before approval.

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This free business case covers 1. Executive Summary, 2. Problem or Opportunity, 3. Proposed Solution, 4. Options Considered, 5. Costs with 13 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for founders, freelancers, and small business owners formalizing a business decision or agreement without paying a lawyer to draft it from scratch. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.

Template — click to edit

Business Case: [Initiative Name]

Prepared By: [Name] · Date: [Date] · Decision Requested By: [Date]

1. Executive Summary

[One paragraph stating the recommendation and why it matters.]

2. Problem or Opportunity

[What's driving the need for this initiative — a cost, risk, or missed opportunity.]

3. Proposed Solution

[What is being proposed, at a high level.]

4. Options Considered

Option	Pros	Cons
[Option A — do nothing]	[Pros]	[Cons]
[Option B — proposed solution]	[Pros]	[Cons]
[Option C — alternative]	[Pros]	[Cons]

5. Costs

[One-time and ongoing costs — budget, staff time, tools.]

6. Expected Benefits

[Quantified where possible — revenue, cost savings, time saved, risk reduced.]

7. Risks

[Key risks if the initiative proceeds, and if it doesn't.]

8. Timeline

[Rough phases and key dates.]

9. Recommendation

[The specific ask — approval, budget, or resourcing needed to move forward.]

Approved by: ______________________ Date: ____________

*This document is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Keep the numbers as concrete as you can — a business case with vague benefits is much harder to get approved than one with a clear cost/benefit comparison.*

Edit directly in the box above. Download PDF anytime — the docstoc.io footer is always included and cannot be removed.

What's included

Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
9 standard sections: 1. Executive Summary, 2. Problem or Opportunity, 3. Proposed Solution, 4. Options Considered, 5. Costs, 6. Expected Benefits, …
13 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
Free to use — no account or signup required
Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
Includes a signature block, ready to print or sign digitally
Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)

Who this template is for

Freelancers & solo founders

Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.

Small businesses

Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.

Anyone reviewing before signing

Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.

Early-stage businesses

Getting the basics documented before things get more complex.

FAQ

Is this business case template really free?

Yes. Like every template in docstoc's library, this business case is free to use, with no account or signup needed to view, edit, or download it.

What does this business case cover?

This business template includes 1. Executive Summary, 2. Problem or Opportunity, 3. Proposed Solution, 4. Options Considered. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is a general-purpose starting structure, not advice for your specific situation. Business agreements can hinge on details — state of formation, industry-specific regulation, how a dispute would actually play out — that a template can't account for. Have a business attorney review anything that involves real money or real risk before you rely on it.

Can I edit the wording?

Yes — edit directly on the page, adjust any section or clause, and re-fill the 13 placeholder fields to match your situation before downloading a PDF. It's a starting structure, not a rigid script.

Where can I find more free templates like this?

Browse more free business and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.

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