A business case template is a short document that explains why a project should go ahead by setting out its benefits, costs and risks. Asana describes the Five Case Model: strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management cases. Below you'll find a nine-section layout to copy, plus how to fill it in.
This is the document you write when you want someone else to say yes and commit resources. Asana's advice is to make it tell the story of why the idea's a good investment: avoid jargon, be brief and focus on value.
Check you need this document first
Here's the quiet reason plenty of proposals stall: they're the wrong document. Asana draws a clear line between three things people often blur together, and it's worth getting this right before you write a word.
| Document | What it's for | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Business case | A proposal for a new strategy or large initiative, showing the need and the benefits | The idea will take significant business resources |
| Business plan | An outline for a totally new business: strategy, mission, vision and how you'll get there | You're starting a business |
| Project charter | A lighter pitch covering objectives, scope and key stakeholders | You need an elevator pitch, not the full treatment |
Asana says plainly that not every project needs a business case. For a smaller initiative, it suggests a project charter instead. Even then, it says you should be ready for the basics: what's the purpose, why are we doing this, how does it connect to the organisation's goals, how will we measure success, who's working on it and when will it finish?
If you do need the bigger picture for a new venture, this guide to how business plans differ from marketing plans will help you choose, and an AI business plan generator can get a first draft moving.
The business case layout
These nine rows follow the key elements on Atlassian's business case page, as of Nov 2026. The test in the last column is my own way of checking whether a section's done.
| Section | What to write | One-line test |
|---|---|---|
| Executive summary | The problem, your proposed solution and the expected benefits | Could a busy director decide from this alone? |
| Problem statement | The business issue or opportunity the project addresses | Would someone outside your team recognise it? |
| Analysis of options | The possible solutions, with pros, cons and estimated costs | Have you included doing nothing? |
| Recommended solution | The course of action you're proposing and why you chose it | Does the reason follow from the options above? |
| Implementation plan | A high-level roadmap: timeline, milestones, resources and deliverables | Can a reader see who needs to do what, and when? |
| Financial analysis | A cost-benefit analysis covering costs, benefits and return on investment | Has finance seen it? |
| Risk assessment | The likely risks and how you'd reduce them | Does each risk come with a response? |
| Stakeholder analysis | The people the project affects, with their influence and interest | Is anyone likely to be surprised by this? |
| Conclusion | The key points and a clear call to approve | Have you said what you want them to decide? |
Copy this template
BUSINESS CASE
Project name, author, date
1. Executive summary (write this last): the problem, the solution, the benefits, the decision you need.
2. Problem statement: the issue or opportunity, and what happens if nothing changes.
3. Options: each option with its pros, cons and estimated cost, including doing nothing.
4. Recommendation: the option you're proposing and why it beats the others.
5. Implementation plan: timeline, milestones, resources and deliverables.
6. Financial analysis: costs broken down by item, expected benefits, expected return.
7. Risks: each risk, its likelihood, and what you'll do about it.
8. Stakeholders: who's affected, their influence and their interest.
9. Conclusion: the key points and the exact approval you're asking for, by what date.
Writing it, in the right order
- Define the problem. Atlassian says a clear problem statement is part of what grounds the proposal in business reality, so don't rush this one.
- Get people to contribute. Asana says you don't have to write it alone. The IT team should weigh in on tooling and timelines, and finance should review the budget.
- List the options. Set out each one with its pros, cons and estimated costs, so the reader can see you've looked beyond your favourite.
- Recommend one. Say which you'd pick and why.
- Add the costs, benefits and risks. Asana suggests breaking the costs down by component as well as giving a total.
- Write the executive summary last. It goes at the top, but Asana says to draft it once you've got all your findings. It says this summary should run to one to two pages, depending on the length of the document.
- Ask for the decision. Atlassian says to present the finished case to key stakeholders to secure formal approval and resources. Asana suggests a final read-through with key stakeholders first.
The five cases, and what each one has to answer
If you're after something more thorough, Asana describes a comprehensive business case as addressing five connected elements. You can use them as a checklist against the layout above, even if you don't add them as headings.
| Case | The question it answers |
|---|---|
| Strategic | Why is this project necessary, and how does it fit your goals and strategy? |
| Economic | Which of the available options delivers the best value? |
| Commercial | How will you procure or deliver it, and how will any vendors, contractors or partners fit in? |
| Financial | What are the costs, funding sources and budget implications, and is it affordable? |
| Management | How will it be governed and delivered, and how will you track timelines, risks and progress? |
The public sector uses the same idea. The Green Book collection on GOV.UK refers to public sector business cases using the five case model in its change history, and it says the latest Green Book is radically shorter and simpler. I find that reassuring: even the official version's been heading towards fewer words.
Getting it approved
Remember what the reader wants: Asana says a business case should show why resources belong with your project instead of other initiatives competing for the same budget. That's the comparison going on in their head, so it's the one to answer.
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I'd also turn the summary into a short set of slides if you're presenting it live. A roundup of pitch deck tools can speed that up, but the document should still stand alone, because it'll get forwarded to people who weren't in the room.
My verdict on using a template
The downside is real. A template can become box-ticking, and it's easy to fill all nine sections with confident-sounding text that doesn't say anything. It also tempts people to write a long document for a small decision.
The pro is just as real: it saves time, it stops you forgetting risks or stakeholders, and a shared format makes the case easier to hand over and easier to compare with others.
I'd use the nine sections for anything that needs significant resources, and I'd skip the full template altogether for a small idea, because a charter will get you the answer faster. Whichever you pick, put the decision you need in the first paragraph. Nobody should have to reach page four to find out what you're asking for.
Frequently asked questions
What is a business case?
It's a document that explains why a project or initiative should move forward. Atlassian says it justifies undertaking the work, and its main purpose is to assess the benefits, costs and risks.
What's the difference between a business case and a business plan?
A business case is a proposal for a new strategy or large initiative inside a business. Asana describes a business plan as an outline for a totally new business, including its strategy, mission and vision.
What are the five cases?
They're the strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management cases. Asana calls this the Five Case Model, and together they cover why it's needed, the best-value option, how it's delivered, what it costs and how it's managed.
How long should a business case be?
Neither Asana nor Atlassian sets a total length, but Asana says to be brief and to keep the executive summary to one to two pages depending on the document's length. I'd write only what the decision needs and skip anything the reader won't use.
Who needs to approve a business case?
Atlassian says you present it to key stakeholders to secure formal approval and resources. Who that is depends on your business, so I'd find out who controls the budget before you start, and who they'll listen to.
