Guide article
The problem
If you are looking for a how to write a project charter, you are probably trying to make a project artefact easier to review, approve or use. The sponsor is ready to talk about the idea, but the team still needs one agreed record of why the work exists and who has authority to proceed. The hard part is rarely knowing that the work matters; it is turning that need into clear wording, evidence and ownership that other people can understand quickly.
This usually happens during early initiation, when the project is moving quickly enough that a loose document can create real drag. A project can begin with a useful workshop, a few executive conversations and a list of expected benefits, yet still have no single document that confirms the mandate, boundaries, risks and approval path. Without that record, later scope debates often become arguments about memory rather than decisions already made.
For a project manager, that pressure is practical rather than theoretical. You need enough structure to support governance, enough plain language for the team to use it, and enough consistency that sponsors can see what decision or action is being asked of them.
The solution
The Project Charter Template gives the work a repeatable structure so the team is not inventing the format while also trying to solve the delivery problem. Used with this guide, it helps you move from confirm the mandate and sponsor to record governance, risks and approval in a way that is easier to review and maintain.
The value is not in adding more paperwork. It is in giving project managers, PMO leads and sponsors a common language for the current stage of work: what is known, what still needs judgement, who owns the next step and what evidence should be kept for governance.
If you are working through early initiation, pair this resource with Project Charter Template or PMOEasy Project Starter Bundle. That combination gives you a practical reference point, an editable artefact and a clearer path from discussion to usable project documentation.
Example decision point
Example: if the sponsor says the project is to improve onboarding, write the charter around the approved outcome, scope boundaries, decision authority and first delivery milestones rather than a broad description of the idea.
Why you need this
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Starting from a blank page or an old project file that may not match the current decision. | Using Project Charter Template as a structured starting point for the current workflow. |
| Important owners, assumptions or approval evidence are added late or inconsistently. | Key governance information is captured while the document is being prepared. |
| Sponsors and delivery teams spend review time interpreting the format. | The document follows a consistent PMOEasy structure and can be paired with PMOEasy Project Starter Bundle. |
Before
Starting from a blank page or an old project file that may not match the current decision.
After
Using Project Charter Template as a structured starting point for the current workflow.
Before
Important owners, assumptions or approval evidence are added late or inconsistently.
After
Key governance information is captured while the document is being prepared.
Before
Sponsors and delivery teams spend review time interpreting the format.
After
The document follows a consistent PMOEasy structure and can be paired with PMOEasy Project Starter Bundle.
Get started today
Use this guide to understand the workflow, then open Project Charter Template when you are ready to prepare the artefact.
Frequently asked questions
Who should use how to write a project charter?
It is written for project managers, PMO teams, sponsors, change managers and consultants who need practical project documentation without rebuilding the structure from scratch.
Can this be adapted to my organisation's governance process?
Yes. PMOEasy resources and templates are designed as editable starting points, so you can adapt wording, approval steps, roles and evidence to your local standards.