Business Case Template

Sign up for Dock for free, create a new workspace, and select the business case template. Customize it with your sales strategy, project scope, and ROI breakdowns. Save it as a reusable template, then generate a fresh version for each business case.

Yes, Dock is free to try for up to fifty workspaces. Every paid Dock plan includes unlimited template and workspace usage.

Yes, you can fully customize it to fit different sales processes, marketing strategies, and workflows.

Absolutely. You can tailor the messaging, financial details, and supporting materials based on your target audience and their pain points. You can personalize a Dock workspace for each specific project. Include the business problem you’ll solve, key dependencies, and your project plan, subject matter experts, and the project sponsor specific to that proposal.

Yes, you can keep the template private or share it with your sales team and team members. Dock allows you to control template visibility and access.

A strong business case template should include:

• Executive summary: A high-level overview of the business case.
• Problem statement: The challenge your initiative addresses.
• Proposed solution: How your plan solves the issue.
• Project management: The specifics of how you’ll get the project completed, including measuring project progress and key stakeholders that will complete each aspect of your business plan.
• Cost breakdown: Estimated project costs and procurement needs should be included in any business plan.
• Expected benefits: ROI, cost savings, and efficiency gains.
• Risk assessment and mitigation plans: Potential roadblocks and solutions.
• Supporting materials: Case studies, customer testimonials, and charts visualizing your data points.

• Return on Investment (ROI): Expected financial gains versus costs.
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): The full cost of implementing and maintaining the initiative.
• Payback Period: The time it takes for the investment to generate savings or revenue.
• Net Present Value (NPV): The overall value of future cash flows from the investment.

A business case template is a structured document that helps justify a proposed investment or initiative. It outlines the problem, strategic goals, proposed solution, costs, benefits, risks, and expected outcomes to secure stakeholder buy-in.

Use a business case template when you need to secure budget approval, justify a strategic initiative, or present a compelling argument for a new investment. It’s essential for proposals that require executive buy-in.

• Be clear and concise: Decision-makers don’t have time for fluff. Get to the point.
• Use data to support your case: Your strategic plan should include business objectives and measurable milestones so your project team can evaluate the feasibility of your proposal and whether or not it meets demonstrated business need. From there, you can include ROI projections, benchmarks, and supporting research.
• Tailor it to your audience: Highlight the most relevant benefits for each stakeholder. Startups looking for investors will use this template differently than a B2B sales rep hoping to close their next deal.
• Make it interactive: Use Dock to embed charts, videos, and links for a more engaging presentation.
• Track engagement: See who views your business case and which sections get the most attention.

• Focusing too much on features instead of outcomes. Decision-makers care about impact. If you include your methodology or other smaller details for your proposed project, keep them at the bottom of your business case document.
• Being too vague about ROI. Clearly show how the investment will pay off with measurable KPIs and a clear timeframe you plan to improve your metrics from the baseline.
• Ignoring potential risks. A solid business case addresses challenges and mitigation plans.
• Not keeping it skimmable. Use headings, bullet points, and visuals to make a compelling business case that’s easy to digest.

With Dock, you can share the business case workspace with internal teams, keeping all stakeholders aligned as you move through the sales cycle. You can also set permissions to control who can edit or view the document.

• Send a Dock workspace link—no login required for stakeholders.
• Embed supporting materials directly in the workspace (charts, ROI models, case studies).
• Track engagement to see who has viewed your proposal and which sections got the most attention.
• Follow up based on real-time engagement insights to address concerns and drive decisions.

A strong business case clearly defines the problem, presents a compelling solution, and outlines the expected return on investment (ROI). Your business case should show how your project’s goals fit with the overall organizational goals, and your implementation plan. Use data, real-world examples, and stakeholder-specific benefits to make your case persuasive.

It depends on the complexity of the proposal. For simple initiatives, 1-2 pages may be enough. For larger investments, a more detailed document (5-10 pages) may be required. However, always keep it structured and easy to scan.

A business case is used to justify an investment or initiative, focusing on costs, benefits, and risks. A proposal is typically a more detailed plan for how a project will be executed, often including timelines, deliverables, and execution strategies.

• Keep it high-level and focused on strategic impact.
• Highlight key benefits, risks, and ROI within the first few minutes.
• Use visuals (charts, graphs, tables) to make complex information digestible.
• Be prepared to answer financial and operational questions.
• Share your Dock workspace link so stakeholders can review and engage with the business case later.

• “The costs are too high.” → Show ROI projections and cost-saving benefits.
• “We don’t have the resources.” → Highlight implementation efficiency and automation potential.
• “We’ve tried something similar before.” → Explain what’s different this time and why it will work.
• “It’s not a priority right now.” → Show how inaction could lead to missed opportunities or risks.

• Centralized workspace: Keep all supporting materials in one place.
• Interactive elements: Embed charts, videos, and reports for a more dynamic presentation.
• Engagement tracking: See which sections stakeholders are engaging with the most.
• Collaboration tools: Allow teams to contribute, edit, and review in real time.

• Send a reminder email with a summary of key points and a link to the Dock workspace.
• Track engagement and follow up with stakeholders who haven’t reviewed it yet.
• Schedule a follow-up meeting to address any questions and move toward a decision.

Send a reminder email with a summary of key points and a link to the Dock workspace.Track engagement and follow up with stakeholders who haven’t reviewed it yet.Schedule a follow-up meeting to address any questions and move toward a decision.