Project Intake Form Template – Free Word Download
Introduction
In many organizations, projects begin as informal requests: a conversation in a hallway, an urgent email, or a passing comment in a departmental meeting. While this organic approach may work for small teams, it creates chaos in larger enterprises. Without a standardized entry point, the Project Management Office (PMO) cannot effectively prioritize work, allocate resources, or ensure strategic alignment. The Project Intake Form is the formal gateway through which all new ideas must pass to be considered for the project portfolio.
The primary purpose of this document is to move from a “first-come, first-served” model to a “value-driven” model. It requires the person requesting the project (the Requestor) to think through the basics of their idea before it consumes the time of developers, analysts, and managers. By forcing a structured articulation of the problem, the business benefit, and the required timeline, the Intake Form acts as an initial filter. It separates viable business opportunities from “nice-to-have” features that lack a clear ROI.
This template is designed to be the “Stage 0” of your project lifecycle. It is intentionally concise but comprehensive enough to provide the Portfolio Review Board with the data they need to make a “Proceed to Business Case” decision. It captures the essential metadata of the request, the strategic fit, and a high-level estimate of the impact. Use this form to bring order to your project pipeline and ensure that your organization’s limited resources are focused on the initiatives that move the needle.
Section 1: Requestor and Administrative Details
1.1 Contact Information
Instructions:
Identify the origin of the request. Every project needs a “home” department and a person who will champion it through the approval process.
- Project Name (Working Title): [Provide a brief, descriptive name.]
- Date of Request: [Date]
- Requestor Name: [Name]
- Requestor Title: [Role]
- Department/Business Unit: [e.g., Marketing, Finance, HR]
- Executive Sponsor (Proposed): [Who will advocate for this at the leadership level?]
1.2 Urgency and Deadlines
Instructions:
Is there a specific date this must be finished by?
- Desired Start Date: [Date]
- Target Completion Date: [Date]
- Is the deadline fixed? [Yes/No]
- Deadline Driver: [e.g., Regulatory change, Industry event, Contract expiration]
Guidance:
Be careful with the word “Urgent.” If everything is urgent, nothing is. If you select “Yes” for a fixed deadline, you must provide the external reason why (for example, “The new tax law takes effect on January 1st”).
Section 2: Project Definition and Business Need
2.1 Problem Statement / Opportunity
Instructions:
Describe the “Pain Point.” What is wrong with the current way of working? Or, what market opportunity are we missing out on?
Example:
“Currently, our customer service agents must switch between four different legacy databases to find customer order history. This results in an average call handling time (AHT) of 12 minutes, which is 30% higher than the industry average. We have an opportunity to consolidate these views and improve customer satisfaction.”
2.2 Proposed Solution / Project Goal
Instructions:
What are we going to build or change to solve the problem described above?
Example:
“The project aims to develop a ‘Unified Agent Dashboard’ that pulls data from all four legacy systems into a single, real-time interface using API integrations.”
2.3 Success Criteria
Instructions:
How will we know if we succeeded? List 2 or 3 measurable outcomes.
- Metric 1: [e.g., Reduce average call handling time by 3 minutes.]
- Metric 2: [e.g., Increase ‘First Call Resolution’ rate by 15%.]
- Metric 3: [e.g., Decommission two of the legacy database licenses.]
Section 3: Strategic Alignment and Prioritization
Instructions:
The PMO uses this section to decide where this project sits in the queue. Projects that align with “Must-Do” corporate goals get priority.
3.1 Strategic Pillars
Check all that apply:
- [ ] Revenue Growth: Directly increases sales or market share.
- [ ] Cost Reduction: Reduces operational expenses or headcount.
- [ ] Risk & Compliance: Mandatory for legal, safety, or regulatory reasons.
- [ ] Customer Experience: Improves satisfaction or retention scores.
- [ ] Operational Efficiency: Streamlines internal workflows.
3.2 Impact Analysis
Instructions:
Who is affected by this project?
- Internal Impact: [e.g., Affects all 150 Customer Service Agents.]
- External Impact: [e.g., Will change the login experience for 50,000 customers.]
- Geographic Impact: [e.g., North American offices only.]
Section 4: Resource and Budget Estimates (High-Level)
Instructions:
At this stage, we do not expect a detailed budget. Give us your “Best Guess” or “T-Shirt Size” (Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large).
4.1 “T-Shirt” Sizing
Select one:
- [ ] Small: < 1 month duration; < $10k cost; 1-2 people.
- [ ] Medium: 1-3 months; $10k – $50k; 3-5 people.
- [ ] Large: 3-9 months; $50k – $250k; Cross-functional team.
- [ ] X-Large: 9+ months; $250k+; Major strategic initiative.
4.2 Known Resource Requirements
Instructions:
Which departments need to provide people?
- IT/Dev: [e.g., Need 2 Backend Developers.]
- Business: [e.g., Need 1 Subject Matter Expert from Marketing.]
- Third Party: [e.g., Need to hire an external UX design agency.]
Section 5: Initial Risk and Dependency Screening
5.1 Known Dependencies
Instructions:
Does this project rely on another project finishing first?
- Dependency 1: [e.g., “Must wait for the Server Migration project to finish.”]
- Dependency 2: [e.g., “Relies on the new API being released by the Vendor.”]
5.2 Key Risks
Instructions:
What is the biggest threat to this idea?
- Risk: [e.g., “The legacy databases are very old; the data might be too corrupted to integrate easily.”]
Section 6: Intake Decision (For PMO Use Only)
Instructions:
This section is completed by the PMO or Portfolio Review Board after reviewing the request.
6.1 Screening Outcome
- [ ] Approved for Business Case: The idea is sound. Requestor should now complete a full Business Case.
- [ ] Deferred: Good idea, but no capacity. Re-evaluate in [X] months.
- [ ] Rejected: Does not align with strategy or has low ROI.
- [ ] Request More Info: Need more data on [X] before making a decision.
6.2 Initial Priority Score
- Score: [e.g., 75/100]
- Assigned PM (if applicable): [Name]
Conclusion – Project Intake Form Template – Free Word Download
The Project Intake Form is the foundation of a disciplined portfolio. By standardizing the way requests are made, the organization ensures that every project starts with a clear purpose and a documented “Why.” This transparency prevents the “loudest voice” from getting their projects approved over more valuable, but quieter, initiatives.
Once this form is submitted, it should be logged in a central “Demand Pipeline.” The PMO will review it for completeness and then present it at the next Portfolio Review meeting. Remember that an “Approved” intake form is not a guarantee that the project will be built; it is simply a ticket to the next stage of the journey: the Business Case. Treat this document as your first opportunity to sell the value of your idea to the organization.
Meta Description:
A standardized Project Intake Form template to capture new project requests, evaluate strategic alignment, and perform initial T-shirt sizing for prioritization.
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