Simply put, a team charter is a document that communicates how a project relates to a team—its purpose, its objectives, and how it will be accomplished. Team charters can be used across industries and teams to gain insight into shared missions, responsibilities, and resources. By laying out all of the moving parts of a project on an orderly, categorized master sheet, team charters make work more efficient and transparent for all.

Every sample team charter begins with basic project facts. Before creating the actual document, you’ll want to enlist your team to help identify important sections to include. By developing a collective plan of what goes into your charter, you’ll make sure not to miss any moving pieces. Plus you’ll get a chance to notice any areas where coworkers have specific questions.

Once you’re ready to make your charter, start off with FigJam’s simple template and plug-in information as you go.

Your team charter should contain everything a curious team member might need to know, from a rundown of financial resources to a refresher on who’s in charge of what.

But if you’re wondering how to develop a team charter or what specifically to include, begin at the top, noting your project title, team lead, team name, and project due date.

Then, expand on the goal and the role of your team. In the best example of team charter, project objectives are clearly spelled out, as well as team roles. You should also highlight the scope of work, financial budgeting, and team operations

To complete your team charter, you’ll want to set project milestones and activities (like an ice cream party when you finish a certain task).