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Decision Log Template

A decision log records who decided what, when, and why. This template ends circular debates and protects the team when decisions are questioned later.

Risk & GovernanceFree to downloadFree · No limit

The business problem it solves

Undocumented decisions get re-opened, misremembered, and blamed on the wrong people months later.

Who should use it

  • Project managers governing delivery
  • Sponsors and steering committees
  • PMOs ensuring accountability

When to use it

Use it throughout the project to capture every material decision as it is made.

What this template helps you do

  • Decision description
  • Decision maker and date
  • Options considered
  • Rationale
  • Impact and related items
Inside the template
  1. Decision ID and description
  2. Decision maker
  3. Date
  4. Rationale
  5. Impact

How it connects to the PMOstart 5D Lifecycle

This template supports the Deploy stage of the PMOstart 5D Lifecycle. It also maps to these related lifecycles, where you can see how the work fits the bigger delivery picture:

Governance LifecycleProject Management Lifecycle

Get the Decision Log template

Get the Decision Log Template — Free

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

It prevents decisions from being re-litigated, protects the team, and gives auditors and new members a clear trail.

Any material decision affecting scope, schedule, budget, design, or risk that you would not want to re-debate.

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Work with PMOstart

Every PMOstart template is free to download and use. When you want the work done, not just the document, PMOstart delivers it: Fractional PMO, project rescue, program and portfolio management, governance, and executive reporting, as a managed monthly service.

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