A hiring request is often refused because it argues from need alone. Finance wants the cost of doing nothing, the options considered and a payback that survives a sensitivity test. This template sets out a business case in eight pages: the need and the evidence, the role, the costs and benefits, the recommendation and the alternatives. Each figure states its basis, so the decision-maker can check it.

The sample is for the fictional Willowmere Works, asking for one operations analyst at £64k a year fully loaded, against overtime costing about £84k a year. Replace the evidence, costs, benefits and owners with your own figures, and show how the case changes at plus or minus 20% on benefits.