Project Handover Document template for Google Docs and Word

The first pages of the Project Handover Document template

Every page (6)

Overview

A project that changes hands without a proper handover loses time in the first month, because the successor has to rediscover the status, the people and the access. This template gives the outgoing owner six pages to write it down: status at a glance, a layered view of the systems, contacts with backups, the risks with owners, the dates that matter and a sign-off page. It is written for a successor who will not be able to ask the author questions.

The sample follows a fictional customer portal at Underhill Group, handed over from Owen Pryce to Nadia Farouk, with the portal live in three of five regions, 12 recurring tasks and five open issues. Replace the project, names, risks and dates with your own, link the files instead of attaching them, and do not sign the acceptance line until the successor has run the service alone.

Useful for

An outgoing project manager writing up a project for a new owner
A service owner moving to another team and handing over live systems
A sponsor checking that every open issue has an owner before sign-off

What's included

Status page with six headline figures and the pack contents
Architecture page with a layered system diagram and request flow
Risk register with a likelihood and impact heat map
Key dates timeline with a calendar of the next 60 days
Stage gates page with entry criteria and a checklist
Make it yours guide page to delete before the pack is shared

How to use it

1
Click Make a copy in Google Docs, then confirm on the Google page. The copy is saved to your own Google Drive.
2
Replace the Underhill Group name, the project name and the status figures with your own on the first two pages.
3
Link every file and login with its owner, and write each open issue with its next step and any workaround.
4
Delete the guide page, hold the walk-through, then share the pack and have the receiver sign the acceptance line.

What you need

Requirements

A Google account with access to Google Drive

Works with

Google Docs
Microsoft Word (download the .docx)

Questions

Is this project handover document free?

Yes. Click Make a copy in Google Docs and the file is saved to your own Google Drive, with no sign-up and no charge.

Should I include passwords in the handover?

No. Share access through your password manager or identity system, and record only who holds which access and how it is granted.

Are the company, people and figures real?

No. Underhill Group, Owen Pryce, Nadia Farouk, the portal and every figure are fictional sample data. Replace them before use.

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#google-docs

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