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Project Charter - Automated Generation, PDF & Client Sign-Off Gateway

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1. Overview

The Project Charter locks in scope, deliverables, and timelines before any build work begins. Fiftyknots generates this document automatically from your brief and specifications, then routes it through Sherpa review and client sign-off. This gateway ensures everyone agrees on what you’re building - no surprises, no scope creep, no wasted sprints.

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2. Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Complete your brief and specifications - Navigate to your project dashboard. Ensure your brief is approved and technical specifications are finalized. The charter generates from these source documents.
  2. Trigger charter generation - From the Charter page (/charter), click “Generate Charter.” The system extracts scope, features, milestones, and success criteria from your approved documents. Generation takes 2-3 minutes.
  3. Review the draft charter - Review the generated charter on screen. Check scope boundaries, deliverable descriptions, timeline estimates, and acceptance criteria. The charter includes sections for objectives, technical approach, resource allocation, and risk factors.
  4. Request Sherpa review - Click “Submit for Sherpa Review.” Your assigned Sherpa validates technical feasibility, timeline realism, and completeness. They’ll approve or request changes within 24 hours.
  5. Address Sherpa feedback (if needed) - If your Sherpa flags gaps or risks, you’ll see their comments inline. Update the brief or specifications as needed, then regenerate the charter. Repeat until Sherpa approval.
  6. Send for client sign-off - After Sherpa approval, click “Request Client Approval.” Fiftyknots sends the charter PDF to your client via email with a review link. The charter is locked from edits during client review.
  7. Track client review - Monitor sign-off status on the Charter page. Clients can approve, reject, or request changes. If rejected, incorporate feedback and resubmit.
  8. Access the signed charter - Once your client approves, the charter is digitally signed and filed in your project data room. Download the PDF certificate from the Charter page or Data Room. Build phases unlock automatically.

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3. Common Questions

What happens if my client doesn’t respond to the charter?
The system sends reminder emails at 48 hours and 96 hours. If no response after 7 days, your Sherpa escalates to discuss next steps. You can also send a manual nudge from the Charter page. Can I edit the charter after it’s generated?
You cannot edit the charter directly. If changes are needed, update your source documents (brief or specifications), regenerate the charter, and restart the approval flow. This ensures consistency between your charter and technical docs. Does charter approval cost extra?
No. Charter generation and review are included in your journey pricing. Only paid features beyond your base journey tier trigger additional costs. What if my Sherpa and I disagree on scope?
Your Sherpa flags technical risks and timeline concerns - they protect you from overcommitting. If you disagree, document your rationale in the charter comments. Sherpas can escalate to a supervisor for a second opinion. The goal is shared understanding, not blocking progress. Can I skip charter approval for small projects?
Charter approval is mandatory for all projects entering the build phase. It takes 24-48 hours on average and prevents far costlier misalignment later. Think of it as proof you’ve done the hard thinking before spending money.

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4. Troubleshooting

Charter generation fails or times out
Ensure your brief and specifications are marked as approved in the system. If documents are missing sections (like acceptance criteria or feature definitions), generation will fail. Check the Brief Review and Spec Review pages for validation errors. Regenerate after fixing gaps. Client review link doesn’t work
Verify the client email address in your project settings. Review links expire after 30 days - regenerate a fresh link from the Charter page if needed. If your client reports access issues, check that they haven’t been blocked by corporate email filters. Resend the charter from the system. Charter shows outdated information
The charter snapshots your brief and specs at generation time. If you updated documents after generation, those changes won’t appear. Regenerate the charter to pull the latest content. Always regenerate after significant scope changes. Sherpa requests changes but I’m unclear what to fix
Click “View Sherpa Comments” on the Charter page to see inline feedback. Each comment links to the specific section that needs revision. If feedback is still unclear, message your Sherpa directly via Project Messaging (/project-messaging). They’ll clarify within 12 hours. Brief Review (/briefreview) - Your brief feeds the charter. Ensure it’s complete and accurate before generating. The brief defines your “what” and “why” - the charter translates that into a contractual scope. Data Room (/dataroomlist) - Signed charters auto-save to your data room as investor-ready documents. Access all project governance artifacts in one place for due diligence or stakeholder updates. Planning Review (/sherpaplanningreview) - After charter sign-off, Planning Review runs deeper technical design validation. The charter sets boundaries - Planning Review optimizes execution within those boundaries.