How to Write a Software Requirements Document: A Guide for Non-Technical Founders

You do not need to be technical to describe software well. In fact, the most valuable parts of a requirements document come from people who understand the business, the customers and the problem, not from engineers. A clear document helps development companies estimate accurately, reduces misunderstandings and shortens the path to a working product.

This guide shows non-technical founders and business owners how to write a software requirements document: what to include, how much detail is enough, how to write useful user stories and which common mistakes to avoid. A section-by-section template is included.

Key takeaways

• Focus on what the software must achieve and for whom; leave how to the technical team.
• Describe real users and their workflows, not just a list of features.
• Prioritize explicitly: must-have, should-have, nice-to-have.
• Include business rules, integrations, constraints and examples. That is where estimates go wrong.
• Treat the document as a living starting point, refined during discovery.

Why a requirements document matters

• Comparable proposals: vendors estimating the same written scope give you comparable numbers.
• Better estimates: fewer assumptions mean smaller risk buffers and fewer surprises.
• Shared understanding: everyone, including your own team, agrees on what is being built.
• Faster start: the development team can move quickly into design and planning.

How much detail is enough?

For a first conversation with development companies, a document of 3–10 pages is usually ideal. It should be detailed enough to explain the problem, users, core workflows and constraints, but not a 100-page specification of every button. Detailed specifications are better developed together with the team during a discovery phase, when technical input can shape them.

The template: what to include

1. Overview and goals

• What problem are you solving, and for whom?
• Why now? What happens if you do nothing?
• How will you measure success? (for example "reduce order processing time by 50%" or "100 paying customers in six months")

2. Users and roles

List each type of user, what they want to achieve and roughly how many there are. For example: customers placing orders, warehouse staff fulfilling them, managers reviewing reports, administrators managing settings.

3. Current process

Describe how the work is done today: tools, spreadsheets, manual steps and pain points. This context often reveals requirements nobody would think to write down.

4. Key workflows

Walk through the most important journeys step by step, from the user's perspective. For example: "A customer logs in, selects products from their price list, chooses a delivery date, submits the order and receives a confirmation e-mail. The warehouse sees the order in their queue…"

5. Features, prioritized

List features grouped by area and mark each as must-have (first release), should-have or nice-to-have. Be strict: the must-have list defines your first budget.

6. Business rules

Rules hidden in people's heads are the most common source of surprises: pricing and discount logic, approval thresholds, tax rules, cancellation policies, status transitions, what happens in exceptions. Write them down with examples.

7. Data

• What information the system stores (customers, orders, products, documents)
• Existing data that must be migrated, where it lives and in what condition
• Reports and exports needed

8. Integrations

Every system the software must connect to: accounting, ERP, CRM, payment providers, e-mail, shipping, identity providers. Note what data flows in which direction and whether the system has an API, if you know.

9. Platforms and devices

Web, iOS, Android, desktop browsers, tablets in a warehouse, offline use in the field. These choices significantly affect cost.

10. Non-functional requirements

• Security and compliance: sensitive data, industry regulations (HIPAA, PCI DSS), customer security requirements
• Performance and scale: number of users, transactions per day, expected growth
• Availability: is downtime at night acceptable, or must it run 24/7?
• Accessibility: requirements for users with disabilities
• Languages and time zones

11. Design expectations

Brand guidelines, examples of products you like (and why), any existing designs or wireframes. Even rough sketches on paper are helpful.

12. Constraints and context

• Budget range
• Deadlines and why they matter
• Preferred or required technologies, hosting requirements
• Who on your side makes decisions and how available they are

13. Open questions

List what you do not know yet. It is perfectly fine, and helpful, to say "we are not sure whether customers need a mobile app."

How to write good user stories

User stories describe functionality from the user's point of view in a simple format:

As a [type of user], I want to [do something] so that [benefit].

For example: "As a warehouse manager, I want to see all orders due for shipping tomorrow so that I can plan staff for the morning shift."

Add acceptance criteria, the conditions that must be true for the story to be done:

• Orders are grouped by delivery route
• Orders with missing stock are highlighted
• The list can be printed or exported

Acceptance criteria turn vague wishes into testable requirements and are one of the best tools for avoiding misunderstandings.

Common mistakes

• Describing solutions instead of problems: "we need a dropdown with 50 options" instead of "users need to choose the correct product category quickly".
• Everything is a must-have. If everything has top priority, nothing does.
• Missing exceptions: returns, cancellations, partial deliveries and errors are where complexity hides.
• Vague words: "fast", "simple", "user-friendly" and "secure" need concrete meaning or examples.
• Copying a competitor feature by feature without asking which features your users actually need.
• Skipping integrations and data migration, the most frequently underestimated items.
• Writing it alone: involve the people who will use the software.

Tools that help

• A shared document with clear headings for collaborative editing
• Simple flowcharts or sketches of key screens
• Screenshots of current spreadsheets, forms and reports
• Recorded walkthroughs of the current process
• Sample documents and data (anonymized if necessary)

From document to estimate

With a clear requirements document, development companies can give you a meaningful range on the first call and a reliable estimate after discovery. Our guides to custom software development cost and choosing a development company explain what to expect next.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a technical person to write requirements?

No. Business requirements are best written by people who understand the business. Technical details such as architecture and technology are the development team's job.

Should the requirements be fixed before development starts?

The core goals and first-release scope should be clear. Details will evolve as you see designs and working software, and that is normal and healthy.

Can a development company help write requirements?

Yes. That is exactly what a discovery phase is for: turning your initial document into detailed, prioritized requirements with technical input.

Should we sign an NDA before sharing requirements?

If your idea or data is sensitive, it is reasonable to ask for one. Reputable companies sign NDAs routinely.

Describe the problem well, and the solution follows

A good requirements document does not need technical language. It needs clear goals, real users, honest priorities and the business rules that make your process unique. That is information only you can provide.

Have a draft, or just an idea? Send it to us. We will review it, ask the questions that matter and help you shape it into a plan. Learn more about how we work.