Password policy

It is free to fill in online and needs no account. The finished Word document and PDF cost €4.99, paid once. See all IT and projects templates

• Company name

  For example: Brightwater Analytics

• Takes effect on

  For example: 1 January 2027

• Policy owner

  For example: Head of IT

• Who and what it covers

  For example: All employees, contractors and interns, and every account used for company work, including cloud services and company devices.

• Minimum password length

  Length matters more than odd symbols. 12 or more is a good floor.

  For example: 14 characters

• Approved password manager

  Name the tool staff should use.

  For example: Bitwarden, provided by the company

• Where multi-factor sign-in is required

  For example: Email, the company directory, finance and HR systems, source code hosting, the admin panel of every cloud service, and any account that can reach customer data.

• Accepted second factorsoptional

  For example: An authenticator app or a hardware security key. Text messages only if nothing better is available.

• When a password must be changed

  For example: Only when it may have been exposed, or when someone who knew it leaves. There is no routine change every few months.

• Shared, admin and service accountsoptional

  For example: Shared accounts are avoided. Where one is needed, the password lives in the password manager vault for named people, and admin accounts are separate from daily accounts.

• Where to report a lost or leaked password

  For example: Tell it@brightwater.example or call 0000 straight away. Do not wait to be sure.

• If the policy is not followedoptional

  For example: A breach is handled with the staff member first as a chance to learn. Serious or repeated breaches go through the HR process.

1. 11. Purpose
2. 22. Who it covers
3. 33. Making a password
4. 44. The password manager
5. 55. Multi-factor sign-in
6. 66. Changing passwords
7. 77. Sharing
8. 88. Phishing and checks
9. 99. Lost or leaked passwords
10. 1010. If the policy is not followed

1. 01

   Fill in

   Type your details in the form. The document fills itself in as you type; click any gap to jump to its field.

2. 02

   Check

   Read it through. Gaps you have not filled stay marked, so nothing goes out half done.

3. 03

   Download

   Pay once and get it as a Word document to edit further and as a PDF to send or print. The link comes by email too.

What details does this template ask for?

The form asks for 12 details, starting with Company name, Takes effect on, Policy owner, Who and what it covers, Minimum password length. 3 more are optional.

How much does this template cost?

€4.99, paid once. Filling it in and seeing the first part is free. You pay when you download the finished Word document and PDF, with no account and no subscription. Every paid nerix plan includes it.

Can I download this template as Word or PDF?

Yes. When you have filled in the form, press Download and pay once. You get the finished document as a Word file to keep editing and as a PDF to send or print, and the link by email.

Is what I type sent anywhere?

While you fill it in, what you type stays in your browser. When you buy the document, your answers go to nerix to make your files. They are kept for seven days so you can download again, then deleted.

What should I check before I use this template?

This follows widely used current advice: long passwords, a password manager and multi-factor sign-in rather than frequent forced changes. If a law, contract or customer sets other rules for your systems, follow those.

Are these IT and project templates free?

Most are. Fill in and download them for free as Word or PDF, with no account. A few longer documents are premium: free to fill in, paid once to download, and marked with their price.

Does a security policy make us secure?

No document does that alone. A policy helps when it matches what people really do, so keep it short, explain it to your team and review it every year.

Is a project charter only for large projects?

No. A small project benefits too, because one page that names the goal, the limits and the decision maker prevents most arguments later.

• API integration specificationSpecify how two systems connect: what data moves, how it is secured, how errors are handled and who owns it.IT and projects
• Architecture decision recordRecord a technical decision with its context, options, reasons and consequences, for the team to find later.IT and projects
• Bring your own device policySet the rules for using personal phones and laptops for work: security, privacy, support and leaving.IT and projects
• Bug reportReport a software problem so a developer can repeat it, judge its impact and fix it.IT and projects
• Change management planPlan how people will be told, trained and supported through a big change, and how you will know it worked.IT and projects
• Change requestAsk for a change to a project or system, show its impact and record whether it is approved.IT and projects

See all IT and projects templates