PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
A project manager has just received formal approval to proceed with a new payroll system project. The sponsor asked for a document that formally names the project manager and gives authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. Which document should the project manager reference?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the business case, which justifies the project, with the charter, which actually authorizes it and names the project manager.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The project charter
The charter is the formal authorization artifact produced during initiation. It links the project to the organization's strategic objectives, identifies the sponsor, names the project manager, and delegates the authority to apply resources. Without it, the project manager has no recognized mandate to commit people, budget, or equipment, which is why the sponsor points to this document.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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The benefits management plan
Why it's wrong here
The benefits management plan describes how and when the project's intended business benefits will be realized and measured. While it may be referenced when justifying the project, it does not confer authority on the project manager nor formally name the individual, so it is not the document that authorizes resource use.
- ✓
The project charter
Why this is correct
The project charter is the document issued by the sponsor or initiating authority that formally authorizes the project and names the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources. It is the recognized output of the initiation phase and the basis on which the project manager can legitimately commit resources and begin planning.
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The business case
Why it's wrong here
The business case provides the economic justification for undertaking the project and supports the decision to invest, but it is an input to initiation rather than the authorization itself. It does not name the project manager or delegate authority, so it would not satisfy the sponsor's request for a document granting resource control.
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The project management plan
Why it's wrong here
The project management plan describes how the project will be executed, monitored, controlled, and closed, and it is developed after the project is authorized. It does not grant the project manager authority or formally name them, so it cannot serve as the authorizing document the sponsor is asking for at this point.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This PK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PK0-005 exam.