Baseline first
Reference the original SOW, quote, or contract number and amount so the revised total is unambiguous.
Change order template
Document scope changes before the work starts.
Build a project change order with typed scope lines, cost and schedule impact, approval fields, and a client-ready export. Runs in your browser — no signup.
- No signup
- Saved locally
- Copy, CSV, TXT, print
Change order workbenchDraft ready
1. Parties & engagement
Name who is providing the work, who is approving the change, and the original SOW or contract this amends.
2. Markup & tax (optional)
Apply markup and estimated tax if your quote model needs them. Leave at 0 for a clean cost pass-through.
This page is a planning aid, not legal, tax, or contract advice. Confirm terms with your SOW, MSA, or counsel before work begins.
3. Change lines
Add each scope change. Remove-scope lines post as negative amounts. Time-extension lines can be days-only with $0 cost.
4. Approval
Track draft vs approved status. Signature fields are plain-text acknowledgments — not e-signatures.
How a change order works
A change order is the written bridge between “the scope grew” and “we still get paid on time.” When a client asks for extra pages, more rounds of revision, new integrations, or a later launch date, you should not absorb the cost silently. You document what changed, why it changed, the fee impact, the schedule impact, and who approved it — then continue work only after the paper trail is clear.
This builder is structured instead of blank. You name the parties and original engagement, list typed change lines, run live cost and schedule math, capture approval status, and export a plain-text change order plus CSV for your records. Drafts stay in your browser until you reset them.
Cost and calendar
Scope changes often move both money and delivery date. Capture fee lines and schedule days on the same form.
Approve before work
Use Draft → Submitted → Approved so extra work does not start on a vague email thread alone.
Formula and assumptions
Each line amount starts as quantity × unit price. Remove-scope lines are stored as negative amounts so they reduce the change subtotal. Optional labor hours × labor rate can fill the line amount when you are pricing time. Markup applies to the change subtotal. Estimated tax applies to max(0, change subtotal + markup). This CO total = change subtotal + markup + tax. Revised contract = original amount + prior approved change orders + this CO total. Schedule impact is the sum of days on every line.
Formula: revised contract = original amount + prior COs + (Σ line amounts + markup + tax).
Tax and markup fields are optional planning inputs. Confirm invoice treatment, sales tax, and contract language with your own advisor. This page is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.
When to use this template
Use a change order when an active engagement needs added deliverables, removed work, modified acceptance criteria, allowance adjustments, or a pure time extension. It fits freelancers, agencies, consultants, trades, and vendor-managed projects that already have a SOW or quote on file.
Do not treat a draft change order as a substitute for a signed contract, e-signature platform, or counsel review on high-stakes deals. After approval, keep the export with the original SOW and any revised invoice.
Related tools on this site: the Statement of Work Builder for the baseline document, the Pro Forma Invoice Builder for preliminary billing, and the Freelance Rate Card Template for pricing language.
Example: website redesign scope expansion
Harbor Studio is mid-project on a $12,000 website redesign SOW for Northwind Retail. After kickoff, the client adds three product landing pages and one extra design round, and pushes launch by five business days. Use Load example above to inspect the cost delta, schedule impact, cumulative revised contract, and client-ready preview.
Frequently asked questions
What should a change order include?
Parties, project name, original SOW or contract reference, change order number and date, description of each change, cost impact, schedule impact, revised contract total, and approval status with approver name and date.
How do remove-scope lines work?
Choose Remove scope and enter quantity and unit price as positive numbers. The tool posts the line as a negative amount so the change subtotal decreases.
Can I document a time extension with no fee change?
Yes. Choose Time extension only, set schedule impact days, and leave quantity or unit price at zero so the cost impact stays $0.00 while calendar days still roll into the total.
Where is my change order data stored?
Only in your browser via localStorage. Nothing is uploaded to Useful Business Tools servers. Use Reset to clear the local draft.