Change order
also known as change request
A written, approved record of any change to a project's scope, timeline or fee before the extra work begins. The antidote to scope creep.
For example, midway through a build the client asks for an extra integration. Rather than absorbing it, the agency issues a one-page change order: +$2,500, +one week on the timeline, signed off by email before any work starts. The relationship stays clean because nobody is surprised by the next invoice.
Why it matters to agencies: change orders let you say yes to extra work without eating the cost. They keep scope creep visible and billable, protect your margin and timeline, and reassure clients that pricing is fair and transparent rather than arbitrary.
What a change order records
- What is changing
- The added cost
- The timeline impact
- Any new assumptions
- Sign-off from both sides, before work starts
What is a change order?
A written, approved record of any change to a project's scope, timeline or fee before the extra work begins. The antidote to scope creep.
When should you raise a change order?
Any time a request changes scope, timeline or fee - before the extra work starts, not after it has already eaten your hours.
What should a change order include?
What is changing, the added cost, the timeline impact, and a sign-off line - kept to a single page so approval is fast.
How is a change order different from a new SOW?
A change order amends an existing project; a new SOW starts a separate piece of work. Small additions are change orders, big new initiatives get their own SOW.