Agreement templateUpdated July 15, 2026

Change Order Template

Turn a field request, concealed condition, or customer selection into a traceable adjustment before extra work changes project cost or timing.

Crawlable example preview

Change order CO-003

Customer: Summit Avenue Properties

Original agreement: CON-2026-118

Reason

Concealed deterioration discovered after removal of the existing finish; condition documented with dated photographs.

Scope adjustment

Remove and replace the described damaged substrate before resuming the accepted finish installation.

Effect

Contract sum increases by the stated amount and the working schedule extends by an estimated two business days.

Example onlyNet change: +$2,450.00

Who it is for

Contractors and service teams managing additions, deletions, substitutions, unknown conditions, or customer-requested changes after acceptance.

When to use it

Use it before performing work outside the accepted scope whenever practical, and connect it to the original proposal, contract, or purchase order.

Field checklist

What to include in your change order template

Change identity

Use a unique number and reference the original job and accepted record.

Change order number:
Date:
Job/project:
Original agreement/version:

Reason and evidence

Record who requested the change or what condition required it.

Requested/discovered by:
Reason:
Supporting photos/documents:

Scope difference

Describe added, removed, or substituted work, not the whole original project.

Add:
Remove:
Substitute:
Unchanged related work:

Price and time effect

Show adds, deducts, taxes, net change, and realistic schedule impact.

Price add/deduct:
Tax:
Net change:
Schedule effect:

Authorization

Identify authorized approvers and when the change may proceed.

Customer authorization:
Contractor authorization:
Approval date:
Proceed condition:

How to use this template well

Describe only the delta

A change order should make the difference from the accepted scope obvious. Reference the original instead of rewriting it in a way that creates inconsistencies.

Show both price and time

Even a zero-cost substitution may affect procurement or completion. State 'no change' explicitly when one dimension is unaffected.

Preserve the audit trail

Retain the request, evidence, issued change, customer response, and approved version with the job.

The customer and project team can distinguish the original commitment from the approved change, including its net price and schedule effect.

Frequently asked questions

What should a change order include?

Include a unique number, original agreement reference, reason, added or removed scope, evidence, price adjustment, tax, net contract amount, schedule effect, and authorized approval.

Can a change order have no price change?

Yes. A substitution or schedule change can have zero net price. State the price and time effects explicitly so no one has to infer them.

Should work begin before the change is signed?

Follow your contract and applicable law. Written approval before extra work is generally easier to administer, while genuine emergencies may need a defined exception and prompt documentation.

Make this template part of your real customer workflow.

Configure your approved document, collect customer decisions and signatures, create invoices from accepted work, and keep the history under one authorized company workspace.

Configure your own document