Statement of work template: one you can copy
A statement of work template for agencies and consultants: the sections it needs, what to write in each, and the clauses that stop scope disputes.
Spodus team
Published 5 min read
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A statement of work template is a document with the sections every project agreement needs: what will be delivered, what will not, when, for how much, and how both sides agree it is finished. Fill it in once per project and get it signed. It is the document you point to when an unplanned request arrives.
What a statement of work is
A statement of work (SOW) describes one project in enough detail that both sides know what "done" means. It sits under a master agreement, or stands alone with its own terms for a small business. It differs from a proposal, which sells the work, and from a contract, which sets the legal terms. The SOW is the operational part: the list of deliverables, the exclusions, the dates, the price and the acceptance rule.
The statement of work template
Copy the sections below into a document. Replace everything in brackets. Delete the sections that do not apply, but read the notes further down before you delete the exclusions or the change order clause.
Statement of work: [project name]
Between [agency legal name] ("the agency") and [client legal name] ("the client").
Date: [date]. Version: [number].
1. Background and objective
1.1. [One paragraph on why the project exists and what the client wants to achieve.]
1.2. This statement of work covers [phase or project name] only.
2. Deliverables
2.1. The agency will deliver the following:
- [Deliverable 1, with a quantity: e.g. "One website of up to eight pages, designed and built on [platform]"]
- [Deliverable 2, with a quantity]
- [Deliverable 3, with a quantity]
2.2. Each deliverable is complete when it meets the description above and has been accepted under section 7.
3. Exclusions
3.1. The following are not included in this statement of work:
- [e.g. Copywriting, photography and video]
- [e.g. Hosting, domains and third-party licences]
- [e.g. Changes after launch]
- [e.g. Work on pages or items not listed in section 2]
3.2. Any item in 3.1 can be added by a change order under section 6.
4. Timeline
4.1. Start date: [date].
4.2. Milestones:
| Milestone | Deliverable | Date |
|---|---|---|
| [Milestone 1] | [what is delivered] | [date] |
| [Milestone 2] | [what is delivered] | [date] |
| [Final delivery] | [what is delivered] | [date] |
4.3. Dates depend on the client providing [content, access, feedback] by the dates in section 8. A delay on the client side moves later dates by the same number of days.
5. Revisions
5.1. [Number] rounds of revisions are included per deliverable.
5.2. A round is one consolidated set of comments from [client contact], sent within [number] business days of delivery.
5.3. Further rounds are charged at [amount] per round. A change of direction is a new deliverable, not a revision.
6. Change orders
6.1. Work outside sections 2 and 5 is quoted as a change order stating the change, the cost and the effect on the timeline.
6.2. No change order work starts until the client has approved it in writing.
7. Acceptance
7.1. The client has [number] business days from delivery to accept a deliverable or to send a round of revisions.
7.2. A deliverable with no response in that time is accepted.
8. Client responsibilities
8.1. The client will provide [content, brand assets, access, approvals] by [dates].
8.2. The client names [contact name] as the single point of contact for feedback and approvals.
9. Fees and payment
9.1. The fee for this statement of work is [amount], excluding [tax].
9.2. Payment schedule: [amount or percentage] on signature; [amount or percentage] at [milestone]; [amount or percentage] on final delivery.
9.3. Invoices are due within [number] days. Work may pause on invoices more than [number] days overdue.
10. Assumptions
10.1. [e.g. The client's existing hosting supports the platform in section 2.]
10.2. [e.g. All content is provided in English.]
11. Signatures
For the agency: [name, title, date].
For the client: [name, title, date].
How to fill it in
Most of the sections are quick. Four of them decide whether the document works.
Deliverables need a number. "A website" is a dispute. "A website of up to eight pages" is a scope. Put a quantity on every line, and for anything vague, describe what it is not.
Exclusions are the most valuable section. Write down the things clients commonly assume are included: copy, images, hosting, training, support after launch. Ten minutes on this list saves a change order argument later. Never delete it to make the document look friendlier.
Revisions need a definition, not just a number. Say who sends feedback, how it arrives, and how long they have. The scope creep guide explains why this one clause prevents most overruns.
Acceptance needs a deadline. Without 7.2, a project can sit "not yet accepted" for months while the final invoice waits. A silent client accepts by default.
The rest is filling in blanks. Keep the language plain; the client's lawyer will add the words that need adding.
Scope of work template vs statement of work
People search for a scope of work template and a statement of work template and usually want the same document. Strictly, the scope of work is sections 2 and 3 above: what is done and what is not. The statement of work is the whole thing, with the timeline, the money and the acceptance rule around the scope. Use whichever name your clients use. Keep all eleven sections either way.
After it is signed
Store the signed document with the client record, where the people doing the work can find it. When the first invoice is raised, it should match section 9 exactly; when a request arrives, the account lead checks it against sections 2 and 3 before answering. Spodus keeps the quote, the project board and the invoice on the same client record, which makes that check a few seconds rather than a search through email. Any shared folder works, as long as the document is where the team looks.
Questions, answered
- What is the difference between a statement of work and a scope of work?
- A scope of work describes what will be done: the deliverables, the boundaries and the exclusions. A statement of work contains the scope and adds the commercial terms around it: the timeline, the price, the payment schedule, the acceptance process and the signatures. In practice most agencies use one document and call it either name. What matters is that the deliverables, the exclusions and the price are all in it.
- Does a statement of work need to be signed?
- Yes, by someone on the client side who has the authority to spend the money. An unsigned statement of work is a proposal. A signed one is the document you point to when a request falls outside the scope. Email approval is often enough legally, but a signature on the document itself is clearer, and it makes the client read it, which is half the value.
- How long should a statement of work be?
- Two to four pages for most agency projects. Long enough to list every deliverable with a number and every exclusion by name; short enough that the client reads it. A twenty-page statement of work is not read and so does not do its job. If a project is large, split it into phases, each with its own short statement of work.
