The agreement holds the terms that don't change from project to project, such as liability, ownership rules and the law. The statement of work holds what does, so the next project takes one page instead of a new contract. This template follows the statement of work in Common Paper's Professional Services Agreement and works under the service agreement on this site, or under one you've signed elsewhere.
What goes in a statement of work A statement of work names the agreement it falls under, the services, the deliverables, the dates, the fee and how each deliverable is approved; this template asks for each in its own step.
What a statement of work includes, and where this one says it What it settles Where it is The agreement it falls under The signed agreement whose terms apply, by its name and date Under the title Services The work for this project Section 1, The Project Deliverables The list of what the client gets Section 1 Timeline A start date, and an end date or delivery as the end Section 1 Fee and Payment Period The fee for this project, and how long each invoice has to be paid Section 2, Fees and Payment Rejection Period How long the client has to reject a deliverable, with reasons in writing Section 3, Review and Acceptance Resubmission Period How long you have to fix it and deliver it again Section 3 Changes A written change order, agreed by both sides The agreement's standard terms Signatures Both sides sign the statement of work At the end of the page
A sample statement of work Here is the template filled in with its example: a second project for the same client, packaging for a seasonal range, under a service agreement signed six weeks earlier.
The sample statement of work: one page, signed by Jane Doe and waiting for Acme. The sample statement of work, and what to change In the sample What to change Agreement The Service Agreement signed six weeks earlier The name and date of the agreement you signed with this client Services Packaging design for a seasonal range What this project adds, in a sentence Deliverables Bag labels in three sizes, a gift box design, print-ready files Each thing the client receives, specific enough to check Timeline Starts in a week and ends six weeks later Real dates, or delivery as the end Fee $3,200, each invoice paid within 14 days This project's fee and Payment Period Review Five days to reject a deliverable, five days to fix it Longer for work the client has to test or pass around
Statement of work, scope of work, contract, MSA: the differences A contract or MSA sets the terms once, a statement of work adds one project under it, a scope of work is the part of a statement of work that describes the work, and a change order alters a statement of work already signed.
A statement of work and related documents compared What it is When it's signed Service agreement or MSA The terms for the whole relationship: liability, ownership rules, law Once, before the first project Statement of work One project: services, deliverables, dates, fee and approval For each project Scope of work The description of the work inside a statement of work or contract As part of it, not on its own Change order A written change to a statement of work already signed When a project changes
MSA stands for master services agreement, the name larger companies often use for the overarching contract. The service agreement on this site plays the same part: its first statement of work is built in, and each later project gets one of these.
How a statement of work stops scope creep Scope creep is work that grows past what was agreed without the fee growing with it, and a precise list of deliverables is the first defense against it.
List deliverables, not activities: “A gift box design” can be checked; “packaging support” can't. Say how work is approved: The Rejection Period gives the client a set number of days to object in writing. Under the standard terms, a deliverable that isn't rejected in time counts as approved. Put changes in writing: When the client asks for more, agree a change order or a new statement of work before you start, with its own fee and dates. Tie the fee to the list: A fee for named deliverables makes extra work visibly extra. How to write a statement of work in six steps Name the agreement, describe the project, list the deliverables, set the dates, set the fee and the review periods, then sign and share it; the builder on this page asks for each of them.
Name the agreement: Its title and the date it was signed. Describe the project: One or two sentences on what this project adds. List the deliverables: Everything the client receives, one line each. Set the dates: A start date, and an end date or delivery as the end. Set the fee and the review: The fee, the Payment Period and the two review periods. Sign and share: Sign it here, then share the link; the client signs on their own page. Each step writes its part of the statement of work as you type. When the project is done Invoice it with the same fee and payment period, and keep the statement of work next to its invoices: together they answer any question about what was agreed, which is most of what staying tax ready turns out to mean. Ruul can invoice your client for the project and pay you out within one business day after they pay.
Questions about statements of work What is a statement of work? A document that adds one project to an agreement already signed: the services, the deliverables, the dates, the fee and how the work is approved. It's often shortened to SOW.
Who writes the statement of work? Usually the side doing the work, because they know what the deliverables take. The client reads it, asks for changes, and both sides sign.
What's the difference between a statement of work and a scope of work? A scope of work describes the work itself; a statement of work adds the deliverables, the dates, the fee and the approval terms, and both sides sign it. People often use the two names for the same document.
Is a statement of work a contract? It's part of one. Once both sides sign it, it adds a project to the agreement it falls under, and that agreement's terms apply to it.
What's the difference between a SOW and an MSA? An MSA, or master services agreement, sets the terms for the whole relationship once; each SOW adds one project under it. The service agreement on this site works as the MSA.
Do I need a statement of work for every project? For each new project under the agreement, yes: it keeps each project's scope, dates and fee apart. A small change to a project already under way goes in a change order instead.
How detailed should the deliverables be? Detailed enough that both sides could tick each one off: name the item, its format and how many, such as labels in three sizes or print-ready files. A deliverable nobody can check is where scope creep starts.
What's the difference between a proposal and a statement of work? A proposal pitches the work before it's agreed; a statement of work records it once it is, and both sides sign it.
Can I use the same template for different kinds of projects? Yes. The services and the deliverables are yours to describe, so the same statement of work fits a design project, a website or a series of workshops.
Do I need a contract before a statement of work? For this template, yes: it refers to an agreement already signed. If there isn't one, start with the service agreement on this site, which has the first statement of work built in.
What happens if the client rejects a deliverable? They give their reasons in writing within the Rejection Period, and you fix it and deliver it again within the Resubmission Period. Under the standard terms, a deliverable they don't reject in time counts as approved.
How do I change a statement of work? With a change order: a written change that takes effect once both sides agree to it. For a new project, write a new statement of work instead.
Can one agreement have several statements of work? Yes. Each project gets its own, numbered in order. This template starts at No. 2, because the service agreement holds the first.
Does a statement of work have its own late fee? No. It falls under its agreement, so the service agreement's late fee and kill fee apply to it. Set them there, on the step after the payment.
How do I sign the agreement online? You sign first, on the last step: draw your signature or type your name. Then share the link. The other side reads the agreement on their own page, adds the details you left for them, signs and emails the signed link back to you. Either of you can download the PDF with both signatures.
Is it free to use? Yes. Making the agreement, signing it, sharing the link and downloading the PDF or the Word file are all free, and none of it needs an account.
Can I edit the agreement in Word or Google Docs? Yes. Download it as a Word file and change any part of it in Word, Google Docs or Pages. The Word file comes without signatures: to sign the agreement online, sign it here and share the link.
Is the signed agreement stored anywhere? Not on a server. The agreement and the signatures travel in the link itself. Your agreements also stay in My contracts, in this browser only, and clearing your browsing data deletes them. Download the signed PDF and keep it with the signed link.
Is this legal advice? No. The generator gives you a solid starting point on standard terms written by lawyers, but it doesn't know your situation. For anything unusual, or a large project, have a lawyer where you or your client are based read it first.
