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Estimates & Change Orders

Change Orders

Managing scope changes

At a Glance

  • Document scope changes with formal change orders linked to original estimates or jobs
  • Get customer approval with digital signatures before proceeding with changes
  • Track all change orders for complete project history and accurate billing

Change Orders

Manage scope changes professionally with documented change orders.

What Are Change Orders?

Change orders document modifications to an original estimate or contract:

  • Additional work requested
  • Scope reductions
  • Material upgrades or changes
  • Timeline modifications

Change orders protect both you and your customer by documenting agreed-upon changes.

When to Use Change Orders

Create a change order when:

  • Customer requests additional work
  • Unexpected conditions require more work
  • Materials need upgrading
  • Scope needs reduction
  • Timeline changes affect pricing

Creating a Change Order

  1. Navigate to Change Orders or from within a Job
  2. Click New Change Order
  3. Link to original estimate/job (if applicable)
  4. Add change order details
  5. Send for customer approval

Change Order Components

Reference Information

Field Description
Change Order Number Auto-generated sequence
Related Estimate Link to original quote
Related Job Link to active job
Date When created

Description of Changes

Clearly document:

  • What is changing
  • Why the change is needed
  • Impact on the project

Example:

"Customer requested upgrading all cabinet hardware from standard to premium brushed nickel. This includes 24 drawer pulls and 12 cabinet knobs."

Line Items

Itemize the changes:

Description Qty Rate Amount
Premium hardware (upgrade) 36 $15.00 $540.00
Additional installation time 2 hrs $65.00 $130.00
Total Change $670.00

Include:

  • Additions (positive amounts)
  • Credits/reductions (negative amounts)
  • Net change clearly shown

Impact Summary

Show how this affects the project:

Metric Original Change New Total
Total Price $5,000.00 +$670.00 $5,670.00
Timeline 2 weeks +2 days 2 weeks, 2 days

Customer Approval

Change orders require customer signature:

  1. Send change order to customer
  2. Customer reviews in portal
  3. Customer approves or declines
  4. Digital signature captured on approval
  5. You're notified of decision

Signature Process

Same as estimates:

  • Typed or drawn signature
  • Timestamp and IP recorded
  • PDF confirmation sent

Change Order Statuses

Status Description
Draft Not yet sent
Pending Awaiting customer decision
Approved Customer signed off
Declined Customer rejected
Void Cancelled

After Approval

Once a change order is approved:

Update Job

  • Job total automatically updates
  • Change order linked to job history
  • Timeline adjustments noted

Create Invoice

Convert approved change order to invoice:

  1. Open approved change order
  2. Click Convert to Invoice
  3. Review details
  4. Send invoice for payment

Or include in final job invoice with all change orders combined.

Tracking Change Orders

Per Job

View all change orders for a job:

  1. Open the job
  2. Navigate to Change Orders tab
  3. See all related change orders

Summary

See running totals:

  • Original estimate amount
  • Total approved changes
  • Current job total

Best Practices

Document Everything

  • Take photos of conditions
  • Get written requests from customers
  • Note verbal conversations

Be Proactive

  • Identify potential changes early
  • Communicate before starting additional work
  • Never assume approval

Clear Communication

  • Explain why change is needed
  • Show cost breakdown
  • Describe timeline impact

Get Approval First

  • Never proceed without signed change order
  • Verbal approval is not sufficient
  • Protect your payment rights

Handling Declined Change Orders

If customer declines:

  1. Discuss their concerns
  2. Offer alternatives if possible
  3. Document that work will not proceed
  4. Continue with original scope only

Change Order Policies

Include in your contracts:

  • Change order process required
  • Minimum change order amount (if any)
  • How changes affect timeline
  • Payment terms for change orders

Common Scenarios

Hidden Conditions

Discovered issues not visible during estimate:

  • Document with photos
  • Explain discovery
  • Provide options if possible

Customer Add-Ons

Customer requests additional work:

  • Confirm scope clearly
  • Price appropriately
  • Get signature before starting

Material Substitutions

Original materials unavailable:

  • Offer alternatives with pricing
  • Let customer choose
  • Document the change

Scope Reductions

Customer wants to remove items:

  • Calculate credit amount
  • Note what's excluded
  • Adjust expectations

Previous: Digital Signatures & Approvals Next: Getting Paid Online

What Happens Next

  1. 1Change order is sent to customer for review and approval
  2. 2Customer signs digitally to authorize the changes
  3. 3Approved changes can be added to invoices
  4. 4Change order history maintains full audit trail for the project

Common Questions

Do I need a change order for small adjustments?
It's best practice to document any scope or price changes. Small changes without documentation can lead to disputes later.
Can I create a change order that reduces the price?
Yes, change orders can add or subtract from the original scope. Use negative amounts for credits or reductions.
How do change orders affect my invoices?
Approved change orders can be included in invoices. The original estimate amount plus change order amounts give you the total project value.

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