Statement of Work Template

A statement of work (SOW) says what you'll deliver, by when, what the client has to provide, and what happens when the work grows. Copy the template below into Google Docs or Word, fill it in for one project, and get it signed before the first file is opened.

The statement of work template

Every section has a one-line hint under it. Keep the hints while you draft, then delete them before you send.

STATEMENT OF WORK

Project name
  A short name everyone will use in emails, invoices and file names.

Client / Your company / Date / Version
  Both legal names, the date, and v1, v2 as it changes.

1. Background
  Why this project exists, in two or three sentences.

2. Objectives
  What the work should achieve. Measurable where you can.

3. Scope
  What's included. List the work, not the hours.

4. Out of scope
  What isn't included, by name. Anything not listed in Scope is out.

5. Deliverables
  Each thing you'll hand over: format, quantity, where it's delivered.

6. Timeline and milestones
  Key dates, and what each one depends on from the client.

7. Client responsibilities
  Content, access, feedback and approvals you need, and by when.

8. Revisions
  How many rounds per deliverable, and what counts as one round.

9. Acceptance
  Who signs off, how, and what happens if nobody replies.

10. Changes to scope
  How new asks get priced and approved before work starts.

11. Fees and payment
  The fee, what it covers, and when it's invoiced.

12. Sign-off
  Names, roles and dates for both sides.

What each section is for

Most SOW disputes come from three sections: out of scope, acceptance and changes. If you're short on time, write those three properly and keep the rest brief.

• Background and objectives keep everyone pointed at the same result. When a debate about a detail starts, the objective settles it.
• Scope and out of scope draw the line. Naming what's out ("copywriting", "stock photo licences", "ongoing hosting") is what stops a reasonable-sounding ask from becoming free work.
• Deliverables turn the scope into things you can count. "A new website" is a scope. "8 page templates in Figma, built in Webflow, handed over with an editor walkthrough" is a deliverable.
• Timeline and client responsibilities belong together. Most late projects are late because content or feedback arrived late, and this is where you say the dates move when that happens.
• Revisions stop round seven. Define a round: one set of consolidated notes from the approver, not a drip of emails.
• Acceptance says when work is done. Name one approver, and set a window after which delivered work counts as approved.
• Changes to scope is the change order clause: new work gets an estimate, the client approves it, then it starts.

Statement of work vs scope of work

People use the two names for the same document. Strictly, the scope of work is the part that describes the work itself (sections 3 to 5 above), and the statement of work is the whole document around it: timeline, responsibilities, acceptance, fees and sign-off. If a client asks for a scope of work template, send this one.

A SOW also isn't the contract. The contract or master services agreement sets the legal terms once, and each project gets its own SOW under it. Our answer on the difference between a SOW and a contract covers when you need both.

A filled-in example

Here's the template filled in for a small web studio redesigning a site for a group of dental clinics.

• Project name: Brightsmile website redesign
• Background: The current site is five years old, slow on phones, and doesn't take online bookings.
• Objectives: Launch a faster site by June 2 where patients can book online. Target: online bookings make up a third of new appointments within three months.
• Scope: Sitemap, design and build of a new website in Webflow, booking integration with the clinic's existing system, launch support.
• Out of scope: Copywriting, photography, paid ads, hosting fees, ongoing maintenance after launch week.
• Deliverables: Sitemap (1), page templates (8) in Figma, the built site on Webflow, a 30-minute recorded editor walkthrough.
• Timeline: Sitemap April 7, designs April 28, build May 26, launch June 2. Dates move by the number of days content or feedback is late.
• Client responsibilities: Final copy and photos by April 21, booking system access by May 5, one approver for all sign-offs.
• Revisions: Two rounds per milestone. One round is one consolidated set of notes from the approver.
• Acceptance: Dr. Lena Ortiz signs off each milestone. Work not answered within 5 working days counts as approved.
• Changes to scope: New pages or features are estimated in writing and start only after approval.
• Fees and payment: Fixed fee, 40% on signing, 30% on design approval, 30% at launch.

Notice the dates in the timeline depend on the client's dates in their responsibilities. That one sentence saves more arguments than any other clause.

How to use it

1. Write it after the discovery call, not before. You need the client's goal and constraints in their own words first.
2. Fill in out of scope as carefully as scope. Read your scope back and ask: what would a client reasonably assume is included? Write those down if they aren't.
3. Send it as a draft and walk the client through it. Ten minutes on a call beats a week of tracked changes.
4. Get it signed by the person who'll approve the work. The approver on the SOW and the approver on the deliverables should be the same person.
5. Keep it next to the work. When a new ask arrives, check it against Scope first, then answer.

Using it in Google Docs or Word

The template is plain text, so it pastes cleanly into either.

• Google Docs: paste it into a new doc, turn the numbered lines into headings, and keep it as your master. Use File, then Make a copy for each project.
• Word: paste it in, style the section names as headings, and save it as a Word template (.dotx) so every SOW starts clean.
• Tables: deliverables and milestones read better as a two- or three-column table. Everything else can stay as short paragraphs.

Common mistakes

• Describing effort instead of outcomes. "40 hours of design" invites arguments about hours. "8 page templates" is countable.
• No out of scope section. If it isn't written down as out, a client will assume it's in.
• Revisions without a definition. "Two rounds" means nothing until a round is defined.
• No rule for new asks. Without a changes clause, every extra request becomes a negotiation. With one, it becomes an estimate.

How Dora does this for you

A SOW sets the rules. The hard part is keeping the work inside them three weeks later, when a client emails "can you also add a blog?"

Dora keeps the day-to-day work in step with the agreement. Every request gets a brief, so you can see straight away whether it's in scope. Anything outside it goes to the client as an estimate they approve in one click before anyone starts. Delivered work waits for the approver, and approves itself after the days you choose if nobody replies. At the end of each month, every client has a record of what shipped and who signed it off.

Your first client is free, then it's $10 per client per month with unlimited team seats. See pricing.

Frequently asked questions

What should a statement of work include?

A statement of work should include the background and objectives, the scope and what's out of scope, the deliverables, the timeline and milestones, what the client is responsible for, the number of revision rounds, how work is accepted, how changes are priced, the fees and payment terms, and sign-off from both sides.

Is a statement of work the same as a scope of work?

Mostly, in everyday use. Strictly, the scope of work is the section that describes the work and deliverables, and the statement of work is the full document around it, including timeline, responsibilities, acceptance, fees and signatures.

Is a SOW legally binding?

A signed SOW usually forms part of your agreement with the client, often under a master services agreement or contract that sets the legal terms. This template isn't legal advice, so have a qualified professional review your contract terms.

How long should a statement of work be?

Two to four pages is enough for most agency and freelance projects. Make it as long as it needs to be to remove doubt about scope, deliverables, acceptance and changes, and no longer.

Can I use this SOW template in Google Docs or Word?

Yes. The template is plain text, so it pastes into Google Docs or Word as is. Turn the section names into headings, keep one master copy, and make a fresh copy for each project.