A free Word statement of work template covering project scope, deliverables, milestones, payment terms, and acceptance criteria. Fill it out in WordFields and send a consistently formatted SOW every time.
Statement of Work
| Project | [Project title] |
| Reference | [Reference — e.g. SOW-2026-007] |
| Date | [Date] |
| Version | [Version — e.g. 1.0] |
| Service provider | [VALUE("Organization")], [Organization address] |
| Provider contact | [VALUE("Author.FullName")], [Your job title], [VALUE("Author.EmailAddress")] |
| Client | [Client company name], [Client address] |
| Client contact | [Client contact name], [Client contact job title], [Client contact email] |
Overview
[What the project is, why it is being done and what it is meant to achieve, in a short paragraph]
Objectives
[One objective per line, measurable where possible]
Scope of Work
In scope
[VALUE("Organization")] will perform the following work under this statement of work:
[One activity or deliverable per line. Be specific: vague scope is the main cause of disputes.]
Out of scope
The following is expressly excluded:
[One exclusion per line]
Any work not listed as in scope is out of scope and requires a change request.
Assumptions
This statement of work is based on the following assumptions:
[One assumption per line — e.g. the client provides access to the test environment by the kickoff date]
If an assumption proves incorrect, the scope, timeline or fee may need to be revised by mutual agreement.
Deliverables
| Deliverable | Acceptance criteria | Due |
|---|---|---|
| [Deliverable] | [How completion is verified] | [Due date] |
| [Deliverable] | [How completion is verified] | [Due date] |
| [Deliverable] | [How completion is verified] | [Due date] |
[[Client Company Name]] will review each deliverable within [Business days for review — e.g. 5] business days of receipt. A deliverable is accepted if no written feedback is given within that period.
Timeline
The project starts with a kickoff on [Kickoff date] and ends with final delivery on [Final delivery date]. The milestones in between are:
[One milestone per line, with its date — e.g. Design sign-off, 14 March 2026]
The timeline depends on timely materials, feedback and approvals from [[Client Company Name]]. Delays on the client side may require a revised schedule by mutual agreement.
Roles and Responsibilities
[VALUE("Organization")]
[One responsibility per line]
[[Client Company Name]]
[One responsibility per line — e.g. provide access to systems, personnel and data; review deliverables within the review period]
Change Requests
Work outside the agreed scope must be requested as a change request:
- [[Client Company Name]] submits a written change request describing the additional work.
- [VALUE("Organization")] responds within [Business days — e.g. 3] business days with an assessment of the impact on scope, timeline and fee.
- Both parties agree the change in writing before any out-of-scope work starts.
- Agreed changes are recorded as an addendum to this statement of work.
Verbal agreements to perform out-of-scope work are not binding.
Fees and Payment
Fee
The total fee for the work described above is [Currency — e.g. EUR] [Total fee], excluding [Tax — e.g. VAT].
Payment schedule
| Milestone | Amount ([[Currency]]) | Due |
|---|---|---|
| [Milestone — e.g. signature of this statement of work] | [Amount] | [Due date] |
| [Milestone — e.g. acceptance of deliverable 2] | [Amount] | [Due date] |
| [Milestone — e.g. final delivery] | [Amount] | [Due date] |
Payment terms
Invoices are payable within [Days — e.g. 30] days of issue. Late payments accrue interest at [Percent per month — e.g. 1.5]% per month, or the maximum rate permitted by law if lower.
Expenses
[]
Confidentiality
Both parties will treat as confidential any proprietary information disclosed during the engagement and will not disclose it to third parties without prior written consent. This obligation survives termination.
Intellectual Property
[] Each party retains its pre-existing intellectual property.
Term and Termination
This statement of work takes effect on the kickoff date and ends on acceptance of all deliverables. Either party may terminate it on [Days of notice — e.g. 30] days' written notice, in which case [[Client Company Name]] pays for all work completed up to the termination date.
Governing Law
This statement of work is governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction — e.g. England and Wales], and the courts of that jurisdiction have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from it.
Signatures
By signing below, both parties agree to the terms of this statement of work.
| [VALUE("Organization")] | [[Client Company Name]] |
| Signature: ___________________________ | Signature: ___________________________ |
| Name: [VALUE("Author.FullName")] | Name: [[Client Contact Name]] |
| Title: [[Author Job Title]] | Title: [[Client Contact Title]] |
| Date: ________________________________ | Date: ________________________________ |
| Project | Project title |
| Reference | Reference — e.g. SOW-2026-007 |
| Date | Date |
| Version | Version — e.g. 1.0 |
| Service provider | Organization, Organization address |
| Provider contact | Author, Your job title, Author.EmailAddress |
| Client | Client company name, Client address |
| Client contact | Client contact name, Client contact job title, Client contact email |
What the project is, why it is being done and what it is meant to achieve, in a short paragraph
One objective per line, measurable where possible
Organization will perform the following work under this statement of work:
One activity or deliverable per line. Be specific: vague scope is the main cause of disputes.
The following is expressly excluded:
One exclusion per line
Any work not listed as in scope is out of scope and requires a change request.
This statement of work is based on the following assumptions:
One assumption per line — e.g. the client provides access to the test environment by the kickoff date
If an assumption proves incorrect, the scope, timeline or fee may need to be revised by mutual agreement.
| Deliverable | Acceptance criteria | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverable | How completion is verified | Due date |
| Deliverable | How completion is verified | Due date |
| Deliverable | How completion is verified | Due date |
=[Client Company Name] will review each deliverable within Business days for review — e.g. 5 business days of receipt. A deliverable is accepted if no written feedback is given within that period.
The project starts with a kickoff on Kickoff date and ends with final delivery on Final delivery date. The milestones in between are:
One milestone per line, with its date — e.g. Design sign-off, 14 March 2026
The timeline depends on timely materials, feedback and approvals from =[Client Company Name]. Delays on the client side may require a revised schedule by mutual agreement.
One responsibility per line
One responsibility per line — e.g. provide access to systems, personnel and data; review deliverables within the review period
Work outside the agreed scope must be requested as a change request:
- =[Client Company Name] submits a written change request describing the additional work.
- Organization responds within Business days — e.g. 3 business days with an assessment of the impact on scope, timeline and fee.
- Both parties agree the change in writing before any out-of-scope work starts.
- Agreed changes are recorded as an addendum to this statement of work.
Verbal agreements to perform out-of-scope work are not binding.
The total fee for the work described above is Currency — e.g. EUR Total fee, excluding Tax — e.g. VAT.
| Milestone | Amount (=[Currency]) | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Milestone — e.g. signature of this statement of work | Amount | Due date |
| Milestone — e.g. acceptance of deliverable 2 | Amount | Due date |
| Milestone — e.g. final delivery | Amount | Due date |
Invoices are payable within Days — e.g. 30 days of issue. Late payments accrue interest at Percent per month — e.g. 1.5% per month, or the maximum rate permitted by law if lower.
Select
Both parties will treat as confidential any proprietary information disclosed during the engagement and will not disclose it to third parties without prior written consent. This obligation survives termination.
Select Each party retains its pre-existing intellectual property.
This statement of work takes effect on the kickoff date and ends on acceptance of all deliverables. Either party may terminate it on Days of notice — e.g. 30 days' written notice, in which case =[Client Company Name] pays for all work completed up to the termination date.
This statement of work is governed by the laws of Jurisdiction — e.g. England and Wales, and the courts of that jurisdiction have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from it.
By signing below, both parties agree to the terms of this statement of work.
| Organization | =[Client Company Name] |
| Signature: ___________________________ | Signature: ___________________________ |
| Name: Author | Name: =[Client Contact Name] |
| Title: =[Author Job Title] | Title: =[Client Contact Title] |
| Date: ________________________________ | Date: ________________________________ |
These templates are a starting point. Have a legal professional review any agreement before signing.
Use WordFields to fill in and generate a complete statement of work in under two minutes — scope, deliverables, milestones, and payment terms all update from the form. Share the template with your team so every SOW goes out on the same approved, consistently formatted document.
What's included
This template auto-populates the following fields when used in WordFields:
- Project title, reference, date and version
- Client company, address and contact name, title and email
- Sender name, job title, email and company details (pulled from the logged-in user and workspace automatically)
- Overview and objectives
- Scope of work — in scope, out of scope, and assumptions
- Deliverables table with acceptance criteria and due dates, and the review period
- Kickoff and final delivery dates, with the milestones in between
- Roles and responsibilities for both parties, and the change request response time
- Total fee, currency, payment schedule and payment terms
- Expense terms and intellectual property option (ownership or licence)
- Termination notice period and governing law
When to use a statement of work
Send the SOW after the proposal has been accepted and before work begins. The proposal wins the engagement — the SOW governs it. A common mistake is treating the proposal as the governing document and skipping the SOW entirely. Proposals are persuasive documents, not operational contracts. They describe your approach at a level of detail sufficient to win agreement, not the precision required to manage delivery, handle disputes, or process a change request. Once a client says yes, the proposal has done its job. The SOW takes over.
The two most important sections to write with care are scope and deliverables. Vague scope is the primary cause of scope creep — the gradual expansion of work beyond what was originally agreed, usually without additional payment. Every item in the scope section should be specific enough that both parties would agree, without discussion, on whether it has been completed. The out-of-scope section is equally important. Stating explicitly what is not included removes the assumption that everything not mentioned is implicitly included.
The change request clause is not a defensive measure — it is a professional one. Clients who understand that changes go through a formal process are more likely to be deliberate about what they ask for and more respectful of the original scope. It also gives you a structured way to say yes to additional work without feeling like you are giving something away. If your team generates SOWs regularly, a shared template in WordFields means the change request language, payment terms, and IP clause are consistent across every engagement — not left to whoever wrote the last one.
Frequently asked questions
What should a statement of work include?
A statement of work should include a project overview and objectives, a detailed scope of work covering what is and is not included, a list of deliverables with acceptance criteria for each, a project timeline with milestones, roles and responsibilities for both parties, payment terms and schedule, a change request process, and a signature block. The scope section is typically the longest and most important — vague scope is the primary cause of disputes and scope creep in service engagements.
What is the difference between a statement of work and a scope of work?
A statement of work is a comprehensive, formal document that governs the entire engagement — it covers objectives, deliverables, timeline, payment, legal terms, and acceptance criteria. A scope of work is a focused section within the statement of work that details the specific tasks and activities to be performed. Think of the scope of work as the 'what and how' section inside the broader SOW. Both are sometimes abbreviated as SOW, which causes confusion, but they are not interchangeable documents.
What is the difference between a statement of work and a proposal?
A proposal is sent before the client has committed — it makes the case for why you are the right choice and outlines your proposed approach and pricing. A statement of work is created after the client has agreed to proceed — it formalises the specific terms of the engagement, defines deliverables precisely, and is typically signed by both parties before work begins. The proposal persuades; the SOW governs. In many sales processes, the SOW replaces or supplements a formal contract for service-based work.
Is a statement of work legally binding?
Yes, once signed by both parties a statement of work is generally a legally binding agreement. It can function as a standalone contract for service engagements, or it can operate as a project-specific addendum under a broader master service agreement. Because it is a legal document, you should have your legal team review the template before using it at scale, and ensure it reflects the laws of the jurisdiction in which you operate. This template provides a general starting point and is not a substitute for legal advice.
What is a change request clause in a statement of work?
A change request clause defines the process for handling work that falls outside the original scope. It specifies who can request a change, how it must be submitted, how it will be assessed and priced, and who needs to approve it before additional work proceeds. Including a change request clause protects both parties — it prevents the service provider from being expected to deliver extra work for free, and it gives the client a clear, formal path to request changes without disrupting the project.
Related sales templates
Explore more professional document and email templates you can copy, customize, and use immediately
