Hidden condition found
Document added repair work discovered after the job starts.
Change order template
Change Order Template for Contractors and Service Teams
A change order documents a requested change to approved work, including the reason, revised scope, added or reduced cost, schedule impact, customer approval, and billing update.
Use this template when hidden conditions, customer requests, material substitutions, added tasks, removed tasks, or schedule changes affect an approved job.
Approved changes
Change orders keep extra work from becoming a dispute
When a job changes, the customer and team need a written record of what changed, why it changed, what it costs, and how it affects the schedule.
When to use it
Service businesses and contractors want a clear form for documenting approved scope, price, and timeline changes.
What it should help capture
Customer, property, original job, change order number, and request dateOriginal scope reference, change reason, revised work, and excluded itemsAdded cost, credit, tax, deposit, payment timing, and invoice impactSchedule impact, material impact, crew impact, and customer responsibilities
Copy-ready template
Change order summary
Connect the change to the approved job.
Change order #: [CO-1295]
Original job or estimate: [Reference number]
Customer and property: [Name and address]
Reason for change: [hidden condition, customer request, material change, schedule change]
Revised scope and price
Show exactly what changed.
Original scope affected: [task, area, line item, or phase].
Requested change: [new work, removed work, revised material, additional service].
Price impact: [added cost, credit, tax, revised total].
Schedule impact: [no change, added days, reschedule, material lead time].
Approval language
Make authorization explicit before work continues.
By approving this change order, the customer authorizes the revised scope, price, and schedule impact listed above.
Approval method: [signature, email, text, portal approval, deposit]. Approved by: [Name and date].
Use cases
Where this template helps in the field
Use the template when the office, customer, and technician all need the same job details without chasing scattered notes.
Customer-requested add-on
Capture extra work, upgrade choices, and approval before the crew proceeds.
Material substitution
Record replacement materials, price changes, and customer acceptance.
Included sections
What the template should include
These sections keep the document clear enough for customers, technicians, office staff, and payment follow-up.
Customer, property, original job, change order number, and request date
Original scope reference, change reason, revised work, and excluded items
Added cost, credit, tax, deposit, payment timing, and invoice impact
Schedule impact, material impact, crew impact, and customer responsibilities
Approver, approval method, signature, date, and office review
Original scope reference
Shows what approved work the change modifies.
Field note
Reference the estimate, scope, work order, or line item so the office can reconcile billing later.
Price impact
Clarifies whether the change adds cost, credits the customer, or changes taxes and deposits.
Field note
Show the revised total when the customer needs to approve the final amount.
Approval method
Creates a record that the customer accepted the change before work continued.
Field note
Use written approval for any change that affects price or timeline.
Service workflow
How to use this template inside a real service business
The best paperwork supports the job before, during, and after the visit, instead of becoming another file nobody can find.
1
Identify the scope change
Compare the requested work or hidden condition against the approved estimate and scope.
How Fieldified supports this step
Fieldified keeps the original quote, job details, and customer history connected.
Explore related capability2
Get customer approval
Document the revised work, price, schedule impact, and approval before moving forward.
How Fieldified supports this step
Job records and customer communication help teams preserve approval context.
Explore related capability3
Update job and invoice records
Carry the approved change into crew notes, scheduling, and final billing.
How Fieldified supports this step
Fieldified helps approved changes stay visible through completion and invoicing.
Explore related capabilityCommon mistakes
What weak templates miss
Work starts before approval
Extra work should not begin until the customer accepts the change.
Original scope is not referenced
The office needs to know what approved work the change modifies.
Schedule impact is missing
A change can affect more than price, especially when parts or crews shift.
Changes connected to the job record
Fieldified helps teams keep change orders visible
Change orders should connect back to the original estimate, customer approval, job notes, schedule, and invoice. Fieldified helps keep those records together.
Related resources
Continue into related templates and Fieldified workflows
Use these pages to connect the template to quoting, scheduling, invoicing, customer management, and recurring work.
Related templates
Related Fieldified resources
FAQ
Questions field service teams ask about this template
What should a change order include?
Include original job reference, reason for change, revised scope, price impact, schedule impact, customer responsibilities, approval method, approver, and date.
When should a contractor use a change order?
Use one before performing work outside the approved scope, especially when cost, schedule, materials, or customer responsibilities change.
Does a change order need a signature?
Written approval is strongly recommended. Depending on the business process, approval may be a signature, email, text, portal approval, or deposit.