Statement of Work (SOW) Template

A statement of work pins down one project in detail: what will be built, by when, what's not included, how it will be accepted and how it's paid. Use it on its own or under a master services agreement.

SOW or contract?

Many clients sign one master services agreement (MSA) with general terms, then a short statement of work for each project. If you have an MSA, name it in the SOW and the general terms come from there; if not, this template includes them.

Out of scope is as important as scope

Listing what's not included - content writing, ongoing maintenance, a second platform - prevents the most common project disputes. It's much easier to agree before work starts than to argue at delivery.

Frequently asked questions

Is this contract legally binding?

A contract signed by both parties is generally binding if they agreed to its terms freely. These templates are a well-structured starting point, not legal advice: for high-value or unusual agreements, have a lawyer review the final version.

What are acceptance criteria?

Objective tests a deliverable must pass to be signed off - for example 'the app runs on Android 10 and later' or 'all pages score 90+ on Lighthouse performance'. They stop sign-off from depending on opinion.

More contract templates

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