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Statement of Work (SOW) Template

Project and Professional Services Resource

Define a single project clearly with a statement of work (SOW) template for consultants, agencies, and implementation teams. A SOW describes the work—objectives, deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria, fees, assumptions, and client responsibilities—usually under a master service agreement or consulting contract. Use this checklist to collect the fields that prevent scope disputes. Distinct from a generic scope-of-work worksheet: this page is the SOW contract exhibit. Not legal advice.

Statement of Work (SOW) Template form template preview

Key Benefits

Describe deliverables and what is out of scope
Set milestones, owners, and target dates
Write acceptance criteria both sides can apply
State fees, payment triggers, and change orders
List assumptions and client-provided materials
Tie the SOW to an MSA or consulting agreement

Common Use Cases

Agencies kicking off a fixed-fee projectIT implementations with phased milestonesConsultants attaching a SOW under an MSAChange-controlled professional-services workStaff-augmentation statements with named rolesRenewing a project with a new SOW number

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a statement of work?
A SOW is the project-specific exhibit that describes what will be done, by when, for how much, and how acceptance works. It usually incorporates the legal terms of an MSA or consulting agreement rather than repeating them.
How is this different from a scope of work template?
Teams use both phrases. This SOW template is the contractual project exhibit (deliverables, fees, acceptance). A scope-of-work worksheet may be an internal planning document. Use the document your contract actually references.
What should acceptance criteria look like?
Write testable outcomes: documents delivered, features demonstrated, or sign-off within a set number of business days. Silent acceptance (deemed accepted if no objection) should be stated if you use it.
How are changes handled?
Require a written change order for scope, fee, or date changes. Name who can approve on each side. Do not rely on email threads as the only record if your MSA requires a signed change.

Checklist

Header

SOW number, project name, and MSA or contract reference
Required

Effective date and which agreement’s terms apply.

Scope

Project objectives and success definition
Required

Business outcome in one short paragraph.

Deliverables list and items expressly out of scope
Required

Format and who receives each deliverable.

Schedule

Milestones, target dates, and responsible party
Required

Dependencies on client reviews or third parties.

Acceptance

Acceptance criteria and review period
Required

Written sign-off vs deemed acceptance.

Fees

Fee, payment schedule, and expenses
Required

Fixed, T&M, or milestone billing; currency.

Assumptions

Assumptions and client-provided materials or access
Required

Systems access, subject-matter interviews, brand assets.

Changes

Change-order process and authorized approvers
Required

How scope, fee, and dates are amended in writing.