A statement of work describes one project in enough detail that both sides could check, at the end, whether it was done. It sits under a master services agreement, so it does not repeat legal terms: it is all about the work.
The best SOWs are specific about acceptance. "Website delivered" invites an argument; "site live on the client's domain, passing the agreed checklist" does not.
- 01
Reference and parties
Name the master agreement this SOW falls under, the SOW number and the project name.
Example wordingSOW 03 under the Master Services Agreement dated March 4 between Oriel Architects and Kestrel Row Studio.
- 02
Objectives
Why the project exists, in one paragraph, with a measurable outcome where possible.
Example wordingReplace the current website with a faster, easier-to-update site that lets prospective clients browse projects by sector.
- 03
Deliverables
Every tangible output, each with a short description. If it is not listed here, it is not in scope.
- Sitemap and wireframes for 8 page types
- Visual design for desktop and mobile
- Built site on the client's CMS
- Migration of up to 40 project pages
- One training session for the client team
- 04
Milestones and timeline
Dates or week numbers for each milestone, and who signs it off.
- Week 2: wireframes approved
- Week 5: designs approved
- Week 9: site on staging
- Week 10: launch
- 05
Acceptance criteria
How each deliverable is reviewed and what counts as accepted, including the review window. Silence after the window can count as acceptance.
Example wordingThe client has five business days to review each milestone. Feedback not received in that window counts as approval.
- 06
Assumptions and exclusions
Everything you are assuming (content supplied by the client, one decision maker) and everything you are not doing (copywriting, photography, hosting).
- 07
Fees and invoicing
Fixed fee or estimate, split by milestone, with invoice timing. Tie invoices to approved milestones so payment follows progress.
- 30% on signature
- 30% on design approval
- 40% on launch
- 08
Change control
How changes are requested, estimated and approved before work starts, and how they adjust the timeline.
- 09
Sign-off
Signatures from someone with authority on each side, with name, title and date.
Mistakes to avoid
- Vague deliverables such as "design support".
- No acceptance window, so milestones never close.
- Listing what is included but not what is excluded.
- Invoices tied to dates instead of approved milestones.
Questions about this template
- Is a statement of work a contract?
- It is usually a binding document, but it relies on a master agreement for the legal terms. Together they make the full contract for that project.
- Who writes the SOW, client or agency?
- Usually the agency drafts it, because it knows how the work breaks down. The client reviews it and signs.
- How detailed should a SOW be?
- Detailed enough that someone outside the project could check whether each deliverable was done. If two people could read a line differently, rewrite it.
Use this template in HubSign
It opens in the block editor with every section above, ready to send, sign and invoice.
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