Statement of Work Template
A statement of work template in markdown — scope, deliverables with acceptance criteria, schedule, payment, IP, and termination. Copy or download it, fill in the specifics, and export a PDF for signature.
⚠ Internal: review before indexing — currently noindex + excluded from sitemap.
The template uses conventional default wording for the terms that carry contractual weight — payment (Net 30, late interest capped at the legal maximum), acceptance (deemed-accepted window), intellectual property, term & termination, and change control. These are editable defaults, not legal advice; have them reviewed for your jurisdiction and standard agreement, then clear the page for indexing.
The template
# Statement of Work
**SOW number:** [SOW-001]
**Client:** [Client legal name]
**Provider:** [Your legal name / entity]
**Effective date:** [Date]
**Governing agreement:** [Issued under the Master Services Agreement dated [date], if any; otherwise this SOW is the entire agreement.]
---
## 1. Background
[One or two sentences on the engagement and its objective.]
## 2. Scope of services
[Summarise the work. Reference detailed deliverables in Section 3. Describe the
approach and any phases.]
## 3. Deliverables
| # | Deliverable | Acceptance criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Name] | [How it will be judged complete] |
| 2 | [Name] | [How it will be judged complete] |
## 4. Exclusions
- [Work explicitly not covered by this SOW.]
## 5. Schedule
| Milestone | Deliverable(s) | Target date |
|---|---|---|
| [Kickoff] | — | [Date] |
| [M1] | [Deliverable 1] | [Date] |
| [Completion] | [All deliverables] | [Date] |
## 6. Fees & payment terms
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| [Fee basis: fixed / time & materials / milestone] | [$0,000] |
| **Total (not to exceed)** | **[$0,000]** |
[Payment schedule and invoicing terms — e.g. invoiced [monthly / per milestone],
due within [30] days (Net 30). Late amounts may accrue interest at [1.5%] per
month, or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law if lower.]
## 7. Acceptance
[Client reviews each deliverable within [5] business days and either accepts in
writing or provides a written list of defects. Deliverables not rejected within
that window are deemed accepted.]
## 8. Assumptions & dependencies
- [Client inputs, access, and approvals provided on schedule.]
- [Named contacts for each party.]
## 9. Change control
Changes to scope, schedule, or fees require a written change request approved
by both parties before the affected work proceeds.
## 10. Intellectual property
[Ownership of deliverables and any pre-existing/background IP — e.g. deliverables
transfer to the client on full payment; provider retains its background tools and
know-how.]
## 11. Term & termination
[Duration of this SOW and how either party may terminate — e.g. with [30] days'
written notice; client pays for work performed and non-cancellable commitments
through the termination date.]
## 12. Signatures
**Client:** ______________________ **Date:** ____________
**Provider:** ______________________ **Date:** ____________How to use this template
- 1
Copy or download the template
Grab the markdown with Copy markdown or Download .md.
- 2
Reference your governing agreement
If this SOW sits under a master services agreement, cite it; otherwise state that this document is the whole agreement.
- 3
Summarise scope, detail deliverables
Keep scope to a summary and put the specifics — with acceptance criteria — in the deliverables table.
- 4
Fill payment and acceptance terms
State the fee basis, payment schedule, and how deliverables are accepted.
- 5
Complete IP, term, and change control
Set ownership on payment, termination notice, and the written change process.
- 6
Export a clean PDF for signature
Paste into Markpdf, apply your brand, and export a PDF ready to sign.
Statement of work vs scope of work
People use these interchangeably, but there's a useful distinction:
Statement of Work (SOW)
The full engagement document: scope summary, deliverables, schedule, payment, IP, termination, and terms. Often issued under a master services agreement and signed.
Scope of Work
The portion that describes the work itself — deliverables, acceptance criteria, and exclusions. It can live inside an SOW or stand alone for smaller projects.
For most freelance and small-agency work, one well-written document covers both. Need just the work definition? Use the scope of work template.
What to include in a statement of work (and why)
- Parties & governing agreement
- Who's bound, and under what. Mistake: not stating whether it's standalone or under a master agreement.
- Deliverables & acceptance
- Outputs paired with how they're accepted. Mistake: deliverables with no acceptance criteria.
- Fees & payment
- Fee basis, schedule, and a not-to-exceed if time-based. Mistake: an open-ended time-and-materials clause with no ceiling.
- IP & termination
- Who owns what, and how either side exits. Mistake: silence on IP until there's a dispute.
- Change control
- A written path for changes. Mistake: absorbing scope changes for free.
FAQ
- What is a statement of work?
- A statement of work (SOW) is the document that formalises an engagement: scope, deliverables, schedule, payment, acceptance, and terms. It's frequently issued under a broader master services agreement and signed by both parties.
- Statement of work vs scope of work — what's the difference?
- A statement of work is the broader engagement document (scope, schedule, payment, IP, termination); the scope of work is the portion that describes the work and deliverables. In strict contracting they're distinct; in freelance and small-agency work a single document often serves as both.
- What should a statement of work include?
- Parties and governing agreement, background, scope summary, deliverables with acceptance criteria, exclusions, schedule, fees and payment, acceptance, assumptions, change control, IP ownership, term and termination, and signatures.
- Who signs the statement of work?
- Authorised representatives of both the client and the provider. It's typically executed before work begins, and each change request is signed off the same way.
- Is a statement of work a contract?
- It's often the contractual layer of an engagement, especially when issued under a master agreement — but whether and how it binds depends on execution and jurisdiction. Have a lawyer review the terms for your situation. This is not legal advice.