A document that spells out exactly what a project includes — deliverables, timeline, milestones, and price — so both parties agree on the work before it starts.
A statement of work (SOW) is the part of an agreement that answers “what exactly are we doing?” It lists deliverables, timeline, milestones, price, and — just as important — what’s not included. On a website project, a good SOW names the number of pages, revision rounds, and who supplies the copy.
For sellers, the SOW is your defense against scope creep: if it’s not in the SOW, it’s a change order. For buyers, it’s how you compare quotes fairly — two proposals at different prices often differ because one quietly includes less.
The most common mistake is vagueness. “Design a website” invites conflict; “design and build a 5-page WordPress site, two revision rounds, launch by March 1” prevents it. Write the boring specifics down. Our statement of work template gives you the structure so you’re filling in blanks, not staring at one.