Software Development statement of work. Scope you can point to.
An editable software development statement of work covering sprints and acceptance criteria, deliverables, exclusions and acceptance, with a filled-in example. No email required.
Working software deployed to the client’s environment; Source code in the client’s repository.
02
Out of scope
Hosting, third-party APIs and licences unless listed; Features not listed in the agreed backlog.
03
Client responsibilities
A product owner available for sprint reviews.
04
Milestones
Discovery → Build sprints → User acceptance testing → Launch and handover.
What goes in a software development statement of work
A statement of work turns an agreed proposal into something both sides can check delivery against. For software developers, the sections that prevent most disputes are the deliverables, the exclusions and what the client must provide.
Section
What to write
Objectives
Why the project exists and what success looks like
Scope and deliverables
Specific outputs, such as working software deployed to the client’s environment
Out of scope
What isn’t included, such as hosting, third-party APIs and licences unless listed
Assumptions and client responsibilities
A product owner available for sprint reviews; Access to existing systems and test data; Decisions on priorities within agreed timeframes
Milestones
Discovery, Build sprints, User acceptance testing, Launch and handover
Acceptance and changes
How deliverables are approved and how changes are priced
Governing agreement: [Master service agreement dated … / terms attached]
1. Background and objectives
[Why the project exists and what success looks like.]
2. Scope of work
Discovery: [activities]
Build sprints: [activities]
User acceptance testing: [activities]
Launch and handover: [activities]
3. Deliverables
#
Deliverable
Description / format
Due
1
[Working software deployed to the client’s environment]
[Detail]
[Date]
2
[Source code in the client’s repository]
[Detail]
[Date]
3
[Technical documentation and deployment notes]
[Detail]
[Date]
4
[Handover session for the client’s team]
[Detail]
[Date]
4. Out of scope
[Hosting, third-party APIs and licences unless listed]
[Features not listed in the agreed backlog]
[Support after the warranty period]
[Data migration from legacy systems]
5. Assumptions and client responsibilities
[A product owner available for sprint reviews]
[Access to existing systems and test data]
[Decisions on priorities within agreed timeframes]
If these are late, dependent dates move by the same amount of time.
6. Milestones
Milestone
Target date
Depends on
Discovery
[Date]
[Approval or input]
Build sprints
[Date]
[Approval or input]
User acceptance testing
[Date]
[Approval or input]
Launch and handover
[Date]
[Approval or input]
7. Acceptance
The client’s named approver reviews each deliverable within [5] working days. Deliverables are accepted on written approval, or when the review period passes without material issues being raised.
8. Changes
Changes to scope, deliverables or timeline are agreed in writing, with the effect on fees and dates, before work begins.
9. Fees and payment
Fee: [Amount and basis]
Schedule: [Payment by milestone]
Expenses: [At cost with approval / included]
10. Sign-off
Client: [Name, title, signature, date]
Provider: [Name, title, signature, date]
How to fill it in
Reference the agreement the SOW sits under, so legal terms aren’t repeated.
State the objectives in a sentence or two.
List deliverables specifically enough that two people would agree whether they were delivered.
Write the exclusions and the client’s responsibilities, and link dates to them.
Set milestones, the acceptance process and how changes are handled.
Add fees by milestone and get it signed before work starts.
Use it in Word, Google Docs or PDF
Microsoft Word
Download the Word (.docx) file and open it. If Word opens it in Protected View, select Enable Editing.
Use Find (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for “[” to jump between the placeholders you need to replace.
Save a clean copy as a Word template (File → Save As → Word Template) so every new document starts from it.
Google Docs
Upload the .docx file to Google Drive.
Right-click it and choose Open with → Google Docs, then File → Save as Google Docs to keep an editable copy.
Use File → Make a copy for each new client so your master stays clean.
PDF
Use Print or save as PDF in the template section above to print just the template, or fill it in Word or Google Docs first and export it (File → Save As → PDF in Word, File → Download → PDF document in Google Docs).
Example: Keel Labs statement of work for Harbour Freight Ltd
Key sections for a driver scheduling web app. Both companies are fictional.
Deliverables
#
Deliverable
Phase
1
Working software deployed to the client’s environment
Discovery
2
Source code in the client’s repository
Build sprints
3
Technical documentation and deployment notes
User acceptance testing
4
Handover session for the client’s team
Launch and handover
Out of scope
Hosting, third-party APIs and licences unless listed
Features not listed in the agreed backlog
Support after the warranty period
Data migration from legacy systems
Client responsibilities
A product owner available for sprint reviews
Access to existing systems and test data
Decisions on priorities within agreed timeframes
Fees
Total: $24,620.00 excluding tax
Schedule: Invoiced at the end of each phase: Discovery, Build sprints, User acceptance testing, Launch and handover
Acceptance testing
The client has ten working days after each release to report defects against the agreed acceptance criteria. Releases with no reported defects in that time are accepted.
Send it for signature in Angelwood
Angelwood’s proposal software builds proposals and agreements from your own templates, shows when the client has opened them and collects e-signatures, with a countersignature to execute the agreement.
How detailed should a software statement of work be?+
Detailed enough to test against: user stories or features, acceptance criteria, environments, who provides test data, how releases are accepted and how changes are handled.
What’s the difference between a scope of work and a statement of work?+
People use them interchangeably. Strictly, a scope of work describes the work and deliverables, while a statement of work is the wider project document that also covers timeline, fees, acceptance and sign-off.
Who writes the scope of work?+
Usually the provider drafts it, because they know what the work involves, and the client reviews and signs it. Writing it together after discovery produces the fewest surprises.
Can I edit this template in Word or Google Docs?+
Yes. Download the Word (.docx) file and open it in Microsoft Word, or upload it to Google Drive and choose Open with → Google Docs. There’s also a Markdown version for any text editor. No account or email address is needed.
How do I save it as a PDF?+
Fill it in, then export it: File → Save As → PDF in Word, or File → Download → PDF document in Google Docs. On this page you can also print just the template or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print dialog.