Change Orders and Variations
Raise, approve, and track change orders (variation orders). Approval applies the cost change to the project budget and contract value and can be shared with the client.
Use this when: The scope, cost, or schedule of a project needs to change and you need an approved, audited record of the variation.
A change order is a formal, approved record of a change to a project's scope, cost, or schedule. It is tracked separately from the original contract so you can see what changed, why, and who approved it — and on approval its cost is applied to the project budget and contract value.
What a Change Order Is
Construction work rarely goes exactly to the original plan. A change order (or variation order) captures an agreed change — extra works, a cost saving, or a time extension — as a numbered, approved document rather than a silent edit to the budget.
Each change order lists the items that make it up, a signed cost impact (positive for extra cost, negative for a saving), and a time impact in days.
Why not just edit the budget?
Editing the budget directly leaves no record of what changed or who approved it. A change order keeps an auditable trail and only moves the budget once it is approved.
The Change Order Workflow
Anyone with create rights raises a draft and submits it. An authorised approver approves or rejects it. Approval is final and applies the cost change to the project.
- 1
Create the change order
Give it a title and type, add line items with their amounts, and explain why the change is needed.
- 2
Submit for approval
The change order moves to pending and notifies the approvers.
- 3
Approve or reject
An approver either approves it (applying the budget change) or rejects it with a reason so it can be revised and resubmitted.
- 4
Share with the client (optional)
Mark an approved change order client-visible to show it in the client portal.
How Approval Affects the Budget
When a change order is approved, its total cost impact is added to the project's budget and contract value. The change order records the before and after figures so the adjustment is fully traceable.
Because the budget moves only on approval, your budget utilisation and alerts always reflect changes that have actually been agreed.
Approval is final
Approving a change order immediately updates the project budget and contract value. Review the figures before approving — to undo it you would raise a reversing change order.
What the Client Sees
An approved change order that you mark client-visible appears in the client portal under Change Orders. The client sees the title, the line items, and the cost and time impact — but never your internal justification or budget snapshots.