Before you start any work, as a freelancer or consultant, you need to have a contract in place. Apart from the contract, the second document, just as important, is the freelance statement of work. In the statement of work, you can state what you want to get done for your client. It shows the details of how you are going to complete the job.  

What is a freelance statement of work template?

A freelance statement of work template is one of the best tools available for you to use as a freelancer. The template shows the agreement between you and a client. It also explains the work to be included within the project and what should not be part of it. This statement is a project contract that aligns and establishes your expectations and that of your clients.

It will help you avoid any scope creep or unmet expectations. You can include any details that concern the project. However, it is advisable and recommendable to keep the template as simple as you can. The freelance statement of work template helps you manage the expectation of your client and deliver as expected. It gives the clients an idea of the resources needed and every other essential information. 

What should a freelance statement of work template include? 

Writing a freelance statement of work template takes a lot of hard work. The template is a document that would be detailed based on the project type. Regardless of the project type, the template will contain some similar information which includes the following;

1. Introduction

The beginning of a freelance statement of work template should speak in general terms, which include the background information of the project and why the project is essential. It should provide a high-level description of the objectives of the project.   

2. Background 

This part of the template should provide a background detail of the project, which includes what type of work you will do and how you will do it. It should also contain short information about the organization and what it needs.  

3. Purpose

It would be best if you started with the purpose statement, which would include the expected tasks and detailed information about what you can deliver. It would help if you were specific and comprehensive about the information provided.  

4. Deliverable schedule 

This section of the template should contain a detailed list of the deliverables and their schedule. It should include the phases of the project from the beginning to the end and the deadlines for each. 

5. Payment 

This part of the template would specify the information related to the payment for the project, which would include how your client would make the payment. The statement of work template is not a negotiation tool, and the amount should have been agreed upon by you and the client before it would be listed in the statement of work. 

6. Acceptance 

You can also include in your template a section that describes the deliverables acceptance condition; that is how the acceptability will be deduced and by whom. The statement of work template should also include a section for the signatures of both parties. This section would signify that everybody involved in the project has agreed to the statement of work before you carry out the project. 

7. Others 

You can feel free to use this section to mention anything that you have not been able to cover in the other parts of the template, which might include post-project support, restrictions, security, and so on.