Free Website Development Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

Free Website Development Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

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First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.
First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.

Free Website Development Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

Free Website Development Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

Bonsai has helped create 1,023,928 documents and counting.

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business owners

Date: March 8th 2023


Between:

Coach:

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client:

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.

This Contract is between Client (the "Client") and Acme LLC, a California limited liability company (the "Coach").

The Contract is dated January 23, 2023.

1. WORK AND PAYMENT.

1.1 Project. The Client is hiring the Coach to develop a coaching relationship between the Client and Coach in order to cultivate the Client's personal, professional, or business goals and create a plan to achieve those goals through stimulating and creative interactions with the ultimate result of maximizing the Client's personal or professional potential.

1.2 Schedule. The Coach will begin work on February 1, 2023 and will continue until the work is completed. This Contract can be ended by either Client or Coach at any time, pursuant to the terms of Section 4, Term and Termination.

The Coach and Client will meet by video conference, 4 days per month for 2 hours.

1.3 Payment. The Client will pay the Coach an hourly rate of $150. Of this, the Client will pay the Coach $500.00 (USD) before work begins.

1.4 Expenses. The Client will reimburse the Coach's expenses. Expenses do not need to be pre-approved by the Client.

1.5 Invoices. The Coach will invoice the Client in accordance with the milestones in Section 1.3. The Client agrees to pay the amount owed within 15 days of receiving the invoice. Payment after that date will incur a late fee of 1.0% per month on the outstanding amount.

1.6 Support. The Coach will not be available by telephone, or email in between scheduled sessions.

2.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

- A coaching relationship is a partnership between two or more individuals or entities, like a teacher-student or coach-athlete relationship. Both the Client and Coach must uphold their obligations for the relationship to be successful.

- The Coach agrees to maintain the ethics and standards of behavior established by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

- The Client acknowledges and agrees that coaching is a comprehensive process that may explore different areas of the Client's life, including work, finances, health, and relationships.

- The Client is responsible for implementing the insights and techniques learned from the Coach.

3. REPRESENTATIONS.

3.1 Overview. This section contains important promises between the parties.

3.2 Authority To Sign. Each party promises to the other party that it has the authority to enter into this Contract and to perform all of its obligations under this Contract.

3.3 Coach Has Right To Give Client Work Product. The Coach promises that it owns the work product, that the Coach is able to give the work product to the Client, and that no other party will claim that it owns the work product. If the Coach uses employees or subcontractors, the Coach also promises that these employees and subcontractors have signed contracts with the Coach giving the Coach any rights that the employees or subcontractors have related to the Coach's background IP and work product.

3.4 Coach Will Comply With Laws. The Coach promises that the manner it does this job, its work product, and any background IP it uses comply with applicable U.S. and foreign laws and regulations.

3.5 Work Product Does Not Infringe. The Coach promises that its work product does not and will not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights, that the Coach has the right to let the Client use the background IP, and that this Contract does not and will not violate any contract that the Coach has entered into or will enter into with someone else.

3.7 Client-Supplied Material Does Not Infringe. If the Client provides the Coach with material to incorporate into the work product, the Client promises that this material does not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights.

4. TERM AND TERMINATION

This Contract is ongoing until it expires or the work is completed. Either party may end this Contract for any reason by sending an email or letter to the other party, informing the recipient that the sender is ending the Contract and that the Contract will end in 7 days. The Contract officially ends once that time has passed. The party that is ending the Contract must provide notice by taking the steps explained in Section 9.4. The Coach must immediately stop working as soon as it receives this notice unless the notice says otherwise.

If either party ends this Contract before the Contract automatically ends, the Client will pay the Contractor for the work done up until when the Contract ends. The following sections don't end even after the Contract ends: 3 (Representations); 6 (Confidential Information); 7 (Limitation of Liability); 8 (Indemnity); and 9 (General).

3. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.

The Client is hiring the Coach as an independent contractor. The following statements accurately reflect their relationship:

- The Coach will use its own equipment, tools, and material to do the work.

- The Client will not control how the job is performed on a day-to-day basis. Rather, the Coach is responsible for determining when, where, and how it will carry out the work.

- The Client will not provide the Coach with any training.

- The Client and the Coach do not have a partnership or employer-employee relationship.

- The Coach cannot enter into contracts, make promises, or act on behalf of the Client.

- The Coach is not entitled to the Client's benefits (e.g., group insurance, retirement benefits, retirement plans, vacation days).

- The Coach is responsible for its own taxes.

- The Client will not withhold social security and Medicare taxes or make payments for disability insurance, unemployment insurance, or workers compensation for the Coach or any of the Coach's employees or subcontractors.

6. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

6.1 Overview. This Contract imposes special restrictions on how the Client and the Coach must handle confidential information. These obligations are explained in this section.

6.2 The Client's Confidential Information. While working for the Client, the Coach may come across, or be given, Client information that is confidential. This is information like customer lists, business strategies, research & development notes, statistics about a website, and other information that is private. The Coach promises to treat this information as if it is the Coach's own confidential information. The Coach may use this information to do its job under this Contract, but not for anything else. For example, if the Client lets the Coach use a customer list to send out a newsletter, the Coach cannot use those email addresses for any other purpose. The one exception to this is if the Client gives the Coach written permission to use the information for another purpose, the Coach may use the information for that purpose, as well. When this Contract ends, the Coach must give back or destroy all confidential information, and confirm that it has done so. The Coach promises that it will not share confidential information with a third party, unless the Client gives the Coach written permission first. The Coach must continue to follow these obligations, even after the Contract ends. The Coach's responsibilities only stop if the Coach can show any of the following: (i) that the information was already public when the Coach came across it; (ii) the information became public after the Coach came across it, but not because of anything the Coach did or didn't do; (iii) the Coach already knew the information when the Coach came across it and the Coach didn't have any obligation to keep it secret; (iv) a third party provided the Coach with the information without requiring that the Coach keep it a secret; or (v) the Coach created the information on its own, without using anything belonging to the Client.

6.3 Third-Party Confidential Information. It's possible the Client and the Coach each have access to confidential information that belongs to third parties. The Client and the Coach each promise that it will not share with the other party confidential information that belongs to third parties, unless it is allowed to do so. If the Client or the Coach is allowed to share confidential information with the other party and does so, the sharing party promises to tell the other party in writing of any special restrictions regarding that information.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

Neither party is liable for breach-of-contract damages that the breaching party could not reasonably have foreseen when it entered this Contract.

8. INDEMNITY.

8.1 Overview. This section transfers certain risks between the parties if a third party sues or goes after the Client or the Coach or both. For example, if the Client gets sued for something that the Coach did, then the Coach may promise to come to the Client's defense or to reimburse the Client for any losses.

8.2 Client Indemnity. In this Contract, the Coach agrees to indemnify the Client (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against all liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of: (i) the work the Coach has done under this Contract; (ii) a breach by the Coach of its obligations under this Contract; or (iii) a breach by the Coach of the promises it is making in Section 3 (Representations).

8.3 Coach Indemnity. In this Contract, the Client agrees to indemnify the Coach (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of a breach by the Client of its obligations under this Contract.

9. GENERAL.

9.1 Assignment​. This Contract applies only to the Client and the Coach. Neither the Client nor the Coach can assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Contract to a third-party (other than by will or intestate), without first receiving the other's written permission.

9.2 Arbitration. As the exclusive means of initiating adversarial proceedings to resolve any dispute arising under this Contract, a party may demand that the dispute be resolved by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its commercial arbitration rules.

9.3 Modification; Waiver. To change anything in this Contract, the Client and the Coach must agree to that change in writing and sign a document showing their contract. Neither party can waive its rights under this Contract or release the other party from its obligations under this Contract, unless the waiving party acknowledges it is doing so in writing and signs a document that says so.

9.4. Noticies.

(a) Over the course of this Contract, one party may need to send a notice to the other party. For the notice to be valid, it must be in writing and delivered in one of the following ways: personal delivery, email, or certified or registered mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested). The notice must be delivered to the party's address listed at the end of this Contract or to another address that the party has provided in writing as an appropriate address to receive notice.

(b) The timing of when a notice is received can be very important. To avoid confusion, a valid notice is considered received as follows: (i) if delivered personally, it is considered received immediately; (ii) if delivered by email, it is considered received upon acknowledgement of receipt; (iii) if delivered by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested), it is considered received upon receipt as indicated by the date on the signed receipt. If a party refuses to accept notice or if notice cannot be delivered because of a change in address for which no notice was given, then it is considered received when the notice is rejected or unable to be delivered. If the notice is received after 5:00pm on a business day at the location specified in the address for that party, or on a day that is not a business day, then the notice is considered received at 9:00am on the next business day.

9.5 Severability. This section deals with what happens if a portion of the Contract is found to be unenforceable. If that's the case, the unenforceable portion will be changed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, unless that change is not permitted by law, in which case the portion will be disregarded. If any portion of the Contract is changed or disregarded because it is unenforceable, the rest of the Contract is still enforceable.

9.6 Signatures. The Client and the Coach must sign this document using Bonsai's e-signing system. These electronic signatures count as originals for all purposes.

9.7 Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this document shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America.

9.8 Entire Contract. This Contract represents the parties' final and complete understanding of this job and the subject matter discussed in this Contract. This Contract supersedes all other contracts (both written and oral) between the parties.

THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE TO THE FOREGOING AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR SIGNATURES BELOW.

Coach

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.
Table of contents

What is a Website Development Scope of Work?


A website development scope of work is a document that web developers send to clients to provide details on a specific project and its requirements. 

Once signed, it’s a legally binding document that helps both parties avoid conflict, minimize misunderstandings, and stay on the same page. 

An in-depth scope of work should include:

  • Project summary: sums up the key web development details
  • Project scope: sets project goals and boundaries
  • Deliverables: that specify tangible and intangible project outputs, such as lines of code, coding language, and the associated website
  • Project schedule: outlines project start and end dates along with milestones
  • Final price: of completing the website development

Ensuring you’ve got all of this on your scope of work sets you up for a successful web development agreement.

Note: Sign up to Bonsai to access this website development scope of work template plus many other key business documents for your website development business.

Why do you Need a Website Development Scope of Work Template?


A clear website development scope of work template lays the foundation of a new project by outlining important deadlines, deliverables, and key expectations, all you need to do is tweak it per client. 

It helps the client clarify expectations, visions, and responsibilities at the beginning of a project. 

Communication throughout any web design project is key–keep touching base with clients to gather requirements for the SOW and validate their web design and development expectations. This will help you avoid miscommunication, hiccups, or misunderstandings.

Discussing these factors will help ensure both parties are on the same page about the work agreement. When it comes to web development, you want to discuss:

  • Website requirements: that list out desired features, functions, and specifications
  • User interaction: defines how end-users will be using the website
  • Communication with stakeholders: specify whom you expect feedback from at different phases
  • Limitations: that mention what can’t be achieved in this project
  • Management: to have processes in place for managing disagreement and changes in the scope of work

Including all the fine details makes sure you’re creating a scope of work that has you covered at all steps. That’s what this document does, after all–it protects you from project-related issues or disagreements. Plus, it enables you to answer questions your client may have about what you’re about to take on.

It’s in both yours and the client’s best interest to get everything down on paper–be that the payment schedule or the expected finish date. If it’s in the signed scope of work, you’re both held to it, and understand it. 

What to Include in the Website Development Scope of Work 


A scope of work acts as a map–guiding the web development process from project initiation to delivery. It protects you from the dreaded scope creep, in which your project goes beyond the initial plan.  

Adding the right sections is key to creating an effective scope of work–take a look:

Project summary

This is the first section of your scope of work template. Use this section to offer a brief and concise overview of the project at hand. 

Think of project objectives, background information, requirements, and problems before writing this section. A detailed project summary shows your understanding of the website project requirements and lets prospects know you’ve got everything under control. 

Project goals

Project goals clarify what website issues you’re being brought in to resolve. They also show how a new project ties to the bigger organizational goal, like content marketing, new feature launch, or a sales campaign–an important consideration when drafting your scope of work. 

Think of these goals as tangible results that a project needs to achieve. Consider making these goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) for project success. 

Here’s what they could look like:

  • Specific: add six new pages to the website
  • Measurable: reduce the site speed by 15% 
  • Achievable: create two new pages every month 
  • Relevant: help the product marketing team to improve conversion rate by 25%
  • Time-bound: complete the whole project within next three months

Having crystal-clear goals like these will help you stay focused throughout the project and deliver the final website on time.

Project scope

This section helps you set clients’ expectations regarding what they can expect from you during the website project. 

Think of project scope as a detailed description of resources, timelines, deliverables, and project boundaries. Web developers can also add processes, assumptions, and foreseeable challenges in this section. 

Here’s what you can add in the written scope:

  • Work breakdown structure: that divides bigger tasks into manageable chunks
  • Scope exclusions: these will not be part of the project deliverables
  • Acceptance criteria: that spells out how both parties will determine project success

Suppose, a website development project agrees on a project scope that includes:

  • Theme design and development
  • Host and domain setup
  • WordPress installation and setup
  • Content management system setup
  • Web design
  • Browser testing

If the client wants you to work on items beyond these, you can refer to the scope of work document to raise your concerns. A project scope protects both parties' interests and safeguards you from scope creep. 

A comprehensive scope of work gives you the peace of mind to focus on developing the client’s ideal website. 

Project deliverables

Project deliverables refer to all of the outputs that help the client to understand project progress. 

Before starting the project and creating these deliverables, it’s best to jump on a one-to-one call with your client to better understand their needs and preferences. 

Here’s what you can ask to understand their expectations of the project:

  • What’s the purpose of the dev project?
  • How hands-on do they want to be?
  • What’s the timeline and budget for this web development?
  • Do they have any essential deliverables?

Project deliverables aren’t essential, but they’re good for keeping the client happy with project progress. It’s an easy way to reassure clients that you’re invested in their website’s success, and great for checking in on progress. 

Plus, it’s better to get shocking feedback before your first release than to reach the end of the project and have to redo page after page of code. 

Development project schedule

A project schedule is more than a planner–it specifies a detailed project timeline and the phases involved in reaching the end goal. 

Spending time on creating a project schedule helps you to set clear milestones and run the entire process smoothly. This chapter will need to change per client.

Project scheduling also enables you to catch issues early and set expectations about project progress. 

Bonsai Top Tip: Consider using a project management tool, google docs, or consider inviting collaborators to your Bonsai task management workspace to create a schedule that everyone can follow.

Website project fees

This is where you mention your proposed project fees. Website developers either charge an hourly rate or service fees for projects. You can also ask for milestone payments for peace of mind throughout the project. 

Consider speaking to the client first to understand their preferences, and discuss your preferred mode of payment. You’ve likely already discussed the budget in the conversations leading up to this scope of work–if not, you probably should.

Project assumptions

Project assumptions are beliefs that you consider to be true for your project to be successful. You anticipate certain events to happen during the project lifecycle and therefore make assumptions. 

For example, a project manager may assume that they will receive an approval within two days for each project phase. Now, the entire project schedule is based on this assumption. Any changes to the assumptions surrounding the approval process will cause a delay in the final delivery–see why this is so important?

Project acceptance criteria

Every scope of work template needs space for project acceptance criteria. They are performance requirements and essential conditions that a developer must meet to successfully deliver a project. Put simply, it’s how you’ll agree that the project is done and dusted.

Use this section to specify circumstances under which the project will be considered complete. Since clients have varying preferences, it’s best to talk to them beforehand about their expectations.

Terms and conditions

Use this section to define the rules and conditions you’ll both need to follow for the duration of the project. 

Here’s what to add in the terms and conditions section:

  • Termination: defines under what conditions an agreement can be ended
  • Conflict resolution: standardizes rules for addressing issues and disputes
  • Overview of liabilities and other legal points: mention legal obligations of both you and the client

Once you’ve covered all the fine details in your scope of work, you’re ready to send it over to the client. Just make sure you’ve considered the best practices for writing a scope of work.

How to Write a Website Development Scope of Work 


Writing a website development scope of work isn’t easy, but you already know what sections to include. With a website development scope of work template, this process becomes a whole lot easier.

Now all that’s left is to understand exactly what your client needs so you can create their ideal solution. 

Here’s how to start writing a solid scope of work:

Find out exactly what the client wants

Having a solid understanding of potential clients’ expectations is key to crafting the scope of work. Consider having a one-on-one discussion with your client to understand their vision. 

For example, some clients may want you to: 

  • Develop frontend or backend or both
  • Develop and maintain CMS
  • Execute integrations
  • Perform concept design
  • Set up widgets
  • Build mobile-responsive platform
  • Test website on mobile devices
  • Run search engine optimization check

Once you understand all the work, you’re in a better position to set milestones and create and track measurable goals.

Highlight what sets you apart 

Your clients are simply not looking for an average web developer. They are looking for someone who has the expertise and experience to develop complex websites regardless of industry. 

Use this section to showcase why you are the perfect fit for this project. Don’t hesitate to talk about your previous experience, skills, and knowledge which help you to stand out from the rest.

Add a CTA

You’ve got the client’s attention–now it’s time to guide them to their next steps. This could be a quick confirmation call or a signature on the dotted line. Whatever the next step, make it as easy as possible.

Bonsai top tip: Take this to the digital world and use Bonsai’s all-in-one business solution to get the clients’ digital signature on your key business documents.

Creating a Website Development Scope of Work is Simple with Bonsai 


Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned web developer, it’s a waste of time to create a scope of work from scratch every time. With Bonsai, you can access hundreds of scope of work templates and more for free

Here’s how to get started:

  1. Sign up for free to Bonsai
  2. Find a website development scope of work template
  3. Edit and customize your template

You can customize work templates, send them to the client, and receive signed approval without ever leaving the platform. Streamlining this process then frees up more time for you to work on new projects–a win-win for your business goals and freelance career.

Website Development Scope of Work Template FAQs


What is a website development scope of work?

A website development scope of work is a document that web developers send to clients looking to contract their website design and development services. 

The scope of work document usually includes information on project summary, project scope, deliverables, project schedule, cost, and key assumptions.

What should you include in a website development scope of work?

A website development SOW should include:

  • Project summary
  • Project goals
  • Project scope
  • Project deliverables
  • Project schedule
  • Project fees
  • Project assumptions
  • Project acceptance criteria
  • Terms and conditions

Instead of starting from scratch, you can use a website development SOW template from Bonsai to get started!

Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about this template.

What is the scope of a website development?

The scope of the website developer depends on the goal of the website for its users. It defines your process of meeting these goals.

How do you make a SOW sample?

Explain the project, clarify the vision or plan. set the project requirements, include deadline of the project, and payment terms. Bonsai's free template can help you create one instantly. Simply edit and download it.

Is there free web development scope of work templates?

You may heavily customize the standard ones in Microsoft or sign up with Bonsai to save you the hassle. Simply edit, save and download our pre-made template.