Scope disputes
A client says something was included that wasn't in the project. How do I handle it?
Short answer
Go back to what the client approved, quote the relevant line, and offer to add the request as a change order with its price and timing. Stay specific and friendly: the record, not your memory, does the arguing. PaloWorks keeps that record: the approved scope with its Not included list, who approved it and when, every later version, and change orders the client approves first.
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What to look for
What is not included, in writing
Most disputes are about things nobody thought to exclude.
In PaloWorks
Scopes carry a Not included list beside the deliverables, shown to the client on the scope they approve.
A record of the approval
"I never agreed to that" ends when you can show what they approved.
In PaloWorks
Approval needs the one-time link emailed to the client and records the typed name, time, IP address, browser and a fingerprint of the exact terms.
Every version, with what changed
Scopes move; the question is which version was agreed.
In PaloWorks
Earlier versions are kept, and the client's scope page shows what changed since the version they approved.
A second opinion on the request
Some requests really are grey.
In PaloWorks
On Pro and Studio, AI reads the request against the scope: in scope, new work, or needs a question first. Accepting it drafts a change order for you to send.
A way to say yes, for a price
"No" ends the conversation; "yes, for this" keeps the client.
In PaloWorks
A change order with the work, price and extra days. The client approves with their typed name or declines, and the original scope stands.
How it works in PaloWorks
Step 1
Find the line
Open the approved scope and find the deliverable or the Not included item.
Step 2
Reply with the record
Quote it, kindly: what was agreed, when, and who approved it.
Step 3
Offer the change
Send a change order for the request, with its price and effect on the timeline.
Step 4
Settle the grey areas
If the scope really is unclear, ask one question, decide, and write the answer into the next version.
When PaloWorks is the wrong pick
- If nothing was written down before the work started, no tool can settle it now; agree a written scope on the next job.
- For a dispute over money owed or a contract claim, speak to a lawyer where you work; this is practice, not legal advice.
Comparing tools? Read PaloWorks compared, including what the others are better at.
Questions people ask
- What do I say to a client who thinks something was included?
- Something like: "Thanks for flagging it. The approved scope lists X and Y, and Z is under Not included. I'm happy to add Z; here is a change order with the price and timing."
- What if the scope really is ambiguous?
- Then meet in the middle once, and fix the wording in the next version so it cannot happen twice.
- Can the client see the version they approved?
- Yes. The scope page shows who approved it and when, and what has changed since. There is a PDF too.
- Does the client have to accept the change order?
- No. They can approve or decline. If they decline, the original scope stands and the extra work stays out.