Should I send the master agreement and statement of work together?

For a first project, yes: put both in one envelope. After that, send only the new statement of work.

Can a client's budget holder approve before the sponsor signs?

Yes. Add them as an approver before the signing step.

How do I show the client what changed in a variation?

Use version compare on the old and new documents for a plain-language list of changes.

Guides · By document

Sending a consultancy agreement and statements of work.

Consultants usually work under two documents: a master consultancy agreement signed once, and a statement of work for each project. Getting the split right saves re-negotiating terms every time a client asks for something new. Here is how to send both from SignAndGo.

The master agreement, once

The master agreement holds the terms that do not change between projects: intellectual property, confidentiality, how invoices are paid and how either side can end the arrangement. Send it at the start of the relationship to the person with authority to commit the client, and countersign it yourself last.

Clients' in-house teams sometimes want to review it first, especially the clauses on who owns the reports, models and code you produce. A plain-language contract summary of the key terms can shorten that conversation.

A statement of work for each project

Each new piece of work gets its own short statement of work that refers back to the master agreement. Because it is short and frequent, it is the ideal candidate for a template.

Project name, objectives and deliverables, written into your document.
Milestones with a date field beside each.
A Yes or No choice for optional workshops or extra phases.
The client's purchase order number in a text field.
Signatures from the client sponsor and from you.

Client sign-off chains

On a larger engagement, a project sponsor agrees the scope, but a budget holder must approve the spend. Add the budget holder as an approver before the sponsor signs. On government and large corporate work, you may also need the client's contracts team copied in so they have the executed statement of work on file.

Variations as the project grows

Scope rarely stays still. When the client asks for more, send a short variation for signature rather than relying on an email thread. Version compare between the original statement of work and the revised one shows both sides exactly what has changed, which helps the client sign it off quickly.

From signature to invoice

When the statement of work is signed, both sides receive the finished copy. If you invoice through Xero, the signed document can be filed there automatically, and the client sponsor added as a contact, so the next invoice has its supporting paperwork in place.

Common questions

Should I send the master agreement and statement of work together?: For a first project, yes: put both in one envelope. After that, send only the new statement of work.
Can a client's budget holder approve before the sponsor signs?: Yes. Add them as an approver before the signing step.
How do I show the client what changed in a variation?: Use version compare on the old and new documents for a plain-language list of changes.