# How to record added project scope before extra work starts Once you have established that a client's request may add to the agreed work, make the proposed change visible before anyone schedules it. Capture what was requested, what it could affect and who can decide. If the baseline itself is unclear, compare the request with the agreement first. A change register cannot settle what the current scope says. Canonical: https://areinum.com/guides/record-added-project-scope-before-extra-work/ Language: en Updated: 2026-10-31 ## Describe the request and its starting point Keep the client's original wording and record when and where it arrived. Separate requests that involve different work. Beside each, link the scope version and section used for the comparison so the decision maker can inspect the baseline. A neutral description helps the client and delivery lead see the same request and point out context the initial comparison missed. ## Show what needs estimating and who decides Describe the expected effect on effort, timing, dependencies and other work, including the assumptions behind the estimate. When volume, inputs or the desired outcome are unknown, call the estimate provisional and identify the answer needed to refine it. Name the decision owner and a date that would help planning. The date is a request, not automatic approval. Continue the work already agreed while the extra request remains pending. 1. Link the original request and the scope it may change. 2. Record the likely impact and unanswered assumptions. 3. Prepare a specific proposal for the authorized decision maker. ## Three fictional requests at different stages In the fictional register, Maple Street Studio asks an agency to add lead qualification calls. An estimate of about four hours a week depends on call volume and a script, and the proposal is still awaiting a decision. The delivery plan has not changed. Northfield Studio has approved an additional translated product page, so its plan can be updated with an owner and reviewer. Cedar House's second monthly report stays on hold until the report and data source are clear. All names, amounts and decisions are fictional; the original worksheet retains the complete sample. ## Update the plan after the decision Keep Drafting, Sent for decision, Approved, Declined and On hold distinct. Link the dated decision to the exact proposal. If the request changes during review, record the revised version so everyone can see what was accepted. After approval, update the delivery plan and tell the team where the decision is recorded. If the request is declined or held, state whether it is closed or deferred. Preserve the records if the original agreement is disputed. ## Preparing a change proposal with Areinum Areinum Assistant can help organize the request, scope reference and stated assumptions into a draft. The estimate and decision belong to the people responsible for the project. An unanswered draft does not authorize extra work. ## Questions you may have ### Should I estimate a request before I know whether it is in scope? First compare it with the current agreement. If the baseline is disputed or missing, resolve that question before treating it as an agreed change. ### What if the client does not respond by the proposed decision date? Keep the item pending and review the schedule with the project owner. A requested response date is not a decision. ### Does the register change the contract? It is an operational record of the request and decision. Use the actual agreement and appropriate advice if its meaning is disputed. ## Sources and further reading - [First agency client wants me to take over lead qualification/follow-up, how should I price this?](https://www.reddit.com/r/agency/comments/1ww3tz3/first_agency_client_wants_me_to_take_over_lead/): One author says a client requested lead qualification and follow-up beyond the service initially described. The agreement and the client's position have not been independently confirmed; the post does not establish a standard price or contractual outcome. The post's author says a client requested lead qualification and follow-up beyond the service they had initially described. It is an example of a self-reported scope conversation. The writer's identity, client relationship, agreement, and account are not independently verified. A single post cannot establish common agency practice, price, or contractual status. (2026-10-18) Download the original worksheet: https://areinum.com/guides/record-added-project-scope-before-extra-work/project-scope-change-register.csv ## Project Scope Change Register Organizations, people, scope clauses, estimates, and decisions in the register are fictional. | Change ID | Project | Original scope reference | Client request | Impact estimate and assumptions | Decision owner | Decision status | Decision evidence link | Plan update | Next action | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CH-012 | Maple Street Studio, fictional | Service order v1, section 2.1 | Add lead qualification calls to the existing campaign service | About four hours weekly, estimate pending volume and call script | Morgan Lee, fictional | Sent for decision | Proposal email v1; no approval received, fictional | No update until decision | Confirm expected lead volume and request a written decision | | CH-013 | Northfield Studio, fictional | Project plan v2, section 4 | Add one translated product page | Estimate depends on approved copy and translation review | Riley Chen, fictional | Approved | Client approval message, fictional | Add page and reviewer to plan v3 | Assign owner and confirm review date | | CH-014 | Cedar House, fictional | Service order v1, section 3 | Add a second monthly report | Effort and data source are not yet confirmed | Jamie Park, fictional | On hold | Meeting note, fictional | Keep current plan | Ask which report and which data source are requested | 1. Create one row for each request that the team has already identified as a possible change to agreed work. 2. Link the exact scope version and the original request. Keep an estimate provisional when its assumptions are unresolved. 3. Use Sent for decision until the authorized decision owner responds. Record the response and evidence before changing the delivery plan. 4. After approval, update the project plan and assign the work. If declined or on hold, state what the delivery team should do next. 5. All example organizations, names, estimates, and requests are fictional. This is an operational record, not a contract interpretation. ### Limits of this method - The selected Reddit post is one unverified account, so it supports an example of a reported request rather than a general claim about agencies. - Effort, timing, and cost in the artifact are fictional and should be estimated for the actual request and team. - The register does not determine legal rights. Use the original agreement and suitable professional advice if the parties dispute its meaning. ## Related reading - [How to compare a client request with the original scope](https://areinum.com/guides/compare-client-request-with-original-scope/) Explore the demo: https://platform.areinum.com/ The demo is in English. Access may need to be arranged.