Change Order Log: Price Changes, Track Approvals and Print a Client Change Order Form (Excel)

Tagline: Every change priced, tracked and signed, so extras don't turn into free work.

Description

Changes are where small jobs make or lose money. This log keeps every change on one job in one place: what changed, who asked, what it costs with your overhead and profit, how many days it adds, and whether the client has said yes in writing. It flags the ones that need chasing and prints a clean one-page Change Order Request for the client to sign.

What's in the zip

• EXAMPLE log (.xlsx), filled in for a made-up job and client
• BLANK log (.xlsx)
• Print preview PDF showing sample printed pages
• README quick start
• 10 tabs: Instructions · Setup · CO Log · CO Log Print (Key) · Cost Build-up · Summary · Time & Cost Impact · CO Form · Export to Job Budget · Lists

Key features

• Up to 200 change orders per job. CO numbers fill in by themselves with your prefix (CO-001, CO-002 ...).
• Types: Owner change, Site condition, Design error or omission, Extra work T&M, Credit/deduct, Time only. Status: Draft, Submitted, Under review, Approved, Rejected, Withdrawn, Pending verbal.
• Cost build-up: labour hours x rate, material, equipment, subcontract and other, or itemize lines on the Cost Build-up tab. Overhead % and profit % each on the cost (defaults from Setup, or set per change). GST shown separately.
• Flags: verbal approval not yet in writing, no answer after the number of days you set, work started before approval, and change orders over your approval limit.
• Summary: counts and dollars by status, approved total, pending exposure, rejected, original vs revised contract value, % change, revised completion date and aging buckets.
• Client Change Order Request: pick a CO number, choose how the price shows (one lump price, markup spread into each category, or cost by category plus one overhead-and-profit line), and print one page with signature lines. Your internal notes and flags never print on it.
• Export block: approved changes in the same column order as the Budget tab of the Bid Sheets Job Budget, ready to paste. Pairs with the Bid Sheets Job Budget (credits come out as negative lines, which the Job Budget accepts).
• Print the log with key columns or all columns.
• Pop-ups and dropdowns on every input cell, with stop messages when something doesn't fit. No macros.

Who it's for

Small contractors, fab shops and trades who price extras on the back of a business card and then wait months to get paid for them.

FAQ

Does it follow CCDC 2 or my contract? It tracks and prices changes; it doesn't decide what counts as a change or what you're owed. Check your contract documents for how changes must be requested, priced, approved and signed, notice periods, markup limits, and whether a change directive applies. It is not legal advice.

What about GST? The price is CA$25. No GST is charged. Inside the log you set your own GST rate (5% by default, or 0 if you aren't registered).

Does it work in Google Sheets? You can upload it, but Google Sheets shows the pop-up help differently (or not at all), drops the sheet protection and ignores the print layouts.

Is my client information safe? The file holds client names and contract amounts, so store it securely and share only what each person needs. The printed CO Form is the client copy. Nothing leaves your computer: it's a plain Excel file.

Disclaimer: a tracking aid, not accounting, tax, engineering or legal advice. Example names and numbers are made up.

About the maker

Built by a tradesperson with 35 years in fabrication and construction across Western Canada.

Compatibility (spreadsheets)

• Made for Microsoft Excel 2016 or newer, Windows or Mac. Plain .xlsx with no macros.
• LibreOffice Calc (free): every workbook recalculates with no formula errors.
• Does it work in Google Sheets? You can upload the .xlsx and open it in Google Sheets, but Sheets drops the sheet protection (so grey formula cells can be typed over) and ignores the print layouts. For printing, Excel is recommended.
• Not tested in Apple Numbers.
• Type in the yellow cells. Grey formula cells are locked (no password), so you can't break a formula by accident.
• Grab the free Bid Go/No-Go Scorer first. It's built the same way, so if it opens and works on your computer, the paid sheets will too.

Licence

One-business licence: use it across your business (all its sites and crews) on as many jobs as you like. Please don't resell, share or publish the blank templates outside your business. Completed job files and filled-in forms can go to your clients, prime contractors, auditors and regulators.

Refund policy

Because these are digital downloads, I don't offer refunds once a file has been delivered. Please check the compatibility list above before you buy, and grab the free Bid Go/No-Go Scorer to test on your computer first. If a file won't open or something isn't working, email me at support@bidsheets.ca and I'll help you sort it out.

Updates

Buyers get the 2027 update free. I'll email you the new version when it's ready. Each January I refresh the payroll rates (CPP, EI, WCB) in the estimating workbook and fab calculator, re-check the Alberta OHS and prompt-payment references in the safety and billing products, and re-check the standards references in the takeoffs.

Support

Questions? Email support@bidsheets.ca. I usually answer within 2 business days.