Approve job scope changes before extra work starts

Separate the new request from the agreed work

Start by checking the current scope with the customer. Identify exactly what they want added, removed, or substituted. Avoid relying on a phrase such as "finish the rest" when the office, customer, and crew may picture different results.

Continue only the work that remains clearly agreed and safe to perform. Give the proposed change an owner in the office or on the team, so one person is responsible for pricing it and confirming the decision.

Use a short revised-scope checklist

Before asking for approval, put the following details together in one version of the revised scope:

• Job reference, customer name, service location, and date of the revision.
• The original task being changed and the specific additional or replacement work.
• Materials, quantities, measurements, and exclusions that affect the result.
• The price adjustment and revised total, including whether anything previously agreed is being credited.
• Any extra time, return visit, or change to the appointment or completion plan.
• Who can approve the change and what the team should do while approval is pending.

Example: an extra shelf during a closet installation

Imagine the crew is installing the shelving already described in an accepted estimate. The customer asks for an additional shelf in a second section. Before cutting or fitting it, the crew confirms the requested location and measurements and checks whether the correct material is available.

The office prepares a revision that identifies the additional shelf, its finish and dimensions, the price adjustment, and whether installation can happen during this visit. If the material needs ordering, the revised plan includes a separate visit instead of promising a same-day finish.

A useful decision record would read: "Revision 2 adds one shelf in the agreed second section, with the finish and dimensions shown in the revised scope. The adjustment and revised total are stated below. Installation will take place on the confirmed return visit." Fill in the actual details before presenting the revision; do not leave the crew to interpret placeholders.

Put the revision in front of the customer

Give the customer the complete revised scope, not just a message announcing a higher total. Make the changed work, price, and timing easy to find. Resolve questions before asking the person authorized to approve the job to confirm it.

Use SignFinish to prepare the revised scope for electronic signature.

Release the approved change to the team

Once approval is recorded, keep the agreed version with the job records and brief the assigned team. State which revision they should follow, what changed, and which earlier instructions no longer apply. An approval sitting in an inbox does not help a technician who is still working from the old scope.

Review the appointment duration, material readiness, and any effect on the next customer before giving the go-ahead. LastFSM provides customer and property records, estimates, scheduling, staff assignments, and job notes to help keep the operational details together.

If the customer declines or has not yet responded, make that status clear to the crew. Leave the extra task pending rather than allowing a conversation on site to become an assumed instruction.

Check the result against the approved revision

At completion, compare the delivered work with the approved change. Record any remaining task and confirm who is responsible for following it up. Check that the billing information reflects the agreed adjustment, rather than an earlier estimate or an informal note.

For repeat work, decide whether the change applies only to this visit or to future appointments too. Update the recurring work instructions only after that distinction is clear.