Client scope management, from baseline to sign-off
Scope arguments are usually memory arguments. Write the deliverables and included revisions down once, and every later conversation has a reference point.
Start with a baseline everyone can point to
Every project in MarginFence begins with a baseline: the contract amount, estimated hours, internal cost rate, billable rate and target margin. That baseline is the reference point for the whole engagement. When a client asks for something new, the question is never 'do we feel like doing this for free,' it is 'does this fall inside or outside what we set out to deliver at this price.'
Logging requests against the baseline
When a request looks like it might be outside scope, you log it: what was asked, why it is outside the original agreement, the extra hours involved and any direct costs. This creates a running list attached to the project of everything that has come up beyond the original deliverables, which is useful even before you decide how to handle any individual item.
- A dated, described record of every out-of-scope ask
- Automatic cost and pricing for each one
- A clear decision (Comp, Decline, Trade, Charge) attached to each
- One place to review the whole pattern, not just the latest request
Turning the pattern into a decision
A single extra request is rarely worth a difficult conversation. A pattern of five extra requests in a month is worth a very different conversation, and it is much easier to have that conversation when you can point to a list rather than relying on frustration and memory. MarginFence's project view shows the full history, so scope conversations with the client, or with your own team, are grounded in specifics.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a formal statement of work before using this?
It helps to have a clear sense of what was originally agreed, since that is what you compare new requests against. MarginFence does not replace your SOW or contract; it gives you a place to track what happens beyond it.
Can we manage included revisions per deliverable?
Yes. Many teams set a baseline that reflects the number of included revisions per deliverable, and then log any revision beyond that count as an out-of-scope request with its own cost and decision.
Is this only useful for disputes, or also for day-to-day work?
Day-to-day mostly. Most logged requests are resolved quickly with a simple decision, not a dispute. The record becomes valuable specifically because it exists before there is a disagreement, not because it is built to win one.
What happens to scope records when a project closes?
They stay attached to the project and remain visible in your account, so you can review what happened on a past engagement when scoping a similar one in the future.
How MarginFence works
Set the financial baseline for a project, log each extra request, see what it costs and what it should be quoted at, then choose Comp, Decline, Trade, Charge Recommended or Charge Custom. Charged work becomes a plain-language proposal your client approves from a secure link.
Related
- Scope creep softwareCatch out-of-scope requests as they happen and turn each one into a priced, approved decision.
- Unpaid revisionsCount included revisions, price the extras, and record goodwill as a deliberate choice.
- RetainersTrack what the monthly fee covers and price everything that falls outside it.
Protect the margin on every client project
Create your workspace and log the next out-of-scope request in under a minute.