Create a Change Order

How Do I... Create A Change Order

A change order is used to make a record of when a change is made to the original job estimate. A change order can be printed and presented to the customer to sign to acknowledge and document their approval of the change.

To create a change order in Smart Contractor, you do not change the original estimate item(s) involved in the change. The original estimate item(s) are marked as "change order cancelled", and one or more new items are added in place of the cancelled item(s). The new items are marked as "change order added".

A change order can consist of any combination of canceled items, and added items. In other words, a single change order can have...

just one or more items canceled, or
just one or more items added, or
one or more items canceled, and one or more items added.

The change order cancelled item(s), and the change order added item(s), are grouped and reported as members of a single change order, and these are all listed any time the change order is printed or viewed. This provides a clear record of the original items that were changed, and what they were changed to.

To create a Change Order, follow these steps:

Open a Job

Select a Job in the prompt at the top of the main window.

Add Any New Items To The Job

If the change order requires changing any existing items in the job, or adding any new items to the job, select the Edit Job Estimate menu option in the Job menu on the left side of the screen.

Do not delete or change any of the items that will be changed by the change order.

If any existing items are to be changed, only add new items to appear as they will after the change.

If any new items are to be added, add them to appear as they will after the change.

Select "Enter Change Order" Menu Option

Select the Enter Change Order menu option in the Job menu on the left side of the screen. This will open the Change Order Form.

Follow these steps in the Change Order form:

Click Add to the right of the prompt for Enter Change Order To Add Or Edit at the top of the screen.
Enter a descriptive name for the change order in the prompt for Change Order Name. For example, if you are changing the material used for a kitchen counter, enter "Kitchen Counter, Marble Upgrade".
Enter the date the change order was issues in the prompt for Issued.
Select the job items to be canceled by the change order in the Change Order CANCEL Items box on the left side of the screen. Check in the box to the left of an item to select it.
Select the job items to be added by the change order in the Change Order ADD Items box in the right side of the screen. Check in the box to the left of an item to select it.
Enter any notes to appear on the printed change order in the Change Order Notes box.
Click Save to save the change order, or View to view (and print, or email) the change order.

Print Change Orders

Use the View button at the bottom of the Change Order form to print or email the change order to the customer.

You can also use the Print Change Order menu option to print change orders.

Get the customer to review and approve the changes.

Set The Change Order Status To Approved

Once the customer has approved the change order, go back into the Enter Change Order menu option in the Job menu on the left side of the screen.

Follow these steps to set the Change Order status to Approved:

Locate and click on the change order in the drop down prompt for Enter Change Order To Add Or Edit at the top of the form.
Select C.O. Approved in the prompt for Change Order Status.
Enter any notes to appear on the printed change order in the Change Order Notes box.
Click Save to save the change order.

Important Notes:

1. Change Orders are not applied to the job until you set the Change Order Status To C.O. Approved.

2. Items that were canceled as part of a change order will no longer appear in any of the job listing reports or documents. The job total will be updated to reflect all approved change orders.

3. Items that were added as part of a change order will appear as normal items - as soon as the change order status is set to C.O. Approved. The job total will be updated to reflect all approved change orders.