Handle a project scope change before it becomes invisible work

Handle a scope change by comparing the new request with the agreed deliverables and naming its effect on time, price, or priorities. A request can be reasonable and still be additional work. Confirm the change rather than absorbing it silently or treating every clarification as a conflict.

Find the original basis

Keep the approved proposal, brief, and change log together. Check whether the request is a correction to agreed work, a clarification, or a new deliverable. The distinction depends on the actual agreement, not a generic rule about charging for every email.

A fictional change table

Do not invent the extra price or timeline before estimating the actual work. A clear “I need to clarify the states before estimating” is more trustworthy than a quick arbitrary number.

Draft a neutral response

Thanks for the request. The account settings page is outside the booking-page
scope we agreed. I can estimate it after confirming the required fields and states.
We can add it to the project, replace another deliverable, or schedule it later.
Please confirm which option you would like to discuss before I begin that page.

Adapt this fictional wording to the relationship and actual terms. Do not imply the client approved a change merely because they requested it.

Use AI to organize the comparison

Compare this request with the approved scope.
Separate corrections, clarifications, and possible additional deliverables.
Flag where the agreement is ambiguous.
Draft a response that explains the options without inventing price or timing.
Scope and request: [paste]

Keep the confirmed decision in writing and update the schedule or price record as appropriate. If terms are disputed or consequential, use the responsible professional process. A scope log is an organizational aid, not a legal determination of what either party owes.