Machinery Project Change Order Request Template
Engineer-to-order machines change after the contract is signed. A written change order stops a verbal request from becoming unpaid work and shows the impact on price, schedule and compliance before anyone starts.
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Machinery Project Change Order Request Template
Change Order Request
Change order: CO-003 Date: 2026-10-20 Supplier: Northfield Automation Ltd Customer: Harbor Packaging Inc Project: PO 48-7731, Case Packer CP-12 Requested by: Customer engineering
Change description
Add a second reject conveyor and a vision check for carton print quality.
Reason: Customer scope addition
Impact
| Area | Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | + 18,400 USD | |
| Delivery (working days) | 15 | |
| Payment milestones | ||
| Warranty start | ||
| Safety / CE assessment |
Documents affected
Layout drawing rev C, electrical schematics, PLC program, FAT protocol, spare parts list.
Authorization
Work on this change does not start until both parties sign. Unless stated above, all other terms of the contract remain unchanged.
Approvals
A starting point, not legal advice. Your contract governs how changes are priced and approved. Have counsel review before using this as a binding document.
Connect change orders to project costing
Optional review of tracking change orders against project budgets in your ERP.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the change order template
Give each change a sequential number and state it in a sentence a purchasing manager could approve. Select the reason because it decides who pays: customer additions are billable, supplier errors usually are not, and regulatory changes depend on the contract. Enter the price and delivery impact, then list every affected document so engineering updates all of them. Export to PDF and obtain both signatures before releasing work. Keep a register of all change orders so the final account reconciles.
- One change per form for a clean audit trail
- No work before signatures, except by written exception
- List drawings, programs and manuals affected
- Check CE or safety impact on every mechanical change
Pricing the impact honestly
A change costs more than its parts and hours. Add engineering rework, re-test time, documentation updates, project management and the cost of disrupting the build sequence. A common failure is pricing only the new component. If the change moves the delivery date, say so on the form and tie it to milestone billing and the warranty start. Where the contract allows, include a validity period on the price, since component costs move.
Safety and compliance effects
Adding a conveyor, changing a guard or editing a safety function can change the risk assessment and the CE technical file. The template includes a safety row so the question is asked every time. If the answer is yes, schedule a review of the risk assessment and update the declaration documents before shipment. This is far cheaper than discovering the gap at the customer's site.
Common mistakes
Teams start work on an email, forget to update the FAT protocol and spare parts list, or bundle several changes together so one disputed item blocks the rest. Another mistake is leaving the schedule impact blank, which later becomes a delay dispute. Close every change order with a note on whether the documents were updated and the register total was adjusted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a change order the same as a variation order?
Yes in practice. Variation order is the common term in UK and international construction and engineering contracts, while change order is common in the US. Both formalize a change to agreed scope, price or schedule.
Who can sign a change order?
Someone with authority to commit money and schedule on each side. Define this in the contract. A site engineer may raise a request but usually cannot approve price changes.
Should small changes get a form?
Set a threshold in the contract, for example any change affecting price, delivery, safety or specification. Even cheap changes should be logged, because they accumulate and can affect FAT and documentation.
What if the customer refuses to sign?
Do not proceed with the change. Escalate to the commercial owner, and continue work on the original scope. Starting unapproved work weakens your position on payment and delay claims.
If your change orders live in email, Netray can help connect them to project costing in your ERP. Ask for a short review.
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