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The log is a list of numbers. You are on one row. Your pen hovers over the two blank fields to the right of the 7-digit change order ID you typed ten seconds ago. A crumpled printed copy of the field change request peeks out from under your keyboard, edges smudged from being passed between the foreman and the project coordinator last week. You already cross-checked the scope of work listed against the daily sign-in sheets for the crew that completed the work three days prior.
Line Item Matching for This Change Order Log Entry
This entry corresponds to extra work completed after the original scope for the west foundation pour was finalized, and the two fields you’re filling in correspond to the only two line items that apply to this change order number. The first line is the Billed Change Order Line: this is the total amount the concrete subcontractor listed for this specific change order ID on their current pay application, including labor, materials, and equipment rental for the work completed. The second line is the Pre-Approved Contingency Allocation Line: this is the total amount signed off by the project manager when the change request was first submitted, before any work began, pulled directly from the project’s unallocated contingency budget. You cross-reference both line item descriptions first, ensuring no extra costs like travel fees or last-minute material upgrades are added to the billed line that were not agreed to in the pre-approval. Illustrative example: the field change request submitted for extra concrete patching on the west foundation wall lists a total billed amount of $1,482, which matches the pre-approved allocation to the dollar, with no unlisted charges added. If you do find a discrepancy between the two lines, you flag the billed amount cell in pale yellow before moving on; you don’t need to resolve the gap immediately unless it exceeds 10% of the pre-approved amount, as smaller gaps are usually tied to minor material cost fluctuations documented in the weekly material receipt log. You note any small gaps in the comment field briefly, so you can follow up with the subcontractor’s billing team when you process their next pay application if needed.
Control Flagging for the Approved Scope Line
You now mark which of the two lines controls the final amount that will be processed for this change order, to eliminate any confusion for anyone accessing this log entry later. The Pre-Approved Contingency Allocation Line is always the controlling line unless you have a signed, dated supplemental change request form attached to the log entry that approves additional costs for unforeseen work not covered in the original pre-approval. For this entry, there is no supplemental request, so the pre-approved line controls. Follow these steps to flag the entry correctly:
- Type a capital C in the far-right column next to the pre-approved line item to mark it as the controlling figure for this change order number, so anyone scanning the log immediately knows which amount to reference.
- Cross-reference the C entry with the change order ID listed on the subcontractor’s pay application to ensure the ID matches exactly, no transposed digits or typos that would tie this entry to the wrong scope of work.
- Add a 1-word note in the adjacent comment field: use “MATCH” if the billed amount aligns perfectly with the controlling amount, or “REVIEW” if there is a discrepancy that requires follow up with the subcontractor or project manager.
- Highlight the entire row in light green if the comment is “MATCH” to signal it is ready for payroll processing, with no further action needed from other team members at this stage.
You double-check the entry for typos before moving on, as a single wrong digit can cause weeks of delays if the wrong amount is processed for the wrong change order.
Filing Protocols for This Completed Log Page
Once you finish marking all entries on this page of the log, you follow standard filing steps to ensure the entry is accessible to all relevant team members and stored for future audit purposes. First, save a digital copy of the full log page to the shared project drive folder labeled “Change Order Logs > Q3 2024 > Westside Multifamily”, renaming the file to include today’s date so you can track versions easily. Do not overwrite previous versions of the log; instead, add “_v2” or the appropriate version number to the end of the file name, so you have a complete trail of all edits made to the log over the course of the project. Next, print a single hard copy of the log page, and staple the signed original field change request form to the back of the printed page. Slide the printed hard copy into the dedicated section of your Draw Jacket behind the most recent pay application stub for the same subcontractor, so you can pull all related documents for that vendor in one motion if you get a question about their pay. Finally, send a 2-line notification to the project accountant and the subcontractor’s point of contact to let them know the change order entry is finalized and ready for processing, attaching a copy of the log page to the message for their records. You keep a copy of that notification in your email folder labeled “Change Order Confirmations” for easy reference later if someone asks when the entry was submitted for processing.
Next Review of This Log Page
You will open this exact log page again 14 days from today, the day after payroll for this pay period is scheduled to be distributed, to confirm the entry was processed correctly and close out the change order number in the project system. When you open the page, you first cross-reference the controlling amount you flagged with the amount listed as paid to the subcontractor in the project accounting dashboard, to ensure no adjustments were made to the amount during processing without written approval. Next, you check that the change order ID is marked as “closed” in the main project scope tracker, so it does not carry over as an open line item on the next month’s project financial report or show up as an unfulfilled obligation on the subcontractor’s next pay application. If the payment went out as scheduled and the ID is marked closed, you add a final note to the comment field with the date the payment was issued, and lock the row so no further edits can be made to the entry. If you find a discrepancy between the paid amount and the controlling line, you flag the row in pale orange and send a note to the project accountant to request clarification before you make any changes to the existing log entry. You don’t need to take any other action during this review unless you find a discrepancy that impacts the project’s contingency budget tracking for the current quarter. You set a calendar reminder for this review right now, so you don’t forget to follow up once payroll is processed.
