A change order is a written document that modifies the original construction contract — changing the scope, the price, the schedule, or some combination. Change orders are required whenever the work deviates from what was defined in the original contract, whether through additions, deletions, or substitutions. On a properly managed project, every change is documented as a written change order before work on the changed scope begins. The running total of all executed change orders, added to the original contract value, equals the current approved contract value at any point in the project. Change orders are the mechanism that keeps the contract current and prevents the accumulation of undocumented scope additions that cause end-of-project financial surprises.