Scope of work template for construction: a free scope sheet by trade
A scope sheet lists every item of work in one trade package and marks each line included, excluded or by others, with the drawing sheet or spec section it comes from. Build yours below, load the worked drywall example to see how it reads, and download it as a CSV file.
Reviewed by the Ruh construction team · November 2026
- One line per item
- Every line cites a sheet or spec section
- Included, excluded or by others
Built with the free scope of work template at ruh.ai
Build Your Scope Sheet
8 lines · Drywall · Illustrative example, change any line
Fill in the project header, then add one row per scope item. Every row needs a status and a drawing or spec reference, so nothing on the sheet rests on memory.
Mark every line
- Included priced in this package
- Excluded not in this price
- By others name the party
Your scope sheet
- Included
- 5
- Excluded
- 1
- By others
- 2
Every line cites a drawing sheet or spec section.
Built in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and Ruh keeps no copy.
Scope lines
One item per line, grouped by CSI section. Click any cell to edit it.
| # | Trade or CSI section | Scope item | Status | Drawing or spec reference | Notes | Clarifications | Approved | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 | ||||||||
| 5 | ||||||||
| 6 | ||||||||
| 7 | ||||||||
| 8 |
How the CSV File Is Built
The page builds the file in your browser from the rows on screen. Nothing is uploaded, and Ruh keeps no copy. The file opens in any spreadsheet program: the project header comes first as field and value pairs, then one blank row, then one row per scope line with all seven columns.
Your rows are kept in this browser so a refresh does not wipe them, and Clear sheet removes them. The file is named after the trade and the date, for example scope-sheet-drywall-2026-11-03.csv.
That answers one scope sheet. Get a takeoff on your own drawings, free.
Send one set of drawings from a job you are bidding and we take it off free, every quantity tied to the sheet it came from.
What Goes on a Scope Sheet
A scope sheet has six working columns: the trade or CSI section, the scope item, its status, the drawing or spec reference, notes, and clarifications. The status and the reference do the real work, because they decide who prices the item and where to look when someone disagrees.
A scope sheet is the line-by-line form of a trade's scope of work. Group rows by section so the sheet reads like the spec book, using CSI MasterFormat.
| Column | What to write | Example | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade or CSI section | The spec section the line belongs to | 09 29 00 Gypsum board | A trade name with no section, so nobody can find it in the spec book |
| Scope item | One item of work, in plain words | Level 5 finish at lobby feature wall | Two items on one line, joined with and |
| Status | Included, excluded or by others | By others | Leaving it blank and deciding at bid time |
| Drawing or spec reference | The sheet or section the item comes from | A-601 finish schedule, 09 29 00 | No reference, so the line rests on memory |
| Notes | Quantities, locations and conditions | Lobby only | Notes that change the price but sit in an email |
| Clarifications | Assumptions you state and questions for the design team | Other areas Level 4 | Assumptions nobody wrote down |
A Worked Drywall Scope Sheet
Here is an illustrative drywall scope sheet for an office fit-out, eight lines long. Load it into the tool above and change it to fit your job.
| Trade or CSI section | Scope item | Status | Drawing or spec reference | Notes | Clarifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 22 16 Non-structural metal framing | Metal stud framing for partition types P1 to P6 | Included | A-501 partition types, A-101 floor plan, 09 22 16 | Deflection track at deck on rated walls | Non-rated partitions stop 6 in above the ceiling unless A-501 shows full height |
| 09 29 00 Gypsum board | 5/8 in Type X board, Level 4 finish typical | Included | A-501, 09 29 00 | Both faces unless the partition type shows one | Finish levels per Gypsum Association GA-214 |
| 09 29 00 Gypsum board | Level 5 finish at lobby feature wall | Included | A-601 finish schedule, 09 29 00 | Lobby only | Other areas Level 4 |
| 07 21 00 Thermal insulation | Acoustic batt in partition types P2 and P4 | Included | A-501, 07 21 00 | Full height of the stud cavity | |
| 07 84 00 Firestopping | Head-of-wall joints at rated partitions | Included | A-501 rated wall details, 07 84 00 | Joint systems listed on A-501 | Penetrations firestopped by the trade that makes them |
| 06 10 00 Rough carpentry | In-wall blocking for casework, grab bars and wall-mounted equipment | By others | A-501 general note 6, 06 10 00 | GC marks locations before board | Who furnishes and installs: GC carpentry, confirm in the invitation |
| 08 31 13 Access doors and frames | Furnish and install access panels in gypsum board | By others | M and P sheets, 08 31 13 | Mechanical and plumbing trades furnish and install | Locations per the M and P sheets, confirm in the invitation |
| 09 91 23 Interior painting | Prime and paint gypsum board | Excluded | 09 91 23 | Painting package | Board left ready for paint at the specified finish level |
Illustrative example. Sheet numbers and sections follow a typical commercial set.
Count board, studs and track for the included lines with the drywall calculator.
Included, Excluded or By Others: How to Mark Each Line
Mark a line included when your price covers it, excluded when nobody on your side will do it, and by others when you know another party does. "By others" only helps when the sheet names who the others are.
Priced in this package, nothing more to say.
Not in this price. Say why in clarifications if it is unusual.
Name the party: GC, owner or the mechanical trade. A by-others line with no name is how an item falls between two packages.
The Boundary Items Every Trade Should Decide
Most scope arguments start at the edges of a package, not in the middle. These eight items sit between trades on almost every commercial job, so give each one a line and a status before you price.
| Boundary item | Trades that often both expect the other to do it | Where it is usually specified |
|---|---|---|
| In-wall blocking | Drywall, carpentry, casework, the trade hanging the item | Division 06 rough carpentry, partition notes |
| Firestopping | Drywall and each MEP trade | 07 84 00, rated wall details |
| Access panels | Drywall and the MEP trade that needs access | 08 31 13, M and P sheets |
| Joint sealants | Drywall, glazing, painting | 07 92 00 |
| Hoisting and lifts | Every trade and the GC | Division 01 temporary facilities |
| Cleanup and debris | Every trade and the GC | 01 74 13 progress cleaning |
| Layout | Trade and GC survey | Division 01, the subcontract |
| Patch and repair after other trades | Drywall, painting, the trade that cut the wall | Often nowhere, which is the point |
The Add boundary items button in the tool adds these eight rows with the status left blank.
What Estimators Get Wrong About Scope Sheets
In our view, the most common mistake is a scope sheet that copies the spec table of contents and calls it a scope. A list of sections tells a bidder where to look, not what they are pricing.
- 01
A line with no reference is an opinion.
If it cannot point to a sheet or a section, a reviewer cannot check it.
- 02
"By others" without a name.
The other trade reads the same words and assumes it is yours.
- 03
One sheet for every job.
Boundary lines change with each set, so the sheet is rebuilt from the current drawings.
- 04
Clarifications hidden in an email.
If an assumption matters to the price, it belongs on the line it changes.
What This Template Cannot Do
The template organizes a scope you have already read out of the documents. It does not read the drawings, check that a reference is correct, or tell you whether an item belongs to your trade.
- It does not measure quantities. Pair it with a takeoff or a trade calculator.
- It does not know your subcontract. The subcontract and its scope exhibit decide what is binding.
- It does not compare bids. Comparing sub bids on a common scope is bid leveling.
- It is not legal advice.
How Ruh AI Fits Into Scope
A person on your team approves every scope line before Ruh measures it, and can edit every quantity and price.
- Ruh AI's Takeoff Agent measures the approved scope, and withholds a figure when a sheet has no scale instead of guessing.
- Ruh AI's Estimating Agent prices from your own rate book and history.
- Each stage is approved before the next opens.
Scope of Work Template FAQs
Is the scope of work template free?+
Yes. Build the sheet on this page and download it as a CSV file with no sign-up, then use it on as many jobs as you like.
What format is the download?+
A CSV file built in your browser from the rows on screen, and it opens in any spreadsheet program. Your rows stay in your browser.
What is the difference between a scope sheet and a scope of work?+
The scope of work is the full description of what a contract or package covers. A scope sheet is that scope broken into one line per item, each with a status and a reference. See the scope of work glossary entry for the full definition.
Who fills in the scope sheet, the GC or the subcontractor?+
Either. A GC estimator writes one per trade package to send with the invitation to bid, and a subcontractor writes one to show exactly what the price covers. Both versions work best when they cite the same sheets and sections.
How detailed should each scope line be?+
One item per line, specific enough that someone can find it on the drawings from the reference alone. If a line needs the word "and" twice, split it.
Can I use the scope sheet to compare subcontractor bids?+
It gives you the common scope to compare against, which is the first step. The comparison itself is bid leveling, covered in the bid leveling glossary entry.
Bring the scope. Ruh measures what a person on your team approves.
Send one set of drawings from a job you are bidding and see the takeoff on your own sheets.
More tools: Pay Application Template and Drywall Calculator. All calculators
The example on this page is illustrative. Your drawings, specifications and subcontract decide what is in scope, and a person on your team approves every scope line.