How to add a subcontract variation/change order
Written By Ekke
Last updated About 4 hours ago
Depending on your language settings, Planyard will show either variations (UK/AU) or change orders (US). The functionality is the same.
How to add a variation/change order to a subcontract
- Open your project.
- Go to Subcontracts and select the subcontract where you want to add the variation.
- Scroll down and click Add variation.
- A new variation row appears on the same screen.
Step 1: Enter variation details
- Variation name: Give the variation a name (e.g. “VO1 – Extra demolition”).
Step 2: Connect the variation to your budget
In the Line item column, click the dropdown. You have three options:
- Add new line-item – creates a new item in the budget just for this variation.
- Add new change order / variation – creates a new client change order/variation. You’ll be asked to enter:
- Line item name
- Cost code
- Estimated sales price to the client
- Target cost
- Then click Add change order. This creates a client change order that will be visible in the budget.
- Select from existing line-items – connects the subcontract variation to an existing budget line item. Use the dropdown or the table view for easier selection.
Step 3: Add contract details
Fill in the remaining columns:
- Contracted quantity – the number of units.
- Con. unit – the unit of measurement.
- Con. price – the unit price.
- Contracted cost – calculated automatically.
Step 4: Break down the variation (optional)
If you need a detailed scope breakdown:
- Click the blue three-lines + button at the end of the row.
- Add sub-lines under the variation (e.g. materials, labor).
- All sub-lines roll up into the total cost of the connected budget item.
How variations affect costs
When a variation is added, both the contracted amount of the subcontract and the committed cost in the budget are updated automatically to reflect the new value.
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