A Cheat Sheet Worksheet for Professional Project Agreements

Creative service providers and other professionals tend to rely on clients to provide the contracts, agreements, and other paperwork … and this is a mistake. These documents aren’t there just to protect the client… they are useful for efficient project management and they also protect you in the case of non-payment.

If you’ve ever been suckered into doing “a little bit extra” then you’ll understand and appreciate how useful a Project Agreement cheat sheet can be. Simply fill in the missing information and get a signature before working on your next project…

Goals and Expectations

This is where you identify all parties involved in the project, and their individual goals or expectations.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Here you will name each member again, and provide a list of the tasks that each role is responsible for. It might seem like extra work up front, but this ensures there are no nickel-and-dime tasks added throughout the project without extra compensation.

Phases & Deadlines

Having a deadline keeps us on track, but sometimes a project should be broken down into several phases with their own deadlines. Identifying this process clearly is critical for to avoid lags because it will keep all roles working on their end as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Payment Terms

This section is especially important, because it covers how much you will be paid, when you will be paid, how you will be paid, and what will happen if you are not paid on time. Having this in writing, and signed, is exactly what you need to protect yourself from those shady clients—you know the kind.