Outcome One sentence on what the client will be able to do when this is finished — in their words, from discovery. Not a list of activities. Explicitly out of scope Named systems, sites, applications and hours that this does not cover, each with where responsibility sits instead (their vendor, their internal team, a priced add‑on). Vagueness here is a variation you cannot charge for. In scope The services, systems, sites and user counts covered, with hours of coverage stated. Quantities that can change (seats, endpoints, sites) carry a tolerance before repricing. Approach How it will be done, and the guardrails — phasing, sequence, what is deliberately deferred to a later phase. This is what stops delivery chasing a feature the vendor hasn't properly shipped. Assumptions What must be true for the estimate to hold: existing tenancy retained, documentation accurate, access provided by date, environment as described at discovery. State that anything materially different from what was represented is a variation. Dependencies & client responsibilities What the client must supply, decide or do, by when — and what happens to the timeline if they don't. Risks Known risks with owner and mitigation. A risk written down and accepted is a different commercial position from one discovered in delivery (Mod 13+). Effort & commercials Hours by workstream — verified with delivery, not estimated alone (the solution review) — plus the pricing model, and whether it matches how the underlying product is bought. Acceptance What "done" means, who signs it, and against which criteria. Written before work starts, not negotiated at the end. Billing trigger When recurring billing begins — at signature, or at completion of transition. Say it explicitly; it is often the clause the finance contact cares about most.