SOW — Statement of Work

Definition: A document attached to a master contract that defines the specific deliverables, timeline, and price for a project.

Example

An agency might have one MSA with a client and dozens of SOWs — one per campaign.

When you'll hear it

SOW shows up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to statement of work — and they expect the room to already know what that means.

FAQs

What does SOW stand for?

SOW stands for Statement of Work.

What does SOW mean in business and finance?

A document attached to a master contract that defines the specific deliverables, timeline, and price for a project.

Where will I hear SOW used at work?

SOW comes up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. It's used as shorthand for statement of work, so people assume you already know the term.