A construction change order form that mobile crews can complete while management can track and manage easily is a lifejacket in the rough seas of the construction industry. For many managers, it’s a challenge if a system is not in place for unforeseeable scenarios such as materials substitutions or discoveries made during excavations or construction. However, these sorts of events happen in almost every construction project—there’s always something unexpected that requires a change of plans.

That’s where the construction change order form becomes essential: to document the where, why, what, and cost aspects of a change of plans. It could affect projected construction timelines and costs, so it becomes critical to document. But it’s also crucial to manage and resolve easily and effectively.

In this guide, I’ll present a mobile construction change order form that you can use easily within the 1st Reporting application – an industry leader in secure mobile field reporting. We’ll look at why a digital construction change order form is a great way to easily manage, track, and share change orders, resolving changes faster with lower response times than ever before.

Understanding the Construction Change Order Form

A construction change order form is a critical document used to record any modifications to the original construction project formally. These changes can arise from various circumstances, such as encountering an unexpected obstruction during excavation that necessitates additional work and costs or needing to substitute a specified material due to sudden unavailability. 

This form serves to document the alteration to the initial construction plan, detailing any adjustments to costs and providing context and explanation for why additional funds may be required or refunded, as the case may be.

Not using an effective construction change order form at minimum could seriously affect project outcome, potentially leading to court-required resolutions. In order to avoid such scenarios, construction projects require a robust change order form template coinciding with a change order request and documentation procedure that works for all stakeholders.

Challenges Faced by Mobile Crews in Managing Change Orders

Change orders are often bottlenecks in the construction process, requiring various subsequent approvals. Depending on the stakeholders involved, those approvals can sometimes shut down project advancement, causing untimely and costly delays as everyone scrambles to reorganize their team’s schedules.

Relying on the old pen and paper change order process merely won’t do. Today’s construction projects need a fast, efficient, and effective means of reporting, reviewing, and approving change order requests. No one has time to wait for slow and outdated physical delivery of paper reports and requests.

The need for fast turnaround and response to construction change order forms has never been greater. So, the most effective and efficient means of managing these scenarios is a prerequisite for a successfully on-time construction project. Let me introduce you to mobile field reporting and its role in helping advance change order form management.

Features of a Digital Construction Change Order Form for Mobile Crews

There are a number of ways that you can benefit from features found in a digital construction change order form compared to a traditional paper-based version. The obvious ones are handwriting and form handling (physical), instant form changes, and customization features that make it easy to adapt to various sites. 

However, there are some other features that you may not know or think about at first glance. These features might include collaboration options so multiple team members can contribute to large or complicated documents, custom notifications to alert the right personnel during a specific document step or document GPS logging so your team knows when and where a team member created a document.

An excellent digital change order form could even go dynamic, meaning customization might allow you to link specific documents. For example, you could link an incident with a follow-up report to create a digital document workflow or timeline of an event or task. Dynamically linking reports gives you unprecedented oversight and increased ownership over the entire change order process. Let’s take a look at how you can make your digital construction change order form with 1st Reporting next.

How to Create and Use a Construction Change Order Form with 1st Reporting

Using a software solution for field reporting like the 1st Reporting app is essential to the creation, implementation, and use of a robust and organized reporting system. Here’s how to get started with your digital reporting solution for construction change order management:

1. Sign up for a free trial of the 1st Reporting app here. If you want it on your smartphone or tablet, you can also find it at Google Play and the Apple App Store. If you prefer a more personalized introductory experience, sign up for a free demo with one of the 1st Reporting onboarding team members.
2. Log in to the app on your chosen device and navigate to the form customizer in the bottom left corner of your screen:

3. Search for a construction change order template or create your own by clicking the + Add Template button at the top right of the screen (on desktop).
4. Suppose you want to add a dynamic link to another document, like a construction submittal form, for example. In that case, you can quickly complete this task by entering the template, as shown below.

5. The last step is to save your form and share it with the appropriate team members in-app. So, make sure you invite those team members to the app so you can share the digital construction change order form. Remember, you can use any of the templates in our form library or build one from scratch so that you can use the app for all documenting needs for any kind of incident, event, or inspection you can think of. The 1st Reporting app truly is a revolutionary app, quickly becoming the standard for organizations.

Best Practices for Implementing Digital Change Order Forms

Implementing a digital change order form might seem a daunting task, but there’s a straightforward way to go about it:

1. Choose a small control group to start. Maybe you have a smaller construction team where you can implement this? The idea is to start with a test group.
2. Invite that group to the app after meeting with them to discuss the new digital reporting solutions you are implementing.
3. Share the digital change order form along with any other document templates you need, like incident templates, site hazard inspection templates, or other related forms and documents.
4. Meet with your test group and, as a group, go over the steps to completing the change order form.
5. Collect feedback from your test group to make any adjustments or optimizations prior to integrating with the rest of the company.
6. Continue rollout once adjustments are made as needed.

To learn more about digital field reporting solutions implementation, read our guides:

• Effective Training Strategies for Mobile Reporting Tools Implementation
• Integrating Mobile Apps into Traditional Field Reporting Processes

Maximize Efficiency and Accountability with Digital Change Order Forms

In construction, where unforeseen challenges can arise at any moment, having a reliable system to manage change orders is not something I would ignore. Digital change order forms, especially when integrated into a robust mobile platform like the 1st Reporting app, offer a significant edge over traditional reporting methods. By streamlining the process, reducing response times, and enhancing overall project accountability, you ensure that your projects remain within scope and budget.

Imagine documenting changes in real time, collaborating seamlessly across teams, and maintaining a clear, organized record of every adjustment, all from the convenience of your smartphone or tablet. That’s the power of the 1st Reporting app. When you adopt this digital solution, you’re moving towards greater efficiency and professionalism in construction project management.

Don’t let outdated processes hold your team back. Embrace the future of construction document management with the 1st Reporting app, and watch as your projects become more streamlined, your team more responsive, and your business more competitive. Sign up today and take the first step toward transforming your construction field operations.