Free Change Request Form Template
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Every change to scope, schedule, cost or quality should be written down properly before anyone decides. This 7-section Word template gives the change control board (CCB) what it needs: what the change is, why it is needed, its impact on every baseline, the options and what happens next.
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Quick answer
A change request form is the formal submission used to propose a change to a project's scope, schedule, cost or quality. This free seven-section Word template captures the change, its impact analysis and the change control board decision, aligned with PMI and PRINCE2.
This form is for proposing and assessing one change. Once the change board decides, record the outcome and the reason in my decision log template, so anyone can find it later.
Change Request Form template at a glance
| Format | Word (.docx) |
|---|---|
| Sections | 7, including impact analysis and decision |
| Lifecycle phase | Executing and monitoring |
| Decided by | Change control board (CCB) or sponsor |
| Best for | Documenting a change so it can be assessed fairly |
What's in the change request form?
Anyone can raise a change request with this form, but every request is assessed the same way. Each section collects what is needed at one stage of the change control process.
How do you write the impact analysis?
Section 4 matters most, and it is the one people rush. Assess every baseline, not just the obvious one. A change that looks small often affects schedule, cost and risk in ways you only see when you look on purpose.
How to fill it in: a construction example
This is an example only, of a typical client change on a UAE building project. Look at how the impact is written in numbers and how the options give the CCB a real choice.
| Form field | Filled example |
|---|---|
| CR number / raised by | CR-014. Raised by the Client Representative after a site walk. |
| Description | Replace the porcelain floor tiles in the ground floor lobby with marble, as per the sample the client selected. |
| Impact | Schedule: marble is a long-lead import, lobby finishes move by about 3 weeks, not on the critical path. Cost: variation priced by the QS with a breakdown. Risk: new long-lead item, consultant must approve the sample first. |
| Options | A: marble for the whole lobby. B: marble only around the reception area. C: do nothing, keep porcelain. |
| PM recommendation | Option B. It gives the look the client wants at lower cost and less schedule risk. |
Mistakes I see on change requests
- Starting the work because the client asked on site, then raising the form later.
- Assessing only cost and forgetting schedule, approvals and risk.
- Leaving out the do nothing option.
- Getting approval but not updating the schedule, budget and registers.
- Not recording the decision and the reason, so nobody remembers why it was approved.
What are the four CCB decision outcomes?
Section 7 covers the four decisions a CCB can make. Each one needs different follow-up from the PM, and the template has fields for all of them.
Writing a Strong Change Description
How well you write Section 2 decides whether the CCB can decide quickly or has to send it back for more information. Compare these two:
Setting Up a CR Numbering System
A consistent CR numbering system makes the change register easy to navigate and audit. The template uses CR-XXX format (CR-001, CR-002 etc.), a simple sequential number that works for any project size. For larger programmes with multiple work streams, consider a prefix that identifies the stream: INT-CR-001 (integration stream), MIG-CR-001 (migration stream) etc.
What to Number and What Not to
Give a change request a number as soon as it is formally submitted, even if you already expect it to be approved. The CR number is your audit trail. If someone later asks whether a change was properly approved, the number links the register entry to the signed form.
Do not number informal queries, stakeholder questions or exploratory discussions. Only formal submissions on the Change Request Form get a CR number. This distinction keeps the register clean and the process credible.
Change Request Form: 4 Common Questions
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