Glossary
Schedule
A scheduleA schedule is an annex to the contract that holds the detail: fees, dates, deliverables, service levels. It is part of the agreement if the main body says so. An order-of-precedence line should say what happens if the schedule and the clauses collide. Swap a schedule only by the variation method the contract names.More in the glossary is an annex to the contract that holds the detail: fees, dates, deliverables, service levels. It is part of the agreement if the main body says so. An order-of-precedence line should say what happens if the schedule and the clauses collide. Swap a schedule only by the addendumAn addendum is a short, written change to an existing contract, signed by both sides so the original terms stay the same except for what the addendum updates.More in the glossary method the contract names.
Last updated 28 October 2026
The clauses stay stable; the schedule carries the job. A master services agreement plus a statement of work is the same idea at a larger scale. On a one-off freelance paper the schedule is often one page: description, milestoneA milestone is a defined point in a project, often tied to a deliverable and a payment.More in the glossary, fee, expenses. If the main body says “the Services are those in Schedule 1”, that schedule is the scope.
We keep the schedule on the same shared contract so it is signed with the clauses. Lex will not let a side-email “updated spec” silently replace Schedule 1 against a variation clauseA variation clause says how the signed contract can be changed. In England and Wales, if the clause requires changes to be in writing and signed, an oral variation is not effective: Rock Advertising Ltd v MWB Business Exchange Centres Ltd [2018] UKSC 24. The usual commercial form is a no-oral-modification line.More in the glossary line. A later change is an addendum or a new schedule, e-signed.
Does a schedule outrank the main body?
Only if the order-of-precedence clause says so. The usual commercial order is: a signed variation, then the clauses, then the schedules, then a purchase order. If you want a rate card in Schedule 2 to beat a generic fee clause, say that. Silence is how two different numbers both look binding.
Can we swap a schedule later?
Yes, by the method in the variation clause. After Rock Advertising [2018] UKSC 24, “in writing and signed” means what it says. Replacing Schedule 1 in a Slack thread does not replace it. Issue a new signed schedule or an addendum that names the old one it supersedes.
Should fees live in a schedule?
Usually, yes. Fees change more often than the liability capA liability cap is the maximum amount one party can be asked to pay the other under a contract.More in the glossary. Putting them in a schedule keeps the clauses reusable. The payment terms clause then points at the schedule rather than embedding a number that will be wrong on the next job.
How is a schedule different from a statement of work?
A schedule is attached to one contract. A statement of work is often a later paper under a master. The legal effect is the same if both are signed and incorporated. Call it what your client calls it; make the incorporation line unambiguous.
A worked example
A services agreement says the services, dates and fees are in Schedule 1, and that if Schedule 1 conflicts with the clauses the clauses win except on description, dates and fees. Mid-project the client wants a fifth page. The studio does not edit the PDF in the margin. They issue Schedule 1A, both e-sign it, and the original Schedule 1 stays on file as the first job.
How it shows up in a contract
Sample wording · our own drafting
The Schedules form part of this agreement. If a Schedule conflicts with a clause, the clause prevails, except that the description of Services, the timetable and the Fees in Schedule 1 prevail over any general description in the clauses. A Schedule may be replaced only by a written document signed by both parties.
In Plain English
The attached pages are part of the deal. If they clash with a clause, the clause wins, except for the job description, dates and money in Schedule 1. Replacing a schedule takes a signed writing.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the incorporation line out, so the attached spec is only a discussion note.
- Having two fees — one in clause 5 and one in Schedule 1 — with no order of precedence.
- Swapping the spec in email and leaving the signed schedule untouched.
- Calling a new job a “schedule update” when it needed its own statement of work.
Frequently asked questions
What is a schedule in a contract?
An annex that holds the detail — fees, dates, deliverables — and forms part of the agreement if the main body says so.
Does a schedule outrank the main body?
Only if the order-of-precedence clause says so. Write which paper wins on description, dates and fees.
Can we swap a schedule later?
Yes, by the variation method the contract names. A Slack edit is not enough if the paper requires a signed writing. See /glossary/variation-clause.
Should fees live in a schedule?
Usually. They change more often than the clauses. Point the payment-terms clause at the schedule. See /glossary/payment-terms.
Related
Related clauses and templates
The legal wording governsLast reviewed 28 October 2026Pending lawyer review