Is your scope clear enough?
Paste the deliverables section of a proposal, contract or retainer. See the vague words highlighted, what’s missing, and clearer wording to use instead.
Updated November 9, 2026 · By Mo Arfaj, founder of Creepless
A scope is clear when every deliverable has a number and nothing relies on judgement words. Vague terms like “unlimited”, “minor changes”, “as needed”, “etc.” and “ASAP” invite scope creep. A clear scope also states revision limits, exclusions, quantities or an hour cap, the extra-work process, a timeline, approval and payment terms.
Scope Clarity Checker
Paste your scope of work
47 wordsChecked in your browser. Nothing you paste is sent or stored.
Highlighted
red = high riskHow the clarity score works
Two kinds of problems: words that blur the limits, and limits that aren’t there at all.
- High-risk words
- Unlimited, minor changes, etc., all/any, as needed, not limited to, ASAP, and revisions without a number.
- Key sections
- Revision limit, exclusions, quantities or hours, extra-work process, timeline, approval, feedback deadline, payment terms.
A typical website scope
“We will design and build a modern, high-quality website with all the pages you need, including home, about, services, contact etc. Includes unlimited revisions and minor changes after launch. Ongoing support as needed. SEO optimization following best practices. Delivery ASAP, timeline TBD.” (This is the example loaded in the checker above.)
The checker flags 11 vague phrases and finds none of the 8 key sections: no revision limit, no exclusions, no quantities, no extra-work process, no timeline, no approval, no feedback deadline and no payment terms.
A rewritten version with 8 listed pages, 2 revision rounds, an exclusions line, a quote-and-approve rule, a feedback deadline, a delivery date and the fee scores 100.
Score: 2 out of 100, then 100 after the rewrite. Every flagged phrase comes with a countable replacement.
How to write a scope that holds up
Replace adjectives with numbers
Most scope disputes come from words that sound reassuring in a proposal and mean nothing in an argument. “Unlimited revisions”, “minor changes”, “ongoing support”: each one is a promise with no edge. Replace every one with something you can count: rounds, pages, hours, days.
Close every list
“Including home, about, services, contact etc.” makes the list a minimum. So does “including but not limited to”. List every item and add one line saying that anything not listed is quoted separately.
Say what isn’t included
A scope without an exclusions list leaves the client to fill the gaps with assumptions: copywriting, photos, hosting, changes after launch. Name the usual surprises explicitly.
Write down the process for extras
Even a perfect scope will meet requests it doesn’t cover. One sentence handles them: out-of-scope work is quoted in writing and starts after approval, at a stated rate. That turns every future “can you just…” into a routine quote.
Add the dates and the approver
A timeline with feedback deadlines protects your schedule, and a named approver stops conflicting feedback from five people. Both belong in the scope, not in a kickoff email that nobody can find later.
Check it, then check requests against it
Run every new scope through the checker before it goes to the client. Once it’s signed, the scope is only useful if each incoming request is compared against it. That’s the step most agencies skip.
Use numbers both sides can verify
A simple test for every line: could you and the client each check, independently, whether it was delivered? “8 pages” passes. “A modern website” doesn’t. “Two rounds of revisions per page” passes. “Revisions as needed” doesn’t. Rewrite until every line passes.
What the checker can and can’t do
The checker looks for the specific phrases that most often cause scope disputes, and for the sections every scope needs. It won’t catch everything a careful reviewer would, and some flagged words are fine in context. Treat it as a fast first pass that catches the costly wording in seconds, before the scope reaches the client.
How to check your scope
- 1
Paste the scope
The deliverables section of your proposal, contract or retainer.
- 2
Read the highlights
Red marks are high-risk words, amber ones are softer issues.
- 3
Fix the vague wording
Use the suggested replacement, with your own numbers.
- 4
Add what’s missing
Revision limit, exclusions, extra-work process and the rest.
- 5
Check again
Aim for 80 or more before sending it to the client.
- 6
Copy the report
Share it with your team or keep it with the proposal.
What makes a scope of work vague?
Words without limits (“unlimited”, “all the pages you need”), judgement words (“minor”, “reasonable”, “high quality”), open lists (“etc.”, “including but not limited to”) and missing dates (“ASAP”, “TBD”). Each one gives the client a reasonable argument that more work is included.
What should a clear scope include?
Countable deliverables, a revision limit, an exclusions list, an hour cap or quantities, how extra work is quoted and approved, a timeline, who approves work, a feedback deadline and payment terms.
How is the score calculated?
It starts at 100. Each vague phrase deducts points (more for high-risk words like “unlimited”), and each missing key section deducts more. It’s a quick guide to where to tighten the wording, not a legal assessment.
Is my scope sent anywhere?
No. The check runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded or stored.
Does it use AI?
It uses a fixed set of rules built from the phrases that most often cause scope disputes, so results are instant and consistent. It won’t understand every sentence the way a person would, so read the suggestions with judgement.
What should I replace “minor changes” with?
Something countable, for example “edits to existing text and images, up to 30 minutes each, within the monthly hours”.
Keep running the numbers
A clear scope, enforced on every request
Creepless checks each client request against your scope and marks it included, extra or needs review. Free for 2 clients.
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