How do I Accept or Decline a Change Order(nf)?

At a glance

📋 What you'll learn

Where to find pending change orders inside a project

How to accept or decline a change order at the Project level

How to update change order status from inside the Project Takeoff

How to add internal status notes for approval tracking

👤 Who this is for

Project managers and estimators who need to record client decisions on change orders.

Any user with access to the Project Management module and Change Orders tab.

⚠️ Prerequisite - change orders must exist first

This article covers accepting or declining change orders that have already been created.

If you need to create a change order first, see: How do I create a Change Order?

Two ways to update change order status

INNERGY gives you two paths for managing change order status. Use whichever fits your workflow:

Method	Best used when	Auto-saves?
Project Level (Change Orders tab)	Reviewing the project record and updating multiple COs	No - click Submit
Project Takeoff (COs button)	Already inside the takeoff and updating without leaving	Yes - auto-saves

Step-by-step guide

Method A - Update status at the Project level

1. Navigate to the Project Management module.

2. Find and open the project that has pending change orders.

3. Click the Change Orders tab. The number shown indicates the count of pending COs.

4. Click the three-dot menu next to the change order and select Edit.

5. In the Edit Change Order window, scroll to the CO Status dropdown.

6. Select Accepted or Declined.

7. Update the Internal Status field to add context: Verbal Approval, Awaiting Paperwork, or Signed Approval.

8. Add a brief internal note — for example: "Approved on [date] via email."

9. Click Submit to save. Status color updates: green for Accepted, red for Declined.

💡 Pro tip - work through multiple COs in sequence

After submitting the first change order, the tab refreshes automatically. Repeat steps 4–9 for each pending CO to work through the full list without leaving the project.

Method B - Update status inside the Project Takeoff

10. From inside the project, click the Open Takeoff icon in the upper right corner.

11. On the left side of the Takeoff window, click the COs button.

12. Click the specific change order you want to update.

13. Scroll down to the status field and select Accepted or Declined.

14. Add a brief note - for example: "Declined on [date] via email." Changes save automatically.

15. To update another CO, click the back button and select the next change order.

ℹ️ Verifying your updates

After updating in the Takeoff, navigate back to the project record and refresh the page. The Change Orders tab will reflect all new statuses and internal notes.

Notes & tips

💡 Pro tip - use Internal Status for audit trails

The Internal Status field is separate from CO Status. Use it to capture approval type - Verbal Approval, Awaiting Paperwork, Signed Approval -so your team has a clear paper trail before final documentation arrives.

⚠️ Note - status colors update on submit, not on selection

The color indicator does not change until you click Submit (Project level) or until the Takeoff auto-saves. If the color has not updated, confirm your changes were saved.

Key takeaways

✅ Summary

Change orders can be managed from the Change Orders tab (Project level) or the COs panel inside the Takeoff.
At the project level: three-dot menu → Edit → CO Status → Submit.
Inside the Takeoff: select the CO, change the status, add a note - auto-saves.
Always add an internal note with the date and method of approval for your records.
Use Internal Status (Verbal, Awaiting Paperwork, Signed) to track where the approval stands.

Continue your Project Management learning path:

Article	Why read it next
How do I create a Project?	Understand how projects start as opportunities
How to Create and Manage the Project Workflow	Set up the workflow steps your team follows
How do I create a Project BOM?	Convert approved materials into a Bill of Materials