Variation Register Template

What is a Variation Register Template?

A Variation Register Template is a structured tool used to track and manage all variations (also known as change orders) that occur during the lifecycle of a construction or project contract.

Variations in construction can include changes to the project scope, timeline, budget, or deliverables, and the Variation Register provides a clear and organized way to document and track these changes.

‍Note: A variation register is not the same as a variation report.

• The register is your live, working tool for tracking all variations on a project.
• A variation report is what you generate from the register to share updates with clients, consultants, or contractors.

The variation register template saves time and brings clarity. It helps you manage contract changes with less back-and-forth—and more confidence.

Who Should Use a Construction Variation Register Template?

Anyone managing contracts, costs, or delivery should use a variation register. It’s a must-have tool for staying in control of project changes—before they derail budgets or timelines.

You should use a variation register if you’re a:

✅ Project manager who needs clear oversight of changes, approvals, and impacts on cost or schedule

✅ Contract administrator managing the formal process for variation requests and documentation

✅ Quantity surveyor tracking and valuing variations against contract terms

✅ Contractor or consultant needing visibility on approved and pending variations to avoid rework or delays

✅ Client or project owner looking for transparency and control across every variation raised on the project

If you’re involved in delivering a project, and variations are part of your world, this tool keeps you organised, aligned, and ahead of disputes.

Why Do You Need Mastt’s Variation Register Template?

Keeping track of project variations can quickly become messy, especially when you're juggling spreadsheets, emails, and approval chains. Mastt’s variation register template cuts through the chaos.

✔️ Purpose-built for construction projects: Designed by project professionals who understand the complexity of contract variations

✔️ Streamlined format: Clean layout with the fields that actually matter—no filler, no confusion

✔️ Easy to share and update: Keep teams, clients and contractors on the same page without endless back-and-forth

✔️ Fits into your broader project workflow: Use it alongside your risk register, issue tracker and cost tools

Whether you’re managing a single variation or hundreds, this template helps you stay in control and avoid costly surprises.

When Should You Use a Construction Variation Register Template?

If your project involves contract changes—and most do—you need a variation register in place early. Use a variation register from day one of the project—and keep it updated through to final closeout.

Variations can pop up at any stage, and if you're not tracking them properly, things can get missed, delayed, or disputed.

Here’s when you should use it:

• From contract award: Start tracking changes as soon as the contract is signed
• During design development: Capture early changes before they become costly
• Through procurement and tendering: Log scope clarifications and value engineering decisions
• During construction delivery: Track variation claims, approvals, and any scope or site changes
• At each progress claim or client meeting: Use it to support variation reports and discussions
• When assessing or approving variations: Keep a clear record of status and decisions

How to Use A Variation Register Excel Template

A Variation Register Template is designed to help you efficiently manage and track all contract variations.

Here’s how to use it effectively:

1. Start & Customize

Start with a Variation Register template and customize it to suit your project’s specific needs. You can add your company logo, adjust the fields, or include additional columns to capture other relevant details.

2. List Project Variations

For each variation, enter the variation number, a description of the change, and the reason for the variation (e.g., scope change, client request, unforeseen circumstances). This helps keep a record of what the change entails and why it was necessary.

3. Track Key Details

Use the Variation Register template to record key details of each variation, such as the associated contract, the responsible contractor or supplier, and the date the variation was requested. Include the approval date to confirm when the change was officially accepted.

4. Input Financial Information

For every variation, input the original contract amount, the variation amount (whether it increases or decreases the contract value), and the revised contract value. This allows you to keep track of budget impacts resulting from the changes.

5. Monitor the Status of Each Variation

Use the status column in the Variation Register template to track whether each variation is pending approval, approved, in progress, or completed. This helps ensure that all variations are monitored throughout their lifecycle.

6. Assign Accountability

For each variation, designate a responsible person or team who will oversee the implementation of the change. This ensures accountability and timely execution of the variations, all recorded clearly in the Variation Register template.

7. Review and Update Regularly

Regularly review and update the Variation Register to ensure it reflects the latest changes and statuses. Share the updated register with stakeholders during meetings to ensure everyone is aware of the modifications and their impact on the project.

Common Problems with Using a Free Variation Register Excel Template

Many project teams start with Excel to track variations—but it doesn’t take long before the cracks start to show. As the project scales, Excel turns into more of a headache than a help.

Here’s what project managers and owners often struggle with:

⚠️ Manual updates: Every new variation, approval, or cost change has to be typed in. It's slow, repetitive, and easy to get wrong.

⚠️ No single source of truth: Teams end up emailing different versions of the register. Before long, no one’s sure which copy is current or accurate.

⚠️ Zero automation: There are no built-in approvals, alerts, or workflows. You have to chase updates manually, relying on meetings or memory to move things forward.

⚠️ Hard to report: Creating a variation report for a client means filtering, formatting, and checking formulas by hand—every time. It’s time-consuming and error-prone.

⚠️ Poor visibility for stakeholders: Excel files sit in folders or inboxes. Clients and consultants can’t view changes in real time without someone sending updates.

⚠️ No links to contract or cost data: Your variation register lives in isolation. Meanwhile, contract values, claims, and forecasts are managed elsewhere. Nothing connects, which increases the risk of missed impacts.

If you're tired of spreadsheets slowing you down, it's time for a purpose-built solution. Mastt helps you manage variations with less effort, more visibility, and total control.

Using the Variation Register Template with Mastt

The Excel variation register template is a solid starting point. It helps you build structure. But as you start managing multiple contracts—Excel starts to fall short. That’s where Mastt steps in.

With Mastt, you can:

✔️ Create Variations with Ease: Quickly generate variation entries and certificates, streamlining the documentation process.

✔️ Centralized Variation Tracking: Maintain all variations in a single, automated register that updates in real-time with related data changes, ensuring accuracy and consistency.

✔️ Integrated Variations and Payments: Effortlessly add variations and process payments against updated contracts with a single click, reducing administrative burden.

✔️ Comprehensive Reporting: Utilize Mastt's dashboards and reporting tools to gain insights into variations, budgets, and project performance, facilitating informed decision-making.

✔️ Enhanced Collaboration: Share real-time data with stakeholders, improving communication and reducing the risk of misaligned information.

🛠 Many project managers use the Excel variation register template to establish a baseline. Once the structure is in place, they move into Mastt for smarter tracking and faster reporting—without the manual admin.

If you're managing variations in spreadsheets now, Mastt is your next step. It gives you control, clarity, and confidence at any scale.

How to Use the Mastt Variations Register

Mastt’s Variations Register makes it easy to track and manage contract changes—without the manual admin of spreadsheets. You can create, update, and report on variations directly within your project, all in one place.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Open the Variations Tab

Log into your project in Mastt. Go to the Cost module and click on the Variations tab. This is where all your project’s variations live.

Step 2: Add a New Variation

Click the + Add Variation button. A form will open where you can enter key details like:

• Title of the variation
• Related contract
• Category (e.g. scope change, latent condition)
• Status (e.g. draft, approved, in principle)
• Variation amount

Once filled out, hit Add to save it.

Step 3: Edit or Delete Variations

Need to make changes? Click the three dots next to any variation to edit or delete it. If the variation is linked to a payment, you’ll need to remove the payment first before deleting.

Step 4: Add an Extension of Time (EOT)

To log a time-based variation, just add a new variation and enter the number of days in the EOT field. Make sure the contract has a completion date set first.

Step 5: Create Reports

With all your variations in one place, you can quickly create variation reports by clicking Create Report. No formatting needed—just clean, ready-to-use data.

Mastt’s tool gives you a real-time view of all variations, linked to your contracts and budgets. It’s faster, clearer, and way more reliable than juggling spreadsheets.

Take the Next Step

Tried the free variation register template and ready to level up? Start using Mastt to manage variations across all your projects—without the manual effort.

Move beyond static spreadsheets. With Mastt, you can track variations across multiple contracts, link them directly to cost and time impacts, and generate reports instantly—all in one connected platform.

🎯 Start for free and experience a smarter way to manage variations across your projects.

Explore More Helpful Resources

Enhance your expertise in managing construction project variations with Mastt's insightful articles:

• How to Track Contract Variations Like a Pro (with Examples)
• Notice of Variation: Why It Matters
• Top Causes of Variation in Construction Projects

These articles are packed with insights to help project managers and owners strengthen variation processes, avoid disputes, and deliver projects with fewer surprises.