A schedule of values (SOV) is the breakdown of your total contract price into a list of line items, each with a dollar value. It is the foundation of progress billing: every pay application measures progress against the SOV, so getting it right up front makes every future bill faster and far less likely to be disputed.
What a schedule of values is
It is an itemized list where each line represents a portion of your scope plus the dollar value assigned to it. Critically, all the line values add up to your contract sum. On the AIA forms, the SOV lives on the G703 continuation sheet, and its totals roll up to the G702.
Why it matters
The SOV is how everyone agrees on “percent complete.” Each period you report how much of each line is done, the GC reviews it against the SOV, and that determines what gets paid. A clean, logical SOV means fewer questions and faster approvals; a vague or front-loaded one means delays.
How to build a schedule of values
- Divide your scope into logical line items — by phase, by building system, or by CSI division. Enough detail to bill meaningfully, not so much that it is unmanageable.
- Assign a value to each line, distributing overhead and profit across the lines (or as their own line) so the numbers stay realistic.
- Make sure every line sums to the contract sum. This is the number-one thing a GC checks.
- Get it approved before your first pay application. Once approved, it becomes the yardstick for the whole job.
Front-loading (and why GCs push back)
Front-loading means assigning extra value to early line items to pull cash forward. General contractors scrutinize this closely because it means paying for more than is actually in place. Keep your values defensible — it protects your relationship and your next pay app.
Keeping the SOV accurate over time
- Add approved change orders as new lines so the SOV always ties to the adjusted contract sum.
- Track stored materials separately so they flow into the right G703 column and the correct retainage treatment.
SOV and the AIA forms
Each SOV line becomes a row on the G703 (columns A through C). Each period you fill in progress, and the totals flow onto Line 4 of the G702. In other words, the schedule of values is the spine that the entire pay application hangs on.
Stop building pay apps in a spreadsheet
DrawFort fills in the carry-forward, computes retainage and current payment due, handles change orders, and exports a clean G702/G703 PDF your GC can approve at a glance.