Simpro
Simpro runs two kinds of variation. Pick the right one.
Simpro is one of the few job-management systems with a real variations story — two of them, in fact. Variation cost centres handle the quick, on-the-job cases. Linked variations run extra work through the full quote-and-accept process as its own record. Here's how both work, and the one step neither automates.
Two variation types Negative values allowed US accounts say “change order”
Where we stand: we build ScopeLock, a variation-approval tool for Australian trades, and we say where that creates a bias. The Simpro mechanics below come from Simpro's own help guide and a certified-consultant walkthrough, read on 24 August 2026 and linked at the bottom.
01 — The short version
Same job or new job — that's the choice.
Simpro's help guide defines variations as extra works outside the scope of the original job, or add-ons the customer requested — and gives you two ways to hold them. A variation cost centre keeps the change on the original job, fast and informal. A linked variation is a separate quote or job tied back to the original, for when the customer needs to formally accept a price. One naming note for anyone reading US material: Simpro Premium accounts in the United States call these change orders instead of variations — same features, different word.
02 — Variation cost centres
The quick one — a variation section on the job itself.
Open the job
Go to the job the change belongs to and open the cost centre list.
Add a variation cost centre
Add the variation's parts and labour to it. Cost centres take negative values too — if the customer removes an item or substitutes a part, enter it with a negative quantity and the job total adjusts.
Declined? Mark it, don't delete it
If the customer says no, select the cost centre and mark it as declined from the footer menu. Declined variations don't appear on the invoice, but the data survives if they change their mind.
Tell the customer in a form
Send the updated scope and costs using a job form template. Keep the primary cost centres as the original scope and every change in variation cost centres — the delineation is the whole point.
Cost-centre variations are the right tool for do-and-charge or cost-plus work, and for any change that doesn't need formal quote acceptance. The weakness is the paperwork's word against theirs: sending the customer an update is not the customer accepting it, and “I never saw that email” is a complete defence at invoice time.
03 — Linked variations
The formal one — its own quote, tied to the job.
Open the job → Linked Variations tab
In the job's cost centre list, open the Linked Variations tab and create a new linked variation job or quote.
Run your normal quote process
The linked variation is its own quote or job — findable in your quote and job lists, and linked from the original job's tab. Send it through the usual Estimate → Quote → Accept flow.
Accepted? Pick a lane
Either convert it to a job and run it separately, or merge it into the original: right-click the job, choose Merge Quote, enter the job number and tick “Merge Sections as Variations”.
Nothing vanishes
Merged quotes move to Closed/Archived, count as converted in BI and sales reports, and the merger is logged in the quote and job logs. Linked variations are invoiced separately from the original job through the standard invoicing process.
04 — Where it still slips
The system holds the variation. It doesn't fetch the signature.
Simpro's mechanics are solid — the only soft point is human. A linked-variation quote is the strong version of approval, but it's desk work: create, send, wait, merge. Nobody does all that for two extra downlights at 2pm, which is why, as one Simpro consultant's walkthrough puts it, a verbal contract is never enough — and why the extras that get skipped are never the big ones.
That's the moment we built ScopeLock for, bias declared: price the extra on your phone in about a minute, the customer signs on theirs, and both of you keep a signed, timestamped PDF you can attach to the Simpro job. It doesn't replace either variation type — the costing still belongs in Simpro — it just makes sure the approval exists before the work starts. Free under A$500, and it doesn't touch your Simpro bill.
Straight answers
Questions people actually ask.
What's the difference between a variation and a linked variation in Simpro?
A variation cost centre is a section on the original job holding the extra parts and labour — quick, but it carries no formal customer acceptance. A linked variation is a separate quote or job tied back to the original, which runs through Simpro's standard quote-and-accept process and is invoiced separately. Use cost centres for informal or do-and-charge extras; use linked variations when the customer needs to accept a price.
How do I handle a declined variation in Simpro?
Don't delete it. Select the variation cost centre and mark it as declined from the footer menu — declined variations disappear from the invoice but stay on the job. If the customer changes their mind later, the record and the pricing are still there.
What does Simpro call variations in the US?
Change orders. Simpro's help guide notes that if you use Simpro Premium in the United States, the term “change order” is used instead of “variation” — the features are the same, only the label changes.
Can a Simpro variation be negative?
Yes. Cost centres accept negative values, so when a customer removes an item or substitutes something cheaper, add it to a variation cost centre with a negative quantity. The overall job value adjusts, it's clearly labelled as a variation at invoice time, and it's much cleaner than credit notes or unlocking job cost centres.
Method
Where these answers came from.
Vendor screens and features are taken from each publisher's own website or help centre on the date shown. Nothing here is sponsored and no vendor has reviewed this page.
If something's changed, tell us and we'll fix it — an out-of-date guide is worse than none.
The next one's coming
The next “can you just” is already on its way.
Price it on your phone, they sign on theirs, you both keep the PDF. Under A$500 it costs you nothing, ever.
No card, no trial clock. Your customer doesn't need an account.