What a proposal does
A proposal helps a potential client decide whether to hire you. It usually explains the problem, your recommended approach, relevant experience, expected value, options, pricing, and the next step. Its job is persuasion and alignment.
A proposal may contain a short scope, but sales language alone rarely provides enough operational detail for delivery.
What a scope of work does
A scope of work describes the specific engagement. It names the outcome, deliverables, exclusions, schedule, responsibilities, fees, payment plan, revisions, and process for changes. Its job is to make execution and acceptance clear.
The SOW can be an attachment to a master services agreement, a schedule under a contract, or a section inside a combined agreement.
What a contract does
A contract defines the legal relationship. It commonly covers intellectual property, confidentiality, warranties, liability, termination, dispute handling, governing law, and other rights or obligations that apply beyond a task list.
Scopeezy helps organize project and commercial details, but it does not replace advice from a qualified legal professional.
A simple document sequence
For a small project, a single signed document may combine proposal, SOW, and core terms. For repeat client work, teams often sign a master agreement once and issue a new SOW for each project. For an early sales conversation, send a proposal first, then finalize the SOW after the client chooses an approach.
Whatever format you use, avoid conflicting numbers, dates, or deliverables across documents. State which document controls if terms conflict.