> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.clarely.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Locked terms

> What happens when a client signs, and why it protects you.

A client who says "that's not what we agreed to" is the most common headache in service work. Locked terms is how Clarely stops it from turning into an argument.

## The problem it solves

Without a signed, unchangeable record, a disagreement about what was agreed comes down to your word against your client's. You either do the extra work for free or have an uncomfortable conversation you weren't ready for.

## How it works

The moment your client signs a quote, Clarely saves an exact copy of everything on it — every line item, every price, every term — and locks it. That copy never changes afterward, no matter what happens to the quote later, and no one can edit it. Not your client. Not you.

If a client later says they expected something different, open the signed quote and show them exactly what they agreed to, along with their name and the date they signed.

## What's locked

* Every line item: description, quantity, price
* The total
* Your contract terms
* The payment schedule

## What it doesn't cover

Locked terms only covers what was on the quote at signing. If you agree to something extra afterward — even verbally — that addition isn't protected on its own. For unrelated new work, [create a new quote](/quotes/create-quote). For extra work on a project that's already signed, use a [change order](/quotes/change-orders) instead — it adds to the project without touching the original agreement.

## What to do next

See [Digital signature](/quotes/digital-signature) for exactly what gets recorded when your client signs, or start [creating a quote](/quotes/create-quote).