What Is a Change Requests Log?

A Change Requests Log is a project document that tracks every formal change request submitted during a project — from initial submission through final disposition. In PMBOK 8, integrated change control is a core process: no change to scope, schedule, cost, or quality baselines is made without a documented request, a formal review, and an explicit approval or rejection decision. The Change Requests Log is the single source of truth for that process, providing an audit trail that protects the project team and enables transparent reporting to stakeholders.

Without a Change Requests Log, scope creep happens silently. Verbal agreements to "add just one more feature" accumulate until the project is weeks late and thousands over budget, with no paper trail explaining why. The log makes every change visible and accountable.

What's Inside This Change Requests Log Example

This Change Requests Log example documents all four change requests submitted during Project Phoenix — a $72,250 website launch for MCG that ran March 17 to June 13, 2025. The spreadsheet captures:

• CR ID — CR-001 through CR-004
• Date Submitted — when the request was formally raised
• Submitted By — requester name and role
• Description — clear statement of the requested change
• Category — Scope, Schedule, Cost, Quality
• Impact Analysis — effect on scope, schedule, cost, and risk
• Recommended Disposition — Approve / Reject / Defer
• Decision — final outcome from the Change Control Board
• Decision Date — when the CCB ruled
• Implementation Notes — how the approved change was executed

How Alex Morgan Used This Change Requests Log

Project Phoenix generated four formal change requests over its 13-week span. Alex Morgan maintained the log in real time and presented it at every status meeting so Riley Park (COO/Sponsor) always had a current view of what was changing and why.

• CR-001 (Week 3): Riley Park requested adding a blog module not in the original scope. Alex performed a 48-hour impact analysis showing it would add $4,200 and 12 days. The CCB approved the scope addition with a corresponding budget and schedule amendment — the right outcome, handled cleanly.
• CR-002 (Week 6): Triggered by the invalidated ASM-007 assumption (content migration underestimated). Alex proposed descoping 60 legacy pages from migration and handling them post-launch. CCB approved, saving 40 hours and keeping the project on the original June 13 deadline.
• CR-003 (Week 8): The development team identified a security requirement for two-factor authentication on the admin panel, not in the original scope. Alex classified it as a mandatory compliance change. CCB approved with no schedule impact — the team absorbed it during a buffer week.
• CR-004 (Week 11): A stakeholder requested a live chat widget integration. Alex's impact analysis showed a 3-week delay and $6,500 cost. CCB rejected and deferred to Phase 2. The log captured the rejection rationale — a decision that proved wise when the live chat vendor raised prices 40% the following quarter.

Of the four CRs, three were approved and one rejected. The approved changes added $4,200 to the budget (CR-001) but were offset by the scope reduction in CR-002. Net change control impact: budget-neutral, schedule-neutral, quality improved.

Download and Customize

This Change Requests Log example is available as a free download. Use it as a reference to build your own change log, or start with the blank template and adapt it to your organization's change control process.

• Download the Change Requests Log Template — PMBOK 8 (blank, ready to use)
• Read the article: Change Requests Log in PMBOK 8 — Guide and Best Practices

Change Requests Log Example: Key Takeaways

The most important lesson from Project Phoenix's Change Requests Log is that CR-004's rejection was just as valuable as the three approvals. Without a formal log and impact analysis, the live chat widget might have been added informally in Week 11 under stakeholder pressure, pushing the project three weeks past the June 13 launch date. The Change Requests Log gave Alex the structured process and documentation to say "no" with evidence, not opinion — and to do so in a way that maintained the sponsor's trust rather than damaging it. That is the real function of integrated change control: not to prevent change, but to make every change a conscious, informed decision.

Want to go deeper? The PMBOK Guide 8th Edition is the definitive reference for modern project management. Get your copy and use it alongside these examples to build a solid, practical understanding of every performance domain.