AIA Schedule of Values for G703 Pay Applications: How GCs Set Up SOV Lines Without Rebuilding Excel

Answer first: To set up an AIA schedule of values for a G703 pay application, break the contract sum into CSI phase lines that stay consistent all job, type the scheduled value on each line, add approved change orders as their own rows, bill progress from Gantt percent complete, post Stored materials when product is on site, then complete G703 columns from that same record before you roll totals to G702. The SOV is the billing basis. It should not be a second spreadsheet you rebuild at month end.

If you already filled out G702 and need the line-map, start with how to build an AIA G702/G703 pay app from the schedule. This article goes deeper on the schedule of values itself: how GCs set up SOV lines for the G703 continuation sheet without inventing a parallel Excel grid.

The American Institute of Architects is explicit: G703 breaks the contract sum into portions of work in accordance with a schedule of values prepared by the contractor as required by the general conditions. See AIA instructions for G703-1992, Continuation Sheet. Columns A, B, and C identify each portion and its scheduled value. Column F is materials presently stored. Column G is total completed and stored to date. The AIA also notes it does not publish a standard schedule of values form. You still owe a consistent SOV story every period. This post is operational guidance, not legal advice. Follow your contract, and do not treat an AIA-style pencil copy as a licensed AIA Contract Document.

AIA G703 Excel and SOV templates: why the workbook drifts

Search traffic clusters on AIA G703 Excel, G703 schedule of values, and schedule of values Excel template because the first billing period feels easy in a workbook. By period three, the owner asks why Column C no longer foots to contract sum, stored materials live in a side tab, and the Gantt says 35 percent while the spreadsheet says 50.

This guide is AIA schedule of values setup for G703 pay applications tied to one job record, not a free Excel download. Use the steps below so SOV lines, Gantt progress, and Stored materials stay aligned before you Generate Draft.

G703 columns mapped to your schedule of values

Use this table when you review a G703-style continuation sheet against the live SOV. It paraphrases the AIA column definitions; follow your contract for the official form your owner requires.

G703 continuation sheet columns mapped to schedule of values and field progress

G703 column	What it means on the job	Where the number comes from
A / B / C: Item, description, scheduled value	Each SOV line and its budget dollars	CSI schedule of values at job start, adjusted by approved change orders
D: Work completed from previous applications	Cumulative work billed on prior periods	Last committed pay app, not a rebuilt Excel column
E: Work completed this period	New work installed this billing cycle	Gantt / schedule percent complete by phase, same week the work happened
F: Materials presently stored	Product on site, not yet installed	Stored materials on the SOV line with tickets and photos
G: Total completed and stored to date	D + E + F on each line	Must match what the field and SOV can defend
H: Balance to finish	Scheduled value minus Column G	Surfaces front-loaded or stale SOV lines early

Pay application errors are not rare. Siteline's State of Subcontractor Billing in 2026 survey of 492 construction finance and operations professionals (May 2026) found that pay application errors and omissions were the biggest internal cause of late payment. That study focuses on subcontractors, but the SOV mismatch pattern is the same on the GC side: if Column G does not match field progress, the architect kicks the period back. See Siteline's August 2026 write-up.

Step 1: Structure SOV lines to match CSI phases and contract scope

1. List phases the owner and architect will recognize on the G703: by CSI division or by major scope (sitework, concrete, steel, MEP rough-in).
2. Keep line descriptions stable. Renaming SOV rows every month breaks Column D history.
3. Match the spec book and the WBS you progress on the Gantt so Concrete on the SOV is Concrete on the schedule.

The AIA expects the breakdown to remain consistent throughout the project. That is why a one-time SOV setup matters more than a clever first-period Excel layout.

Step 2: Type scheduled values that foot to contract sum

1. Enter the dollar amount the contract allots to each line. This is G703 Column C.
2. Subtotal scheduled values. The total must equal original contract sum before change orders.
3. Avoid front-loading: do not pile margin into early lines to inflate the first draws. Owners and architects challenge that on the second application.

On a small commercial job, 15 to 40 lines is typical. Enough detail to bill honestly, not so many lines that month-end is clerical work.

Step 3: Add approved change orders as their own SOV rows

1. When a change order is approved, increase contract sum and show it on the SOV: new line or adjusted phase total.
2. Leave unapproved extras off billed columns. Document them as change orders, not silent percent complete.
3. For verbal directives that never became a COR, see change orders from daily logs.

If approved extras never reach the SOV, G703 Column C stops telling the truth about contract sum. That is a common kick-back on period two or three.

Step 4: Link billable lines to Gantt progress and Stored materials

1. Update task percent complete on the Gantt or lookahead the same week the work happened.
2. Post Stored materials on the SOV when materials are delivered but not installed. Column F recalculates every period per AIA instructions.
3. If weather stopped outdoor work, the schedule should show it before the SOV bills it. See how to document construction weather delays.

Daily logs prove the week. They are not a substitute SOV. Billing follows schedule progress; logs support the story.

Step 5: Complete G703 columns, then roll totals to G702

1. Fill Columns D through H on each SOV line from the same record you used for field progress.
2. Confirm Column G divided by Column C matches the percent complete you can defend with photos and logs.
3. Transfer G703 totals to G702, set retainage and previous payments, preview the pencil copy, then submit on the contract path.

AIA's using notes say to complete G703 first, then move summary information to G702. Software can assemble the pencil copy. It does not replace the reviewer's eye.

How BalanceBuild Pro keeps the SOV off Excel

See construction pay applications in BalanceBuild Pro for the 10-minute walkthrough: From Gantt meter, CSI rail, Generate Draft, then QuickBooks.

BalanceBuild Pro is commercial construction management software for general contractors. Financials holds the CSI schedule of values: budget amount, Stored materials, billed to date, and remaining on each line.

Linked SOV lines show a From Gantt meter, the same brand-blue progress bar as the Gantt task list. CSI divisions share a left rail and chip on both screens. You can jump from an SOV row to the matching Gantt summary and back. Custom or unlinked lines show a dash until you connect them.

You do not have to run the job through the Agentic project wizard. Create the project manually, add SOV lines, and type the dollars if you prefer. The wizard reads specification PDFs so CSI and the WBS can come from the spec book. Either way, you still type the contract dollars. The wizard does not replace that entry.

When you Generate Draft, pay-app line percent averages tasks that share the phase name, with CSI special cases. Preview the G702/G703-style pencil copy. Nothing hits billed-to-date until you Commit. PDFs are AIA-style pencil copies, not licensed AIA Contract Documents.

Public plans start at $49/mo (Base: 1 active project, 2 seats, AI voice logs, Gantt, 12-month price lock, 30-day trial, no credit card). CSI pay apps live in Financials. Builder Pro at $199/mo is the plan where we name financial dashboards, more seats, and up to 6 live jobs.

FAQ

What is a schedule of values on an AIA G703 pay application?

The schedule of values is the contractor's breakdown of the contract sum into billable portions of work. AIA Document G703 is the continuation sheet that lists each SOV line with scheduled value, work completed, stored materials, percent complete, and balance to finish. G702 summarizes those lines into the current payment request.

Does the AIA publish a standard schedule of values Excel template?

No. AIA Contract Documents include G702 and G703 forms, but the AIA does not publish a standard schedule of values workbook. You prepare the SOV breakdown and keep it consistent with the G703 lines your owner reviews each period. This guide is not a licensed AIA Contract Document and not a free template download.

How many line items belong on a commercial schedule of values?

Most small commercial jobs run roughly 15 to 40 SOV lines depending on contract size and CSI depth. Enough lines that an owner can see where dollars sit, not so many that month-end becomes data entry. Match the spec book and the way you manage the Gantt.

What is the difference between G703 scheduled value and Gantt percent complete?

Scheduled value is the budget dollars on the SOV line (G703 Column C). Percent complete is work and stored materials to date divided by that value (Column G divided by Column C). The Gantt should drive the story behind Column E. If they disagree, fix the schedule or SOV before you Generate Draft.

How do change orders appear on the schedule of values?

Approved additive change orders increase contract sum and should appear on their own SOV line or in the affected phase total. Unapproved extras stay off the billed column until they are approved. For field directives that never reached the SOV, see change orders from daily logs.

How does BalanceBuild Pro set up CSI schedule of values for pay apps?

On Financials, type budget dollars on CSI-coded SOV lines, link phases to Gantt summaries for a From Gantt meter, post Stored materials, then Generate Draft for a G702/G703-style pencil copy. You can build the SOV by hand or use the optional Agentic project wizard to map CSI from specification PDFs.

Ready to stop rebuilding the SOV in Excel? See BalanceBuild Pro or book a discovery call.

AIA, AIA Contract Documents, G702, and G703 are registered trademarks of The American Institute of Architects. Balance & Build Consulting, LLC is not affiliated with the AIA. This article is educational and is not legal advice.