Account Setup & Scope of Work: the full procedure

Translate a signed cleaning contract into a clear, per-site scope of work that tells cleaners exactly what to clean, where, how often, and how long it should take.

• Applies to: Owner or account manager.
• Frequency: Each new account (and on any contract change or scope revision).
• Scope: A business setup process that converts the contract into a site-specific cleaning spec, site map, and access plan, then sets the labor hours by workloading. It does not cover the field cleaning tasks themselves.

What you need

• Signed contract
• Scope-of-work / cleaning-spec template
• Site walkthrough checklist
• ISSA workloading times
• Floor plan / site map

The procedure, step by step

1. Read the contract — Pull every cleaning obligation, exclusion, and special term out of the signed agreement before you set foot on site.
2. Walk the site — Tour every room and zone with the contract in hand, noting floor types, fixtures, restrooms, square footage, and problem areas.
3. Build the cleaning spec — List each area with its tasks and frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly) so nothing is left to guesswork.
4. Capture special instructions — Record client-specific rules — restricted rooms, sensitive equipment, preferred products, pet/allergy notes, security expectations.
5. Map access & security — Document entry method, alarm codes, key/fob handling, parking, supply closet location, and after-hours contacts.
6. Workload the site — Use ISSA cleaning-times standards (task time × frequency) to calculate the labor hours the spec actually requires.
7. Assign & schedule — Match the workloaded hours to a cleaner or crew and set the service days and start/end windows.
8. Confirm with the client — Review the finished spec and schedule with the client so expectations are aligned and signed off before the first clean.

Quality check before you finish

• Every contracted task appears on the spec with a frequency.
• Square footage and floor types recorded for each area.
• Access codes and key handling documented and stored securely.
• Special/restricted areas clearly flagged.
• Labor hours calculated from a workloading method, not a guess.
• Client has reviewed and approved the final scope.
• Site map attached and legible.

This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Commercial / Office Cleaning business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.

Sources

• ISSA CIMS — Documented Scope of Work (issa.com)
• ISSA Workloading / Cleaning Times Standard (issa.com)
• Janitorial Manager — Applying ISSA Cleaning Times (janitorialmanager.com)