Shopify ongoing website management scope template (for agencies)
“Ongoing website management” is often sold like a retainer.
But it’s not the same as “support.”
In a good management scope, you define work categories that are expected to happen continuously:
- content updates and landing pages
- merchandising changes (collections, promos, navigation)
- small technical fixes and improvements
- reporting and planning
If you don’t define those categories and the boundaries, the engagement becomes a grab bag of feature requests.
Below is a copy/paste Shopify ongoing management scope you can use in Google Docs.
If you want management scopes to be consistent and delegable across your team, RuleDox can assemble the right scope version inside Google Docs from package inputs (hours, SLA tier, included work types, reporting cadence).
Assemble a management scope in Google Docs → https://ruledox.app/live-demo
Who this template is for
- Shopify agencies offering ongoing site management (not just break/fix)
- Teams that need predictable cadence and clear escalation rules
- Clients who want continuous improvements but still need boundaries
Who it’s not for
- Clients who want new features and redesigns without scoping
- Teams without a work intake system (email-only is a risk)
TL;DR (what must be explicit)
- included work categories (with examples)
- excluded work categories
- intake + prioritization system
- SLAs (response vs resolution)
- release cadence
- reporting cadence
- escalation path for out-of-scope requests
How to use: Copy this into your scope doc. Delete what you don’t offer. Replace bracketed fields.
1) Engagement overview
Client: [Client name]
Service: Shopify ongoing website management
Start date: [date]
Term: [month-to-month / 3 months / 6 months]
Primary objective: maintain a healthy storefront and ship continuous improvements safely.
2) Included work categories (examples)
Use examples so the scope is interpretable.
2.1 Content updates
- create/update content pages using existing templates
- update copy and imagery for existing pages
2.2 Merchandising
- collection curation and rules
- navigation adjustments
- promo landing page setup (within existing components)
2.3 Small development improvements
- small theme tweaks
- bug fixes
- minor component changes within agreed complexity limits
2.4 QA & release management
- staging review
- basic regression testing on impacted flows
- publish/release coordination
2.5 Planning & reporting
- monthly review of backlog and priorities
- reporting per cadence below
3) Excluded work categories
Unless explicitly included:
- major redesigns and new template builds
- net-new feature discovery and implementation
- custom app development
- complex performance optimization targets
- SEO strategy/content production (separate scope)
4) Intake process (how work enters the queue)
Request channel: [ticketing/board/email alias]
Required request info:
- description + URL/template affected
- expected outcome (“done means…”)
- priority and deadline
5) SLAs (service levels)
Business hours: [e.g., Mon–Fri 9am–6pm SGT]
Response targets:
- P1 (site down/checkout broken): [X] hours
- P2 (major issue): [X] hours
- P3 (standard change): [X] business days
Resolution depends on complexity and may require estimate/approval.
6) Release cadence
Pick one:
- weekly batch releases
- biweekly releases
- continuous (higher QA overhead)
7) Reporting cadence
Pick one:
- weekly summary
- monthly summary
- quarterly review
8) Escalation process
If a request is out of scope or exceeds capacity:
- agency flags it in writing
- provides estimate/timeline
- client approver signs off before work begins
9) Assumptions
- client provides access and timely approvals
- third-party app vendors may affect timelines
Variables (inputs) that change the scope
- hours per month and rollover policy
- SLA tier (business hours vs on-call)
- included work types (content only vs dev + merchandising)
- release cadence
- reporting cadence
- escalation/approval path
How RuleDox helps
Ongoing management becomes messy when every client gets a slightly different doc.
RuleDox can assemble a consistent management scope in Google Docs from package inputs (hours, SLA, included work types, reporting cadence), so your team doesn’t renegotiate scope language every month.
Assemble a management scope in Google Docs → https://ruledox.app/live-demo
Related templates
- Retainer scope: https://ruledox.app/content/shopify/shopify-retainer-scope
- Store build scope: https://ruledox.app/content/shopify/shopify-store-build-scope-of-work
FAQ
How is “ongoing management” different from a support retainer?
Support retainers are often reactive (bugs, requests). Management includes proactive merchandising/content cadence, planning, and reporting—still with boundaries.