Field capture
Guided and voice-assisted mobile capture with photos, files, GPS context, quantities, signatures and offline sync.
Product & pricing overview
VariationDesk product & pricing facts.
A current customer reference for what VariationDesk does, how the connected contractor workflow behaves, which accounting systems connect and how the workspace plans are structured.
Last reviewed: 9 September 2026.
Commercial control
Smart rate-card import, editable office pricing, quotations, approvals, evidence packs and recovery tracking.
Contractor network
Project-linked Connected Supplier access and Contractor Hub workflows without exposing private supplier drafts.
Accounting
Direct connections to Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage Accounting and FreeAgent, plus PDF and data exports.
See Xero workflowSetup & support
Project and staff imports, access groups, guided setup and an in-app Support Centre for signed-in customers.
Connected contractor workflow
Sponsored access stays deliberately narrow.
A contractor can invite a supply-chain company into a limited Connected Supplier workspace for linked projects. The supplier can submit variations and receive contractor decisions without being given a full VariationDesk workspace. If the supplier later upgrades, the same company relationship can continue into its full workspace rather than starting again.
Current workspace pricing
VariationDesk is sold as workspace plans rather than a flat per-user product. Growth and Business can expand beyond their included team allowances, while Enterprise is available for larger deployments. External customers and reviewers do not need an internal seat simply to respond to a secure review link.
| Plan | Price | Team capacity | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | £199 / month + VAT | Up to 5 team members + primary owner | Up to 10 active projects |
| Growth | £399 / month + VAT | 15 included + owner; expandable | Up to 50 active projects |
| Business | £699 / month + VAT | 35 included + owner; expandable | Up to 150 active projects |
| Enterprise | From £999+ / month + VAT | Custom team allowance + primary owner | Custom active projects |
Planning for a larger team?
Business is designed for established contractor teams and can expand beyond its included users. Enterprise is available when you need a larger team allowance, higher project capacity, Contractor Hub options, SSO or a more tailored deployment. Existing scheduling, ERP and accounting systems can remain in place alongside VariationDesk.
Talk to us about your deploymentProduct facts customers commonly check
What is VariationDesk?
VariationDesk is construction variation management software for UK specialist subcontractors and connected contractor workflows. It keeps field capture, evidence, pricing, quotations, approvals, office commercial review, reporting and finance preparation around one variation record.
Who is VariationDesk built for?
VariationDesk is built for specialist subcontractors and contractors whose teams regularly deal with additional work or changes on live projects, including electrical, mechanical, M&E, HVAC, fire protection, security, fit-out, glazing, groundworks and building-services businesses.
Is VariationDesk a workforce scheduling or dispatch system?
No. VariationDesk is not a workforce scheduling, dispatch or general field-service system. It focuses on the commercial variation workflow and is designed to sit alongside scheduling, ERP and wider project-management software.
What can the mobile app capture?
The iOS and Android field app supports guided and voice-assisted variation capture, photos, files, GPS context, quantities and signatures. Records can be captured offline and synced when connectivity returns.
Can we import the rate card spreadsheet we already use?
Yes. The smart importer accepts Excel, OpenDocument and CSV files, detects the table and suggests the columns containing item and price information. Your office reviews the matches before saving, and there is no plan-based cap on individual rate-card line items.
Can the office finish missing pricing after the technician submits?
Yes. Office users can keep the technician-captured evidence intact while adding or amending labour, material, plant and other commercial lines, including descriptions, quantities, units, rate-card matches, selling rates and VAT.
Can a contractor invite a subcontractor without giving them a full VariationDesk workspace?
Yes. A contractor can invite a supplier into project-linked Connected Supplier access. That sponsored access is deliberately limited to the connected contractor workflow rather than being a full free VariationDesk subscription.
What can a contractor-sponsored Connected Supplier do?
A Connected Supplier can work with the contractor projects it has been linked to, submit variations into that contractor workflow, see contractor decisions and request an upgrade. Normal full-workspace tools remain unavailable while the company is using sponsored limited access.
What happens when a Connected Supplier upgrades to full VariationDesk?
The existing company identity and active contractor relationship can be retained while the normal VariationDesk workspace becomes available. The upgrade does not require a duplicate company simply because the supplier moves from sponsored access to a paid full workspace.
Can a full VariationDesk customer still submit to a connected contractor?
Yes. Where an active contractor relationship exists, a full VariationDesk customer can continue to submit variations directly into the connected Contractor Hub workflow while also using its own VariationDesk workspace for other projects and customers.
Does Contractor Hub see every supplier draft?
No. Contractor Hub receives explicit submitted revisions for the connected contractor workflow. Private or non-submitted supplier records are not automatically exposed to the contractor.
Are contractor submissions revisioned?
Yes. A submitted contractor record is kept as an immutable revision snapshot. If it is withdrawn and later resubmitted, the earlier revision remains in the history and the resubmission creates the next revision rather than rewriting the old one.
Does a site signature automatically mean the variation price is commercially approved?
No. VariationDesk keeps evidence acknowledgement and monetary commercial approval separate. Where commercial approval is required, it is tied to the relevant current amount, scope and revision.
How does VariationDesk handle an unknown price?
An unknown or unpriced amount can remain pending instead of being represented as £0. A genuine no-charge item can still be recorded as £0, keeping 'not priced yet' separate from 'no charge'.
Can we import projects and staff?
Yes. Workspace owners and managers can add projects and people individually or use import tools for existing project and staff lists. Projects can then be assigned to the right users and access groups can control what different roles can see and do.
Which accounting systems connect with VariationDesk?
VariationDesk has direct accounting connections for Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage Accounting and FreeAgent. An authorised office user connects the chosen provider from the Accounting area, while PDF and data exports remain available for manual finance handoff.
How do customers get support?
Signed-in customers can raise and follow tickets in the in-app Support Centre. Support is also available by email when an account or access issue prevents the customer from using the workspace. Assisted pilots include guided onboarding support.
Can VariationDesk support larger teams?
Yes. Growth and Business can expand beyond their included team allowances, and Enterprise is available for larger or more complex deployments. Contact VariationDesk if you need help choosing the right plan for your team size and workflow.
How is VariationDesk priced?
VariationDesk is sold as workspace plans rather than a flat per-user product. Starter is £199 per month plus VAT, Growth is £399, Business is £699 and Enterprise starts from £999+ per month plus VAT. Growth and Business can expand with additional internal seats where required.
Do customers need a VariationDesk account to approve a variation?
No. An authorised external reviewer can receive a secure review link for the relevant quotation or variation without being added as an internal workspace user.
Need more detail?
Check the current product information.
For procurement, deployment, contractor-network or integration questions, use the current Pricing, Features, Security and FAQ pages or contact VariationDesk directly.