Closing Fixed Price contracts with no activity

[Maria Marilyn M]

So it looks like we have to manually close it if the client no longer responds. Problem is, it will affect the JSS score.  

[Douglas Michael M]

Maria Marilyn,

No. As has been stated here many times, there is no JSS effect based on who closes the contract.

• By closing a contract, you run the risk—not certainty—of the client not leaving feedback, which can lower the JSS if no-feedback contracts are deemed a pattern by Upwork. In the case of an unresponsive client, that risk is already high.
• By not closing a contract by its top secret stale date, you face the certainty—not risk—that Upwork will lower the JSS for a dormant contract.

Best,

Michael

[Maria Marilyn M]

^If dormant contracts affect the JSS score, then that can well be the reason why mine dropped? There are inactive hourly contracts (2) and fixed priced ones (3) that have been there since last year. I've sent multiple emails (like probably every few months) to ask for a feedback and close the contracts but it's either the client doesn't respond or says they will assign tasks soon. 

[Vipin K]

Hi Garnor, 

Is all these discussions applicable to Fixed price contracts or it is the same for Hourly paid contracts too? I mean the +ve (Counted positively towards JSS) and -ve (Counted negatively towards JSS) implications scenarios you have mentioned here.. 

Regards,

Vipin

[Ellenor D]

Can you please just clarify, can clients leave feedback after Upwork contracts have been closed even if no money has changed hands at all for the contract? 

[Avery O]

Hi Ellenor, 

If no money exchange hands in a contract, you should still be able to provide private feedback for the freelancer and/or client when closing the contract and it will contribute to their/your Job Success score. If no money has been paid on a contract, no public feedback will show on the freelancer's Work History. 

[subash d]

Upwork closed 5 of my projects in a month with no feedback. In return my score dropped from 94% to 84%, Now my job turn-overs are very less. Clients prefer freelancers with rating above 90%. 2016 turned out very difficult with hardly any jobs, due to low earnings, inactivity it only kept on decreasing. To survive, I had to look into getting myself in other freelancing sites. I managed to get on Toptal as a front-end developer. My point, upwork should focus more on keeping their loyal, hard-working freelancers close. If a project is inactive for long then it's not always at freelancer's fault.

[Vladimir G]

Hi Subash,

Please note that freelancers can close contracts from their side, in case their clients don't respond to their timely requests to end them. Note that proper communication and client management are as important for freelancers as is the product they are hired to deliver. I'd advise you to ask your client to end your contract if they don't have more work for you as soon as you deliver the final product, which will help to reduce the number of no feedback contracts dramatically. In the meantime, I'd suggest reaching out to clients and working on closing a few open contracts with no activity you have each week.

[Tamaz J]

As time passes things here getting worse and worse virtually in all aspects - starting from "inovations" and ending up with client overal quality.

Is it so difficult for Upwork IT team to add a comment that contract is closed due to client inactivity that others to know that this "no feedback provided" is not a freelancer fault?

[Preston H]

I don't think this would make any difference to clients. Seeing a contract with no feedback is not a big deal for me, as a client. Does not really mean anything bad. A comment saying it was closed due to inactivity would not make it seem better.