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Feature Releases: Freelancer Initiated Milestones, Notepad in Messages and Client Rehire Button

lenaellis
Community Member

Hi everyone,

We have several new features that will be release in the next two weeks that we hope you will find useful. Let us know your feedback. 

 

Freelancer Initiated Milestones:

This week, freelancers and agencies will be able to propose milestones when submitting proposals for fixed-price projects over $100. This functionality can be found in the “Describe your terms” section of the proposal.
Freelancers will see an option to divide the work into milestones, providing each with a description, amount, and optional due date. Clients will have the option to edit milestones as part of the offer process, giving freelancers the ability to accept or decline.

 

This has been a request from our Community for a long time and we are glad to finally share this update with you all. We hope that by having freelancers initiate the milestones, they can better explain their bid amount and demonstrate their approach to the work.

We will be expanding this functionality into contracts, allowing freelancers to add milestones on active contracts in the coming months. To learn more check out our blog post here.


FL Milestones.png

FL Milestones 2.png

 

Private Notepad in Messages:
In Messages, freelancers and clients will soon see a notepad feature giving you the ability to take private notes directly next to your conversations. This can be useful for compiling short to-do lists or to jot down your thoughts during interviews.

To access your personal notepad, click inside any Messages conversation. You’ll see a "notes" icon on the top right of your screen. By clicking the icon, you’ll open or close the notepad. Simply type within the provided field, and your notes will automatically save for you to access at any time. Your notes are only visible to you, and are specific to the Messages room you took them in.

personal notepad.png


Client Rehire Freelancer Button:

Clients will soon see a “Rehire a Freelancer” button on their My Jobs page. When clicking on the “Rehire a Freelancer” button in the upper right corner, clients can then select the freelancer they would like to rehire and send them an offer. By utilizing the rehire button, we hope to make the experience easier and quicker for clients to find and work with a past freelancer, again.

 

rehire button.png

 

 

 

rehirefl.png

 

 

Let us know if you have any questions on these features!

34 Comments
cupidmedia
Community Member

@Lena E wrote:

Hi everyone,

We have several new features that will be release in the next two weeks that we hope you will find useful. Let us know your feedback. 

 

Freelancer Initiated Milestones:

This week, freelancers and agencies will be able to propose milestones when submitting proposals for fixed-price projects over $100. This functionality can be found in the “Describe your terms” section of the proposal.
Freelancers will see an option to divide the work into milestones, providing each with a description, amount, and optional due date. Clients will have the option to edit milestones as part of the offer process, giving freelancers the ability to accept or decline.

 

This has been a request from our Community for a long time and we are glad to finally share this update with you all. We hope that by having freelancers initiate the milestones, they can better explain their bid amount and demonstrate their approach to the work.

We will be expanding this functionality into contracts, allowing freelancers to add milestones on active contracts in the coming months. To learn more check out our blog post here.

 

...(snip)

 

Let us know if you have any questions on these features!


 I received a proposal with a freelancer-initiated milestone for the first time today. While my posted budget was over $100 (it was $140), the freelancer's *proposal* was under $100 - they proposed one milestone of $19. Not sure if this is intended?

jessicasimko
Community Member

Lena, what is the purpose of the milestone feature?  I am setting it at just one milestone yet the client overrides it and sets milestones, only funds part of the job,  and I STILL have to tell the client I don't work in milestones.  This is no different than it was before? 


 

 

wendy_writes
Community Member

Having submitted a proposal today and encountering the milestone 'feature' it is really, really important that providers put a caveat in the written proposal stating that your 1st  milestone quote is not indicative of the full price.

 

Explain that the system requires it but that you can not estimate total cost of project nor confirmed delivery date (SOP 99% of the time anyway).

 

Having encountered the feature, it fails to do what it is intended to do. What should have been done - had anyone at U asked providers - was to ask for an estimate of the project AND the cost of the 1st milestone. 

 

There is no sense in adding the 2nd or 3rd milestone because we still don't know the full scope of the project without communication with the potential client.  

 

As it stands now, the 'feature' is both confusing and, for the client, grossly misleading.

 

Yep, the litany of "please ask providers before implementing a feature" is getting old. Sadly, it remains true.

AveryO
Community Manager

Hi Jessica, 

This feature release allows freelancers to propose milestones as part of the proposal process to help freelancers better explain your total bid amount, and demonstrate your approach to the projcet. Clients are able to edit, or change the milestones when they make an offer.

 

In the near future we will be expanding this release to allow for freelancers to also edit milestones on active contracts. However, we recommend to both freelancers and clients to discuss the work before sending or accepting an offer.

 

If you prefer to work as one lump sum, and the client in separate milestones, we would recommend that you communicate with them about the best way to approach the project.

afifield
Community Member

I personally like the fact that I can now do milestones. I have a big project that I was able to break down for a new client I have, and she was pleased that it could be done that way. For this project, I gave 1 milestone and about what I expected for all work described{to be fair it was also very detailed}, and then after being interviewed by the client and having asked for her exact needs, I then broke it down into 3 milestones and fixed the quote so it would more accurate in 3 milestones, which the client approved.

 

I do see Wendy's point though that you can't do it like that with all bids if you don't have all the info. 

 

boshoffirene
Community Member

Tis a **bleep**tle pot...

wendy_writes
Community Member

I'm a loud advocate of the ability to set milestones; always have been. Especially when it comes to adding on to current or reactivating existing jobs with/for the next piece of work needed.

 

The problem in the bid situation I described (and that exists as it now stands) is that there is no way to give the potential client an estimate for the full job.  That is, other than using the caveat I mentioned above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

wendy_writes
Community Member

Adding to above post 'cos system wouldn't let me edit it ...

 

If anyone can come up with an effective work-around to this -  please share!!!!

Anonymous-User
Not applicable

@Wendy C wrote:

I'm a loud advocate of the ability to set milestones; always have been. Especially when it comes to adding on to current or reactivating existing jobs with/for the next piece of work needed.

 

The problem in the bid situation I described (and that exists as it now stands) is that there is no way to give the potential client an estimate for the full job.  That is, other than using the caveat I mentioned above.

 

 _____________________________

 

I have now used the feature for the first time and found it does not make sense to set up any milestones before I have spoken to the client. I also would have prefered an hourly contract in this case. As you described, with several milestones you cannot define the budget for the whole project. Therefore I have chosen one milestone for the whole project and defined the budget for this, because this was the only chance to leave a cost estimation for the whole project although it might be more comfortable for the client and me to set up several milestones.

  

monestermu
Community Member

I think it's not very flexible as on Elance.
For example, I accept a $500 budget project invitation with 2 mile. $300 and $200. But the client sends me an offer with two already funded mile. $150 and $150. Now i have three option Message the client, Accept Or Decline the offer, but no option to update the Milestone agreement!