In the real world

colettelewis · ‎11-08-2018

I have off-site clients that go back to the beginning of 20.. Some I have never heard from again. Some get in touch every now and then. Some are ongoing. Despite several major computer crashes in this time, I have still managed, through my gmail account, to recover many lost files and conversations that are important to my work and to glossaries and indexes I have created.

On what was formerly oDesk and now Upwork, I have one ongoing client going back to (I think) about 2011. I am trying to check back on messages and files I have sent to this client. I have just been told by CS that I can no longer access communication or files that are older than 2015.

This is unacceptable. A freelancer should be able to access messages of any client that has paid them regardless of time. My messages are crammed with people who have never hired me, who I couldn't care less about, and yet who I have to put up with because I can't archive them.

Messages and files from my real clients are now hidden (deleted) from me because Upwork has decided 2015 is the cut-off point. I would like an explanation. One which is not prefaced by "I'm sorry you feel this way Nichola" or fudged by "you will appreciate that we cannot share this on the forum".

sergio-soria · ‎11-08-2018

Yeah! And it's already nonsense that we cannot remove old conversations from the chat room or download a file containing the conversations with each client. Much absurd stuff over here, but that's all there is. I give up.

versailles · ‎11-08-2018

I respectfully disagree because one cannot expect that Upwork/oDesk/Elance will keep the files on their servers permanently. They never said they would. Other companies like Google may have different policies, but the truth is that freelancers have a responsibility to take whatever steps are required to ensure that their capacity to operate is not affected by a computer crash or any other unexpected event.

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"Where darkness shines like dazzling light" —William Ashbless

colettelewis · ‎11-08-2018

@Rene K wrote:
I respectfully disagree because one cannot expect that Upwork/oDesk/Elance will keep the files on their servers permanently. They never said they would. Other companies like Google may have different policies, but the truth is that freelancers have a responsibility to take whatever steps are required to ensure that their capacity to operate is not affected by a computer crash or any other unexpected event.

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René I do not want my message rooms to be cluttered with people I will never hear from again.

In the old days oDesk had no problem in keeping clients together in one place. I am not talking about Elance here. I am talking about the ease in which one used to be able find clients in good chronological order in oDesk simply by scrolling. And, for a while, one used to be able to do this after the merger. So no, you are quite wrong. And this is not about freelancer responsibility. This is about company responsibility toward its clients (us) who pay to have accounts here.

ETA: And this is not just about computer crashes. I need to be able to track conversations I have had with this client and I should have the right to see them.

jmlaidlaw · ‎11-08-2018

Was a useful warning provided, that older messages were about to be lost to you, Nichola?

colettelewis · ‎11-08-2018

@Janean L wrote:
Was a useful warning provided, that older messages were about to be lost to you, Nichola?

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No.

colettelewis · ‎11-08-2018

I would also appreciate a moderator's input and help, if this is at all possible.

wendy_writes · ‎11-08-2018

Nichola, I'm flagging your original post to try and get a mod involved.

AveryO · ‎11-08-2018

Thanks for flagging, Wendy!

Hi Nichola, I've reviewed your ticket and I'm currently checking this with the team. I'll come back here when I have more information about this.

UPDATE: Hi Nichola, I've asked the Technical Support Team to look into this further. They're asking for specific information about the contract, messages, and/or files that you are referring to. Please send it to me through a private message (Contract ID, messages from what year, any title of the files that maybe you can remember) so that I can include it in my report. I'll wait for your message!

~ Avery

colettelewis · ‎11-09-2018

**Edited for community guidelines@** wrote:

Thanks for flagging, Wendy!

Hi Nichola, I've reviewed your ticket and I'm currently checking this with the team. I'll come back here when I have more information about this.

UPDATE: Hi Nichola, I've asked the Technical Support Team to look into this further. They're asking for specific information about the contract, messages, and/or files that you are referring to. Please send it to me through a private message (Contract ID, messages from what year, any title of the files that maybe you can remember) so that I can include it in my report. I'll wait for your message!

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Avery,

Thanks very much. I'm in contact now and have been for the last two hours!. I have managed to find some things, but not the essential part. Finding ongoing clients in the message room is like looking for a needle in a haystack!

Thanks for trying though.

AveryO · ‎11-12-2018

Hi Nichola,

Let me know if we can assist you further with this as a member of the team took interest on your post and wanted to investigate it further.

~ Avery

lysis10 · ‎11-08-2018

oh man I wish they would separate the potentials/interviews/losers from the real clients too. Their answer is "well just search you see!" and I'm like "umm, I can barely remember who I spoke to 2 hours ago let alone 6 months ago."

It would be nice to have a page with just customers to scroll through, but I think we'll need a genie in a bottle for that, Nichola.

wendy_writes · ‎11-09-2018

Another vote in favor of "separating the potentials/interviews/losers from the real clients". As Nichola noted these are messages everyone benefits from being able to retain.