Client cancelled the contract while the work was almost done

[acharawy]

Hello,

My latest client sent me an offer for an hourly paid job, and asked me to finalized it as soon as possible, and when the job was done I contacted him regarding small details and he told me that he took care of the job by himself and he cancelled the contract. This was before I enter the manually time record to charge him the hours I spent working on his project.

I didn't get paid for the working hours I spent. I'm really angry and disappointed. 

What can I do in this case ?

[petra_r]

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@Abdelrahman E wrote:
1) This was before I enter the manually time record to charge him the hours I spent working on his project.

2) What can I do in this case ?

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1) should have used the tracker... that is what it is there for.

2) Nothing

[acharawy]

Yes I know I should have, but I wasn't able to use it, that's why there is a manual time entry option. 

[petra_r]

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@Abdelrahman E wrote:

Yes I know I should have, but I wasn't able to use it, that's why there is a manual time entry option. 

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 Then, unless your client decides to pay you via a bonus, you won't get paid.

Did you actually discuss that you will be logging time manually with the client beforehand?

I NEVER use manual time without discussing it with the client first, and either way, there is no protection for manual time, ever.

Why were you "not able to use it?"

[kat303]

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@Abdelrahman E wrote:

Hello,

My latest client sent me an offer for an hourly paid job, and asked me to finalized it as soon as possible, and when the job was done I contacted him regarding small details and he told me that he took care of the job by himself and he cancelled the contract. This was before I enter the manually time record to charge him the hours I spent working on his project.

I didn't get paid for the working hours I spent. I'm really angry and disappointed. 

What can I do in this case ?

---------------------

The only thing you should be really angry and disappointed at,  is YOU.

And what you can do in this case - nothing. BUT, in other cases, you should use Tracker and annotate the screen shots it takes. Then, if you do that, and the client disappears (like in your case) Upwork will pay you.

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[gilbert-phyllis]

If the kind of work you do is not conducive to using the onscreen time tracker (mine is not), then it is critical to have a very specific and thorough conversation with the client about manual hours. Then, there  still are no guarantees a client won't do what you've described.

Out of curiosity, how long did it take for all of this to transpire? Did you work on this for a day or two days and then try to log hours? Did you go away and work on it for a week or two without any interaction with the client in the interim?

[melaniekhenson]

People have given you tips for next time so I won't add to that. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry this happened to you. It looks like you're new-ish to Upwork or at least haven't had many projects (two?) and although I'm sure you must have read the "rules" of UW before starting, I realize stuff can slip through the cracks. I am sorry about this...I think a lot of people have at least one disappointing experience. Live and learn and good luck for the next project. Hang in there!