Direct Contracts with existing Upwork users/clients

[ionutstana]

I tried to create a direct contract with an older customer of mine that I know them from my home town. In the past we collaboreated outsite Upwork.

I tried to bring them in the platform, but little that i know, they already have a Upwork account linked to that email adress, its just that we never discussed about Upwork.

Once I filled in all the details in the New Contract form i got an warining message that email is linked to an existing account, and Full Stop. No other option for me to contact them inside Upwork, or to go further with the process. Just red error message and no Next option.

Has anybody encoutered the same issue? How did you fixed it?

Looking foraward to hearing from you guys.

Regards,

Ionut.

[BojanS]

Hi Ionut,

Direct Contracts allows you to manage contracts in the Upwork platform with your clients who don’t have an Upwork account.

If your client already have an Upwork account, you can still send a link to your profile to your client and they can hire you for a contract. 

Thank you!

[ionutstana]

Hi Bojan, 

Thank you for you answer, hower is not on point.

Your sugestion implies that the Client creates a job posting/tender and select me after i apply.

Im fact, the Clients knows they want to work with me, is just a repetead business that previously was done through a different channel and now we want to bring it through this channel (Upwork). 

One other important aspect is the commision. A job posting/ tender has high commison because theoretically helps Client to find freelancer. Versus a direct contarct has ~ 10 times les commision because parties already have a connection/comercial raport. So....what's the deal with that?

Thank you,

Ionut

[BojanS]

Hi Ionut,

Could you please click on my name and send me a PM with more information about the client you're referring to? I'll check that for you and advise you accordingly.

Thank you.

[martina_plaschka]

Direct contract is meant to be only a payment method. The job will never appear on your profile and you can't get feedback for it. 

When you are top-rated, you can bring a new client to upwork and pay 0 fees.

If your client already has an upwork account, these options are not available to you any longer. There is really no reason to change your current arrangement with this client.  

[mirhussan]

Hello Bojan,

I need help for same case. 

Can you please help me out of this. 

[e26c0b7e]

I tried to create a direct contract with a customer.

Once I filled in all the details in the New Contract form i got an warining message that email is linked to an existing account. I know for a fact that this is not the case, because some of my colegues sent the exact same contract to the exact same adress and the contracts were sent.

Has anybody encoutered the same issue? How to fix it?

[AndreaG]

Hi Tijana,

Someone from our team will reach out to you via support ticket in order to assist you further.

[ahosania]

I am facing the same problem 

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Ahsan,

If your client already have an Upwork account, you can still send a link to your profile to your client and they can hire you for a contract. Thank you.

[8ff91991]

Hi, I have a client that I met through Upwork, Can I do the direct contract with him through Upwork.

[martina_plaschka]

---

Robert R wrote:

Hi, I have a client that I met through Upwork, Can I do the direct contract with him through Upwork.

---

no

[8ff91991]

What if I accidentally did the contract with him and got the payment also. what penality would I get?

[feed_my_eyes]

How could you "accidentally" do this, since you've been told that it's not allowed? Your account could be banned for attempted circumvention.

[759e32fa]

Hi Robert,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Direct Contracts let you manage contracts in the Upwork platform with your clients who don’t have an Upwork account yet. For clients that you've already worked with in Upwork, you can propose a new contract if you want to work with them on a new project.

[a1200ea4]

Hi, I have the same problem as a lot of the previous here. We have two contractors with us that did not have an upwork account and the process was simple to bring them in but now we want to engage a third contractor( with all the same ease of contract /payments etc ) but it wont let me because he already has an upwork account. What steps would I need to take to get him an our account the same as the other two contractors we are using?

[759e32fa]

Hi Craig,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Like the name of the program, the Bring Your Own Talent (BYOT or BYO) program allows clients to invite talent to work with them directly. This is only applicable when they don't have an Upwork account yet. If the freelancer you want to work with has an Upwork account already, you can just hire them for a contract.