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ahsankhan_akh
Community Member

Early Access Program

hey, i m having trouble in getting aproove my projects on Early Access Program of upwork.I m a video editor and 2d animator. Upwork is rejecting my Project or gig and saying i m not writing the right discription. please help me aprrove my projects. Thanks

96 REPLIES 96
g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member
Retired Team Member

Hi Ahsan,

 

Could you please share a screenshot or the text of your description via PM (click on my name) with me? Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork

yeah sure.

We appreciate the screenshot you provided, Ahsan.

Please note that the description needs to be project-specific, professional and grammatically correct. I'd encourage you to use this section to define the scope and add a detailed description of work you're offering. Please refer to the suggestion our team included in the email you received, feel free to make the necessary adjustments and resubmit the same project for reviewl when you're ready.

 

You can also find more information and best-practice advice in this Help article.

~ Vladimir
Upwork

hey, thanks for the reply. The character limit is only 250. i not able to describe the whole project properly. 

Hi Ahsan,

 

Thanks for the follow-up. We understand your concern and this is precisely why it's very important to clearly define the project in the description area. Once the client clicks ‘Request a Quote’, they will have the option to add more details of their own so you can provide a better quote for their particular request.

~ Vladimir
Upwork

i describe it properly, but upwork is not aprrovig the projects. i m fedup! 

Hi Ahsan,

 

I checked and it looks like you received a notification with some suggestions for your project. Please feel free to review them and resubmit.

 

Thanks!

~Andrea
Upwork

hey i submmited again and it again saying that i have grametical error. i just fed up! 

 

 

Hi Ahsan,

 

One of our team members will reach out to you via ticket as soon as possible and assist you further with your projects. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork

Upwork Team,
I'm having a difficult time uploading an image that meets Upwork requirements. What are your pixel specs?  My problem is that any image I upload automatically gets blurry when incorporated into Upwork.  In addition, the image container cuts off the photo significantly so that it ends up looking strange.

Hi Mary,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. While we have no specific width and height to recommend, you can upload images (JPEG or PNG) that are under 10 MB and have a 4:3 aspect ratio. 

 

Feel free to follow up and share more information about your concern so that we can check and assist you further. 

 

~ Nikola
Upwork

Hi there! I recently had a Project approved under the new program. I wanted to edit the images in it and add some FAQs, so turned off the visibility until I had done so, Now that the edits are made, I am unable to turn the visibility back on - when I click on the "visible" switch, the switch does not turn green but remains dark. The project is still under the "Approved" tab, and not the "Under Review" tab. How can I make my project visible again? Does it need to be re-approved? Thanks!

Hi Monica,

 

Thanks for posting this question in the Community. Could you please confirm if you've joined the Early Access Program after having the specific project in question approved? If you've joined the program in the meantime, after having the project created and approved, note that your previously added projects will be frozen temporarily. You can choose to delete them, but you won’t be able to edit the details. They will not be converted to new drafts unless you choose to recreate them.

If this isn't the case and the project in question was originally added after joining the program, let me know and I'll follow up to guide you further.

~ Vladimir
Upwork

Hi, and thanks, Vladimir.  I joined the Early Access Program first, created the Project, had it approved, and then tried to edit it.

Thanks for the follow-up, Monica! Could you please try updating the visibility setting again and let me know if you're still seeing the same behavior?

~ Vladimir
Upwork

Thanks, Vladimir. Still not working. 

Thanks for confirming, Monica! 

I followed up with our team and they are looking into your report. I can confirm your project is approved and while the visibility toggle isn't responsive on your end, it doesn't really affect your project since, by design, new projects won’t show on your profile just yet.

We really appreciate your report and your willingness to participate in the Early Access Program, providing feedback on your experience and helping us troubleshoot the current alpha version of this program.

~ Vladimir
Upwork

Hi Monica,

 

I'd like to follow up and confirm the issue with the visibility toggle you reported yesterday has been fixed!

Feel free to update your project's visibility but do note that, by design, new projects aren't being displayed publicly on profiles yet.

~ Vladimir
Upwork

Hello Vladimir, Hope  all is well. Thanks for your valuable suggestion.

I have a question to you. I complete my first project properly today and submitted it and it's under review. Can you let me know how long it will take to be approved?


Arman I wrote:

how long it will take to be approved?


As long as it takes. Give it 5 business days at least

hey monica, Can you guide me how to write a dricription for my project, my projects are getting rejected.

I was not-so-pleasantly surprised when I saw the new feature for freelancers to publish the pricing and details of their gigs upfront. I strongly think this is a step backwards for Upwork and here’s why:

1. Clients often need to interact with freelancers in the interview stage to understand why higher prices are justified, but if clients just see the prices first, the focus could become a bargain hunt instead of interacting with quality freelancers. Essentially, this feature takes away the client’s prerogative to probe the freelancer’s skills and experiences first where price is a secondary matter.

2. I find that after interacting with clients first through the interview stage, I’m able to justify why they should increase budgets and such. But if they simply see the prices and products upfront, it makes the whole market too black-and-white.

3. There are more nuances and information and steps involved to guide the client from the phase of reading your cover letter to knowing about your services and prices. These steps we crucial to teaching the client why you’re a strong candidate and warrant higher prices.

4. In a talent marketplace, this features puts the focus on product and price but distracts from advertising talent. Freelancers (Especially quality ones) are should not be displayed like some meat market.

5. This feature cheapens the process and is more like Fiverr. Price becomes more important than product.

6. Although this feature focuses on making the system “easier” for freelancers who invest time applying to jobs, the platforms should not be catering to providing shortcuts for freelancers, but should rather be focusing on building meaningful connections between clients and their search for talent.

7. The HUSTLE for a freelancer to find work and apply for jobs is part of the beauty that makes freelancing competitive. Cover letters help us stand out among the rest. The new feature, however, cheapens the platform by over simplifying how we explain deliverables.

8. After reading a great cover letter, a client may be more willing to increase their budget for the right freelancer.

9. Overall, this new feature is top freelancer focused and not client focused. The clients should be posting the job and the right freelancer should be bending over backwards to prove they are the best for the role. Period!
BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Rachel,

 

We appreciate your feedback! This entire Early Access Program is based on collaboration to make the best product possible for your needs. So we’ll ensure our product team receives your feedback. We understand that not all freelancers will use Pre-Packaged Projects as a way to connect with clients. They can, of course, continue to use Upwork to find clients as they have before.

~ Bojan
Upwork

Hi Bolan, (or any other moderator,)

 

I got an invite for this program and I wonder if this is a new direction for Upwork, and if you don't participate, a freelancer will get left out down the road. 

 

Some projects, like Creative Writing, doesn't seem to lend itself to this program. For instance, many potential clients are stuck on the penny a word pricing (and lately others have been proposing less than in their invitations.) My pricing is dependent on my availability and my interest. If my writing schedule is full my price per word goes up. Or if a project is interesting, I may come down a half-cent or so on my price per word. With invitations, I can send a message saying "my pricing is such-and-such, and this is what you'll get at that price, and at this time I can schedule you in at such-and-such time. This way I can leverage the price upward which is good for both me and Upwork. This is the beauty of freelancing. 

 

I am concerned if Upwork turns to "Fivver" type model, the ability to move up and down the price scale could get limited down the road. 

Hi Beth,

 

Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. To clarify the process, when a client buys a project the freelancer will see a notice in “My Jobs” and also receive the same notifications they would receive for job invites. Freelancers and clients can then discuss the project to make sure it’s a good fit. During the Early Access Program period you also can cancel a project within 24 hours of the contract starting. After that, you should discuss ending the project directly with your client.

Contracts set up via a Pre-Packaged Project will work like any Upwork contract and the client will have the option to leave feedback that could impact your Job Success Score. However, as part of the Early Access Program, you will be able to request feedback removal once a month on contracts started through your projects.

I understand your current approach and dynamically pricing your services but can assure you that this is an additional feature freelancers can use to advertise their services. Freelancers that choose not to use it can still continue to offer their services as they have before. I'll share your feedback with our team.

~ Vladimir
Upwork

My profile is not showing the Early Access Programme. Is any reason for this? Why not showing my profile? Also, I have not received any notification yet.

HI Mohon,

 

We're asking a limited number of freelancers to create expanded Pre-Packaged Projects and provide feedback on their experience. Later, we will use these to build out new marketplace pages for clients to view these pre-built projects and hire freelancers directly, without having to create a job post. We will email you when the option is available to you.

 

Thanks for your patience!

~ Bojan
Upwork
zhelezkov
Community Member

Hello,

I received a letter from Upwork with an invitation to take part in an Early Access Program. It was marked as an "Exclusive invite". At the same time, I saw the link to the Early Access Program page on the web, and some people who didn't receive an invite were able to submit their projects. So, is it a program for everybody or for chosen freelancers? If it's for everybody, what is the reason to represent it as an "Exclusive proposal".

Regards,

Sergey Zhelezkov

I also very interesting in these questions! Cat Mad

Hi Sergey,

 

To start, we are asking a limited number of freelancers to create new, expanded Pre-Packaged Projects and provide feedback on their experience. Later, we will use these to build out new marketplace pages for clients to view these pre-built projects and hire freelancers directly, without having to create a job post. We developed this feature in response to feedback from our community. Clients have told us they want an easier way to purchase pre-defined projects and freelancers tell us they want to see more projects that fit within their work and rate expectations. This feature will allow freelancers to set expectations about cost, timeline, and deliverables and simplify how clients shop for the skills they need for their project. To learn more about Pre-Packaged Projects, click here.

~ Joanne
Upwork

Thank you, Joanne Marie,

So, if this feature is for a limited number of freelancers, why it is possible to take part in this project via a direct link? Is it the way it should work or a kinda glitch? This is my main question.

AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Sergey, 

I want to understand your question better. Are you asking why other freelancers who were not invited to the program were able to create projects? You may be referring to our original version of Pre-Packaged Projects. The Early Access Program is centered around an improved Pre-Packaged Project experience with a brand new interface. This program has invited an exclusive list of freelancers of help test and review these new features. You may read more about it here. 

If my response didn't answer your question, please let me know so that I can try to assist you better.


~ Avery
Upwork
nadalinna
Community Member

I have issues with image size. Recommendation is that previews are in 4:3 aspect ratio. I made my previews exactly at 1000x750 px, but when I go to "Preview Project", my preview images are cropped and that doesn't look good. Adding white border to increase height helps a bit, but I don't have too much time to guess what would be best size so I cancelled my first project for now. Can someone please take a look how it works and advise what is best to do?

BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Nada,

 

The frame for portfolio images is horizontal. That's why the recommended dimensions have more pixels for width than for height (1000px width x 750px height is recommended). You could try different pictures, that's horizontal or rework current images to add borders to those and make them horizontal. To learn more about portfolios, check this help article.

~ Bojan
Upwork
nadalinna
Community Member

Hi Bojan,

Sorry for late answer, I think that I marked a box to email me for replies, but I haven't got anything, so maybe I was wrong.

My images are horizontal and exactly 1000x750 px. In attachment are screenshots. As you can see, it fits OK when I upload image in Project gallery but when I go to Project Preview it doesn't fit in frame anymore.

BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Nada, thank you for following up.

 

We've checked on it with our engineers and confirmed that the cropping of the image is a known issue. They are working to fix it as soon as possible. We'll update this thread once it's fixed so that you could check on your project again.

 

I'm sorry about the inconvenience this caused.

~ Bojan
Upwork
nadalinna
Community Member

Thanks, Bojan!

alamin08
Community Member

Hey, 
 
Yesterday I received an email for the Early Access program. Thank you, Upwork! for the great opportunity and choosing me for the Early Access program. 
 
But I'm sorry to say, I can't find my category to prepare the first project. I'm working in the Engineering and Architecture Category- Major is Mechanical Engineering. 
 
Can you please look it over and suggest to me, what should I do?
 
Thanks again,
Al Amin

Hi Md. A,

 

Thanks for your question. Since we are in the early stages of testing, you might not see all the categories or options you need. We will continue to build out and improve the feature as we do internal testing and receive more feedback from customers like you, who are in the Early Access Program. Thanks for your help! To learn more about Pre-Packaged Projects, click here. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork
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