Solved: Hourly work and work diary

akia26 · ‎09-05-2020

I started my first hourly project on Upwork 3 days before. I am using the time tracker to record the time I am working. I have some questions:-

1. Are the screenshots available to the client as soon as it is recorded in my work diary, or does he have to wait until next week( reviewing week)?

2. can my client sees the time I worked(logged) before the reviewing week?

3. Is the minimum limit clients can set per week 10 hours?

*****Need advice******

The work my client gave me is taking more time than the time he has set as a weekly limit. Should I finish the work and deliver it to him, or ask him to increase my weekly limit? If I ask him to increase, will it be a bad manner? If I ask him, how should I do it?

petra_r · ‎09-05-2020

Akia D wrote:
I started my first hourly project on Upwork 3 days before. I am using the time tracker to record the time I am working. I have some questions:-

1. Are the screenshots available to the client as soon as it is recorded in my work diary, or does he have to wait until next week( reviewing week)?
2. can my client sees the time I worked(logged) before the reviewing week?
3. Is the minimum limit clients can set per week 10 hours?

*****Need advice******
The work my client gave me is taking more time than the time he has set as a weekly limit. Should I finish the work and deliver it to him, or ask him to increase my weekly limit? If I ask him to increase, will it be a bad manner? If I ask him, how should I do it?

1. They are available immediately

2. Yes

3. No, the client can set whatever limit they like, even 0 - and the default limit is 40.

Get in touch with the client and tell them that the project will take more time than the weekly limit, and would he like to increase the limit or rather wait until the limit resets on Monday?

That way you give the client a choice of how you'll proceed. Didn't you review the work before accepting the contract? I generally tell clients roughly how many billable hours I think their project will come in on, so there are no nasty surprises on either side. I then usually come in under that estimate.

I'd not accept a contract with a 10 hour limit for a translation I know will take more than 10 hours, it just sets the scene for uncomfortable conversations later on.

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petra_r · ‎09-05-2020

Akia D wrote:
I started my first hourly project on Upwork 3 days before. I am using the time tracker to record the time I am working. I have some questions:-

1. Are the screenshots available to the client as soon as it is recorded in my work diary, or does he have to wait until next week( reviewing week)?
2. can my client sees the time I worked(logged) before the reviewing week?
3. Is the minimum limit clients can set per week 10 hours?

*****Need advice******
The work my client gave me is taking more time than the time he has set as a weekly limit. Should I finish the work and deliver it to him, or ask him to increase my weekly limit? If I ask him to increase, will it be a bad manner? If I ask him, how should I do it?

1. They are available immediately

2. Yes

3. No, the client can set whatever limit they like, even 0 - and the default limit is 40.

Get in touch with the client and tell them that the project will take more time than the weekly limit, and would he like to increase the limit or rather wait until the limit resets on Monday?

That way you give the client a choice of how you'll proceed. Didn't you review the work before accepting the contract? I generally tell clients roughly how many billable hours I think their project will come in on, so there are no nasty surprises on either side. I then usually come in under that estimate.

I'd not accept a contract with a 10 hour limit for a translation I know will take more than 10 hours, it just sets the scene for uncomfortable conversations later on.

akia26 · ‎09-05-2020

I am doing a web research job; collecting information of some community, not translation. Thanks a lot for the information. You have answered all of my questions.

One last question:-

What does it mean when a client sets a limit? Does that mean he is expecting you to work that long? Is it better to finish at the time he set or before the time he set if I can? Which one will benefit both of us?

petra_r · ‎09-05-2020

Akia D wrote:
One last question:-
What does it mean when a client sets a limit? Does that mean he is expecting you to work that long? Is it better to finish at the time he set or before the time he set if I can? Which one will benefit both of us?

It usually essentially means that they expect the work to be completed in less time. If they go to the trouble of changing the default, that is a red flag and would have made me clarify expectations with the client before accepting the contract.

In general it benefits both parties when the freelancer underpromises and overdelivers.

It is, hwever, vitally important to always have that discussion before accepting a contract, rather than blindly accept and then find that there is a huge disconnect between the client's expectations and what is really possible.

Akia D wrote:
I am doing a web research job; collecting information of some community, not translation.

Ah, sorry, your profile says you're a translator

akia26 · ‎09-05-2020

You are not wrong. I do translation also web research.

wlyonsatl · ‎09-05-2020

Akia D.,

My average project requires 10 - 60 total billable hours. Unless a client is paying me a premium for a rush job, I encourage all of my clients to have limited expectations for my weekly work time for them (12 - 15 hours/week). I think it gives some a sense of control; others don't care - they want their project finished as quickly as possible.

If I use up that limited allowable billable time during a week I will, as Petra suggests, usually hold off on further work until the next Monday, when a new Upwork work week begins and the clock resets. Sometimes I give the client the option to increase my allowable hours in the Upwork system, but it's always completely up to them. (I have never had pushback from a client on this. All have agreed, as far as I can remember.)

Do not be tempted to add manual hours unless you know and trust a client. This work time is never covered by Upwork's excellent hourly payment protection and even if a client "allows" manual time, there is no assurance they will actually pay you for it.

prestonhunter · ‎09-05-2020

Keep this in mind:

You don't know.

When a client hires you with an hourly contract, and sets a limit... you don't know why that limit is there.

Is it because the client has limited funds and doesn't want to spend more than a certain amount in a given week?

Or is it because the client doesn't want to give you a "blank check" before reviewing your work and seeing what it is like before authorizing more hours?

Or something else?

So if you run out of hours... the thing to do is communicate that fact. Don't feel "guilty." Explain to the client that you are out of hours for the current week and that you will continue the work next week when you have available hours again, or this week if they increase the hours.

Often clients just want to get the work done, and they will be happy to increase the hours this week if it means getting the project done sooner. Often, but not always. So one needs to ask.

petra_r · ‎09-05-2020

Will L wrote:
Do not be tempted to add manual hours unless you know and trust a client. T

Manual time in excess of the weekly llimit is not billed or charged any more than tracked time.

I guess you didn't mean to imply that they would be, I'm just adding it because freelancers frequently seem to think that when the limit is reached, adding manual time will make the time billable again, so I thought I clarify.