Invoicing of Client

[aaikoroje]

Hello: I have just completed a job, my client has asked me to close the work and invoice them but I do not know how to do it. This is my first job on Upwork. I need help, please.

[petra_r]

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Abraham A wrote:

Hello: I have just completed a job, my client has asked me to close the work and invoice them but I do not know how to do it. This is my first job on Upwork. I need help, please.

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It seems to have been an hourly contract.

Did you track your time with the Upwork tracker?

If not, is manual time enabled? (Go to the contract under "My Jobs") and add manual time, which is not guaranteed.

Before you apply to any more jobs, educate yourself how Upwork actually works, or you are in for all sorts of problems.

[aaikoroje]

Thanks Petra.

[kat303 · Accepted solution]

It's best that the client close the contract because when they do, they HAVE to leave feedback and that's what you are aiming for. Of couse situations come up when there's no other choice that you have to close it (client gest work and then disappears.) So, it's a good thing to encourage the client to close the contract. 

If your job was an hourly job then the client will be billed automatically by Upwork. 

If your job was a fixed rate job, then you should deliver the completed job by clicking on the Submit work/request payment  button and the client will either release the funds in escrow, or they will be released automatically in 14 days. As for invoices, you don't send any involices. You only do one of the things above depending on whether the job is hourly or fixed rate. 

[aaikoroje]

Thanks Kathy. You response was quick and very helpful. I have now solved the problem.
Regards
Abraham

[s_tarpinian]

Hi Kathy,

What if your job was set to "no limits" by the client, in terms of weekly limit?

I recently created an Upwork account for the first time as a freelancer.

I had a former client reach out to me and ask if I would do a small freelance project for them, which they sent me via Upwork for me to ultimately accept/approve to start the project contract.

The project officially started on 4/22 and I finished it on 4/29. However, the client and I are now at the point where we are unsure how to initiate the final invoice to get payment issued to me.

She (the client) sent a a note this morning saying she ended the contract so I could issue the final invoice. 

I saw no where on my view of the website, within my account and the project, that I can issue an invoice.

Your answer below to another Freelance clarified that I as the freelancer cannot issue an ivoice, however, with it being set as no limits, I don't see anywhere where I can click "submit work/request payment." 

When the client sets the terms to no hourly limits, does that still fall within an hourly job? I'm assuming so since i logged my hours. 

I’m sharing screenshots of what I can see on my end. If you are able to help me at all with what I can do in order to have her successfully issue payment, or kindly share with me screen shots of what she can do on the client side do move this forward, that would be amazing! 

[djondinium]

Hi Samantha,

You can check this help article for more information about invoicing. Please note that for Hourly contracts, your clients are charged every Monday for time tracked in the previous week. From Monday to Friday it's the review period for clients where they can review your tracked time and activity. Feel free to check out this help article for more information. Please keep in mind that manual time is not protected under our Hourly payment protection.

Thank you.

[s_tarpinian]

Hi Aleksandar,

Thank you for your quick response!

So because the client I was working with wasn't clear on how she could pay me, she issued a bonus to me for the total hours completed on the project. That is now pending with the UpWork service fee.

Is that going to be an issue?

I do appreciate you sharing the articles with me, but do have to say, that I've discovered and read both on my own and I see opportunity for UpWork to do a better job explaining the process to both freelancers and clients if both are confused. There clearly is a disconnection and when I have reached out to others who have used UpWork they had a very similar experience 😕

I have received emails about upcoming Upwork webinars. I'm hoping there might be an upcoming "how to" one in regards to understanding Upwork platform and how it works from the freelancer side? Would you happen to know if there is one or if Upwork offers video tutorials on how it works? Or if not, is there a direct line to contact a Upwork Support Agent to answer questions over the phone? I have not had success locating a correct number and unforutnately the bot just directs one back an article.

I would love to understand Upwork more clearly before taking on any additional client work. That way I can be smart, as well as a support to my client when they are unsure of how to complete something.

Thank you again for getting back to me and I look forward to your answers to the above.

Sam

[s_tarpinian]

Hi Aleksandar,

Could you advice how a freelancer could refund a client a bonus payment if they wanted to?

Originally the client I completed the freelance project for paid me a bonus in the sum of my total project completed hours, as she was unclear when she would get an invoice and how she could pay me. 

Now that it Monday, my client was invoiced for the project, and I see an addiitonal payment and service fee dated for next Wednesday, 5/13.

Now that she and I are a bit more clear as to how this process works, I do want to make sure she is not double paying me, however, I would prefer to refund her the bonus for cleaner future reference.

I would really appreciate any help on this or a contact # to a support agent 🙂

Thanks!

Sam

[aocumen]

Hi Samantha, 

It's good to know that you and your client were able to sort this out. You may check out this help article for more information on how you can issue a refund for your client. 

[s_tarpinian]

Hi Avery,

I really appreciate you taking the time try to help answer my question about refunds.

The article does help with general questions around refunds, but it doesn't actually speak to service fees when issuing a refund. Is a freelancer still charged the Upwork service fee? In other words, I'm trying to not be charged twice for a service fee, because the client was unclear as to how payment and invoiced worked and chose to pay me a bonus payment in the place of completed project invoice. Now that the project invoice has been issued, I have two payments made to me with two different service fees. 

I'm trying to sort this out as smoothly as possible for both the client and myself. Does the client need to reach out to Upwork to cancel a bonus payment? What is the best way to contact a Upwork support agent via phone?

Thx,

Sam

[bstojadinovic]

Hi Samantha, you can refund the bonus payment if it was paid in error. If you go to the contract room, you'll see an option to issue a refund. Issuing a refund also reverses the Service Fee for that payment.

Thank you!

[2591126f]

Invoicing is handled by upwork system. Client would get it directly from upwork and freelancer does not need to prepare or send an invoice from their end.

[aaikoroje]

Thanks for your input.