Manual vs. Automatic Time Logging

e69b1ecf · ‎10-07-2020

Knowing a client's preference and whether they're open to manual entry should be something that is visible to freelancers and agencies. I refuse to use the automatic time entry as it's totally impractical to expect each session of work to involve a single client's project. I really hate how out of touch Upwork's design is for this and really it's oppressive.
I want to know if a client requires automatic time entry. I don't want to invest time into negotiations and meetings only to find after accepting an offer, that their default is automatic and needing to request the change.

dacash11 · ‎10-07-2020

Hi paul,

be extremely careful on using Manual time, at least do it after spending at least 2 weeks with your client.

Upwork doesnt protect freelencer in case where we sign hourly contract with manual time. If the clietn decide to disappear form thei system whikek you have funding under review upwork will give the money back to the client leaving us freeleencer without knothing more then the hour spent on our laptop...

petra_r · ‎10-07-2020

Ciro F wrote:
If the clietn decide to disappear form thei system whikek you have funding under review upwork will give the money back to the client leaving us freeleencer without knothing more then the hour spent on our laptop...

This is untrue. Whether the client "disappears" or not is irrelevant.

There is no protection if the client's payment method fails or the client disputes. In your case Upwork didn't "give the client the money back, the client never paid in the first place, so there was nothing to "give back". Had you tracked your time, Upwork would have paid you out of their own pocket.

e69b1ecf · ‎10-07-2020

Sweet, man. Not sure if you're a professional finger-painter or what; but in my work, the ongoing screenshots and everything doesn't work. I can have a number of client's Org's open and would have to audit screenshots to ensure their information isn't being captured.

e69b1ecf · ‎10-07-2020

@victor^

petra_r · ‎10-07-2020

Paul W wrote:
Sweet, man. Not sure if you're a professional finger-painter or what;

Wow, charming...

Paul W wrote:
I can have a number of client's Org's open and would have to audit screenshots to ensure their information isn't being captured.

Stick to fixed rate then.

Problem solved.

feed_my_eyes · ‎10-07-2020

Paul W wrote:
Sweet, man. Not sure if you're a professional finger-painter or what; but in my work, the ongoing screenshots and everything doesn't work. I can have a number of client's Org's open and would have to audit screenshots to ensure their information isn't being captured.

If a client was paying me to finger paint, I'd still be professional enough to focus on the task at hand and not be cruising back and forth working on projects for other clients.

lysis10 · ‎10-07-2020

Christine A wrote:
Paul W wrote:
Sweet, man. Not sure if you're a professional finger-painter or what; but in my work, the ongoing screenshots and everything doesn't work. I can have a number of client's Org's open and would have to audit screenshots to ensure their information isn't being captured.
If a client was paying me to finger paint, I'd still be professional enough to focus on the task at hand and not be cruising back and forth working on projects for other clients.

ngl if I could get paid to fingerpaint, I'm down. Call me, clients.

feed_my_eyes · ‎10-07-2020

Jennifer M wrote:
ngl if I could get paid to fingerpaint, I'm down. Call me, clients.

Yeah but since you always use the time tracker, your computer screen could get pretty messy.

a_lipsey · ‎10-07-2020

Christine A wrote:
Jennifer M wrote:
ngl if I could get paid to fingerpaint, I'm down. Call me, clients.
Yeah but since you always use the time tracker, your computer screen could get pretty messy.

Unless you have a touch screen monitor, in which case you can "finger paint" and still use time tracker. !!!

lysis10 · ‎10-07-2020

Christine and Amanda: destroyerers of my hopes and dreams.

tlbp · ‎10-07-2020

Paul W wrote:
Knowing a client's preference and whether they're open to manual entry should be something that is visible to freelancers and agencies. I refuse to use the automatic time entry as it's totally impractical to expect each session of work to involve a single client's project. I really hate how out of touch Upwork's design is for this and really it's oppressive.
I want to know if a client requires automatic time entry. I don't want to invest time into negotiations and meetings only to find after accepting an offer, that their default is automatic and needing to request the change.

Don't you interview with your clients before accepting an offer? Whether they will permit manual time entries seems like a simple question to ask.

prestonhunter · ‎10-07-2020

Yeah... I'm not sure how this could be considered "oppressive."

Hourly contracts using manual time and fixed-price contracts are both options.

There are MANY Upwork freelancers who don't use the time-tracker tool.

Freelancers have complete freedom of choice about whether or not to work for clients which require use of the time-tracker.

MOST clients don't care one way or the other. Most clients just want you to help them get some work done. If a freelancer is producing positive results for a client, most clients will not tell that freelancer to work using a method the freelancer doesn't like.