Repeatedly asking for revisions for the same thing! Help!

[megan_fuchsel]

Hello,

I’m currently on the first milestone in a fixed price contract. I have already revised the section they put through copyscape (apparently it doesn’t like direct quotes from subject matter experts). I submitted an updated version of the article paraphrasing those quotes. He comes back to me today asking me to change the exact same things. Is there an issue with attachments on Upwork? Should I send him those two paragraphs in messages? This seems like a lot for a five dollar milestone. It’s my first Upwork contract and I really don’t want a bad review as the deadline was yesterday.

[wlyonsatl]

Yes, there is occasionally an issue with files attached to Upwork messages not being downloadable. I have to re-send files to clients via email. Not a big deal, but it shouldn't be necessary.

But I would still recommend you send all files to clients via Upwork, so Upwork has a record and the files are all in the same place if you want to find them in the future. If you have to send a copy via email, that's easy enough.

[megan_fuchsel]

Thanks! I asked for his email and I’m waiting for a reply to see if I can do it that way. The problem is that we’re in different timezones so by the time I get home from my full-time job, he is most likely sleeping. I copy and pasted the document into messages and he said that he wanted me to attach the document again. I’ll try it but if he didn’t get the last one, he probably won’t get this one either.

[megan_fuchsel]

Yeah. Now he’s come back to say that the file is still the same and yet sent me a link to a blog post posted two days using my work and blocked me from messaging him back. He is now demanding a refund for 5 dollars that i have never received. It feels like I was just used for cheap labor that i am not going to get paid for.

[lysis10]

There might be who knows. Send it to his email and attach it to the milestone for payment.

Or you're just getting a farmer and good luck with dat fo sho.

[prestonhunter]

The Upwork Messenger tool is known to cause problems with Microsoft Word files that have tracking, sometimes stripping out the changes, so that clients receive files which appear to be un-altered, even though freelancers worked hard to make changes.

The Upwork Messenger tool MAY INDEED allow you to transfer files to clients safely.

But not always.

The Upwork tool DOES alter files. Sometimes that's okay. Sometimes not.

The tool may damage files of certain file type. Or files with encryption or passwords.

It may fail to deliver files at all of certain file types and sizes.

So a professional freelancer who offers the highest level of service to her clients has other file transfer methods that she uses. She knows that Upwork is not a file transfer tool, and does not promote itself as one.

Try: email, Dropbox, USB flashdrive, FTP, WeTransfer, Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive, etc.

[megan_fuchsel]

I’ll try opening a Dropbox account to use for future reference.

I hope I can get this to him because this will be a long and drawn out contract if I have to battle with this on every milestone.

[megan_fuchsel]

I submitted the doc again via the Upwork Messenger as well as a sharable link on Google Drive. Here's hoping this does the trick!! 

[wlyonsatl]

Always submit work that is nearly or completely finished via the "Submit"
button on the project page. That starts the 14--day clock.

[megan_fuchsel]

Like farming content? Maybe.

[prestonhunter]

re: "Always submit work that is nearly or completely finished via the 'Submit' button on the project page. That starts the 14--day clock."

Ah, yes. Good point.

You need to use the "Submit Work" button.

In order to start the countclock toward getting paid automatically.

But that doesn't mean you rely on Upwork to actully deliver the flies properly.

If your files fit any of these criteria:

- large

- important

- possibly corrupted by Upwork

- unusual file format

- have encryption

- have password protection

- have change tracking

...Then you will want to transfer them to the client using another method.

In addition to using the Submit button.