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nandees
Community Member

Time tracker in Fixed price contract

Hello everyone,
I want to know that can a freelancer use time tracker for a fixed price contract?
I want to hire few designers but want to be sure that they will give original designs. So for that I want time tracker so that I can see screenshots.

Also for one of my project, I want a refund so for that shall I cancel the project or select request refund option?

24 REPLIES 24
prestonhunter
Community Member

Nandeesh:

This is a great question.

 

It was previously possible to use the time-tracker with fixed-price contracts, even though hours recorded had nothing to do with getting paid for those contracts.

 

But a while back (about a year and a half if my memory is correct), this functionality was disabled.

 

Fixed-price contracts no longer show up in Upwork's desktop time-tracker application.

 

But Upwork does not prohibit users from using external applications for keeping track of time worked on fixed-price contracts, or taking screenshots of work being done.

 

The basic answer to your question is this:

If you genuinely want the functionality of Upwork's hourly contracts, you need to use an hourly contract.


Preston H wrote:

 

It was previously possible to use the time-tracker with fixed-price contracts, even though hours recorded had nothing to do with getting paid for those contracts.

But a while back (about a year and a half if my memory is correct), this functionality was disabled.


No it wasn't - it was simply made opt-in.

 

track on fixed.jpg

 

Nandeesh, no, you can not demand that fixed rate freelancers use the tracker.

If you want tracked time, like Preston said, hire your freelancers on an hourly basis.

dzadza
Community Member

I believe  OP wants to see the screenshots  of the work in progress - not track the time...

petra_r
Community Member


Sanja D wrote:

I believe  OP wants to see the screenshots  of the work in progress - not track the time...


Yes, but without tracking the time there will be no screenshots. And without changing it in the settings it is not possible to track (and get screenshots) on a fixed rate contract.

 

I would tell any client (politely) to go to hell if they asked me to track time (for screenshots or any other reason) on a fixed rate contract...

 

re: "Also for one of my project, I want a refund so for that shall I cancel the project or select request refund option?"

 

You should tell us more about this situation, so that we can properly advise you.

 

Is this for a fixed-price or hourly contract?

Have you discussed the refund with the freelancer, and has she agreed to the refund?

Is there a reason that you want a refund?


Preston H wrote:

 

Is there a reason that you want a refund?


LOL. Because he wants his money back.

 



 "Also for one of my project, I want a refund so for that shall I cancel the project or select request refund option?"


Very simple: For funds in Escrow, you close the contract and request a return of the escrow funds. The freelancer may dispute.

For funds that have been already paid to the freelancer, you can request a refund. The freelancer can either agree or ignore that.

nandees
Community Member

Yes, I discussed refund from freelancer and he is ready to send it. 
Actually, the situation is that I hired one designer and we agreed for original designs. But he is sending me the designs just by downloading it from google. And when I ask for source files then he is unable to submit it saying he does not have. He also admitted that the designs are already online. So we agreed for a refund. 
But I am not sure what to do, I mean the whole process to get a refund.

 

And still, I have doubt for time tracker thing. Petra, I want screenshots to be sure that design is original as you see I already have had such experience with another designer.

And I am already getting late for my project.

petra_r
Community Member



 

And still, I have doubt for time tracker thing. Petra, I want screenshots to be sure that design is original as you see I already have had such experience with another designer.


Then hire hourly, and hire people with a great profile and at a reasonably rate.

 




But I am not sure what to do, I mean the whole process to get a refund.

 


If the money is still in Escrow simply close the contract and ask for the escrow funds back. If you already released the money, the freelancer can go to the contract and click on the refund function.

 

nandees
Community Member

I have created a milestone. And money is still not released. So there I see 2 options related to my query, one is cancel and another one is request for a refund. So shall I click on cancel the project?

petra_r
Community Member


Nandeesh P wrote:

I have created a milestone. And money is still not released. So there I see 2 options related to my query, one is cancel and another one is request for a refund. So shall I click on cancel the project?


Click on cancel

nandees
Community Member

Thanks for ur guidance ma'am, I will do as u said and will let u know if any help will be needed.

Petra, you always have the most brilliant answers. Thanks! Where do I find the advanced settings? I'm not finding this option anywhere.

 

Suzi

atifsadiq7
Community Member

Time Tracker is Only Used in Hourly Projects .

Atif - That is absolutely not true. I have been using the time tracker for a fixed fee job because it is an easy way for me to know how many hours I spend on the job.

Atif/Joan:

You are both right.

 

The time-tracker does AND does not work for fixed-price contracts.

 

It depends on the setting used under Advanced Settings in the tool.

 

Screen Shot 2019-07-13 at 3.20.03 PM.png

Thanks...but try as I might, I can't find the advanced settings for the tracker. Appreciate your answer in advance.

 

Suzi

re: "...I can't find the advanced settings for the tracker. Appreciate your answer in advance."

 

Launch Upwork "Time Tracker" tool.

 

Click on "wheel" or "settings" icon in lower lefthand corner. (The icon is next to your name.)

 

Click on "Settings..." in pop-up menu.

 

Click on "Advanced" at the bottom of the left-hand panel.

 

The "Track Time on Fixed-Price Contracts" is in the middle.

Thanks so much Preston. I really appreciate your taking the time to lay this out (just like a tech writer would do!

 

Suzi

mtngigi
Community Member


Nandeesh P wrote:

Hello everyone,
I want to know that can a freelancer use time tracker for a fixed price contract?
I want to hire few designers but want to be sure that they will give original designs. So for that I want time tracker so that I can see screenshots.

Also for one of my project, I want a refund so for that shall I cancel the project or select request refund option?


With all due respect to everyone's good advice, there are better ways to ensure original designs. Simply hire the right freelancers - yes, it may take a little time to vet properly, but the majority of designers on Upwork are not designers who download other people's artwork and call it their own. I'm not sure what your budget is, but if you want quality, original work, be willing to pay for it. And state in your bid that you want the native artwork file ... that should help weed out the fakers.

 

And when you are sent a first proof - run it through Google image search.

 


Virginia F wrote:

And state in your bid that you want the native artwork file ... that should help weed out the fakers.

Unfortunately not - anyone can easily download free vector artwork online these days, alter it slightly so that it doesn't show up on a reverse image search, then send an Illustrator file to the client.

 

What's easier to do is to spot a fake portfolio in the first place. I saw a "designer" last week whose portfolio was blatantly fake - each and every shot of "his" work had a different layout, different lighting, different style etc. in the way that it was photographed, and in one shot you can even see where the watermark had been amateurishly removed. So, the first line of defense is to take a good look at that. 

 

The rest of your advice is spot on - you get what you pay for, so if you're hiring newbies for peanuts, then you're about a thousand times more likely to get something that's stolen from the web. I'm guessing that's why the OP doesn't want to hire someone on an hourly basis in the first place - original artwork is likely to take more than an hour.

 


Christine A wrote:

Virginia F wrote:

And state in your bid that you want the native artwork file ... that should help weed out the fakers.

Unfortunately not - anyone can easily download free vector artwork online these days, alter it slightly so that it doesn't show up on a reverse image search, then send an Illustrator file to the client.

 

What's easier to do is to spot a fake portfolio in the first place. I saw a "designer" last week whose portfolio was blatantly fake - each and every shot of "his" work had a different layout, different lighting, different style etc. in the way that it was photographed, and in one shot you can even see where the watermark had been amateurishly removed. So, the first line of defense is to take a good look at that. 

 

The rest of your advice is spot on - you get what you pay for, so if you're hiring newbies for peanuts, then you're about a thousand times more likely to get something that's stolen from the web. I'm guessing that's why the OP doesn't want to hire someone on an hourly basis in the first place - original artwork is likely to take more than an hour.

 


"anyone can easily download free vector artwork online these days, alter it slightly so that it doesn't show up on a reverse image search, then send an Illustrator file to the client"

 

That's true, but "altering it slightly" presumes they have a vector program and know how to use it. What I've seen is artwork with only text added to it to call it a logo. The other thing that happens is that many clients don't know the importance of getting a vector logo and only get a low-res web image. When they want to use their logo in printed pieces or on a t-shirt, they find they're out of luck with their 72 dpi 1" logo that looks great on their website, not so much anywhere else.

petra_r
Community Member

The OP is a "low cost freelancer" himself, I doubt he would have the budget to hire anything other than "low cost" freelancers so he is getting what he's paying for.

 

mtngigi
Community Member


Petra R wrote:

The OP is a "low cost freelancer" himself, I doubt he would have the budget to hire anything other than "low cost" freelancers so he is getting what he's paying for.

 


Yes ... I surmised that.

petra_r
Community Member


Virginia F wrote:

Petra R wrote:

The OP is a "low cost freelancer" himself, I doubt he would have the budget to hire anything other than "low cost" freelancers so he is getting what he's paying for.

 


Yes ... I surmised that.


I guess I was kinda stating the obvious 😉

 

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