Will over due date affect the contract or JSS

[ys_shan]

Hello ,

I am new in Upwork for about almost a month. Got an offer and signed a contract with a client last week. I set up a milestone with 4 different stages on the proposal I submitted to the client and we both agreed to it.

So I just completed my 1st stage of milestone and messaged the client to get his feedback, but I haven't received any message from him yet, so I couldn't move on to the 2nd stage. But that will affect the due date of the 2nd stage milestone, such as causing me to deliver over the due date. Will this cause a problem to me as a freelancer?? fail contract or such??

I've messaged him a few times for a gentle reminder and also click the "submit work for payment" button from the milestone part. Is it alright to

click the "submit work for payment" button even before I get the client's feedback??

**Edited for community guidelines**

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Yan Shan:
The "due date" associated with a fixed-price contract or milestone is simply a text string displayed to users for reference purposes.

Upwork DOES NOT USE IT.

Upwork systems will NOT penalize you in any way for missing a due date.

If a client is fine with it, then you don't have any problem.

[ys_shan]

Thanks Preston, for explaining it. Now I get a better understanding on this

" due date ".

Since it is my first project on Upwork, I figure it is better for me to clarify this "due date" function.

Thanks again! 

[89d81e90]

What if the client is not fine with it and has received the done project without wanting to approve the payment, does it mean I won't get any pay???

[wescowley]

---

Yan Shan L wrote:

I've messaged him a few times for a gentle reminder and also click the "submit work for payment" button from the milestone part. Is it alright to

click the "submit work for payment" button even before I get the client's feedback??

---

Click the "submit work for payment" button as soon as you turn the work over to the client. Don't wait for feedback. Click that starts a 14-day clock. If the client does nothing before the 14 days end, you'll still be paid from the escrow.

[prestonhunter]

re: "click the 'submit work for payment' button even before I get the client's feedback?"

I never ask for feedback first.

I know when I have finished the task. I don't need to ask the client if the task if finished.

When I click that button it DOES ASK the client if any changes are needed, and provides a button to ask for changes. You don't need to send a redundant message.

[ys_shan]

Thanks Wes for answering my question.

Previously I'd thought I need to wait for feedback before submitting it, now I know I can straight submit it. Thanks!

[wlyonsatl]

Yan Shan,

You may already know this, but new freelancers can't be reminded too often that once a fixed price Upwork contract is in place, you should not begin work on a milestone or, even worse, submit substantially complete work for a milestone that has not aready been fully funded by the client, as confirmed by Upwork on the project page.

I rarely do fixed price contracts, partly because payment protection is much more complete under hourly contracts, but when I do fixed price contracts I often submit the work for a milestone using the green "Submit" button when the work is only 80% - 90% complete. (Clients have been known to close projects when they get the freelancer's work - via email or the Upwork messaging system - but without a formal submission of the freelancer's work using the "Submit" button. This is a fraudulent action, in my opinion, and makes it problematic for the freelancer to ever get paid the amount they are due for that milestone, let alone the complete project.)

When I make those submissions, I clearly tell the client what I think needs to be done to complete the work for that milestone and try to get it completed within a couple of days based on any client feedback and before I move on to the next fully-funded milestone. Some clients actually release payment immediately, but it is only right for the freelancer to go ahead and make changes needed to complete that milestone.

This approach keeps the 14-day time clock moving along. And I have never had a client complain about this approach.

[ys_shan]

Hi Will, thanks for your advice, those are a good reminder for a new freelancer like me.

What do you mean by " once a fixed price Upwork contract is in place, you should not begin work on a milestone ?"  What I understand from your advice is that not to submit a complete work for a milestone that has not already been fully funded by the client in order to protect ourself in case client take our work without paying for it, right?

" submit the work for a milestone using the green "Submit" button when the works is only 80%- 90% complete."

--- that's a good tip.

Thanks again Will ! 

[wlyonsatl]

Yes, Yan Shan, it's important to remember that even once you have an Upwork-verified contract in place with milestones that you find acceptable, a freelancer still should not begin work on or submit the work for any milestone unless that milestone has been fully funded by the client and the amounts due on any previous milestone has been funded and released for payment by either the client or Upwork.

Good luck!

[ys_shan]

Thanks Will, will keep that in mind. 😄