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biggerfish
Community Member

manual time error

Had a paid kickoff meeting with client yesterday. She had forgotten to send the contract, which I brought up in meeting. But I was unable to log time via Upwork app because contract was not live when we started the meeting. I have tried repeatedly to add time manually. Manual hours are allowed under the contract. But I am getting this error message "You cannot add manual time for the time period you've specified." regardless what times I enter (I've tried SEVERAL.)  Also unable to open a ticket - only option is to submit a community question.  

ACCEPTED SOLUTION
kinector
Community Member

Erin, you cannot add any time to any project that you haven't started yet. You'd see the project on the My Jobs page. Have you gotten the offer yet, did you accept it? Sounds like no, right?

You did a bit of work for free. Please don't do that, for the sake of all freelancers like yourself. 🙏 Go by the process the platform provides. It's not difficult and works really well most of the time. Please learn how it works.

There is no obligation to your client to do anything if she doesn't need you for her business in real. She can just vanish and keep the insight you provided. No contract was started, no money exchanged, nothing happened. Upwork customer service cannot help you.

Technically, that's how it works in this situation.

HOWEVER, if the client is genuinely in need of you, she will:
- accept the offer she will send you soonest so you can start the contract
- allow you to add the correct amount of minutes posthumously
- continue working with you

Because you contributed something valuable in that shirt meeting, all in good faith and without a contract, no less!

Most people are good and there's nothing wrong with their business ethics. She owes you.

So, just check with the client with your most polite, positive, professional, and supportive tone and continue with the project!

Nothing is lost if the client is a nice decent person like almost everyone else.

Keep going Erin, you got this!



PS. Read all the instructions on how to use the Time Tracker correctly. 😉

View solution in original post

6 REPLIES 6
g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member
Retired Team Member

Hi Erin,

 

Please keep in mind that you will not be able to add manual hours if you have already tracked time under another contract for the same time segment. I would also like to confirm that you will not be able to add manual hours before the contract was officially formed. If you're still experiencing problems after this and you're sure that you're adding manual hours correct, please send me screenshots via PM (click on my name). Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork
kinector
Community Member

Erin, you cannot add any time to any project that you haven't started yet. You'd see the project on the My Jobs page. Have you gotten the offer yet, did you accept it? Sounds like no, right?

You did a bit of work for free. Please don't do that, for the sake of all freelancers like yourself. 🙏 Go by the process the platform provides. It's not difficult and works really well most of the time. Please learn how it works.

There is no obligation to your client to do anything if she doesn't need you for her business in real. She can just vanish and keep the insight you provided. No contract was started, no money exchanged, nothing happened. Upwork customer service cannot help you.

Technically, that's how it works in this situation.

HOWEVER, if the client is genuinely in need of you, she will:
- accept the offer she will send you soonest so you can start the contract
- allow you to add the correct amount of minutes posthumously
- continue working with you

Because you contributed something valuable in that shirt meeting, all in good faith and without a contract, no less!

Most people are good and there's nothing wrong with their business ethics. She owes you.

So, just check with the client with your most polite, positive, professional, and supportive tone and continue with the project!

Nothing is lost if the client is a nice decent person like almost everyone else.

Keep going Erin, you got this!



PS. Read all the instructions on how to use the Time Tracker correctly. 😉


Mikko R wrote:
...

You did a bit of work for free. Please don't do that, for the sake of all freelancers like yourself. 🙏 Go by the process the platform provides. It's not difficult and works really well most of the time. Please learn how it works.

...

Not if the client is amenable to paying her for that time via a bonus. Please don't give out erroneous advice in such an authoritative manner.

 

kinector
Community Member

Erin, what Jan is saying in the above is not related to you in any way. Please ignore it. Keep going and rock'n'roll!!! ✌🤪🤙



Edit: Was there some strange unrelated rant here mocking Upwork or am I COMPLETELY DRUNK OF COCONUTS??? 🤨

Appreciate the responses.  Yes, I worked ~40 minutes at a client kickoff meeting before the contract.  It was simply a miss on the client's part.  She asked me to go ahead and add the time manually.  As such, I was attemping to add the time AFTER the contract was agreed to by both parties, but for the same amount of time worked.  40 minutes.  

I think it was a bug in the desktop app.  I was able to find the work diary via the browser and manually add the time there no problem.  

Luckily I didn't see Jan's post!

Thanks again for your help and support!  This is an entirely new platform, and I have run into many difficulties setting it up (scam posts, having to reverify / upload identity docs repeatedly, issues with bank name (I'm an LLC) and more!)  Knowing there are others out there who have been through all the frustration and still find this platform worthwhile is very helpful and uplifting.  Cheers!


Erin R wrote:

Appreciate the responses.  Yes, I worked ~40 minutes at a client kickoff meeting before the contract.  It was simply a miss on the client's part.  She asked me to go ahead and add the time manually.  As such, I was attemping to add the time AFTER the contract was agreed to by both parties, but for the same amount of time worked.  40 minutes.  

I think it was a bug in the desktop app.  I was able to find the work diary via the browser and manually add the time there no problem.  

Luckily I didn't see Jan's post!

Thanks again for your help and support!  This is an entirely new platform, and I have run into many difficulties setting it up (scam posts, having to reverify / upload identity docs repeatedly, issues with bank name (I'm an LLC) and more!)  Knowing there are others out there who have been through all the frustration and still find this platform worthwhile is very helpful and uplifting.  Cheers!


Another option would be for the client to pay you that amount via a bonus.

 

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