Dispute ongoing but funds in pending stage

[julienboulad]

 Hello 

My client filed a dispute against me  falsely stating that I haven't worked the time I registered in manual time. He filed the dispute after I started using  Upwork tracking time. I worked 4 h30 in manual time and he wants a full refund. Also, he wrote me a very nasty review and I just started working on Upwork. Will he win win the dispute even though  Upwork time tracker clearly shows that I worked on his project having almost a 9/10 score? Can I remove the bad review if I win?

[petra_r]

---

@Julien B wrote:

 Hello 

My client filed a dispute against me  falsely stating that I haven't worked the time I registered in manual time. He filed the dispute after I started using  Upwork tracking time. I worked 4 h30 in manual time and he wants a full refund. Also, he wrote me a very nasty review and I just started working on Upwork. Will he win win the dispute even though  Upwork time tracker clearly shows that I worked on his project having almost a 9/10 score? Can I remove the bad review if I win?

---

 You will lose the dispute for any hours (logged in the past 30 days if the client disputes) which do not fit ALL (!) the following criteria:

• tracked (not manual) time
• showing adequate activity levels
• showing a meaningful work memo that clearly describes what you were working on
• screenshots show you working on the client's project

If any one of those does not apply, the dispute goes for the client for the hours that don't comply (only)

No, the feedback stands whether you win or lose.

[prestonhunter]

re: "falsely stating that I haven't worked the time I registered in manual time"

Upwork doesn't really have a concept of "falsely stating" anything about manual time.

In fact, being able to track time using an "objective" application that does so, and takes screenshots, and measures user activity...These are all some of the founding concepts of Upwork (and oDesk before it). These are the core services and features that Upwork offers clients and freelancers.

Manual time means you didn't use the time-tracker and you're asking the client to trust you purely based on what you claim. You could say anything. You could make up anything.

So, from a completely objective perspective... it is entirely reasonable if Upwork allows the client to dispute manually logged time for any reason.

If YOU were the client, then Upwork would allow YOU the same privilege.

Don't worry about this or fret about this. Just understand the rules and in the future do your work with a fuller awareness of those rules.

There is nothing wrong with working using manual time. As long as you understand that the client can automatically dispute that time if she wants to.

[a_kuntsi]

May I ask why you tracked time manually?

[julienboulad]

Hello 

I used it on my first client and he didn't have a problem with it so I used with this one but then I wanted to test Upwork time tracking and the client filed a dispute ( upwork time tracking tracked more time than the manual /day). He gave me 2 websites to manage one in French and one in English and he told me that it wouldn't take more than an hour/ day. The number of emails received /day was between 80 and 150. He commented that I worked only 10 min even though I worked an hour and that I only answered 40 emails in 8 hours even though there were more than 400. Not to mention that he barely gave me any training.

[petra_r]

---

@Julien B wrote:

I used it on my first client and he didn't have a problem with it so I used with this one.

---

 Ultimately it does not matter.

On hourly contracts it is completely clear-cut and all that matters is whether the disputed hours are strictly conform with the terms. You will lose any hours that don't fulfil all the criteria (not just some, all of them.)

The system tells you every time you enter manual time that it is not protected.

If the client fails to pay or disputes, you lose.

[kat303 · Accepted solution]

A client doesn't have to pay for manual hours. They can dispute those manual hours for whatever reason and they will win that dispute automatically. A client can Not dispute hours entered using the Tracker and annotating the screen shots it takes. So, if you used the Tracker and annotated those screen shots, you will be paid for those hours. 

Just because it worked out fine and your first client paid you for those manual hours doesn't mean any other client will do the same. Consider yourself lucky with the 1st client.