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grubaughjm
Community Member

Escrow lower than milestone

Hello,

 

I'm new to UpWork so if this doesn't make sense, that's why. I made a proposal for a job that doesn't require much effort or time, I figured it's a safe bet to see how this all works. Client wants definitions for 50 terms and agreed to $5/per definition. In the "interview" process I defined ten terms. I sent him only five with the request that if he was satisfied and wanted the additional five that the agreed fee (which is stated in the job description also) would apply and a contract would need to be created. 

 

He created a contract and set escrow at $5. Ok, I was expecting it set at $25 for the additional five terms. I submitted the work and billed for $25. This seems like it could bite me back somehow but I'm not really sure how. I've been very clear in my communications with client, reiterating the $5/per definition agreement. He got the first five as "freebies" because I didn't understand how it worked - ok, not a big deal, as I've stated, this job doesn't require much effort or time on my part. But did I just give him four as bonus too? Seems like I may have. Do we have the ability to bill more than escrowed amounts? Is that frowned upon somehow?

 

I want to make sure I understand before I do anything further. I've interviewed for a potential 6 month gig and will be initially accepting a contract for 3-4 hours of work for $200-250 before moving onto a longer term contract.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I can read and read until my eyes bleed but the only way I learn is through experience. I can see the potential in UpWork but I'm a risk manager by profession and it's screaming risk-loss-risk-potential loss-risk all over the place too. 

8 REPLIES 8
petra_r
Community Member


JM G wrote:

In the "interview" process I defined ten terms. I sent him only five with the request that if he was satisfied and wanted the additional five that the agreed fee (which is stated in the job description also) would apply and a contract would need to be created. 

 

He created a contract and set escrow at $5. Ok, I was expecting it set at $25 for the additional five terms. I submitted the work and billed for $25. This seems like it could bite me back somehow but I'm not really sure how. I've been very clear in my communications with client, reiterating the $5/per definition agreement. He got the first five as "freebies" because I didn't understand how it worked - ok, not a big deal, as I've stated this job doesn't require much effort or time on my part. But did I just give him four as bonus too? Seems like it. Do we have the ability to bill more than escrowed amounts? Is that frowned upon somehow? 


If only 5 was in Escrow, what was the milestone called?

At any rate, submitting more work than the milestone was created and funded for  is risky. Sure, you can request more than is in Escrpw, but more often than not, you just get what is funded.

 

If the client wants 50 terms defining and 10 people do 5 for free during the interview, what incentive would said client have to pay anyone?

 

Current milestone - SUBMITTED 1 - Make robust definitions of cannabis terms

$5.00 (Funded)
________________________________
^^ This is what the milestone was called.  In negotiating, we agreed to $5/ea definition in groups of five. All of our messaging includes $5/per definition. 
 
You said:  If the client wants 50 terms defining and 10 people do 5 for free during the interview, what incentive would said client have to pay anyone?
 
Agreed, it's why I chose this particular low paying gig to see how things work. It costs me next to nothing to write these definitions while I'm watching TV and otherwise would've been doing nothing but watching TV. Truth is the definitlons I provided were intentionally minimal and I expected him to come back with a request to include more information, sources, etc. 
 
If I get the $5 he's escrowed, I'll consider this particular "milestone" completed but will not provide any others unless he pays for the agreed amount, which is what I billed. Or I'll, just provide one at a time, which seems odd to me but whatever - $5 is $5.
 
Thanks for your response Petra. 
martina_plaschka
Community Member


JM G wrote:

Hello,

 

I'm new to UpWork so if this doesn't make sense, that's why. I made a proposal for a job that doesn't require much effort or time, I figured it's a safe bet to see how this all works. Client wants definitions for 50 terms and agreed to $5/per definition. In the "interview" process I defined ten terms. I sent him only five with the request that if he was satisfied and wanted the additional five that the agreed fee (which is stated in the job description also) would apply and a contract would need to be created. 

 

He created a contract and set escrow at $5. Ok, I was expecting it set at $25 for the additional five terms. I submitted the work and billed for $25. This seems like it could bite me back somehow but I'm not really sure how. I've been very clear in my communications with client, reiterating the $5/per definition agreement. He got the first five as "freebies" because I didn't understand how it worked - ok, not a big deal, as I've stated, this job doesn't require much effort or time on my part. But did I just give him four as bonus too? Seems like I may have. Do we have the ability to bill more than escrowed amounts? Is that frowned upon somehow?

 

I want to make sure I understand before I do anything further. I've interviewed for a potential 6 month gig and will be initially accepting a contract for 3-4 hours of work for $200-250 before moving onto a longer term contract.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I can read and read until my eyes bleed but the only way I learn is through experience. I can see the potential in UpWork but I'm a risk manager by profession and it's screaming risk-loss-risk-potential loss-risk all over the place too. 


It's never a good idea to accept a job to see how it all works. You encountered a cheap client, maybe a scammer. These are high risk for your JSS, because they often, on top of getting work for free, will leave bad feedback that can sink your upwork career before it started. Salvage what you can to leave this on a good note. 

For clarification: a client is not allowed to ask for free work. If the freelancer provides free work, it is not against ToS, so your profile will not be suspended for doing it. But you incur the disapproval of other freelancers because this behavious ruins it for everybody else.  

Accepting a low paying job that doesn't require much from me seems like a good way to see how things work. I don't learn from reading. I am an experiential learner and the only way I truly understand functions and procedures is by completing them. This particular event, I'm out less than thirty minutes of my time. In the next few days, I received an invitation to interview for a gig in my actual career and now I have a much better understanding for how to proceed with the new job. 

 

Might be worth considering that UpWork provide a space where this stuff can be tested further by users. Perhaps potentially alleviating this sort of issue - that from what I'm reading (and likely experiencing) is fairly common. I'm positve that I'm not the only person who would appreciate a thoughtful approach to minimize this sort of low level bottom feeding.

 

Apprciate your response Martina, thank you. 

 


JM G wrote:

Accepting a low paying job that doesn't require much from me seems like a good way to see how things work. I don't learn from reading. I am an experiential learner and the only way I truly understand functions and procedures is by completing them. This particular event, I'm out less than thirty minutes of my time. In the next few days, I received an invitation to interview for a gig in my actual career and now I have a much better understanding for how to proceed with the new job. 

 

Might be worth considering that UpWork provide a space where this stuff can be tested further by users. Perhaps potentially alleviating this sort of issue - that from what I'm reading (and likely experiencing) is fairly common. I'm positve that I'm not the only person who would appreciate a thoughtful approach to minimize this sort of low level bottom feeding.

 

Apprciate your response Martina, thank you. 

 


---------------

Well, if you don't learn from reading, I guess we're going to see a lot of you on this site. Good luck you're going to need it. 

Ha! Yup, but I'm whip smart so I don't make mistakes twice. Just never been able to sit in a classroom and learn. I can read, I'm just rarely engage enough to retain it. Reading on website is about as difficult for me as a technical manual. I appreciate the videos I've watched though. I'm able to process visual data much easier.

 


JM G wrote:

Ha! Yup, but I'm whip smart so I don't make mistakes twice. Just never been able to sit in a classroom and learn. I can read, I'm just rarely engage enough to retain it. Reading on website is about as difficult for me as a technical manual. I appreciate the videos I've watched though. I'm able to process visual data much easier.

_____________________

 

Given your attention span is so short, perhaps you should rethink freelancing as a way to make money.  


 

Yeah, it may not be a viable path for me or maybe there are many atypical learners already here and why there are so many questions for the gurus to answer. I don't know yet. My "attention span" and comprehension are fine it's more about the way I process information. 

 

Thanks for your input. 

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