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chaunce_s
Community Member

New Guy and I didn't log time in Time Tracker

Hello

 

I just completed work on my first Upwork contract but didn't know about the Time Tracker...so I've requested the client to allow me to enter time manually. 

 

Will the system 'ding' me for not using Time Tracker on that contract? Any other concerns?

12 REPLIES 12
mthornton-cpc
Community Member

Was it for an hourly contract? If your client allows manual time entry you'll be fine. However, those hours aren't eligible for UW's payment protection because it only covers hours which are logged using the time tracker and meet other criteria like detailed memos and a high activity level. 

 

I highly recommend reading through the ToS so that you know the ins and outs of the system before your next job. It will save you a lot of hassle. Good luck. 

prestonhunter
Community Member

re: "Will the system 'ding' me for not using Time Tracker on that contract? Any other concerns?"

 

The system will not penalize you for having a single contract for which no time or payment was recorded.

 

Your more pressing concern is that you won't get paid if logged no time.

 

The correct thing to do is to BRIEFLY message the client to apologize and explain your mistake. Ask the client if she will allow you to add manual time (she'll need to click a button to allow this), or if she would be willing to pay the equivalent using the "Pay Bonus" tool.

 

It is her choice whether or not to help you out with this. Most clients wlll take pity on the newbie and help them get the pay they worked for. But it IS the client's choice.

 

If the client declines to help, there's nothing you can do about it. Upwork won't help you because you were the on who was using Upwork incorrectly.

Of course... if this was a fixed-price contract then your question is irrelevent.

ARGH!!!  (Yes, I'm screaming.)  I just continue to be amazed, dazed, confused...by these folks that just jump right in without even learning the bare basics of how to operate on this platform.  I'll just never ever understand it and have quit trying to.  However, that hasn't stopped me from experiencing the negative emotions associated with their behavior or lack thereof as the case may be. 

LOTS of people do this.

 

So the orignal poster shouldn't feel TOO bad, I guess.

 

When I have hired newbies... whether it is their first job or their first hourly job... I'd say about 25% of them don't log time.

 

If I catch on that they're working without logging time I'll stop them and tell them what to do.


Otherwise, I pay them using a bonus.

 

I don't think this is as rare as unusual as you might think.

Preston H. posted:

 

LOTS of people do this.

 

So the orignal poster shouldn't feel TOO bad, I guess.

 

When I have hired newbies... whether it is their first job or their first hourly job... I'd say about 25% of them don't log time.

 

If I catch on that they're working without logging time I'll stop them and tell them what to do.


Otherwise, I pay them using a bonus.

 

I don't think this is as rare as unusual as you might think.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Preston, but IMO it should be rare or unusual. 

 

Pat M:
such horrible mean words of you. there are tons of buttons on the site, you expect people to learn every single thing about the site? if you're a human being, dont use horrible comment like that. 

re: "such horrible mean words of you. there are tons of buttons on the site, you expect people to learn every single thing about the site? if you're a human being, dont use horrible comment like that."

 

SokSambath:

Nobody in this thread has said anything horrible or mean.

harsh truth

I haven't logged in time but I have already completed my job. So if I explain everything to the client, can he pay me without asking me to redo the job?

re: "I haven't logged in time but I have already completed my job. So if I explain everything to the client, can he pay me without asking me to redo the job?"

 

Yes.

 

Or if the contract allows manual time, then go ahead and record the time manually.

 

If the contract doesn't allow manual time, your only option is to send a short note to the client to ask that he pay you for your time using the client-side "Send bonus" tool.

 

But that is his choice.

 

Clients are not required to pay bonus payments to freelancers. Even in situations such as this.

 

Either way:

You will not re-do the work.

The work has already been done.

It helped, thank you so much.
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