POSTING JOBS

• Signing Up with Elance 
• Describing What You Need 
• Editing a Job

SELECTING SERVICE PROVIDERS

• Browsing Providers 
• Requesting Proposals from Elance Providers
  
• Requesting Proposals from Providers Outside Elance
  
• Communicating with Providers via Elance Chat
• Communicating with Providers via Elance Call
• Communicating with Providers via the Workroom
  

WORKING WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS

• Choosing a Proposal 
• Receiving and Evaluating Proposals 
• Awarding the Job and Negotiating the Terms 
• Receiving Services 
• Communicating with the Provider Privately
• Receiving Progress Updates via Status Reports
• Receiving the Work
• Canceling an Awarded Job

PAYING FOR SERVICES

• Receiving Invoices from Providers 
• Paying on an Escrow Job
  
• Paying on a Non-Escrow Job 
• Providing Feedback
• Providing Confidential Feedback to Elance

SUPPORT

• Minimum System Requirements
• Getting Help

POSTING JOBS

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To post jobs on Elance, simply click the  button under the Get Started section on the right-hand side of the home page. If you already have an account, you may sign in with your existing username and password. If not, you will need to sign up with Elance and create an account before posting your job.

To sign up:

1. Click the Sign in or Register link in the top navigation.

2. Click the Sign Up Now link below the log-in area.

 

 

3.Under Looking to hire an expert on Elance?, click Get Started.

 

4. Enter your contact information, choose a payment method for your activation charge, accept the Elance Terms of Service, and click Continue.

 

To activate your account, Elance requires a one-time $10 activation charge. This charge helps to ensure the legitimacy of employers and the quality of interactions in the Elance community.  You are never under any obligation to accept the proposals you receive.  You are in full control of whether to hire a provider and how much to pay them.

 

1. Enter a title for your job.

2. Select the category and subcategory that best describe your job and the skill set you would like your provider to have.

 

When you post a job in a subcategory, it will be viewed by all providers in the main category.

 

3. Enter a job description. Be as detailed as possible, including specific information about the work needed, the size of the job, estimated start and completion dates, and some background on your company.

4.  You may attach up to 6 files (maximum size 5 MB per attachment) that help clarify the job requirements and enable providers to prepare more thorough, relevant proposals.

 

At this stage, all posted job titles, descriptions, and file attachments will be visible to providers who are searching for jobs on Elance. Please use discretion when including private information such as your web address or name.   If you don’t want your job to display in search results outside of Elance, be sure to uncheck the Visibility Option field.

 

5. You may select up to 5 relevant skills you would like your provider to have.   When you select skills, your job will be tagged with the associated keywords, making it more visible to qualified providers when they are searching our job database.

6. Select a job type (one-time project or ongoing position). Indicate whether you’d like to receive fixed price or hourly proposals. Finally, specify a budget range for your job.

Based on the budget range you choose, Elance will require that providers submit proposals at a certain minimum amount.

7. In the Preferred Job Location, indicate whether you’d like proposals from providers in certain geographical areas.

9. In the Advanced Options section, you can set additional job preferences, such as the posting duration, start date, visibility options, sealed proposals, and the option to automatically file 1099 forms. When you are finished, click Continue.

We recommend using Escrow services for fixed price jobs to better organize your payment schedule and minimize financial risk. If you are a US-based employer and you choose to use Escrow, you can also request that the US federal tax form 1099 is filed on your behalf at no cost to you.

10. If this is your first time posting a job on Elance, you will be asked to provide a one-time $10 activation charge to activate your account. Enter your contact information, select a deposit method, and click Continue.

11. Choose your posting type: Standard, Featured, or Business to Business. Standard postings are free. There is a $15 posting fee for Featured postings and a $50 posting fee for Business to Business postings, which appear highlighted in search results and category listings for increased visibility.  NOTE: The Business to Business posting type is only available for jobs with a budget of $1000 or more.

 

 

 

12. Review your information on the Preview Your Posting page. To make changes to your posting, click the Edit Posting link. To save your job as a draft and post it later, click Save & Post Later. To publish your job in search results and category listings, click Post Now.

You will receive an email confirmation that your job has been successfully posted, and you can expect to begin receiving proposals within a few hours. To review proposals and manage your jobs, simply follow the instructions in the email by clicking on the Workroom List tab under the main Manage tab.

 

13. If you have saved your job as a draft, click the Draft Postings link in the left panel.  Click on the job title and follow steps 2-6 of this section.

 

 When posting jobs on Elance, you must abide by the rules defined in Elance's site policies, or your job will be delisted.

Once you have posted a job, you cannot edit the original job description. You can, however, add more text to the bottom of the description and attach files.

To add more details to your job:

1. Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation.
2. Click on the job title.
3. Click the Project Summary tab in the section to the right of the job name.
4. Click the Add to Project Description link below the description.
5. Add your updated description and click Submit.

Only jobs that are still open for bidding can be edited.

 

SELECTING SERVICE PROVIDERS

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Optionally, you can solicit bids from service providers by browsing their profiles and requesting proposals for your job. Note: It is not required that you request proposals from  providers; you can also post a job for open bidding as outlined in the previous section.

 

To browse provider profiles:

1. On the home page, select the Hire tab, type in what you're looking for in the search field, choose a category (optional), and click the Search button.

 

 

2. You can browse providers by any of the following methods:

 

3. Click the provider name to view their bio and services description. To view their posted samples, click the Portfolio link.

 

You can easily send requests to Elance providers to submit proposals for your job, either from search results or from their individual profiles.

 

1. Requesting provider proposals from search results: You can invite one or more providers at a time by placing check mark(s) in the far right column of the search results and then clicking the Request Proposal button at the top of the column. If you already have active postings, you will see a window listing all of your jobs that are open for bidding. You can either choose an existing job or create a new one. Each selected service provider will receive an email invitation to submit their proposal for your job. If you are creating a new job, you may choose to only receive proposals from selected providers or to keep your job open for proposals from other providers. You can select up to 30 providers per job when requesting proposals.

 

 2. Requesting provider proposals from Elance  profiles: Click the Get a Proposal button on the top right of the provider’s profile.  You will see a Request Proposal popup.  If you already have active postings, you will see a window listing all of your jobs that are open for bidding. You can either choose an existing job or create a new one.

Note: You are limited to 30 invites per job posting.

 

 

To request proposals from providers outside of Elance:

1. Under the Manage tab, click the Workroom List link.
2. Click on the name of the job for which you want to request proposals.
3. Click the Overview tab in the section to the right of the job name.
4. Click the Invites link.
5. Click the Invite Other Providers link.
6. You can either copy and paste the link to your job and send it to your contacts via email or Instant Message, or you can forward your job by entering up to 10 of your contacts' email addresses and clicking the Submit button. You can also choose to enter a personalized message and have a copy of the email sent to you.
7. When one of your contacts joins Elance as a new member and spends or earns $1,000 on Elance, you will receive a $50 referral reward.

 

Elance Chat enables you to instantly contact service providers via Instant Message. You can easily see whether a provider is online and can start a live chat immediately. This feature is free to all registered Elance employers and providers with paid memberships. Because the chat connection is enabled through Elance, you are not required to use or disclose your personal sign-on information for  Yahoo, MSN,  AOL, etc.

You can start an Elance Chat with any service provider from an individual profile or from a job proposal.

1. If the provider is currently online, the word 'Online' will appear next to the Interview Me button on their profile page. To start a conversation from the provider's profile, click the Interview Me button and select the Chat tab.  To start a conversation from the provider's proposal, click the Chat link in the Interview box on the far right side of the proposal.  (If you have not logged in, you will be prompted to do so before starting a conversation.)
2. If you already have a job open with the provider, we recommend copying your conversation from the chat window and pasting it into the Workroom to keep a record of your correspondence.

Note: You must be a registered Elance user to connect with Elance providers.

Elance Call is an easy and immediate way to talk with Elance service providers. You can connect instantly with providers to conduct interviews, find out their availability, and discuss your job needs. This feature is free to all registered Elance employers who have made the refundable $10 deposit and authenticated their credit card or have made a payment to a provider. It is also available to providers with paid memberships. When the call is made to the provider, your phone number remains private. You decide whether you want disclose your contact information with the provider.

You can start an Elance Call with any service provider from the provider profile or from a proposal.

1. To start a conversation from the provider's profile, click the Interview Me button and select the Call tab.  To start a conversation from the provider's proposal, click the Call link in the Interview box on the far right side of the proposal.  (If you have not logged in, you will be prompted to do so before starting a conversation.)
2. Once you’ve signed in, instructions to start the call will be shown on the Call tab. The call will be initiated by connecting your and the provider’s phone numbers.
3. Enter your phone number into the entry field and click the Call button. The system will call you first and will then connect you with the phone number on the provider’s profile.

Note: You must be a registered Elance user to connect with Elance providers.

After you post your job, a provider may send you a message to discuss the job in more detail. When this happens, you will receive an email notification and the new message icon   will appear in the Interview box on the far right of the proposal.

To respond to the provider’s Private Message, you can:

• Reply to the email notification by following the instructions in the email. Your response will be automatically posted to the Workroom on Elance.
• Post your message directly in the Workroom.

To reply to a message or initiate a new one within the Workroom:

1. Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation.
2. Click the job name or the number of proposals received.
3. Scroll down until you find the proposal from the provider with whom you want to communicate and click on the message icon   in the Interview box on the far right of the proposal.
4. In the message dialog box, enter your reply and click Post Message.

 

 

WORKING WITH THE SERVICE PROVIDER

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• When a proposal is entered for your job, you will receive an email notification
• The job's status in the Workroom List will be "Hiring Open"

Before you hire a provider, you’ll have the opportunity to compare the proposals you’ve received.

To review proposals:

1. Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation
2. Click the job name or the number of proposals received.
3. If you did not choose Escrow as a payment type when you posted the job, service providers can choose Escrow as their preferred payment method when they submit proposals. If you choose a service provider whose proposal indicates a preference for using Escrow, the job will be awarded with Escrow as the payment type.
4. You may sort your proposals by clicking on the information headers, such as Submit Date, Location, and Proposal Amount, at the top of the list of proposals. 
5. You may also filter proposals using the Filter By drop down menu.  Select the information by which you’d like to filter, such as New Proposals, Feedback, and Invited Providers, and click the Go button. 
6. To narrow down your proposals to a shorter list of providers, you may privately rate your proposals by clicking on the My Rating buttons for each proposal.   To filter by ratings, click the View buttons on the top of the list of proposals.
7. For each proposal you receive, review the provider’s comments and expected amount of time to complete the job.
8. Review the provider’s profile by clicking on their username. This may include information about services offered; a summary of their feedback reviews, ratings and reported earnings; contact details, company history, standard terms, education, and credentials.
9. View the provider’s posted samples by clicking the Portfolio link to the left of the proposal amount.
10. View the provider’s detailed feedback, reviews, and earnings from the last six months by clicking on the statistics in the Feedback | Earnings column.
11. Use the PMB, Chat, or Call links in the Information box on the far right of the proposal to communicate with and interview providers.
12. To decline a proposal, click the Decline link to the right of the My Rating buttons for that proposal. In the Decline Proposal window, select a reason for declining the proposal from the drop down menu, or enter a custom reason not listed in the drop-down, and then click Submit. The provider will receive a notification that you have declined their proposal, and the proposal will be moved to the Declined list.
13. Some providers may ask you to clarify your job description before entering a proposal. When this happens, they will send a private message to you, and you will see their proposal status as a “Prebid".  Once you provide clarification, the provider can complete their proposal by entering an amount and delivery time-frame. Note: You cannot award your job to a proposal that is still in a "Prebid" status.
14. If the period to accept new proposals has ended, you can extend it twice (up to 42 days from the time of your original posting date) to allow more providers to submit proposals  or allow existing providers to submit revised amounts.

 

To extend the period to accept new proposals:

• Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation Click the job name or the number of proposals received.
• Click the Settings tab on the far right of the screen.
• Click the Extend Bidding button.
• Enter the new end date for the job and the reason for the extension, and then click Submit.

 

To cancel a job:

• Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation Click the job name or the number of proposals received.
• Click the Settings tab on the far right of the screen.
• If the job is still open for accepting new proposals, click the Cancel Project button. You will be prompted to enter a reason for canceling the project. You will not be able to award the job to a provider after cancellation.

 

To close bidding for a job:

• Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation
• Click the job name or the number of proposals received.
• Click the Settings tab on the far right of the screen.
• If the job is still open for accepting new proposals, click the End Bidding Now button. You will be prompted to enter a reason for ending bidding. You will still be able to award the job to a provider who has already entered a proposal.

 

 

To accept a proposal and hire a provider for your job:

1. Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation 
2. Click on the job name or on the number of proposals received.
3. Click the Select button on the far right of the winning proposal.

 

 

 

4.On the Review Terms page, you’ll have the option to submit initial business terms to the provider, including project milestones, agreement documents, and other specifications.  The provider can choose to accept the terms or modify them for your review and acceptance.  Review the provider's name, proposal amount, and initial business terms before clicking Award.

 

Elance requires that service providers invoice employers via the Elance Billing and Payment system. By clicking the Award button, you agree to only pay invoices received through the Elance system..

Once you have accepted a proposal, you will be notified by email when the provider accepts and submits the business terms or declines the job, usually within 48 hours. Until the business terms are accepted by both parties, the job status will have a status of “Finalizing Terms” on the Workroom List page.

If the provider did not accept the default terms and sent you updated terms:

 

1. Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation
2. Click the link 'Provider Modified Terms' under the job name.  (You may also click on the job name to go to the  Workroom page, and then click the Terms & Milestones link on the left panel.) 
3. Review the terms supplied by the provider, including the job milestones, total amount, and job agreement.  If you agree to the terms as outlined on this page, click the Accept button. When you accept the terms, they become active immediately and no further approval is required from the provider.
4. To make changes to one of the milestones, click on the Edit link and make any necessary changes to delivery dates and/or scheduled payment amounts. You may also add new milestones or upload new agreements. Enter any comments and click Submit to send your changes to the provider.
5. Your service provider will be notified by email of the changes, and can then accept, edit, or decline the revised terms. You will be notified by email of the service provider’s decision.
6. Once both parties accept the terms, the job is immediately active, and the job will have a status of “Working” on the Workroom List page.  (The provider will be notified that you have accepted their proposal.)

 Always document changes in job scope in the Workroom.  Do not release payment for a milestone until you have reviewed and approved it.

 

 

 

Once you have awarded the job, you may contact the provider directly to discuss the requirements and begin tracking the work. You can communicate in any of the following ways:

• Through the Workroom Messages (the required method for keeping a written record of communication), Elance Chat, or Elance Call
• Directly via email, phone, Instant Messenger, etc. (Always transcribe key elements of the discussion to the Workroom to maintain an auditable record.)

 

 

To receive the work, the provider will upload files and documents to the Workroom. To access your files:

1. Click Manage from the top navigation.  

2. On the right side under the current job status, click Select Action > Files link.  (You may also click the project name, then on the next page, click the Files link on the left panel.) 

3. Choose the File to download

 4.  Click  Download file link under Actions.

 

 

 

 If you decide to cancel your job:

 

1. Click Manage > Workroom List in the top navigation 
2. On the right side under the current job status, click the Select Action > Cancel Job link.  (You may also click the job name to go to the Workroom page and then click the I want to >  Cancel Job link in the left panel.) 
3. If you are reducing the final amount of the job or would like to request a refund of funds held in escrow from your provider, simply reduce the milestones amount in the Terms.
4. If you are cancelling and would like to request a refund of funds already released to the provider, Elance will confirm the cancellation with your provider. 

 

 

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If you have a Non-Escrow job, your service provider will send you an invoice upon completion of each milestone. You will receive an email notification for each invoice.

If you have an Escrow Payment job, your service provider will send you a request to fund and/or release payment for each milestone. You will receive an email notification for each request.

 

• Fund the Escrow account for the job
• Release payments from the job's Escrow account to the service provider upon completion of each milestone.

 

 

 

To fund the Escrow account for the job, you’ll first need to authenticate your credit card by following steps 1-2. If you have already authenticated your card, go to step 3.

1. Click Pay > Financial Accounts in the top navigation.   

2. Click the Confirm Authentication link next to the credit card or bank account you want to use and follow the instructions.

3. Click Pay > Make Payment in the top navigation. (Alternatively, you may click the Payment icon   under the job name or click Select Action > Payments on your Workroom List)

4. Select the radio button to the left of the job for which you want to fund a milestone and click the Next button.

5. On the Payments page, you will see the Escrow Funding and Release section with two tabs.  The Fund and Release tab lists the job milestones and the funding and release status of each milestone.   The Documents tab lists all funding and release requests that have been sent by the provider.

To fund a milestone, click the Fund button in the Fund and Release tab.

 

 

Or if you have received a funding request, click the View & Fund button, in the Documents tab next to the appropriate milestone.  

6. On the Fund Escrow Account page, review your payment details, select a payment method, and check the box stating that you have read Elance's Billing and Payment Service policy and that you authorize payment to your provider. Enter your Elance password and click the Fund Escrow button. The provider will receive an email notification that Escrow funds have been submitted, and the Fund Escrow column will change to the date you submitted the funds. 

7. After you fund a milestone, the provider can request the release of that milestone payment amount.

To release milestone payments from the job's Escrow account:

1. Click Pay > Make Payment in the top navigation. (Alternatively, you may click the Payment icon   under the job name or click Select Action > Payments on your Workroom List) 
2. Select the radio button to the left of the job for which you want to release a payment and click the Next button. 
3. On the Payments page, you will see the Escrow Funding and Release section with two tabs.  The Fund and Release tab lists the job milestones and the funding and release status of each milestone.  The Documents tab lists all funding and release requests that have been sent by the provider.
4. To release a milestone, click the Release button in the Fund and Release tab.

5. Or if you have received a release request, click the View & Approve button in the Documents tab next to the appropriate milestone.

6. On the Release Funds in Escrow page, review the milestone you are releasing funds for, and check the box stating that you have read Elance's Billing and Payment Service policy and that you authorize release of payment to your provider. Enter your Elance password and click Submit. 
7. If you are disputing the deliverable, communicate details of the dispute with your service provider in the Workroom. If they are not responding, click on the Request Dispute Assistance link at the top right side of the Terms page.

To make a payment on a Non-Escrow Payment job, you will first need to authenticate your credit card by following steps 1-2. If you have already verified your credit card, go to step 3.

To make a payment on a non-Escrow job:

1. Click Pay > Financial Accounts link in the top navigation.  
2. Click the Confirm Authentication link next to the credit card or bank account you want to use and follow the instructions.
3. Click Pay > Make Payment in the top navigation.  (Alternatively, you may find the job in your Workroom List and click the Select Action > Payments link beneath the project status, or click the Payment icon   under the job name.)
4. Select the radio button to the left of the job for which you want to make a payment and click the Next button.
5. On the Pay Provider page, click the View & Pay Invoice button next to the invoice you want to pay.  Note: If the provider hasn't yet sent an invoice and you want to send a payment, click the Pay Without Invoice button.
6. View the invoice details, and click the Pay button. If you disagree with any of the information, click the Reply With Comments button to send a message to your provider.
7. On the Pay Invoice page, enter a payment amount, select a payment method, and check the box stating that you have read Elance's Billing and Payment Service policy and that you authorize payment to your provider. Enter your Elance password and click Submit. Your provider will be notified that they have received a new payment.
8. You can also print out the payment you sent for your records. Click the Print Document link on the confirmation screen that appears when your invoice has been sent.

 

 Employers in certain countries can pay a service provider with a credit card through Elance. All employers must have an authenticated credit card to pay a service provider via the Elance site.  Employers can also pay their provider via a PayPal account added to their Elance account or funds in their Elance account.

 

The Leave Feedback link appears when the buyer makes their first payment on the job or the final milestone date is reached.  Both parties will then have 60 days from the final milestone date to leave feedback for each other. 

To submit feedback:

1. From the Manage tab, click the Workrooms link on the left panel.

2. Click the Leave Feedback link under the appropriate job name.  (You may also use the 'Quick Links' in the right margin.)

 

3. On the Leave Feedback page, enter your feedback rating for the provider and any comments about your experience, then click Preview.

4. Review your feedback on the Feedback Preview page, then click Submit.

 

 Once feedback has been submitted, it cannot be changed. Please review your ratings and comments carefully before clicking Submit. Elance recommends that you try to resolve any disputes with a provider before submitting feedback.

 

During the duration of a job, you may also send private feedback to Elance about your provider and your job.   All private feedback is kept strictly confidential and is not visible to the provider.   Elance uses this data to ensure that our providers are delivering consistent quality.

To leave private feedback:

1. Click Manage > My Jobs in the top navigation. 
2. On the right side under the current job status, click I want ton > Leave Private Comments link.  (You may also use the 'Quick Links' in the right margin.)

 

 

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Elance supports the following browsers:

• Internet Explorer 7.0 and 8.0
• Firefox 3.5.X
• Mac Safari 4.0.x 
• Chrome 3.0.x.x

We also recommend that you have latest version of Adobe Flash installed.

Other things to do if you find issues:

• Ensure that Javascript is enabled in your browser
• Clear your browser cache and restart your browser

 

If you have the above settings and are having difficulty viewing any Elance pages, please click on the 'Contact Us' link above.  Send us your browser type and version, PC or Mac, and the links or screens you were trying to access.

 

Additional information about using Elance may be obtained in the following ways:

• Elance Help: http://www.elance.com/p/help/index.html.  You may also click the Help link on the top right of any of our web pages to see our online help pages.  Browse the top questions, find what you need in the help topics or type in what you're looking for in the Search field.
• Elance FAQ's: http://www.elance.com/p/help/overview/faq.html.  Read the most Frequently Asked Questions to find your answer.
• Elance University: http://www.elance.com/p/elanceuniversity/index.html.  Watch videos to help you learn more about our site.
• Elance Customer Service:  Click the Contact us link on the top right of any of our web pages to send an email to Elance.