You've learned about using the Upwork Time Tracker and Work Diary to manage your time with projects. However, situations might arise where you need to track time outside the Upwork Desktop App. This is where manual time entries come in. This lesson will equip you with the knowledge to confidently add manual time to your Upwork Work Diary, ensuring accurate billing and fair compensation.
Understanding manual time
Manual time allows you to record hours worked on a project, even if you weren't using the Upwork Desktop App. This flexibility can be helpful for activities like:
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Phone calls: Track the time spent on client calls that weren't conducted on Upwork's platform.
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Offline work: Record time dedicated to project tasks completed outside the Upwork Desktop App, such as research or brainstorming sessions.
- Unappreciated time: Account for necessary but potentially overlooked tasks like administrative work related to the project.
Note: For manual time entries to be eligible for payment, your client must explicitly enable manual time in the contract settings.
Confidently adding manual time
Ready to add manual time? Here's a step-by-step guide:
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Navigate to your Work Diary: Log in to your Upwork account and access the specific contract's Work Diary where you want to add manual time.
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Select the date: Choose the day to record the manual time entry.
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Select Add Manual Time: Locate and click the Add Manual Time button within the Work Diary interface.
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Enter details: Fill out the following information–
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Time period: Enter the duration of the work you completed in hours and minutes.
- Description: Provide a clear and concise description of your work. This will help your client understand how you spent your time and strengthen transparency.
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Time period: Enter the duration of the work you completed in hours and minutes.
Check out Add Manual Time to learn more.
Best practices for manual time entries
While manual time offers flexibility, there are some key practices to ensure its effectiveness:
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Client communication: Before adding manual time entries, discuss the need with your client and ensure they are comfortable with this approach.
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Timely entries: For better accuracy, it's best to record manual time entries as soon as possible after completing the work. If, at some point, you need to update the time you've entered, you can Remove Time on active contracts. As always, be sure to communicate any changes with your client.
- Detailed descriptions: Use clear and concise descriptions that clearly explain what you worked on. Stronger descriptions enhance transparency and support your billing claims.
