Time Tracking Policy
Introduction
We have implemented specific time-tracking guidelines to avoid unnecessary resource loss on non-productive activities. Since non-productive time is not billable to our clients and cannot be covered by the organization, contractors must track time only for productive tasks associated with active projects and assigned final deliverables.
Rules
👍🏼 Job Acceptance:
When a contractor moves a task to "In Progress" status or starts tracking the task, it confirms that the task has been formally accepted and work has begun. Accepted jobs will then appear on your task dashboard, a centralized location to track your progress, log time, and monitor deliverables. This ensures accurate record-keeping and helps streamline the payment process. Contractors should review tasks thoroughly before moving them to "In Progress" to ensure they are prepared to meet the requirements and deadlines associated with the job.
✅ Completion Rule:
Once a job is accepted, it becomes the freelancer’s responsibility to complete it. Tasks that are left unfinished or have time recorded without completion will not be credited. Assess your capabilities carefully before accepting a job to ensure successful completion.
❌ Timely Rejection Rule:
If you cannot proceed with a self-assigned job, decline it promptly to avoid unnecessary delays. Update the task status to "Review" and tag your project manager in the comments to ensure they are notified and can take swift action. Delays in rejecting tasks can result in penalties and may hinder timely reassignment, potentially disrupting the workflow. Proactive communication is crucial for maintaining efficiency and preventing bottlenecks.
💸 Fixed Rate Billing Rule:
The payment amount is pre-determined for fixed-rate jobs. By accepting such jobs, freelancers agree to complete the work for the specified price, regardless of the time required. Be sure to fully understand the scope of the job before accepting, as additional work or revisions may not lead to increased payment unless renegotiated.
⏱️ Quota Billing Rate Rule:
In hourly jobs, the contractors quote a rate and bill for actual time spent. Don't exceed the quoted hours without client agreement. Exceeding the quoted time might receive a red flag, and payment may be adjusted to a basic quota. Always communicate if more time is needed.
Weekly and Daily Limits
If weekly or daily limits are set, please plan your work accordingly to stay within these limits. If you want to avoid unpaid hours, do not continue working unless the additional time has been approved. Unapproved time may not be counted or paid.
If you cannot stay within these limits, postpone the remaining work to the next day or week. However, inform your project manager so they can reassign urgent or high-priority tasks to other creators.
In rare cases, you can request an increase in your limit. However, the extra time may be rejected if the rise is not confirmed in advance and you start tracking additional time.
You can view your weekly and daily limits in the Hubstaff Portal under Reports > Budgets and Limits.
Client Revision:
A client revision refers to any change or modification requested by the client after the delivery of the final product, provided that the product meets the agreed-upon specifications and scope of work. These are typically stylistic or preference-based changes.
Bug:
A bug is a defect or issue in the final product that prevents it from functioning as intended or deviates from the agreed-upon specifications. If the client is unable to use the product effectively due to such issues, it may be classified as a bug or a partial bug, even if the problem is non-technical.
Bug Found
If you are assigned a Bug Found task, you are expected to fix the bug you created as soon as possible. The Bug Found product is non-billable, meaning the creator is responsible for covering the time required to resolve the issue at their own expense.
However, when possible, time should still be tracked on bug-related tasks to maintain transparency and allow us to monitor the amount of time spent resolving bugs.
Breaks
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer paid breaks to freelancers. The only exception applies to W2 contractors working in the United States, where break policies follow the applicable labor laws of each state. For all other freelancers, breaks are unpaid.
Adding Time Manually Request
If time is not tracked, you may submit a manual time addition request. However, please note that such requests may be denied.
We consider the following reasons:
Forgot to start the tracker: Forgetting to turn on the tracker is not a valid reason. You are fully responsible for accurately tracking your time. These requests will most likely be rejected.
Technical issues: These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please provide as much evidence as possible explaining why the tracker was not working.
Tracked time under the wrong task: Please avoid this as much as possible. These requests may be denied due to the complexity and risk of data inconsistency that can occur when switching between tasks.
Other reasons will be considered individually.
🚩 Benchmarks Red Flags
Exceeding the approved time quota by more than 30% on a task will trigger a Red Flag.
We are providing changes to increase limits. Instead of 30%, it will be 20%. This 20% includes one revision from the client, if needed. If the client needs a revision, a 20% increased in quota will be used
Please review the time quotas on tasks before starting work. If you disagree with the allocated quota, do not begin the task. Instead, request the scheduling manager to update the quota or reassign the task to another creator.
Repeated overages may negatively affect:
Your ability to request manual time additions
Your task assignment priority
Your internal performance rating
How to Avoid Red Flags
You can avoid Red Flags in two ways:
Provide a more accurate estimate before starting the task.
Dispute the quota after task completion by submitting a proper explanation.
Instructions
Review the task and assess if you can complete it within the assigned quota.
If you believe you cannot, due to valid reasons, request a quota adjustment or reassignment.
If you agree to the quota, you are expected to complete it within the agreed-upon time.
If you run out of time due to valid reasons (e.g., Hubstaff issues, client scope creep, file problems), complete the task and submit the form explaining what happened. Include screenshots when possible.
If your reason is valid and justified, the overage will be counted. Otherwise, time will be reduced to the original quota.
Please note: We sell products to clients at fixed prices based on the estimated production effort. Any overages are paid out of studio funds, accumulating substantial losses over time. This policy is essential to ensure business sustainability and fairness for all creators.
Просматривайте каждый день эту вкладку. Если там есть записи, то обязательно нажмите на Appeal и объясните причину, почему вы получили Red Flag. Мы в кратчайшие сроки рассмотрим данную ситуацию. Если причина стоящая и справедливая, то время будет сохранено, в обратном случае отчет на задаче будет приведен к стандартной квоте.
Все задачи с Red Flag без отправленного обжалования через форму “Appeal”, будут приведены к стандартной квоте, и ваше затраченное время свыше квоты не будет учтено при оплате ваших услуг
Отправка Appeal не гарантирует отмену ред флага. Анализ Appeal находится в разработке и детальный анализ каждого апила на данный момент не всегда возможен. Квота может быть приравнена к стандартной без предупреждения
Когда следует отправлять Appeal?
Ваши статистики обновляются каждые 24 часа в 3 am PST. Вам следует отправлять обжалование в течении 72-ух часов после полученного Red Flag. Обжалования отправленные позже будут отклонены и время будет приведено к стандартной квоте. В случае, если Red Flag на вашей задаче появился во время выходных (суббота и воскресенье), то 72 часа отсчитываются с момента наступления рабочей недели. То есть, если вы получили Red Flag в субботу, то вы можете отправить appeal в понедельник, вторник и среду, крайний срок будет среда 11:59 pm PST.
Как выслать запрос на увеличение квоты или переназначение на другого криетора?
Нажимайте на задаче на кнопку Bug
Выбирайте продукт: Ask for a Quote or Creator Change (Запросить Переназначение или Увеличение Квоты на Задачу)
В поле Details, добавьте причину почему вы запрашиваете это и предложите либо переназначить на кого-то другого либо увеличить на сколько квоту
Нажмите отправить форму
Далее поменяйте задачу на статус Under Review в ручную или через форму React.
Либо если вы уверены что вам поменяют квоту позже, или же вы считаете что квота вас устраивает, то не останавливайте производство а продолжайте. Не забудь отправить просьбу об изменении. Имейте ввиду что если вы продолжили производство то квота может быть не изменена.
Так же помните о том, что слишком частые просьбы о смене квот и криеторов приведут к тому что вы как криетор будете менее приоритетны по сравнению с другими. И количество ваших задач может снижаться
Как посмотреть сколько времени вы потратили на конкретную задачу в реальном времени?
Чтобы посмотреть сколько времени затрачиваете на конкретную задачу в реальном времени, вам необходимо перейти на страницу Reports
Creators Ranking and Score
По работе каждого криетора собирается статистика. Посмотреть ее можно по **этой ссылке.**
Что тут можно видеть:
Количество задач, выполненных быстрее средней квоты 🤩
Количество задач, выполненных гораздо медленнее квоты 🚩
Общее количество выполненных задач ☑️
Количество багов 🐞
Поинты за выполнение задач
Время, потраченное на выполнение задач
Подробнее про поинты:
Поинты выдаются за выполненные задачи в количестве, равном заложенной в квоте времени. То есть если на задачу выделено 2 часа, то при ее выполнении вы получите 2 поинта.
Это инструмент анализа - если количество поинтов равно количеству времени, потраченному на выполнение задач, значит вы работаете продуктивно и не затрачиваете лишнего времени.
Если количество поинтов больше чем количество затраченного времени, то это очень хороший результат и вы работаете продуктивнее ожиданий!
Если, наоборот, вы набираете меньше очков, то есть тратите больше времени, то это не очень хороший показатель.
Квоты на задачах (В РАЗРАБОТКЕ)
Квоты на одну задачу не может быть больше чем 8 часов. Если больше чем 8 часов, необходимо разбить на несколько задач …. (Нужно добавить больше деталей)
Система Предупреждений
Если было сделано решение отказать в Возражении, то криетор может получить только предупреждение по определенному продукту, чтобы дать возможность исправиться в с следующий раз. Ограниченное количество предупреждений (Например 1-3), может сохранить время на задаче, больше этого количества приведет к вычету времени с задачи в следующих задачах.
Предупрежение явлеяется принятым, только если криетор на него ответил и подтвердил что в следующий раз сделает все возможное чтобы избежать преувелечение времени.
ПОДТВЕРЖДЕНИЕ КВОТЫ И НАЗНАЧЕНИЕ ЗАДАЧИ
Это ответственность криетора сделать предварительную оценку и согласиться или отменить на выполнение задачи в соответсвии с требованиями поставленнёыми до начала работы. Если началась работа над задачей, то криетор должен выполнить ее в поставленный срок и на закрепленных условиях на момент назначения на задачу
Криетор может сам назначать на себя задачи из списка доступных задач, а так же менеджеры могут назначать напрямую задачи.
Еask Ethics & Productivity Policy
When Serge Creator Studios begins working with a team member, we establish a relationship built on trust from the very beginning. Preserving and upholding this trust is essential to long-term collaboration and high productivity.
This trust is measured by how responsibly a contractor fulfills their duties—completing tasks on time, using company resources efficiently, and delivering high-quality results. One of the key resources the company provides is paid time, which must be used exclusively for productive work that contributes directly to the final deliverables.
Using paid time for non-productive activities or unrelated matters is considered a violation of task ethics and a misuse of company resources.
Examples of unethical time usage include:
Working on unrelated tasks while time-tracking a specific assignment.
Getting distracted by social media, irrelevant chats, or non-work-related content.
Intentionally slowing down production to inflate tracked hours or quota usage.
Delivering low-quality work after accepting the task, justifying it by insufficient time.
Constantly exceeding task quotas without prior agreement or approval.
Third-party tools can be used to boost productivity stats in Hubstaff or similar trackers artificially.
Violating these ethical standards leads to loss of trust, increased company expenses, and potential damage to our client relationships. Therefore, the company reserves the right to take the following actions in response to unethical behavior:
Reducing the number of tasks assigned.
Lowering daily or weekly quota limits.
Decreasing hourly pay rate.
In severe cases, annulling tracked time and terminating the collaboration.
Before any such action is taken, a thorough review will be conducted, including:
Analysis of time-tracking activity and tools
Task performance statistics and delivery speed
Quality of completed deliverables
Frequency and validity of red flags
History of quota extension requests and reasons provided
Our Commitment to Responsible Creators
At Serge Creator Studios, we value every team member and believe in your professionalism. That’s why we collaborated with you and hope to build long-term partnerships.
Those who demonstrate responsibility and contribute to company growth—by improving product quality, reducing costs, and increasing value—will be rewarded and prioritized.
Motivation and Growth Opportunities Include:
Priority access to high-quality task assignments
Increased number of weekly tasks
Access to more interesting and complex creative work
Opportunities to train and mentor new team members
Participation in creating internal tutorials and educational content
Invitations to join new and exciting projects across the studio
We want to work with those who are committed to our mission, who want to grow, earn, and contribute to Serge Creator Studios' future.
Last updated