Project-Based Work
How ongoing projects work, from the project handbook and office hours to tracked hours and payouts.
Project-based opportunities are ongoing work over a period of time, paid by the hour or per task. Instead of a single payout when you finish, you are paid on the project's payout schedule for the hours or tasks you complete.
Getting Started on a Project
A project's application usually ends with a few setup tasks, such as signing a contract, joining the project's Slack, or installing the time tracker. When they are done, you see You're in, and from then on you work from the project's handbook.
The Project Handbook
Open the project from Home to reach its page. The handbook is your home for the project: it covers how to do the work, how you get paid, and who to contact. It has these tabs:
- Instructions: how to do the work.
- Payout: what you have earned on this project, and what has been paid.
- Tracked hours: on hourly projects, the time the tracker has recorded.
- Materials: documents, videos, and other files the project gives you, when it has any.
Beside the tabs you will find:
- Payout: Your rate, Paid to date, and Next payout.
- Office hours, if the project holds them: Join the call while one is live, or Add to calendar for the next one.
- Who to contact about the project.
- Project links, such as the Project Slack channel.
- Documents, including My contract if you signed one.
On an hourly project, the Start Tracking Hours button at the top opens the time tracker.
Sophia can read your project's handbook, so you can ask her about the instructions, materials, office hours, or payout schedule.
How Projects Pay
Each project sets its own payout schedule, such as weekly on a set day or monthly on a set date. The Payout tab and the Next payout card show it.
- Hourly projects pay for the time you track in Insightful. Only tracked hours are paid, and they are reviewed before they are paid. Check your project's Payout tab or handbook for exactly how your time is paid. See Time Tracking with Insightful.
- Per-task projects pay for the tasks you complete.
Each payout is added to your Terac balance, where you can cash it out. Until your first payment is approved, the Payout tab says Your first payment will appear here once it is approved.
Tracked Hours
On an hourly project, the Tracked hours tab shows your time by week or by day, counted in your own time zone. Time is grouped as Productive, Neutral, Unproductive, Unclassified, and Idle, where idle is time the tracker was running with no keyboard or mouse activity. New hours appear here within about an hour of being tracked.
FAQ
When do I get paid on a project?
On the project's payout schedule, shown on its Payout tab. You are not paid when you finish setup: you are paid for the hours or tasks each payout covers.
Where do I find the project's Slack or office hours?
On the project's page, under Project links and Office hours. You can also ask Sophia for the office hours link.
My project is still "In Progress". Is something wrong?
No. A project stays in progress for as long as you are working on it.
What's Next?
If your project is hourly, set up Time Tracking with Insightful.