As an employer, how do I use Elance Escrow?

Elance Escrow: Employer Instructions

Posting an Escrow Job 

When posting a new job, select Escrow Payment as the Payment Type to specify the use of Elance Escrow. The providers will see that you are using Elance Escrow when they view your job before submitting any proposals.  

Working with Business Terms

When the job is awarded, the provider can either accept the default Business Terms (with the amount and dates inherited from the proposal) or update the Business Terms and submit them to the employer for approval.  The Business Terms must be approved before the job can start. The Business Terms consists of a Job Agreement and Job Milestones. For Escrow jobs, the Job Milestones are used to deposit funds into the Escrow account and release payments from the Escrow account. Be sure to review the milestones before you approve the Business Terms submitted by the provider.

Funding Job Milestone Payments 

For Escrow jobs, the provider is not obligated to begin work until at least one job milestone has been funded by the employer. When the Business Terms has been approved, the Elance system will automatically generate a funding request to you so you can fund the first milestone and allow the provider to begin working on the job. When you fund a job milestone, a notification is sent to the provider.

The milestones can only be funded and released in full (milestone) amounts.  You cannot fund or release a partial amount against a single milestone.  If the job requires multiple payments, you or the provider must create a milestone for each payment.  Milestones can only be funded and released one milestone at a time.

NOTE: If a milestone amount is changed or a milestone is deleted, the system automatically refunds the appropriate milestone amounts currently held in Escrow back to the Employer's original form of payment. If the milestone is deleted, the entire amount will be refunded to the Employer.  If the milestone amount is changed, the difference between the new and original terms will refunded to the Employer.

Releasing Job Milestones

When the provider has completed the services related to a Job Milestone, the provider will request the release of the milestone payment. When you are satisfied that the services have been competed in accordance with your Job Agreement, you can approve the release of the milestone causing the milestone payment to be released from the Escrow account to the provider's Elance account. When the provider requests a milestone release, you will receive a notification. When you approve a milestone release, the provider will receive a notification. 

When you release a milestone, you agree that all services related to that milestone have been completed to your satisfaction.

Viewing Job Milestones Status

You can view the progress of your job milestones and review the funding and release status of each milestone at any time by going to the job's Business Terms page. 

1. Go to MyElance

2. Click on the Workrooms link on the left panel.

3. Click the 'Select Action' > 'Business Terms' link on the right of the job name.  (You may also click the job name and click the 'Business Terms' link on the top Workroom menu.)

Modifying Job Milestones

You can modify the job milestones if their funds have not yet been released.

1. Go to MyElance

2. Click on the Workrooms link on the left panel.

3. Click the 'Select Action' > 'Business Terms' link on the right of the job name.  (You may also click the job name and click the 'Business Terms' link on the top Workroom menu.)

4. Scroll down the page and click the 'Edit Business Terms' button.

5. Fill in the new details and submit them to your provider.

The job milestones are displayed at the bottom of the Business Terms page. Each Job Milestone is displayed with the delivery date, funded amount, released amount, and current status. 

Funding Job Milestones

1. Go to MyElance

2. Click the 'Make Payment' Quick Links on the right margin.  (Alternatively, you may also click the Payment icon under the job name in your Workrooms page.)

3. Select the radio button to the left of the job name you want to make a payment for and click the Next button.  

4. On the Payments page, in the 'Escrow Funding and Release' section, click the 'Fund' link for your particular milestone. (If your provider has already sent you a reminder to fund a milestone, you may also click the 'View & Fund' button link in the 'Documents' tab to fund a particular milestone.)

5. On the Fund Escrow Account page, select your payment method and check the box that you acknowledge Elance's Billing & Payment Service Policy.

6. Enter in your password and select the 'Fund Escrow' button.

Releasing Job Milestones

1. Go to MyElance

2. Click the 'Make Payment' Quick Links on the right margin.  (Alternatively, you may also click the Payment icon under the job name in your Workrooms page.)

3. Select the radio button to the left of the job name you want to make a payment for and click the Next button

4. On the Payments page, in the 'Escrow Funding and Release' section, click the 'Release' link for your particular milestone. (If your provider has already sent you a reminder to release a milestone, you may also click the 'View & Approve' button in the 'Documents' tab to release a particular milestone.)

5. On the Release Funds in Escrow page, check the box that you acknowledge Elance's Billing & Payment Service Policy.

6. Enter in your password and select the 'Submit' button.

Requesting Dispute Resolution

If you are not satisfied that the services from your provider meet the requirements of your Job Agreement, do not approve the release of any milestones. To request the refund of funds still held in Escrow,  you can contact Elance for assistance. To request Dispute Resolution, click here. 

Click here for a step-by-step Employer's Guide.

For more information on how to use Elance Escrow, please watch the following Elance University video: