You have sent the finished design and the client has opened it. Before closing the task, check whether the platform also requires a formal submission. A shared file and a payment-review event can be separate steps.
Read the active milestone
Open the actual contract record and compare the deliverable with the current milestone. Check its description, amount and funding status. Do not assume that a friendly chat message changes the recorded agreement.
For a fictional banner project, milestone one might cover a draft layout while milestone two covers export files. Sending every export early does not establish which milestone the client has accepted. Clarify the mismatch before treating the project as complete.
Use the platform’s submission control
Upwork’s current fixed-price guidance says that sharing work in messages, email or a client’s document does not replace using Submit work to begin its review period. The guidance describes client review, a security hold and funds becoming available as distinct stages.
That is an Upwork-specific process, not a rule for every freelance marketplace or private contract. On another service, read that service’s current instructions. Avoid predicting a bank arrival date from a file-upload timestamp.
Keep a compact delivery record
Our suggested record has four entries: milestone reference, delivered version, formal submission timestamp and next status to check. Keep confidential client content in the approved workspace. You can reference a file rather than copying it into a personal tracker.
If a client requests changes, compare the request with the milestone and use the supported revision process. Record the revised submission separately so the history remains understandable. When payment becomes available, verify the withdrawal status before marking the money received. This small distinction prevents a finished creative task from becoming an unfinished administrative one.
Source and exercise notes
Upwork: How payments for milestones and fixed-price contracts work
Sources checked November 3, 2026, Eastern time. Exercises and illustrative examples are original StayHomeHire editorial suggestions.