Consultancy Work

[steve80]

I've been asked to provide a technical design document but unsure if I should hand it over to my client once complete before receiving payment

What's normal practice ? Handover documents before or after payment ?

[SimonMac]

I've been asked to provide a technical design document but unsure if I should hand it over to my client once complete before receiving payment

What's normal practice ? Handover documents before or after payment ?

what does your contract say?

[sal]

What does your contract says? Are there milestones or simply day/hourly rate? Often there are intellectual property clauses giving the client legal rights over your design produced under the contract.

As long as you have proof that you handed over the work, you should be able to demand payment.

What is the cause of your concern? Are there indications that the client might withhold payment or is it simply paranoia?

[steve80]

Just daily rate.

New client so I guess I'm paranoid

[jmo21]

Just daily rate.

New client so I guess I'm paranoid

usually it's payment on delivery for most things.

Is there anything else other than the fact they are a new client that worries you about them?

Any way to split the document up into milestones? then pay on each?

[slice16]

For stuff like this, I typically write a Statement of Work that outlines I will be completing a Technical Design Document that will include x,y and z. Once they have signed that, I create the document, save it as PDF and send it over. I give it a couple of days for ammendments etc, and then raise the invoice and send over with my normal terms.

It really depends on what you have agreed with the client. If you have a contract in place that says 'Complete a design' and you send it over, I would invoice them once they have it.

[sal]

usually it's payment on delivery for most things.

Is there anything else other than the fact they are a new client that worries you about them?

Any way to split the document up into milestones? then pay on each?

As it's daily rate, it will be hard to explain why you want payments on milestones rather than at the usual payment schedule. It's no different to working BAU and waiting for payment 30 days later for example.

IMO OP is trying to complicate his life based on paranoia, if you are trembling in fear over payment every time you work with new client, i suggest you go back to permiedom. Life is too short.

[jmo21]

As it's daily rate, it will be hard to explain why you want payments on milestones rather than at the usual payment schedule. It's no different to working BAU and waiting for payment 30 days later for example.

IMO OP is trying to complicate his life based on paranoia, if you are trembling in fear over payment every time you work with new client, i suggest you go back to permiedom. Life is too short.

I missed that in the post I quoted

[steve80]

I was initially asking how you bill before or after work that's all ffs

[BolshieBastard]

Tough these forums, eh?