This article provides an overview of milestone basics.
About milestones
Milestones are the building blocks of jobs on GradSkills and define the specific work to be performed for each job. Each milestone is an independent contractual element with its own deliverables, timing and payment.
Milestones are widely used by global freelance platforms for 2 main reasons:
1. To create a clear project roadmap – by defining key project steps, deliverables, timing & cost.
2. To promote trust & security – by serving as built-in checkpoints over the course of a project.
Milestone types
There are 2 types of milestones you can use to define the work you need to be performed. Each can be used separately or together in the same job.
Individual Milestones: one-off tasks defined by deliverable(s), cost and optional deadline.
For example: “Deliver information X, Y & Z regarding our top 100 potential customers in 2 weeks for £80.”
Repeating Milestones: hourly tasks defined by deliverable(s), # hours per cycle (weekly or monthly), hourly rate and optional deadline (i.e., planned end date).
For example: “Support our social media management for 10 hours per week at a rate of £10/hour.”
How milestones work
The following are the key steps in the life of a milestone:
1. Create Milestone: add milestones to a proposal and get agreement from the candidate before starting a contract (you can also add milestones to a live contract).
2. Start Milestone: once a contract is live, you can start milestones in any order you wish.
3. Manage Workflow: collaborate with your university freelancer using GradSkills messaging and/or 3rd party tools.
4. Approve & Pay: when the freelancer has completed a milestone according to your specifications, approve the milestone and release payment.
5. End Milestone: Individual (one-off) milestones end automatically once you approve & pay; Repeating (hourly) milestones continue until ended by you or the freelancer.
Disputes
While disputes are rare, and limited in scope and impact due to the milestone feature, they can occur.
In the case of a dispute regarding a milestone, we strongly encourage both parties to discuss in good faith and attempt to reach a resolution independently. Where this fails, you can find our Dispute Resolution Policy here.