Work Diary on Upwork:

How It Works and

What You Must Know

Hourly pay on Upwork isn’t just “turning on a timer.” It’s a system that can guarantee payment even if something goes wrong on the client’s side — but only if you keep your Work Diary correctly. Below is a practical, myth-free guide.

Time Tracker: what it records and how it works

Upwork splits time into billing segments—10-minute blocks. In each block the tracker

takes one random screenshot;
logs activity: keyboard, mouse, clicks;
rates that activity (shown as green squares).

Screenshots aren’t taken exactly on the 10-minute mark—they appear at a random moment inside the block. On average that’s six screenshots per hour.

From experience: if you switch windows (Figma → browser → Slack) the tracker may take an extra screenshot to capture the context change. This isn’t in the docs but happens.

Also: the tracker stops automatically after 10 minutes of no input. The flip side — if your cat walks across the keyboard or kids click the mouse while you’re away, a weird screenshot can slip in. Check manually before leaving the tracker unattended.

Screens, memos, activity bars — all land in the Work Diary. Those entries are your safety net.

Who views your Work Diary — and why

Most freelancers keep the diary themselves, so quality is on you. Clients can open it anytime, usually at the start of a contract or if questions arise about hours or deliverables. Assume a client could look in at any moment.

Clients get a review window — Monday 12:00 UTC to Friday 23:59 UTC — to delete or dispute hours. If they don’t, payment is locked in automatically.

Inside our team, managers also glance at diaries weekly, right before the Monday deadline. They’re not micromanaging — just checking that memos make sense, activity is steady, no empty or odd screenshots appear.

Memo = a short note on what you did (“UI update — settings screen,” “debug checkout,” “competitor analysis”). Avoid generic “work” or “design.” Good memos show clients where time went and keep you covered by Hourly Payment Protection.

If you’re a solo freelancer, you are the manager — so keep everything compliant.

How Upwork audits diaries

Two scenarios trigger a review:

Payment-failure review. Monday’s invoice goes out, but for four days Upwork can’t charge the client (no funds, expired card). Upwork must decide whether to pay you itself. If every 10-minute block meets the rules—memo, activity, relevant screen—Upwork covers those hours; any bad block is removed and unpaid.
Compliance review. Not tied to payment: if a client or freelancer is flagged, Upwork may check all contracts and diaries, even hours already approved. Violations can mean refunds to the client and claw-backs from you. Reviews can repeat until everything is clean.

Hourly Payment Protection

Hourly contract only—fixed-price isn’t covered.
Identity Verified badge on your profile.
Client’s payment method verified before tracking starts.
Profile in good standing. Any suspension in the past 90 days voids protection.
Hours logged via Upwork Desktop App.
Screens show actual work (code, Figma, docs yes; YouTube/socials no).
Memo + activity label for every 10-minute block.
Live activity. Upwork treats > 40 % activity bar as sufficient.
Within weekly hour limit.

Over-weekly-limit hours

The weekly limit is set by the client. If you exceed it, hours still appear on the invoice but aren’t protected. During the review window the client can untick “Allow over-limit hours.” If they leave it ticked, those hours are paid.

If you’re nearing the cap, discuss raising the limit, moving tasks to next week, or adding a bonus.

Manual time— when to use, when to avoid

Manual time = adding hours by hand (forgot the tracker or dislike screenshots). It works only if the client allowed manual time when creating the contract. But manual time is about trust: it is not protected. If the client vanishes, Upwork won’t cover those hours.

What about fixed-price contracts?

You can run the tracker on a fixed-price job. Not required, but allowed. Screens + memos prove you really worked—useful in disputes. Note: after you close a fixed-price contract, diary access disappears.

Conclusion: discipline builds reputation

Work Diary is more than a timer—it’s structured workflow and transparency. Clear memos, steady activity, relevant screens form your macro-reputation. Keep the diary clean and Upwork will have your back if something goes wrong.

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