ProZ.com Translation Forums

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | Re: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved

Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 21:25:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL
Post title: Re: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved

Sabrina, sorry, I missed that you can't invoice yet. In that case, the e-mail with the agreed rate is your main record for now, so keep it safe until the invoice can go out.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | @Sabrina

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 19:47:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: @Sabrina

Like Jennifer I don’t want to sound harsh, and what I’m about to say is simply intended to help you. I’ve noticed from your profile and CV that you have eight years’ experience as a freelancer. Yet your questions feel the hesitation of a beginner. Both situations (beginner vs experienced) are perfectly legitimate, but you run the risk that a client if he/she reads your queries might question your abilities to do the job. Also, your CV states ‘fluent in Danish’; it seems to me it would make more sense to say that you are a native speaker of Danish. Anyway, I wish you all the luck in the world in what is much harder today than in the past…

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | no invoice, no payment

Zea_Mays — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 11:10:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: no invoice, no payment

[quote]Sabrina Willumsen wrote:

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:

Have you issued an invoice?
Usually, 'end of month' refers to the end of the month after the month of invoice, but very often, 30 days from date of invoice is the standard. Saturday is not a working day in many countries, btw. [/quote]

Hi,

No, because I was informed that all completed assignments would be consolidated at the end of each month, after which I would be able to submit an invoice. However, this has not happened yet. [/quote]

Then you need the consolidated assignments first, which you'll use for your invoice. It works like in any other sector.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | payment

Michael Newton — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 09:58:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Michael Newton
Post title: payment

You cannot submit an invoice until they consolidate the jobs for you. In psychiatry this is known as 'double bind'.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | Re: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved

Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 09:19:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL
Post title: Re: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved

Besides waiting and sending a reminder, keep the e-mail with the agreed rate and the invoice you sent, because without a PO that is your proof of the terms. In the reminder, quote the invoice number, the date and the payment term the agency gave you, and ask for a specific payment date. I would also hold off on accepting new jobs from this agency until this one is paid. If it drags on for weeks, a firmer second reminder mentioning statutory late-payment interest usually gets accounting's attention.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | That seems contradictory

Jennifer Levey — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 17:18:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Jennifer Levey
Post title: That seems contradictory

[quote]Sabrina Willumsen wrote:
(...) the company says that all jobs I did would be payed in the end of the month and that is today*. ...
*'today' was Saturday 31st October [/quote]
[quote]Sabrina Willumsen wrote:
(...) I was informed that all completed assignments would be consolidated at the end of each month, after which I would be able to submit an invoice. However, this has not happened yet. [/quote]

There's a significant difference between 'paid at the end of the month' and 'assignments ... consolidated at the end of the month'.

And in many jurisdictions, they're under no obligation to pay until you've sent them an invoice stating the due amount.

I reckon you'll be lucky if you see any payment before Christmas.

I don't want to sound harsh, but... Who's running your business? - You or them?

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | Invoice

Sabrina Willumsen (X) — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 16:56:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Sabrina Willumsen (X)
Post title: Invoice

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:

Have you issued an invoice?
Usually, 'end of month' refers to the end of the month after the month of invoice, but very often, 30 days from date of invoice is the standard. Saturday is not a working day in many countries, btw. [/quote]

Hi,

No, because I was informed that all completed assignments would be consolidated at the end of each month, after which I would be able to submit an invoice. However, this has not happened yet.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | @Sabrina

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 13:40:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: @Sabrina

Not only did 31st October fall on a Saturday, but 1st November is a public holiday in many countries and, as today is a Sunday, it may well be taken as a day off on Monday…

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | Wait a few days, then send a reminder

Hipyan Nopri — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 23:22:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Hipyan Nopri
Post title: Wait a few days, then send a reminder

[quote]Sabrina Willumsen wrote:

I have a new question: the company says that all jobs I did would be payed in the end of the month and that is today.
It has not happened.
Is there anything I can do in order to get my money?

[/quote]

Hi Sabrina,

Please wait a few more days. October 31 was a Saturday, so the payment may not have been sent yet because of the weekend. If you still have not received it by the morning of November 5, your local time, send a polite reminder. Please also make sure you have already sent your invoice, because the agency cannot pay without it.

About the Blue Board: after many years as a translator, I only accept work from agencies with an average of at least 4 over the past year or two, and with no low ratings from other translators. This is my own minimum standard, and I find it safe.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved | most information missing for answering the question

Zea_Mays — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 18:38:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: most information missing for answering the question

Have you issued an invoice?
Usually, 'end of month' refers to the end of the month after the month of invoice, but very often, 30 days from date of invoice is the standard. Saturday is not a working day in many countries, btw.

My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved

Sabrina Willumsen (X) — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 15:16:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: My next question regarding payment that has not been achieved
Poster: Sabrina Willumsen (X)

Hello,

Thank you very much for all of the replies regarding PO and companies putting a pressure on me to deliver.

I have a new question: the company says that all jobs I did would be payed in the end of the month and that is today.
It has not happened.
I have no PO only the information about rate that the company wrote in the e-mail dialogue.
The company can be found on Blue Board and by a Google search so I assumed that it was not a scam.
I guess I am too naive.

Is there anything I can do in order to get my money?

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Contractual value

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 13:26:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: Contractual value

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:

[quote]Peter Motte wrote:

You shouldn't start a job before you get the PO, and certainly not deliver before you get the PO. [/quote]

I beg to disagree on this. Written, documented assignments have contractual value. [/quote]

A few years ago, I had payment issues with two agencies I’d been working with for some time. I didn’t have any purchase orders (at the time, they weren’t as common as they are today), but I had the full thread of emails we’d exchanged, which was more than enough to force them to pay in court. One of those agencies closed down shortly afterwards; the other was bought out by a ‘shark’…

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Reprehensible? Should be illegal?

Jennifer Levey — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:24:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Jennifer Levey
Post title: Reprehensible? Should be illegal?

[quote]Luca Tutino wrote:
(...)
Some agencies try to make this impossible by pressuring us, letting us know that if we don't confirm right away, they will go straight to another provider. This is reprehensible and should be illegal. (...) [/quote]

That's nonsense. We all know there's strong competition, even for the tidliest jobs, so we should ASSUME that agencies will use that to exert 'pressure' even if only to disuade hagglers, nit-pickers and time-wasters who want a fully-fledged contract for a 100 words of PEMT. As for "going straight to another provider" being illegal - well, if that's the case, maybe I should turn myself in for going to the supermarket to buy a baguette, simply because there was a long queue waiting for the local bakery to open its doors ... ?

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Email assignments might not include all the information needed

Luca Tutino — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:49:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Luca Tutino
Post title: Email assignments might not include all the information needed

Many clients try this, and too many get it because of the power imbalance. It is not fair. If I could not negotiate better conditions and wanted to accept anyway a new client doing this for any reason, I'd make sure that the email exchange states the amount of work expected, my rate per unit (e.g. words or hours) and/or the total fee, the delivery date, any surcharge for urgency, the payment term (e.g. partly or totally in advance, immediately, one week, or 30 days). If any of these details are missing, I'd list them in my reply to their request and declare that the translation will start after the arrival of their confirmation of the assignment and details. This is not ideal but serves as the next option after a PO.

Some agencies try to make this impossible by pressuring us, letting us know that if we don't confirm right away, they will go straight to another provider. This is reprehensible and should be illegal. Regardless, it is better to refuse work from them.

[Edited at 2026-10-27 16:52 GMT]

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Partial agree...

Jennifer Levey — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:37:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Jennifer Levey
Post title: Partial agree...

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:
(...) Written, documented assignments have contractual value. [/quote]

That may depend on the relevant jurisdiction(s). What's good for the EU, for example, might be less good (aka 'utterly wrong') when working with a client or agency in another continent.
OTOH, in some jurisdictions, even a well-worded exchange of WhatsApp messages can constitute a binding contract.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | A number of well-meaning colleagues here ...

Jennifer Levey — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:29:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Jennifer Levey
Post title: A number of well-meaning colleagues here ...

... - and at least one who seems to be over-reliant on AI - have recommended the Proz Blue Board as a source of useful data about a potential client´s riskworthiness.

However, our OP, Sabrina, is a relative new-comer here - she said so very clearly at the end of her opening post, and that is confirmed in her profile. Also - and more-importantly as far as the BB is concerned - Sabrina is not a paying member.

That means she has only minimal access to BB data - certainly not enough to get a clear idea of the risks associated with working for any potential client.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | In the long run,

HAELEE YIM — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:08:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: HAELEE YIM
Post title: In the long run,

It’s hard to work with those agencies in the long term.
When things get busy, you won’t be able to manage or care about the agency’s projects. The number of projects and POs may not match, or your rate may change.
You may already know this, but if payment is delayed, I recommend telling them you'll be reviewing it on Blueboard.
After all, they probably don't want to ruin their Blue Board scores.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | then why waiting?

Zea_Mays — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: then why waiting?

[quote]Peter Motte wrote:

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:

[quote]Peter Motte wrote:

You shouldn't start a job before you get the PO, and certainly not deliver before you get the PO. [/quote]

I beg to disagree on this. Written, documented assignments have contractual value. [/quote]

Yes, but that IS a PO. Only in a different form. [/quote]

In that case, why waiting for a PO if you've already been assigned the job?
I'd say that if the email exchange covers all required details (scope of work, rate, deadline, payment terms), it can be treated like a Purchase Order - it's actually a contract once you accept it-, while a proper PO sums all this up and is a trackable document in the client's system, unlike emails you'll have to search for as an accountant.

[Bearbeitet am 2026-10-27 09:31 GMT]

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Re: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?

Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:23:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL
Post title: Re: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?

Sabrina, I would treat the three jobs you have already done as the thing to protect. Until the first invoice is actually paid, I would not accept a fourth job, and I would send a short written confirmation of what was delivered, the agreed rate and the payment date they have promised. If they want to keep sending same-day jobs, a rush surcharge and clear payment terms are reasonable things to ask for. How they react to that request usually tells you quite a lot about the client.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | But that is a PO

Peter Motte — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:55:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Peter Motte
Post title: But that is a PO

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:

[quote]Peter Motte wrote:

You shouldn't start a job before you get the PO, and certainly not deliver before you get the PO. [/quote]

I beg to disagree on this. Written, documented assignments have contractual value. [/quote]

Yes, but that IS a PO. Only in a different form.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | @Sabrina

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:39:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: @Sabrina

The only time I worked with one of those agencies that only send the PO at the end of the month, I ran into problems (in my case, it was a British agency): the number of projects and the word count never added up. Fortunately, almost all my regular clients are based in the EU, so the issue of bank transfer costs doesn’t arise. When I’m contacted by clients outside the EU, I always make it clear right from the start that I only accept payments via Wise (it’s cheaper and quicker than PayPal). I only accept jobs for the same day from my regulars…

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | a written assignment is a contract

Zea_Mays — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:23:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: a written assignment is a contract

[quote]Peter Motte wrote:

You shouldn't start a job before you get the PO, and certainly not deliver before you get the PO. [/quote]

I beg to disagree on this. Written, documented assignments have contractual value.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | PO end of the month?

Michael Newton — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 16:44:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Michael Newton
Post title: PO end of the month?

You should refuse to work without a PO. A number of agencies stall both PO and payment. "You will be given a PO when we pay you" is a common refrain. You are being given the runaround. Also, good marks on the Blue Board do not necessarily mean good practice. In a separate post today, I noted an agency in Egypt that seemed to want only my CV. I looked them up on the Blue Board. 25 "5"'s. All on the same date. I have delivered small translations on a same day basis and of course charged a rush rate.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Yes, but also no

Peter Motte — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 15:39:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Peter Motte
Post title: Yes, but also no

[quote]Sabrina Willumsen wrote:

Hi,

Is it normal that a company wants you to deliver fast? [/quote]

Yes.

[quote]I haven't recieved any PO since they say it will come in the end of the month[/quote]

And no.
You shouldn't start a job before you get the PO, and certainly not deliver before you get the PO.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Rule of thumb

Joakim Braun — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 15:29:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Joakim Braun
Post title: Rule of thumb

The amount of work eventually received is usually in inverse proportion to the amount of free test translations, onboarding, red tape, strange and dilatory payment policies, long-winded contracts etc. that a translation agency offers.

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | It does give that impression

Daryo — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Daryo
Post title: It does give that impression

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:
↑ AI ai ai
... [/quote]
Or someone using AI so much that they start sounding like AI themselves ...

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | ↑ AI ai ai

Zea_Mays — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: ↑ AI ai ai

...

Deliver fast? PO end of the month? | Same-Day Deadlines Are Common, but Clear Payment Terms Are Essential

Hipyan Nopri — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:22:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Deliver fast? PO end of the month?
Poster: Hipyan Nopri
Post title: Same-Day Deadlines Are Common, but Clear Payment Terms Are Essential

Hi Sabrina,

Same-day deadlines are not uncommon in the translation industry, and clients may reassign jobs if a translator cannot meet them. However, you are under no obligation to accept unrealistic deadlines.

Monthly invoicing and payment arrangements are also common, but the absence of purchase orders (POs) deserves attention. Ideally, rates, deadlines, and payment terms should be confirmed in writing before any work begins.

I would suggest checking the agency's Blue Board record, verifying its business details, and requesting written confirmation of the completed assignments and payment terms before accepting further work.

These circumstances do not necessarily indicate fraud, but your caution is justified. Professionalism should work both ways: clients expect timely delivery, and translators deserve clear agreements and reliable payment.

Best of luck!

Proz is for side income? Really? Isn't a joke job post — EARN EXTRA INCOME IN JUST 30 MINS! | Posting removed, thanks for your report!

Andrea Capuselli — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:04:00 +0000

Forum: Business issues
Topic: Proz is for side income? Really? Isn't a joke job post — EARN EXTRA INCOME IN JUST 30 MINS!
Poster: Andrea Capuselli
Post title: Posting removed, thanks for your report!

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