How do I communicate with service providers?

Buyers and service providers may communicate with each other privately through Elance by using the Private Message Board (PMB) including uploading files, Elance Chat and Elance Call.  Elance encourages open, complete and professional communication between buyers and service providers. Buyers and service providers can use these Elance communication methods, as well as email and telephone to clarify project descriptions, scope or any specific requirements. Open communication helps Service Providers develop relevant proposals and Buyers make informed award decisions.

You are required to use MyElance to manage projects and packages, and are required to use the Elance Private Message Board (PMB) to maintain an electronic record of all written communication including clarifications and agreements around scope, deliverables, milestones, timeframes, price, feedback on deliverables, requests for revisions, acceptance of deliverables and completion of milestones. Also, transcribe relevant emails, instant messages, telephone or in-person conversations between the buyer and the service provider on the PMB to maintain a record of what is agreed.

In the event of an Elance Escrow dispute, all written communication on Elance, including project posting, proposals and bids, business terms and PMB communication will serve as the record for resolution of the dispute. A communication that is not referenced on the PMB cannot be submitted as evidence in non-judicial dispute resolution after a dispute is reported.

To use the PMB to communicate privately with a bidder (service provider), simply:

1. Login to the MyElance Main Menu.

If you are not logged in, enter your Elance username and password.

2.  Click on the 'Buyer Activity' > 'My Projects' link in the left navigation menu.

3.  Click on the link to your Project title.

4.  Simply click the PMB icon to the far right side of a provider's bid and post your private message to that provider.

Service providers initiate the PMB only if you select the option ‘set communication preferences’ after the project posting phase.   If you do not select this as an option prior to posting your project service providers cannot initiate the PMB.  You will be notified through email when the service provider contacts you through the PMB. When you receive the notification via email that a message has been sent to you, there are two ways to reply:

1. Replying to the email and including a message with your reply. The message will be recorded on your Private Message Board and a notification will be sent to the other person in the project. IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT alter the subject line of this email. If it is altered the message will not be recorded in our system.

2. Logging in to your My Elance account and clicking the New Message icon next to your project, or clicking the Project name and scrolling to the message icon next to the service provider's bid for projects not yet awarded.

Always upload your signed contract document(s) as file attachments to the PMB before you begin a project.

* NOTE: If a project is not awarded, Elance will delete uploaded files attached to Project Descriptions, Bid Comments, PMB and Work Space after 6 months. If a project is awarded, uploaded files will not be deleted.

Click here for a step-by-step Buyer Guide.