Describe the hiring a provider process.

1. Employer SELECTS A PROPOSAL - After reviewing proposals, the employer selects a proposal by clicking on the 'Award' button on the chosen provider’s proposal.  The employer can choose to send the award as-is or send an initial version of the job's business terms to the provider with the award.  Elance sends the service provider an email notification about the proposal being selected. 

2. Service Provider Submits BUSINESS TERMS - The service provider receives the email from Elance and accepts the job by first clicking on the 'Review Business Terms' link in the "Workrooms" > "Finalizing Terms" section of MyElance.  If the provider does not have any changes to the employer's business terms that were submitted, they can accept the terms and the job is started.  If the employer didn't submit any business terms with the award, the provider can accept the job with the default business terms - the final milestone date in the business terms defaults to the awarded date plus the "estimated job delivery date" of the provider's proposal and the job is now started.   If the providers makes any changes to the business terms, Elance sends the employer an email notification about the business terms being ready for review - business terms include deliverable(s), milestone(s), payment term(s) and, if applicable, other contract language that the service provider or employer may require (as attachments). 

3. Employer ACCEPTS Business Terms – If needed, the employer receives the email from Elance, logs on to MyElance, clicks on the link to 'Review Business Terms' and either accepts, modifies or declines the business terms.

4. START Job - As soon as both parties have accepted the business terms, Elance moves the job to the "Workrooms" > "Working" list for the provider, and the provider can start working on the job.  For Escrow jobs, a notification is automatically sent to the employer requesting that the first milestone be funded.

5. MAKING CHANGES after the jobs starts - Once the job is started, both the employer and provider will be able to update the business terms by going to the job Workroom, selecting the Business Terms link, and then clicking on the 'Edit Business Terms' button.  Once any changes are submitted, the other party can choose to accept, modify or decline the updates.  If a milestone amount is changed or a milestone is deleted, the system automatically refunds the appropriate milestone amounts currently held in Escrow back to the Employer's original form of payment.

For more information on how to manage your job, please watch the following Elance University video: