Poll: How often do you begin work on a new job without a purchase order? Initiator des Themas: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you begin work on a new job without a purchase order?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Jan Truper 
Deutschland
Local time: 21:52
Englisch > Deutsch
| Quite often, actually... | Jan 26, 2019 |
... but only from trusted, long-standing clients with a perfect payment record.
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 21:52
Tschechisch > Französisch
+ ...
Most my direct clients don't issue formal POs.
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 12:52
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
| Almost never | Jan 26, 2019 |
I've learned the hard way.
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neilmac
Spanien
Local time: 21:52
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
Nowadays, I only work with one agency on an occasional basis, and they send me a purchase order, but sometimes I start the job before they send it if it is confirmed. The rest of my clients are direct and don't use purchase orders. Occasionally, some of them might ask for an estimate before confirming the translation, but mostly they just ask if I'm available and confirm the translation by e-mail, with no POs required.
So, my answer would be "most of the time"...
[Edited at 2... See more Nowadays, I only work with one agency on an occasional basis, and they send me a purchase order, but sometimes I start the job before they send it if it is confirmed. The rest of my clients are direct and don't use purchase orders. Occasionally, some of them might ask for an estimate before confirming the translation, but mostly they just ask if I'm available and confirm the translation by e-mail, with no POs required.
So, my answer would be "most of the time"...
[Edited at 2019-01-26 09:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jennifer Forbes
Local time: 20:52
Französisch > Englisch
+ ...
In stillem Gedenken | Never without confirmation of some kind | Jan 26, 2019 |
I'd never start a translation without written confirmation of some kind, either in a formal purchase order or in an email confirming all the details of the order.
I, too, have learned the hard way.
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None of my long-standing customers send POs: we have been doing business for so long that a formal PO isn't required and good old-fashioned trust is all we need. For new direct clients, I always send a formal quote stating price, delivery date and payment conditions and they reply accepting my terms. Some international organizations establish a formal contract for each job. All of the new agencies I work with send a PO with each job (just a reference number or a proper PO), with one exception �... See more None of my long-standing customers send POs: we have been doing business for so long that a formal PO isn't required and good old-fashioned trust is all we need. For new direct clients, I always send a formal quote stating price, delivery date and payment conditions and they reply accepting my terms. Some international organizations establish a formal contract for each job. All of the new agencies I work with send a PO with each job (just a reference number or a proper PO), with one exception ‒ I have been working for a year with a problematic British agency: POs are supposed to be issued at the end of the month, but are often wrong and late, and from time to time payments are overdue, even so I have been giving them the benefit of the doubt because work is interesting, rates are on the high side and PMs are pleasant and polite, but my patience is running thin… ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Depends what you mean by a purchase order | Jan 26, 2019 |
One client sends a regular PO through Plunet, and the order is accepted when I download the files, unless I contact the PM and say I can't do it. They always tell me details about the job and often send the files first, so I can negotiate if I need to.
Others send a file with a mail saying 'can you do this by xxxday?
I say yes, and they mail back something like 'Great, go ahead'.
That is all the PO I get, but under the terms of earlier more or less formal agreements, tha... See more One client sends a regular PO through Plunet, and the order is accepted when I download the files, unless I contact the PM and say I can't do it. They always tell me details about the job and often send the files first, so I can negotiate if I need to.
Others send a file with a mail saying 'can you do this by xxxday?
I say yes, and they mail back something like 'Great, go ahead'.
That is all the PO I get, but under the terms of earlier more or less formal agreements, that is binding.
With new clients I need to agree on the rate, deadline and payment terms, so it is often useful to have them set out in a PO. As long as everything is clear, I don't need an attachment with a fancy logo and PO in large letters as a heading. ▲ Collapse
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Anna Herbst
Australien
Local time: 07:52
Englisch > Schwedisch
+ ...
Moderator/in SITE LOCALIZER | Never without a go-ahead on agreed terms | Jan 26, 2019 |
Not everyone sends a formal PO, but there will always be an exchange of e-mails where the terms are set down before I start. It usually works very well.
| | | | Thayenga
Deutschland
Local time: 21:52
Mitglied (2009)
Englisch > Deutsch
+ ...
Because the terms have been set, agreed upon, and followed. Therefore, a separate/individual PO is not required.
| | | | Jessica Noyes
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 15:52
Mitglied
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
| Sometimes - Occasionally | Jan 26, 2019 |
I am not sure what the difference is between "sometimes" and "occasionally".
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 15:52
Mitglied (2005)
Deutsch > Englisch
+ ...
| It depends on the agency | Jan 26, 2019 |
I think only 3 of the agencies I work for even issue POs. Everything else is done through email confirmation.
For those that issue POs, the PO comes with the job offer, after I've accepted, or after I've completed the job.
Mostly, POs seem to add another level of paperwork/entries to my accounting.
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Mario Freitas
Brasilien
Local time: 17:52
Mitglied (2014)
Englisch > Portugiesisch
+ ...
Several clients do not use POs. It's not a mandatory practice. If the clients pay on time and send jobs regularly, what's the use of a PO?
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