WAHM Forums

Hey everyone!

I'm a new LF rater. I just started this week, and I have a couple of questions for those of you more experienced LF raters.

I'm a former WFL rater from way back (2006) so the LF invoice system has me a little intimidated. First of all, how do most of you track your time? How detailed do you have to keep your invoices? I've been using Toggl but I'm not sure if I like it. Secondly, on average, how long does it take for you to receive your pay once your invoice has been submitted? (I'm not banking my twin boys' lives on this job, just their Lightning McQueen sneakers, etc. :D )

Any advice/input is appreciated and I look forward to getting to know my fellow raters!

Welcome. Some of your questions are answered on earlier threads. I learned about a timekeeping program called timestamp on the thread "messed up time keeping", which is near the bottom of this page of posts. I have really gotten to like it, but I am paranoid enough that I also write down my start and stop times in a notebook.

As per the advice of more experienced raters, I just put "evaluation services" on each line of the invoice, so just paste it in each slot. They don't seem to care.

I only started rating last month, so haven't received my first check yet. I expect it next week sometime. There is some uncertainty about timing of payment, because there can be delays at any of several points. If you submit your invoice on the 1st (which is the earliest you can do it each month), it may take a day or two, or even a week or two, to get approved. Then it may take another week for the invoice to get processed for payment and then more time for the bank to mail you the check. Then it may take the check a week at your end for your bank to make the funds available. Most people usually actually gets their checks on about the 17th, if they submit their invoices on the 1st. But you can't count on it for sure.

Do read through some of the earlier threads. Lost of good stuff in there--I know it's been really helpful to me

So, you don't have to put the specific task on each line of the invoice? Just putting the phrase "evaluation services" is okay??

Christy

So, you don't have to put the specific task on each line of the invoice? Just putting the phrase "evaluation services" is okay??

Christy

Actually, I'm not sure if she meant verbatim "evaluation services" in each line; if that is the case, then I guess I am doing too much work, lol! In each timeslot, I put what kind of task I worked on and for how long, URL, exp, etc..., and then just put in the exact times and that has seemed to work fine for me. I didn't know that you could put just a generic "evaluation services" in there; maybe i"ll try that w/ my next invoice!

I also list the types of tasks I worked on in any given period of time, though I don't break out individual times spent on each type. I think I'll just keep doing it that way since I've had no problems with invoices.

I simply use a notebook and write down my start/stop times. I find it easier this way. I also take a snapshot of my invoice every couple of days.

All I have ever entered in the description column is "rater evaluation" and never had a problem getting my invoice approved.

Actually, I also put "rater evaluation," not "evaluation services." I must have written that last post in my sleep. Anyway, my invoice was approved without question, so they do not insist that you list separate tasks. It does say on the invoice page that they do not require you to list each task separately, but they are not specific about what they do require. A generic term evidently works just fine. It is the actual elapsed time that is their real consern.