Types of Engagements on Storetasker

Storetasker supports three primary types of engagements for Experts: Projects, Repeat (Retainers), and Bills. Each has different payment flows, levels of protection, and ideal use cases.

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1. Project

Definition:
A Project is a scoped engagement where the client accepts your quote and pays upfront. The payment is held in escrow until the work is completed.

Payment Flow:

• Client accepts your quote and pays in full
• Funds are held in escrow
• You mark the project complete
• Client has 3 business days to approve or request changes
• If approved (or no action), funds are released to your wallet

Key Points:

• Provides the highest level of payment protection
• Recommended for most engagements, especially with new clients or larger scopes
• Keeps both parties aligned on scope and deliverables

Using Projects for Milestones / Installments:
For larger engagements, you can break work into phases instead of quoting everything at once. Common approaches:

• Split the project into multiple smaller Projects (e.g., Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3)
• Complete and close each phase before starting the next
• Re-scope and re-quote as needed between phases

This approach maintains escrow protection at each stage while allowing flexibility as the project evolves.

Use Cases:

• Website builds or redesigns
• Medium to large development work
• Any work where upfront payment protection is important

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2. Repeat (Retainer)

Definition:
A Repeat engagement is an ongoing subscription or retainer arrangement with recurring billing.

Payment Flow:

• Client accepts and pays on a weekly or monthly schedule
• Payments are charged automatically on the billing cycle
• Funds are released to your wallet immediately (no escrow)

Key Points:

• Designed for ongoing work with no fixed end date (will not end until you cancel it)
• Provides predictable, recurring revenue
• Can be canceled by either party at any time (clients do not have a button to cancel a retainer, they must notify you by email and you must take the action)

Use Cases:

• Ongoing maintenance or support
• SEO, marketing, or ad management
• Long-term partnerships with consistent weekly/monthly work

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3. Bill

Definition:
A Bill is a one-time payment request that is not held in escrow. Once paid, funds are released to your wallet immediately.

Payment Flow:

• You send a Bill
• Client manually approves and pays
• Funds are immediately available in your wallet

Key Points:

• No escrow protection
• Payment is not guaranteed until the client pays
• Should only be used when both you and the client agree on the payment timing. Most clients prefer to use Projects over Bills. 

Important Clarification (Deposits & Milestones):
Bills can be used to:

• Collect an upfront deposit (if the client agrees to pay before work begins)
• Break a project into installments or milestone payments

However:

• Because funds are released immediately, this relies on trust between you and the client
• Bills do not offer the protection that Projects (escrow) provide

Best Practice:
Only use Bills for upfront or milestone payments when there is clear agreement with the client. If you want payment protection, use Projects instead.

Use Cases:

• Upfront deposits (by agreement)
• Milestone-based payments for trusted clients
• Small add-ons or incremental work
• One-off consultations or quick tasks

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Summary

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Pro Tip

Use Projects whenever possible for maximum protection.
Use Repeat for ongoing work.
Use Bills selectively for deposits or milestone payments only when both you and the client agree on upfront payment and understand there is no escrow protection.