How to Use — Freelancer OS

Welcome to Freelancer OS. This guide covers setup, the end-to-end workflow, how the money metrics work, and safe customization. Read it once, then delete the demo data and make it yours.

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1. Setup after duplicating

Duplicate the whole Freelancer OS page — all 11 databases, templates, demo records, and this guide come along and stay interlinked.
Works on any Notion plan — no Business or Enterprise features anywhere. The Dashboard page is built from standard views (charts and tables). Charts are unlimited on any paid plan; the Free plan includes only one chart per workspace — upgrade to display the full dashboard.
Currency is USD throughout. Number fields are formatted as dollars — you can change the format on any number property via Edit property → Number format. This changes formatting only; nothing converts between currencies.
No integrations or automations are required. Sending invoices, collecting payments, and e-signatures happen in your own tools — Freelancer OS tracks them.

2. The workflow at a glance

Lead arrives → add a record in Clients (status: Lead). Log every call/email in Interactions with a Follow-Up Date.
Scoping → create a Project (status: Proposal Sent). Add Deliverables for the scope; each line takes a Qty and a Rate Snapshot. Quoted Value sums them automatically.
Won → move the project to Active. Track work in Tasks and log hours in Time Entries (Billable + Rate Snapshot).
Billing → create an Invoice with a sequential Invoice #, dates, and total. Send it with your own tool.
Money arrives → add a Payment linked to the invoice and project. Keep it Scheduled/Pending until it lands, then mark Settled. Only Settled payments count as cash.
Close out → project to Completed when Outstanding is zero and work is delivered.
Stay warm → set Next Follow-Up on the client; the dashboard resurfaces who needs attention.

3. The databases

Database	Role
Projects	The hub. One record per engagement; money and hours roll up here.
Clients	Your CRM. Contact details, follow-up date, lifetime value, open balance.
Services & Rate Card	Your catalog. Default rates — editing a rate never changes past quotes.
Deliverables	Scope line items. Line Total = Qty × Rate Snapshot.
Time Entries	Hours worked. Value counts only when Billable is checked.
Invoices	What you've billed. Received/Outstanding update from payments.
Payments	Money in. Refunds = negative amount with Direction: Refund.
Expenses	Money out. Reimbursable costs link to a client/project.
Tasks	To-dos with due dates and priority.
Interactions	Touchpoint log with follow-up dates.
Documents	Contracts, proposals, briefs, and files.

4. How the money works (read this once)

Quoted Value (Projects) = sum of deliverable line totals. It's a proposal-stage number — never revenue.
Invoiced = sum of non-void invoice totals. A bill, not cash.
Received = sum of Settled payments only. Scheduled and pending payments are excluded everywhere — they appear in the "Expected" view instead.