Freelancer management template

If you work with a team of freelancers, you know how difficult it can be to keep everything organized. You need to send, receive, and provide feedback on assignments, plus track invoices, monitor your budget, and make sure freelancers submit work on time.

With so many moving pieces to juggle, it's hard to get a full picture of who's doing what. But it doesn't have to be that complicated. With a freelancer management template, you can track and execute work in one central place.

What is a freelancer management template?

A freelancer management template is a reusable, pre-built guide that helps you assign, receive, and track freelancer work in one place. It lays out all the information you need when managing a team of freelancers, like what you've assigned, what's in progress, and who's working on what.

Every time you start a project involving freelancers, you can copy your template, fill in the required information, and get your initiative rolling. You don't have to start from scratch or worry about missing important information.

Benefits of a digital freelancer management template

Freelancer management isn't just about organizing work on your end. You also need to make sure contractors can easily see and submit their assignments. Creating your freelancer management template with project management software means you and your freelance team can easily collaborate.

Your freelancers can see exactly what they're responsible for and when it's due. They can even attach completed assignments directly to tasks in your template, instead of sending them via email or a separate tool.

With a digital freelancer management template, you can:

• Streamline collaboration: Work directly with freelancers in one central location using a shared workflow.

• Get a bird's-eye view: See all outgoing and incoming assignments at a glance.

• Track progress in real time: View updates as freelancers complete and submit work.

• Set firm expectations: Add assignees and due dates to tasks to avoid confusion about deadlines or responsibilities.

• Centralize documents: Attach Google Docs like assignment briefs, scope of work documents, and completed work directly to tasks.

• Organize flexibly: Sort work by assignee, due date, status, type, billing month, and more.

• Automate notifications: Automatically notify freelancers when you assign or update a task.

What to include in your freelancer management template

Successful freelancer management is all about organization and communication. You need a system to keep track of the assignments each independent contractor is working on, not just so you know what's on their plate, but also so freelancers can see what they're responsible for.

The best way to do this is by creating a section in your template for each freelancer. When assigning work, add tasks to each team member's respective section so it's obvious what they should be working on.

You can also create columns to track additional information about each assignment, like:

• The assignment description.

• The assignment deadline.

• The type of assignment (for example, freelance writers might work on articles, product descriptions, or landing pages).

• The assignment status, like "not started," "in progress," or "delivered."

• The billing month for the assignment, so freelancers know how to invoice for work.

Once you've finalized the layout of your template, add additional features to create a smooth workflow for your team. For example, add subtasks to individual assignments that outline each step your team needs to take before the freelance work is complete.

For a team of freelance writers, assignments might include creating a first draft, reviewing work, and publishing in WordPress.

Integrated features

• Custom fields. Custom fields are the best way to tag, sort, and filter work. Create custom fields for any information you need to track, from priority and status to email addresses and phone numbers.

• Approvals. Approvals are a special type of task in Asana with options to "Approve," "Request changes," or "Reject." Task owners receive straightforward instructions on whether their work has been approved.

• Proofing. Leave specific, actionable feedback directly on images and PDFs so your team knows exactly what needs to be done. Track that feedback in subtasks so no action items fall through the cracks.

• Automation. Automate manual tasks so your team spends less time on busywork. Rules in Asana function on the basis of triggers and actions: essentially, "when X happens, do Y."

Recommended apps

• Google Workplace. Attach files directly to tasks in Asana using the Google Workspace file picker, built into the Asana task pane.

• Dropbox. Attach files directly to tasks in Asana using the Dropbox file chooser, built into the Asana task pane.

• Figma. Embed designs in Asana so your team can reference the latest design work in context with related project documents.

How to use a freelancer management template

Once you've built your freelancer management template, putting it to work is straightforward. Follow these steps to get your team up and running.

• Copy your template for each new project: Duplicate your template every time you kick off a new initiative involving freelancers. This keeps your structure consistent across projects.

• Assign tasks and set deadlines: Add each freelancer's assignments to their designated section. Include specific due dates so everyone knows what's expected and when.

• Share the project with your freelancers: Invite freelancers to the project so they can see their assignments, ask questions, and submit completed work directly within the template.

• Track progress in real time: Use status fields and filters to monitor which assignments are in progress, delivered, or awaiting review.

• Review, approve, and iterate: As freelancers submit work, review deliverables and update statuses. Use the template's built-in approval workflows to streamline feedback loops.

By following this process, you create a repeatable workflow that saves time and reduces miscommunication with every new project.

Manage your freelancers with Asana

A freelancer management template takes the guesswork out of coordinating with contract talent. With a solid structure for assignments, deadlines, and communication, you can focus on the work that matters instead of tracking down details.

Ready to simplify your freelancer workflows? Get started with Asana's free freelancer management template and bring all your freelancer coordination into one place.

FAQs about freelancer management templates