If you didn’t set up a contract when you invited the contractor, you can do it later – either before or after the contractor registers.
If the contractor’s status is Invited (meaning they haven’t registered yet) or Onboarding, select the three dots next to their row to open the list of available actions, as shown in the screenshot below.
To create a contract, select Create contract.
At the first step, fill in the contractor’s first name, last name, email, country of residence, and position, then set the contract start and end dates. Add a description of the work, as shown in the screenshot below.
You can use AI for this: it will draft a description based on the position title, and you can edit the wording yourself.
The Renew contract with same terms option is also available at this step – turn it on, and the contract will automatically renew on the same terms once the current one expires.
This is also where you choose which contract to use: Mellow’s standard template or your own.
If you chose Use Mellow agreement and filled everything in at the first step, select Continue to payment.
Choose one of two options: Fixed rate or Milestone.
Each option has its own strengths – pick the one that fits your situation.
Fixed rate – regular payouts on a schedule, with the parameters you set: currency, payment amount, first payment date, and frequency (every two weeks, monthly, twice a month, or weekly).
You can also turn on the Pay ahead of the weekend if the payment due is on a weekend, pay on Friday option.
Milestone – a good fit for project work that’s split into stages. Each stage has its own amount, name, and payment date, so everything stays transparent for both sides.
Choose Milestone at the top of the Payment section.
For each stage, fill in Payment amount and currency, Milestone name (for example, “Design Phase” or “MVP Release”), and Payment date.
To add another stage, select + Add milestone.
To remove a stage, select the delete icon next to it.
Once you’ve filled in all the stages, a summary will appear with the total amount and a breakdown by stage.
Tips for setting up stages:
Use clear stage names so both sides know what each payout is for.
Stage amounts can vary – the total doesn’t have to be split evenly.
Keep deadlines realistic. You can adjust them later if needed.
Once you’ve filled in Payment details, select Review details.
On the review screen, edit any section by selecting the pencil icon, or select View documents to open or download the contract text (contractor agreement) and the work description (statement of work) for the invited contractor.
Sign the contract on your end – draw your signature in the empty field with your mouse or trackpad – and send it to the contractor.
Once the contractor signs the contract, you can start processing payments based on the parameters you set. If you have questions or need help, write to us at [email protected].