FreelanceEngine Credit Extension

Hi guys,

EngineThemes has just introduced the new Credit extension to work with Escrow system on FreelanceEngine a couple weeks ago. We’re glad that this plugin has received great attention from many of you. So, this is the tutorial about:

  • As an admin: How to activate Credit and Escrow systems on his freelance marketplace website. And how to approve payment for credits.
  • As an employer and a freelancer: How to buy, transfer, and withdraw credits easily.

Try live demo Buy for $39

FreelanceEngine Credit Extension is built to solve the absence of PayPal Adaptive or Stripe Connect working with Escrow system in FreelanceEngine in some countries. With this purpose, this plugin is usable when integrated into FreelanceEngine, not as a stand alone extension.

I’m gonna walk you through the workflow of Credit extension from how to set the Credit System in back-end, how to buy credits, use credits to make transaction, to how to withdraw them.

1. [Admin] Set up Credit system

  • Enable Escrow system in the back-end (Engine Settings → Escrow → Settings)FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Enable Escrow in back-endAnd, make other settings, including: Set commission rate, commission type, payer of commission fee.
  • Next, enable Credit system (Engine Settings → Credit System).

FreelanceEngine Credit extension - Enable credit

*Note: When you choose to use credit system to work with Escrow on your project bidding website, PayPal Adaptive and Stripe Connect API are disabled.

Other settings:

  • Credit plans: Create different pricing plan for employer to buy credits. Conversion rate: 1$ for 1 credit.
  • Minimum money in each withdraw process
  • Email template
  • Prevent access to deposit page
  • Deposit page slug
  • Set admin email who will receive notification

2. [Employer] Buy Credits 

  • Go to Your Profile → Tab Credits → Click on button ‘+’ (see image).

FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Employers buy credits

  • Choose a suitable pricing plan. And pay by different payment methods.
    FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Credit pricing plan and payment method

3. [Admin] Approve payment (Cash)

In step 2, if credits are paid in Cash or by PayPal account that has Payment review option turned on, admin needs to approve the payment so that the credits appear in user’s account.

Admin can do this in Engine Settings → Payments. Payment credit has the format: Deposited (Name of pricing plan) by username.FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Admin accepts payment

4. [Employer] Request a security code

  • Go to Your Profile → Request a new secure code.

FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Request secure codeThe code is sent to the employer via email. The employer would use this code to make transaction on your site (such as project submission, project fee, money withdrawal). If the employer forgets his secure code, just request a new code.

5. [Employer] Post a project

  • Step 1: Select pricing plan.

For example: I choose Premium package: $20 (20 credits) for 15 posts.

FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Credit pricing plan

  • Step 2: Enter project details.
  • Step 3: Select payment method.

At this step, select Your balance to pay by credit.FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Pay by Credit (Your balance)Enter the secure code, and 20 credits are automatically deducted from employer’s credit balance.FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Pay by creditThe employer can check his credit balance in Your Profile → Credits. 20 credits were deducted for Premium package; thus, the available balance is now 280 credits.FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Credit balance

6. [Employer] Accept a bid

  • Enter the secure code.

FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Accept bidThe total project fee – 121 credits (including commission fee) is transferred to Escrow system during the project. In employer’s credit account, 121 credits are moved from available balance to frozen balance.FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Frozen balanceWhen the project is marked as completed, Escrow would release 121 credits from employer’s frozen balance to freelancer’s available balance (project cost) and admin account (commission fee).

7.1 [Employer] Withdraw money – PayPal and bank account supported

An employer can withdraw some credits from his account.

  • Update PayPal account or bank account in Your Profile → Credits.

FreelanceEngine Credit Extension - Update PayPal and bank account

  • Click on “Withdraw” button, enter the withdrawal amount and secure code, then submit to wait for admin approval. While the employer waits for admin approval, the withdraw amount appears in the Frozen balance.
  • After admin approves and manually sends the withdraw money to the employer via his PayPal or bank account, this amount is removed from frozen balance.

7.2 [Freelancer] Withdraw money

In this FreelanceEngine Credit version 1.0, the freelancer would manage his credits used to bid project and credits received for a project in separate tabs (Account Details & Credits respectively). But the good news is that in the next version, we will integrate these two into 1 tab Credits for easy management.

For a freelancer, steps to withdraw credits are all the same as those for an employer.

Try live demo Buy for $39

I believe this credit extension is beneficial for your freelance website, especially in locations where PayPal Adaptive or Stripe Connect is not available. Just try this plugin yourself in our demo to see how it works. If you need further help, please feel free to send us a ticket via EngineThemes forum. Our technical support staff will help you solve the issue.

[Updated Credit system]

FreelanceEngine theme is updated with modifications in Credit system. Please take a look at this post for the latest news.

24 Comments
  • FreddySpageddy
    Mar  23RD,  2016

    When can we expect the next version with the two credit systems integrated?

  • Eugene
    Apr  15TH,  2016

    Hello, could you advise me how can I make: When Employer Accepting a bid, I need to charge ONLY commision 10%, not freezing or charging full bid amount.

    • Uyen Tran
      Apr  15TH,  2016

      Hello Eugene,

      Thanks for your question. I fully understand your idea but, unfortunately, what you are trying to achieve is not yet possible with the current version of the theme. It might be achievable with custom coding but that is beyond our support.
      If you have any further question, please feel free to email to support@enginethemes.com.

      Regards.

  • thinktank
    Apr  17TH,  2016

    Hi I want to make subscription plan for freelancer he has to pay when he makes profile or submit quote how i can do that

  • micah
    May  15TH,  2016

    Kindly assist with a possibility of having payment systems like skrill / money bookers integrated to the platform. All the available plugins do not support our major market which is Africa. If possible, we would also like a multi currency option for bidding. Kindly assist urgently.

    • Uyen Tran
      May  16TH,  2016

      Hello Micah,
      Thanks for posting in.
      Currently, the theme is compatible with WooComerce. Thus, you can integrate more payment gateway to your site via WooCommerce https://www.woothemes.com . However, we don’t guarantee it works fine with all payment gateway. You should test carefully at your test site before applying to your live site.
      Regarding a multi-currency option for bidding, unfortunately, what you are trying to achieve is not yet possible with the current version of the theme. It might be achievable with custom coding but that is beyond our support.
      If you have any further question, please feel free to email to support@enginethemes.com.
      Regards.

  • parveen
    May  17TH,  2016

    Can you please explain , how escrow works ?

    I want my system to be free for freelancer but when client pay to freelancer on job completion , only then i want to charge client . is that possible in your current theme ?

    I am planning to use – https://wordpress.org/plugins/ccavanue-woocommerce-payment-getway/ this payment gateway , is that possible?

  • puneet
    May  18TH,  2016

    hi,
    its good to go through the tutorial, well explained,
    still i need to clarify my doubt,

    Is it possible for admin to make
    Employer to Post a project, Credit-free
    Freelancer to make bid, Credit free.

    It means credits are required to be purchased only by the employer to pay for the Project cost.

    thanks.

    • solidofor
      May  20TH,  2016

      Exactly!!! i want the same thing..

  • puneet
    May  19TH,  2016

    will Escrow system work with any payment gateway the than paypal adaptive or stripe?

    Like, If we integrate CCAvenue payment gateway, on our site, will it work with Escrow system?

    OR we need to plugin and work with credit system(FreelanceEngine Credit Extension)?

  • puneet
    May  19TH,  2016

    If We integrate CCAvenue payment gateway from http://www.woothemes.com, with it work with your escrow system ?
    OR
    We need to integrate the FreelanceEngine Credit Extension, and work with the Credit system ?

  • Uyen Tran
    May  24TH,  2016

    Hello Puneet,

    Thanks for your interest in our product and sorry for the late response. It was weekend here.
    Currently, the theme is compatible with WooComerce. Thus, you can integrate more payment gateway to your site via WooCommerce https://www.woothemes.com . However, we don’t guarantee it works fine with all payment gateway. You should test carefully at your test site before applying to your live site.
    Should you have any further questions please feel free to contact us!

    Regards.

  • Johnni
    Jun  21ST,  2016

    I have installed the credit system plugin , enabled it on the website and find the following issues.
    The HTML is displayed in the settings of the credit system.
    When we are editing the credit plan post it is giving the error.
    Add credit link in the user profile is not working and it is taking to the 404 error.
    Also I have checked the demo of the plugin as per their documentation but in the demo it look like we are missing the plugin.
    No setting for the credit system in the theme settings and also on the front the credit tab is missing.

    • Chau
      Jun  21ST,  2016

      Hello Johnni,

      Regarding this, please go to http://forum.enginethemes.com/ to post about the problem you’ve encountered. Our TS will be glad to assist you solve it.

      Many thanks.

  • Ahmed
    Jun  22ND,  2016

    The code can be used many times? Or each transaction need new code request?

    • My Dang
      Jun  22ND,  2016

      Hi Ahmed,
      You just need to request code once to use for many transactions. If forget, you can request another one.

      • Ahmed
        Jun  22ND,  2016

        Thank you!

  • Justin
    Sep  13TH,  2016

    There is no credit tab in your current demo. Today is September 12th, 2016. Why make things so confusing? I have everything done except for this credit/escrow (probably the most important part) system. Could someone help me? If not, I’d like a full refund for the template and all plugins. The site is no good without a working credit/escrow system.

    • My Dang
      Sep  13TH,  2016

      Hi Justin,
      First of all, I would like to apologize for the issue you encounter. We’re currently maintaining & updating our system including FreelanceEngine demo site. So there might be still some incomplete parts. Please have a look at FreelanceEngine Demo again, Credits Extension is properly enabled and updated.
      In addition, some changes have been made to this plugin, you can read this tutorial for the latest news.
      We’re sorry for your uncomfortable experience. Hope this instant fix works well for you. Please feel free to contact us anytime for further assistance.

  • Sruthi
    Mar  15TH,  2017

    Hi Team,
    I have installed the theme and escrow credit system also. It works well. Thank you!
    I have a few milestones to be completed in the projects and need the payments to be made against each and every those milestone completion.
    For example, if the total amount of the project is “X” and has 5 milestones, then the customer should have the choice to make the payment against each milestone completion by a percentage. The customer should also have a choice to set the percentage he wishes to pay against each milestone.
    Is that possible with this theme? Kindly help me.

  • Sruthi
    Mar  21ST,  2017

    Hi,
    Is there any update on my comment?
    Kindly help me for the same.

    • ThaoNguyen
      Mar  22ND,  2017

      Hello Sruthi,

      I am so sorry to confirm that it is not a feature offered by our plugin right now.
      We make sure your suggestion will be added to feature request list. It can be taken into consideration for future development base on the votes before any future implement. Please stay calm and keep following our blog for latest news.

      All the best,

      • Stephen Holly
        Aug  02ND,  2017

        I would like to add a vote for this feature!

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