This article is specifically meant to help contractors better understand how Overpass handles payment. If you are using Overpass as a client/employer, please see Clients' Guide to Status-Based Billing instead.

Overpass uses a status-based billing system. In simplest terms, this means that our site tracks what actions you perform while logged into the site (your "status"), and invoice your client accordingly. When you're logged in, your current status appears in the upper right corner. The default status is Ready.

As long as you are logged into www.overpass.com and actively working (that is, making calls, sending emails, clicking from page to page), our clock continues to record your hours.

However, if 15 minutes pass with no site activity, Overpass will temporarily log you out and stop the clock. This is to ensure we are not over-billing clients for time that you are not actually working.

There are certain legitimate circumstances where you may not be working within the site, but the clock should continue to record time. In those cases, you will manually change the status, to help our team understand what's happening.

Not all Overpass contracts contain paid break time, but some do.

If your contract does allow for paid break time, you'll want to switch your status whenever you are leaving your computer for that break (otherwise, we'll only record the first 15 minutes, and then log you out.)

To select "Break" status, click the status oval in the upper right, and select On Break.

While in On Break status, you will not be able to perform any actual work -- the page will display a large badge reading You Are On Break, and all other functionality will be frozen. However, the clock will continue to run throughout your break, and all of that time will be added to the weekly invoice and paycheck.

Please remember that this only applies to contracts which include paid break time; if yours does not, selecting this status has no effect on your paycheck.

After you've been hired, your new client or manager should always conduct an initial training session with you, so that you can learn about their product and sales process. Some clients may also schedule additional training sessions throughout the course of your contract.

Training time is always paid.

If your training work is taking place within www.overpass.com, there is no need to change your status, as the clock will keep running as per usual. However, if you are working with your client outside of the platform (for instance, meeting with them on a Zoom call, watching educational videos, or reading training material), you will want to be sure to select the Training status.

Just like with On Break, selecting Training ensures that we will continue to track your time and you won't be logged out, even while working elsewhere.

Overpass clients use the site in varied ways. Some clients will ask you to perform all of your work (calls, emails, etc.) within www.overpass.com. If this is your situation, you will never need to use the Off-System Work status, as all of your work will be performed "in" the system.

However, other clients may ask you to use additional, third-party software -- either in addition to the Overpass tools, or in place of the Overpass tools. This might mean working in a different CRM platform (like Hubspot, or Salesforce), or using a different dialer program. Alternately, this could mean doing non-calling work, such as updating their company records, writing a new sales script, researching competition, or prospecting clients.

To be clear, using different software is perfectly fine with us! We just need to know that's what you're doing, so that we keep the clock running.

Any time you've been asked to perform work outside of Overpass, you will still first log into Overpass to make sure that we can and select Off-System Work. Leave that tab open and then open another tab for any other programs/tasks. Just like Training, this keeps you logged in, even while you work elsewhere.

When your shift is over, please remember to navigate back to Overpass and click End Off-System Work, then remember to Log Off.

In addition to the manually-selected statuses described above, the Status indicator will automatically change when you are placing calls through the Overpass dialer. These are all "paid" statuses, and are designed for your client to get a better sense of how your time was spent during your shift.

This status is shown when you're currently on an outbound or inbound call:

Before each call, you're able to review the details and call history of the person you're about to speak with. This period is called In Review, and is also billed at your standard hourly rate.

Immediately after you finish a call, you'll enter the Wrap-Up screen, which allows you to select the call outcome, write notes, edit contact information, and possibly schedule a follow-up call.

When you log into Overpass, your default status shows as Ready. Throughout your shift, the status will automatically revert to Ready anytime you're working, but not in On Call, In Review, or Wrap-Up. For instance, you'll see Ready if you are updating contacts in the CRM, or listening to recordings of previous calls.

All time spent in any of the primary statuses (Ready, On Call, In Review, and Wrap-Up) is always paid time, and you will be compensated for those hours at the rate established on your contract.

Some clients offer performance-based commissions or bonuses to motivate contractors. These are not tracked via our regular status system, and the client must add them to your weekly invoice manually.

If you believe you are owed a bonus or commission that has not been paid to you, please email your client about this issue, so that they can add those bonuses to your next paycheck.

Our system is designed to be intuitive and accurate, but mistakes can happen. If you know that you've accidentally misrepresented your hours (by forgetting to log in, or leaving yourself logged in for too long) please let your client know so that they may adjust their invoice accordingly.

Please understand that the Overpass team cannot adjust hours, this can only be done by the clients themselves.