A freelance job can feel finished to you and still feel open to your client. You send the final files, the client says thanks, and three weeks later a message arrives asking for "just one small change" to something you thought was closed.
One possible cause is an unclear handover: no shared record of what was delivered, what was accepted, or what remains open.
A handover is a moment, not an email
Say you have finished a small website refresh. You upload the files, write a friendly note, and move on. Nothing lists what you actually delivered. Nothing records that the client looked at it and agreed it was what they asked for. Nothing separates "a bug in what I built" from "a new thing you now want".
When a later request arrives, a shared record gives you a starting point for discussing whether it concerns the agreed work or a new request. Without one, you may need to piece the history together from messages and memory.
A handover that holds up does three things: it lists what was delivered, it captures the client's acceptance, and it writes down anything still open at that moment, before it turns into a disagreement later.
A mini-checklist for handing over
- List what you are delivering, item by item. Not "the website" — the pages, files and formats. Transfer account access separately through a secure method; do not put passwords on the worksheet.
- Run your own quality check first. Whatever your version of "I would be embarrassed if they spotted this" is, check it before they do.
- Ask for a clear response. For example: "Please confirm whether these items match our agreed scope, and list anything still outstanding." Record the response and date; follow any acceptance process in your agreement.
- Record what is still open. Anything waiting on them, anything you agreed to look at, anything deliberately left out.
- Discuss the boundary. Compare later requests with the agreed scope before deciding whether they are corrections or new work.
- Note when you will follow up. A date you choose, so the job closes instead of drifting.
Where a paper sheet helps
You can keep this record in your existing tools or on paper. The useful part is making it easy for both sides to find.