From task log to invoice: an admin workflow for AI annotators

Full-time AI annotators can end up with three different versions of a workday: a platform timer, a personal estimate of time spent, and a bank deposit that arrives later. Treating those as interchangeable makes it harder to check pay or prepare a clean business record.

A small administrative stack gives each record a job. Use RaterSidekick for a cross-platform log of sessions, tasks and estimated earnings. Use a spreadsheet for verified reports, payouts and expenses. Use invoicing software only when a direct client actually needs an invoice. None of those records replaces the platform’s required tools or reporting.

1. Keep a personal record of the work

RaterSidekick is a Chrome extension that tracks work sessions, tasks and estimated earnings across supported AI contractor platforms, including Outlier, Mercor, Handshake, DataAnnotation, micro1 and TELUS. It can also be used with websites the user explicitly designates. The extension is optional: history can be imported from spreadsheets, Clockify or platform exports instead.

If you use the extension, designate only the sites you intend to track and grant Chrome permission for those sites. RaterSidekick detects task completion using a keyboard shortcut you select. Its stated collection boundary matters for contractors handling sensitive work: it does not capture screenshots, keystrokes, screen recordings or task content. It is a record of time and counts, not evidence of what a task contained.

Keep any platform-required timer or monitoring software running as instructed. RaterSidekick is a separate personal work-hub layer, not a replacement for employer or platform systems. For context on why the totals may differ, see our earlier guide to platform dashboards and cross-platform records.

2. Make one spreadsheet the money ledger

A spreadsheet is useful for the part a work-session tracker cannot settle: what a platform reported, what it paid, and when the funds arrived. Set up one row per platform and reporting period. Useful columns include platform, project, period start and end, reported tasks or hours, reported gross amount, payout date, amount received, and a note for any unresolved difference. Add business expenses in a separate section rather than mixing them into gross income.

At the end of a work period, compare the platform’s own report with the RaterSidekick record. Its Pay Checker compares user records with platform reports for time, tasks and pay, period by period. Treat a mismatch as a prompt to investigate, not proof that either figure is wrong. Period boundaries, task rules and payout timing can differ. Save the original platform report according to your own recordkeeping practice, and note what you checked.

RaterSidekick can import spreadsheet history, Clockify history or platform exports. Imported rows remain separate from tracked sessions, so don’t assume an import has merged with live tracking. Decide which record represents which period, avoid entering the same work twice, and keep the source report available for comparison. The tracker’s earnings are estimates; enter confirmed platform amounts and actual deposits in the ledger separately.

3. Invoice only where the client relationship calls for it

An invoicing tool can help with direct clients who request invoices. Create an invoice from the agreed scope, rate and billable period, then record its number, issue date, due date and payment status in the spreadsheet. When payment clears, record the amount and date received. That creates a straightforward trail from the agreement to the invoice to the deposit.

Do not turn every platform task total into an invoice by default. Platforms may calculate and report compensation through their own systems. Follow the relevant contract and payment process; issuing a second invoice for work already handled through a platform can create confusion. Likewise, do not use RaterSidekick’s estimated earnings as an invoice amount without checking the applicable rate and platform or client report.

4. Close the books on a schedule

Pick a weekly or monthly routine and use it consistently. First, review the session and task record. Second, compare it with platform reports using Pay Checker where applicable. Third, update the spreadsheet with confirmed amounts, outstanding differences and payouts received. Fourth, send any required direct-client invoices and mark them paid only when payment arrives. Keep the operational work log distinct from the financial ledger; they answer related but different questions.

This stack has limits. It requires regular review, and it will not resolve a disagreement with a platform on its own. A session record can help you reconstruct when you worked, but it does not preserve task content or replace a platform’s evidence. Imported history may need cleanup, and estimates should not be mistaken for settled income. Tax and recordkeeping obligations depend on the worker’s circumstances, so use qualified advice when needed.

The point is not to build a complicated back office. It is to avoid asking one tool to do three jobs: track work, confirm money due, and record money received. Keep those stages separate, reconcile them on a schedule, and the stack stays both useful and manageable.