Freelance Glossary

All essential freelancing and project management terms, explained simply.

Project documents

Specification

Reference document describing the needs, objectives and constraints of a project. It serves as the basis for the contractual relationship between client and provider. A good specification covers functional requirements, technical aspects, budget and timeline.

Client brief

Concise document from the client expressing their needs and expectations. The brief is the raw material from which the provider develops the specification or proposal.

See also: Specification

Technical specification

Document detailing the technical architecture, technologies used, APIs, database and infrastructure. Part of the specification, it primarily addresses the development team.

See also: Specification Mvp

Commercial

Quote

Priced commercial proposal detailing services, prices and conditions. A professional quote must include mandatory legal mentions (provider identity, VAT, payment terms, validity period).

Invoice

Accounting document attesting to a commercial transaction. Invoices must comply with strict legal formalism: sequential numbering, mandatory mentions, VAT, payment deadlines. It serves as a tax and accounting record.

See also: Quote Deposit

Deposit

Partial payment made before or during service delivery. The deposit secures the freelancer by financially committing the client. Usually set between 30% and 50% of total amount.

See also: Invoice Quote

Terms of sale

Legal document governing business relationships between provider and clients. Terms define payment terms, responsibilities, warranties and termination conditions.

See also: Quote Invoice

Tools & methods

CRM

Customer Relationship Management system. A CRM centralizes client information, interaction history and sales pipeline. For freelancers, a tailored CRM simplifies prospect and client tracking.

See also: Sales pipeline

Sales pipeline

Visual representation of sales cycle stages, from first contact to signature. The pipeline helps visualize where each business opportunity stands and prioritize actions.

See also: Crm Quote

Client portal

Dedicated online space where clients can check project progress, validate documents, communicate with the provider and access deliverables. A client portal professionalizes the freelancer-client relationship.

See also: Crm

Electronic signature

Process allowing documents to be signed digitally with legal value. Compliant with eIDAS regulation, electronic signatures replace handwritten signatures for quotes, contracts and invoices.

See also: Quote Terms of sale

Project management

MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

Minimal version of a product containing only essential features to validate a market hypothesis. The MVP approach allows quick idea testing with limited investment.

Backlog

Ordered list of all features, fixes and improvements planned for a product. The backlog is prioritized and evolves throughout the project.

See also: Sprint Mvp

Sprint

Short development cycle (usually 1 to 4 weeks) in an agile methodology. Each sprint has a specific goal and delivers a functional product increment.

See also: Backlog Mvp

Design & UX

Mockup / Wireframe

Simplified visual representation of a website or application interface. A wireframe focuses on structure and element placement without graphic design. It precedes high-fidelity mockups.

UX (User Experience)

All perceptions and emotions a user has when interacting with a digital product or service. Good UX results from user research, clear information architecture and usability testing.

See also: Mockup wireframe

Responsive design

Web design approach that automatically adapts display to screen size (mobile, tablet, desktop). Responsive design has become a standard and a Google ranking criterion.

See also: Ux Mockup wireframe

Digital marketing

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Set of techniques aimed at improving a website's visibility in search engine results. SEO covers technical optimization, content quality and inbound links.

See also: Responsive design

Conversion rate

Percentage of visitors who complete a desired action (purchase, sign-up, quote request). A good conversion rate depends on offer quality, user journey and trust conveyed by the site.

See also: Seo Ux

Put these concepts into practice

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