All essential freelancing and project management terms, explained simply.
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.
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.
Document detailing the technical architecture, technologies used, APIs, database and infrastructure. Part of the specification, it primarily addresses the development team.
Priced commercial proposal detailing services, prices and conditions. A professional quote must include mandatory legal mentions (provider identity, VAT, payment terms, validity period).
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.
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.
Legal document governing business relationships between provider and clients. Terms define payment terms, responsibilities, warranties and termination conditions.
Customer Relationship Management system. A CRM centralizes client information, interaction history and sales pipeline. For freelancers, a tailored CRM simplifies prospect and client tracking.
Visual representation of sales cycle stages, from first contact to signature. The pipeline helps visualize where each business opportunity stands and prioritize actions.
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.
Process allowing documents to be signed digitally with legal value. Compliant with eIDAS regulation, electronic signatures replace handwritten signatures for quotes, contracts and invoices.
Application Programming Interface — an interface that allows two software programs to communicate with each other. Modern APIs are generally REST or GraphQL, secured by authentication (API key, OAuth).
Minimal version of a product containing only essential features to validate a market hypothesis. The MVP approach allows quick idea testing with limited investment.
Ordered list of all features, fixes and improvements planned for a product. The backlog is prioritized and evolves throughout the project.
Short development cycle (usually 1 to 4 weeks) in an agile methodology. Each sprint has a specific goal and delivers a functional product increment.
Gradual drift of a project scope through the accumulation of small requests outside the contract. Without a change management process, scope creep turns a profitable project into a financial drain.
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.
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.
Web design approach that automatically adapts display to screen size (mobile, tablet, desktop). Responsive design has become a standard and a Google ranking criterion.
Set of techniques aimed at improving a website's visibility in search engine results. SEO covers technical optimization, content quality and inbound links.
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.
Customer acquisition cost, the total amount invested in marketing and sales divided by the number of clients acquired over the same period. A core KPI for sales management.
Lifetime value, the total revenue a client generates over the entire duration of their relationship with the business. The basis for calculating acquisition and retention profitability.
Return on ad spend, the ratio between the revenue generated and the amount spent on advertising. An indicator of immediate campaign performance.
Monthly recurring revenue, the predictable revenue over 30 days from subscriptions or recurring contracts. The main metric for SaaS businesses and service providers with maintenance contracts.
A measure of client satisfaction and recommendation, obtained by asking the question 'On a scale of 0 to 10, would you recommend our service to someone close to you?'. Score = % of promoters (9-10) − % of detractors (0-6).
Percentage of clients who stop being clients over a given period. A critical KPI for recurring service providers and SaaS: high churn cancels out acquisition.
Rate charged by a freelancer for a day of work (7 h in France). The day rate includes net pay, social contributions, overhead costs and margin.
Identification System of the Establishments Directory — a unique 14-digit number identifying each establishment of a company in France. Required on all quotes and invoices.
Value Added Tax — an indirect tax collected by the company and paid to the State. The standard rate in France is 20%. Micro-enterprises below a certain revenue threshold are exempt from VAT.
Simplified sole proprietorship regime in France, with a revenue cap (€77,700 for services in 2026) and a lighter tax and social regime. Ideal for starting out as a freelancer.
Mandatory electronic invoicing between French companies. Progressive rollout between 2026 and 2027: mandatory reception for all companies, issuance depending on size. Standard format Factur-X (PDF/A-3 + XML).
General Data Protection Regulation — a European law (May 2018) governing the processing of personal data. It requires freelancers to secure, log and authorise every use of client data.
Flowayz automates specification, quote and invoice creation for freelancers.
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