Why some changes need both sides to agree

Once a booking is confirmed, it's a commitment between two people — the producer and the freelancer. So CrewGrid treats changes to a confirmed booking's money or terms as something both sides have to agree to. Neither party can quietly change what was agreed. This page explains how that works and why.

The principle

For a confirmed booking, a change to the rate or a paid adjustment is a proposal until the other side accepts it. Whoever suggests the change is making an offer; it only takes effect once the other person agrees.

This applies both ways:

• A producer can propose a change — but the freelancer has to accept it.
• A freelancer can propose a change — but the producer has to accept it.

Nobody can approve their own proposal. That's the whole point: it keeps the agreement honest.

What needs two-party agreement

Adjustments to a confirmed booking

An adjustment is a change to the money or schedule of a confirmed booking. There are three kinds:

• A different day rate — for example, paying a travel day as a full work day.
• An extra line item — for example, a per-diem or a kit-rental fee.
• Waiving a rule — setting aside one of the rate card's rules for this job.

Either side can propose an adjustment. The other side sees it, with a clear before-and-after, and can Accept, Reject, or Counter (propose a different version back). Until it's accepted, it doesn't count.

Changing the rate card on a confirmed booking

The rate card pinned to a confirmed booking is the agreed pay. Changing it — swapping to a different card, or moving to a new version — also needs both sides to agree, using the same accept / reject / counter flow.

Withdrawing something that was already accepted

Even undoing an accepted adjustment is a two-way step. If one side wants to withdraw an adjustment the other side already accepted, the person who accepted it has to approve the withdrawal first. Until they do, the adjustment stays in place. This stops one party from unilaterally erasing something that was mutually agreed.

Where you'll see this

• Freelancers see pending proposals in a Needs your attention panel on the booking, with Accept, Counter, and Reject buttons and a details view showing exactly what would change. See Adjustments and rate cards.
• Producers see the same on their side of the booking and manage it from the staffing area. See Adjustments and rate changes.
• Responding to a booking request? If your email is linked to a CrewGrid account, you can propose a change right from the booking link with Confirm with conditions — see Responding to a booking request.

One practical exception

When the person being booked is a member of the producer's own organization — an internal team member rather than an outside freelancer — a rate-card change from the organization's side applies straight away, without waiting for approval. There's no separate party to protect in that case, since both ends are the same organization. Adjustments still follow the normal two-way flow for everyone.

Why it's worth the extra step

It might feel like more clicks than simply editing a number. But the payoff is trust: everyone can rely on a confirmed booking meaning what it says. Nothing about the pay or terms changes behind anyone's back, and there's always a clear record of who proposed what and who agreed.

Where to go next

• How scheduling works — the related idea for schedules.
• Adjustments and rate cards — the freelancer's view.
• Adjustments and rate changes — the producer's view.