Note that the freelancer startups do this emphatically...
UpWork
Toptal
Gun.io
all list Revenue as total amount via gigs posted not as total amount actually awarded via finished gigs..ie project revenue on system which means that they are over or understating their actual earhed revenue from project fees
Easy to catch as in accounting terms you would list the full project revenue listed on system times the percent project fees as unearned revenue and the booked earned project fee revenue as earned revenue.
You don't post "projects" on Toptal. Everything we do is time & materials, so the concept of misrepresenting financials based on posted projects simply isn't possible. ARR is calculated by actual sales right now multiplied out for a year of time.
UpWork Toptal Gun.io
all list Revenue as total amount via gigs posted not as total amount actually awarded via finished gigs..ie project revenue on system which means that they are over or understating their actual earhed revenue from project fees
Easy to catch as in accounting terms you would list the full project revenue listed on system times the percent project fees as unearned revenue and the booked earned project fee revenue as earned revenue.