A safe setup checklist for your first Upwork agent
Start cautious and loosen up as you build trust: connect, set a key limit, keep review on, cap proposals and read the log.
An agent can do a lot on its own, which is exactly why a careful start pays off. This checklist gets your first agent running with the safeguards in place, and shows when to loosen them.
Before you begin
- Connect Upwork through the official sign-in. Your password is never shared; you approve access on Upwork.
- Create a separate OpenAI key for this app on the API keys page, and set a spending limit in your OpenAI account. See keeping your OpenAI costs low.
Configure the agent
- Name it for one kind of work, such as "React Native jobs", so its keywords and tone stay focused.
- Add three to five keywords, each searched on its own. See choosing keywords.
- Set your filters: verified payment, a minimum client spend and a minimum hire rate.
- Set a bid rule with a discount and a floor. See setting a bid rule.
- Write a clear background with your skills, proof and the work you do not want.
Keep control while you learn
- Turn review on for proposals and messaging, so every draft waits in Approvals. See choosing your review settings.
- Cap proposals per run and per day, starting small.
- Pick a moderate schedule, such as every two hours.
Check, then loosen
- Read the run log after the first few runs. See reading your run log.
- Edit and approve drafts for a week, noting what you keep changing.
- Loosen one setting at a time once the drafts stop needing edits.
Remember the platform's rules. You are responsible for what is sent from your account. Review the Upwork Help Center for the current rules on proposals and messaging, and keep your settings within them.