Additional charges for working with non convertible PDF files ? Thread poster: Maja_K
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Maja_K 
Germany
Local time: 17:58
Member (2013)
English to Macedonian
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What are your practices when being sent a non convertible PDF file? Do you rely on an estimation about the word count or do something else like maybe typing the source text in an editor, and then charge for that time too?
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
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Hello Maja--first of all, what reads the contract about paying extra? Why not ask the client for an editable, taking the concerted actions?
Of course, if you have Acrobat X or FineReader, you can do a favor converting a short document no problem, provided the formatting is not very complicated.
As far as PDF is not for editing, I usually either ask for a DOCx/RTF or charge hourly, especially if they want translation in PDF too--but let the client know first!
... See more Hello Maja--first of all, what reads the contract about paying extra? Why not ask the client for an editable, taking the concerted actions?
Of course, if you have Acrobat X or FineReader, you can do a favor converting a short document no problem, provided the formatting is not very complicated.
As far as PDF is not for editing, I usually either ask for a DOCx/RTF or charge hourly, especially if they want translation in PDF too--but let the client know first!
Cheers ▲ Collapse
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 11:58
Member (2008)
French to English
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| Convert to Word | Jan 29, 2019 |
I do a quick automated conversion to a Word document using ABBYY PDF Transformer and negotiate with that word count. When I come to do the actual job I do a more careful conversion, sometimes allowing a bit extra in the quote for the working conversion.
| | | | Maja_K
Germany
Local time: 17:58
Member (2013)
English to Macedonian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Is a free version of it any good to me? | Jan 29, 2019 |
John Fossey wrote:
I do a quick automated conversion to a Word document using ABBYY PDF Transformer and negotiate with that word count. When I come to do the actual job I do a more careful conversion, sometimes allowing a bit extra in the quote for the working conversion.
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John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 11:58
Member (2008)
French to English
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| Free vs paid pdf converters | Jan 29, 2019 |
For simple, text based pdf conversions there are free online converters that do a reasonable job. But as soon as a pdf is more complex you will need a paid version.
| | | | Angela Malik
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:58
German to English
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| Convert to some other format and charge a processing fee of 25% | Jan 30, 2019 |
If the PDF is easily convertible to some other format, I do that to get an estimated word count. Or if it's not easily convertible (for example, you can see that some sections have handwritten comments all over them and the conversion is just rubbish, not actual words, or some sections have been turned into images with text that is not counted by the software), then I take an average number of words per page and multiple that by the number of pages in the PDF.
I quote the client wit... See more If the PDF is easily convertible to some other format, I do that to get an estimated word count. Or if it's not easily convertible (for example, you can see that some sections have handwritten comments all over them and the conversion is just rubbish, not actual words, or some sections have been turned into images with text that is not counted by the software), then I take an average number of words per page and multiple that by the number of pages in the PDF.
I quote the client with a conservatively large estimated word count and a surcharge of 25% (which I call a "processing fee"). I tell them that they can avoid the processing fee if they can send me the document in its NATIVE format (i.e. NOT a conversion but the actual original format the document was created in, such as InDesign or whatever). I point out that if they can get that native format to me, not only will they save themselves a bit of money -- no 25% surcharge and also a more fixed quote based on a non-estimated word count -- but also time, as I can then edit the original file directly and give them a formatted translation file at the end.
What I've found is that lots of clients can magically find the native format, and the ones that can't generally do pay the 25% surcharge, which more or less covers the time I have to spend preparing the file for translation or working from the PDF or whatever it is I have to do to get a translation done for them.
[Edited at 2019-01-30 08:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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