How do you count words for estimates and invoices? Auteur du fil: Barbara Thomas
|
|---|
Barbara Thomas
États-Unis
Local time: 08:04
espagnol vers anglais
+ ...
Dear colleagues,
I would like to know your collective thoughts on how you count words for estimates and invoices, both translators and agency owners.
1) On the one hand, I would like to know the standards for estimating by word counts, character counts, character and space counts, lines and pages, and possible equivalents between systems.
2) Do you base estimates and invoices on the source document or target document? Is your deci... See more Dear colleagues,
I would like to know your collective thoughts on how you count words for estimates and invoices, both translators and agency owners.
1) On the one hand, I would like to know the standards for estimating by word counts, character counts, character and space counts, lines and pages, and possible equivalents between systems.
2) Do you base estimates and invoices on the source document or target document? Is your decision language-dependent?
3) Does anyone use correction factors to calculate the expansion or contraction in the number of words in a translation. Is this language dependent? If so, what correction factors do you use?
4) Any opinions on \"leveraging\" and other practices related with the use of CAT tools?
Thanks,
Barbara Thomas
Alba Lux ▲ Collapse
| | | | kbamert 
Local time: 14:04
français vers allemand
+ ...
| the counting is country and language related | Jul 24, 2002 |
Hello
With German as target language you use rather prices per line, for example lines of 50-60 strokes (including spaces) which gives the translator an additional instrument of variation of his prices...
If somebody wants a different kind of counting you take a sample text (source language and target language) and you calculate the conversion factor. Some people use Excel tables using preestablished conversion factors.
Best regards... See more Hello
With German as target language you use rather prices per line, for example lines of 50-60 strokes (including spaces) which gives the translator an additional instrument of variation of his prices...
If somebody wants a different kind of counting you take a sample text (source language and target language) and you calculate the conversion factor. Some people use Excel tables using preestablished conversion factors.
Best regards
Kurt
[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-07-24 16:31 ] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rosa LARA
Local time: 14:04
français vers espagnol
+ ...
| Comptage des mots | Jul 24, 2002 |
Bonjour Barbara. En ce qui me concerne j\'utilise un moyen très simple. Je compte le nombre de mots sur Word et j\'ajoute 10%. C\'est en fonction du chiffre final que je fais le devis. Une fois ce dernier accepté, c\'est le montant que je facture quel que soit le nombre de mots du document final. Je n\'ai jamais rencontré de difficultés avec aucun de mes clients pour le règlement puisqu\'ils payent le montant qu\'ils ont accepté de payer. Aucune surprise à l\'arrivée.
| | | | | Word count depends on what you agree with your client | Jul 24, 2002 |
Hi Barbara,
You have to reach an agreement with your client on the way words will be counted.
If the source language is English and the target language is Spanish, the amount of target words is usually 20% more than the amount of source words.
For example, if there are 100 words in English, there will be 120 words in Spanish.
The best way to count words in MS Words is to go to tools > word count. I have noticed... See more Hi Barbara,
You have to reach an agreement with your client on the way words will be counted.
If the source language is English and the target language is Spanish, the amount of target words is usually 20% more than the amount of source words.
For example, if there are 100 words in English, there will be 120 words in Spanish.
The best way to count words in MS Words is to go to tools > word count. I have noticed that or is counted as a word, as well as commas and other punctuation marks.
If you have an Excel or PowerPoint file, you can copy and paste the whole text into word.
I am not sure how you would count words if you have an Acrobat Reader file (a .PDF).
If you have a printout, you can just estimate around 8 words per line, for fonts of 11 or 12 points. There are usually around 225 words per double-spaced page. Of course this can really vary if you have drawings or charts.
There are a few pointers at this site:
http://www.goodsenseenglish.com/word_counts_editing.htm
Good Luck!
Patricia ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Nitza Ramos
États-Unis
Local time: 08:04
espagnol vers anglais
+ ...
To count words in PowerPoint, go to File, Properties, Statistics.
| | | | Nikita Kobrin
Lituanie
Local time: 15:04
Membre (2010)
anglais vers russe
+ ...
| FreeBudget - good little programme for text counting and budgeting | Jul 24, 2002 |
FreeBudget is a professional, accurate and flexible text-counting and budgeting tool for .rtf, .doc,.wpd and .txt files. It\'s free.
You can download it here: http://www.webbudget.com/freebudget/index.htm
| | | | | pdf files, source words, etc... | Jul 24, 2002 |
Hello,
Some considerations:
- If the document is in an electronic form (word, powerpoint etc): I prefer to consider the source text to set the price, although Portuguese is also \'larger\' than English, as one of the colleagues already mentioned in the Spanish case.
I prefer to do that as it is easier to agree the price beforehand, without surprises.
- If the document is a .pdf file: usually it is possible to mark the text (Acrobat R... See more Hello,
Some considerations:
- If the document is in an electronic form (word, powerpoint etc): I prefer to consider the source text to set the price, although Portuguese is also \'larger\' than English, as one of the colleagues already mentioned in the Spanish case.
I prefer to do that as it is easier to agree the price beforehand, without surprises.
- If the document is a .pdf file: usually it is possible to mark the text (Acrobat Reader 3.2, if you need to know how to do it, feel free to write) and paste it in a .doc, then I do the same as above. The formatting is lost, but, what the hell, it is better than having to work with paper - for me, at least. If the formatting is too difficult, I might consider an extra %.
- If the document is on paper: then I consider around 225 words in a normal page, give an estimate, but stress that it is only an estimate, that I need to finish the work in order to get the exact amount. As this is not really common, I don\'t have a lot of practice in doing that.
Adriana ▲ Collapse
| | | | | The answer is PractiCount | Jul 24, 2002 |
With PractiCount and PDFCount, you can count most file types that we use everyday.
PractiCount works for .doc, .rtf, .xls, .ppt, .wpd, .txt and .html
PDFCount is an add-in to Acrobat Reader. After installing it, you will be able to count the words in Acrobat Reader directly.
Cost:
PractiCount: $59 ($49 now on sale)
PDFCount: $59
WebBudget: $89 for html only
... See more With PractiCount and PDFCount, you can count most file types that we use everyday.
PractiCount works for .doc, .rtf, .xls, .ppt, .wpd, .txt and .html
PDFCount is an add-in to Acrobat Reader. After installing it, you will be able to count the words in Acrobat Reader directly.
Cost:
PractiCount: $59 ($49 now on sale)
PDFCount: $59
WebBudget: $89 for html only
Link for PDFCount:
http://www.pdfcount.com/
Link for PractiCount:
http://www.practiline.com/
Link for WebBudget:
http://www.practiline.com/
size=-1[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-07-25 02:28 ]
[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-07-25 02:28 ] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Evert DELOOF-SYS
Belgique
Local time: 14:04
Membre
anglais vers néerlandais
+ ...
| I fully endorse that, Bin Li | Jul 25, 2002 |
[quote]
On 2002-07-24 21:31, libin wrote:
With PractiCount and PDFCount, you can count most file types that we use everyday.
PractiCount works for .doc, .rtf, .xls, .ppt, .wpd, .txt and .html
PDFCount is an add-in to Acrobat Reader. After installing it, you will be able to count the words in Acrobat Reader directly.
Cost:
PractiCount: $59 ($49 now on sale)
PDFCount: $59
WebBudget: $89 for html only
Link for PDFCount:
http://www.pdfcount.com/
Link for PractiCount:
http://www.practiline.com/
[quote]
PractiCount is indeed a very handy inexpensive administrative tool and they promised they would implement PDF counts in version 2.0 as well.
[addsig]
| | | | | Word count "depends on" what tool you use | Jul 26, 2002 |
Hi, I have found that word count depends on SW tools you use. For example, I have calculated word count using MS Word and TRADOS. Same document brought me different results! TRADOS have found more words compared with MS Word. So, use TRADOS and improve your profits  )
| | | | | PractiCount is included in our August sale | Aug 7, 2002 |
With MetaTexis and Platinum membership.
FYI.
http://www.proz.com/plat/
| | | | Claudia Wunderlich (X)
Local time: 14:04
allemand vers anglais
+ ...
| Great tool!! | Jan 17, 2003 |
Thanks for this info. It totally worked. Quote:
On 2002-07-24 17:35, Nikita Kobrin wrote:
FreeBudget is a professional, accurate and flexible text-counting and budgeting tool for .rtf, .doc,.wpd and .txt files. It\'s free.
You can download it here: http://www.webbudget.com/freebudget/index.htm
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » How do you count words for estimates and invoices? | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
