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Fixed price for electrical engineering text - help needed
Thread poster: Katrin Schlemme
Katrin Schlemme
Katrin Schlemme  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 06:05
German to English
+ ...
Aug 20, 2018

Hello!
I have an enquiry for the translation of an electrical engineering text from a friend (German - English). I have a sample of the text in pdf. However, I cannot quickly convert it into a Word file. So I can only estimate the number of words.

From my experience I would say I need about one hour per page for the translation. Does that sound realistic?

I would than base my fixed price quote on the average price per hour given here. This is the first time I am ... See more
Hello!
I have an enquiry for the translation of an electrical engineering text from a friend (German - English). I have a sample of the text in pdf. However, I cannot quickly convert it into a Word file. So I can only estimate the number of words.

From my experience I would say I need about one hour per page for the translation. Does that sound realistic?

I would than base my fixed price quote on the average price per hour given here. This is the first time I am doing a fixed price translation and would be grateful for any recommantions!

I have a degree in translation and many years of experience. I could also always address any questions to the author. So I feel comfortable with the job. ▲ Collapse
 
gayd (X)
gayd (X)
target words Aug 20, 2018

It's more precise to quote by target word.
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 05:05
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Some thoughts Aug 20, 2018

Katrin Schlemme wrote:
I have a sample of the text in pdf. However, I cannot quickly convert it into a Word file. So I can only estimate the number of words.

From my experience I would say I need about one hour per page for the translation.

I would than base my fixed price quote on the average price per hour given here. This is the first time I am doing a fixed price translation

But that's one hour per standard page of 250 words (well, in English texts that's a standard page - I imagine you get fewer words on a German standard page, there being many compound words). Your PDF pages may contain far more or far fewer words. The following methods of pricing may be fairer to both parties than making up a figure now based on a volume that you really haven't tied down:
1. You say you have a sample of the text in PDF. Does that mean your client will be providing a text file for you to actually work on? If so, I would advise you to only give a ball-park figure at the moment, with a firm quote to follow when you can count the words..
2. Alternatively, give that same ball-park figure but say you'll give a firm price post-translation - of EUR 0.nn per target word. Your experience will tell you how much you need to charge per target word. In DE=>EN it will presumably be a lower figure than the corresponding rate per source word.
3. Get hold of software that will allow you to count the words in the PDF file. I used to love Abbyy's PDF Converter, which is now part of the FineReader package. Unfortunately, they adopted a "business decision" to stop dealing with clients in the Canaries ! It would do the job for you though, or you could use an alternative such as NitroPro (cheaper) or Adobe Acrobat (far more expensive).

Remember to charge extra for processing the PDF if necessary: file conversion, formatting, slower translation process due to inability to use your favourite CAT tool, etc. It's normally a separate per-hour charge.

Kay-Viktor Stegemann
ahartje
Katrin Schlemme
 
Steve R.
Steve R.
United States
Russian to English
Regret Aug 20, 2018

I've always regretted giving a price based on a visual assessment of the work ahead.

But that's me...

Absent conversion software, you might consider online alternatives. Worse comes to worst, I'd type out a small segment and do the math.

Elif Baykara Narbay
Ricardo Suin
Katrin Schlemme
 
Elif Baykara Narbay
Elif Baykara Narbay  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 07:05
German to Turkish
+ ...
+ 25% Aug 20, 2018

Normally I wouldn't quote a fixed price under these conditions. This is cumbersome and probably unfair. The client should at least provide the number of words (or whatever the pricing is based on).

However, when I give quotes based on estimations, I always quote an extra of a minimum of 25% of the estimated figure.

Elif

Steve R.
Kevin Fulton
 
Jack Doughty
Jack Doughty  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:05
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
pdf to Word Aug 21, 2018

Try this: https://smallpdf.com/ for conversion from pdf to Word, I find it very good.

Katrin Schlemme
Vi Pukite
 
Katrin Schlemme
Katrin Schlemme  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 06:05
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all Aug 21, 2018

Thank you all very much! I see that I need a better basis for a fixed price and will find a way to count the words of the text!
 
Tina Vonhof (X)
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 22:05
Dutch to English
+ ...
PDF to Word conversion Aug 21, 2018

With so many clients sending documents in PDF it is really helpful to have a converter. I use ABBYY and I'm by and large happy with it. It doesn't always yield a document that you can actually work in - it depends on the type of document - but at the very least it gives you a word count.

Dan Lucas
 


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Fixed price for electrical engineering text - help needed







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