GROSS

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I'm very sorry that your lines are 90 characters line and you get paid by gross lines.  You are cheating yourself - that's not my fault.  You cannot change the definition of a gross line.  So I gues I'm not understanding what you are trying to say.  Now if you are trying to say that your line equals 90 characters and that's how you figure your lines, than you are not using gross lines.  You have defined a line to be 90 characters, whereas most MTSOs define a line as 65 characters.  If that is the case, then I must say again, you are cheating yourself.

So which is it, do you get paid by gross lines or by a 90 character line?

Can someone explain the difference between these two?  I am assuming that the gross line is better than the gross character line.  How much better is being paid by the gross character line than just by the standard 65-character line?  Does anyone know how much difference it would make in dollars and cents?

Thanks.

This actually was a comedy routine about them, remember Balki anyone?  Forgot the show but he was here in the US living with his cousin?

He did a comedy stint about his first nice, sit down dinner in America. He was having his boss & family over and wanted to do it just right, so he went to the grocery. 

"Can you believe what you can find in America,  they already sanitize your napkins, so all you have to do is put silverware on them and your table is set"..But he was having trouble with the spoon rolling off the "Sanitary Napkins".  OMG thought I'd lose it.  Then he added the gourmet jelly...KY jelly "it is what the state of Kentucky is famous for so it must be good"..that was a good but gross stint.

I go into file, properties, statistics and that gives me my gross count.  Very simple and easy as long as you are using Word, no program to buy.   I am surprised that the company you are working for did not show this to you.  Also gives you characters if you are paid for characters divided by whatever your line is and not gross lines. 

Patti

I bill for gross line which means each line counts whether there are 10 words or one word each line counts.  So when I type in a smaller font, there are less lines than in Courier.  I do not take the characters and divide by 65.   Hope that makes sense.  So the smaller font, the less lines.  So when I contract with a client I tell them that my price per cpl it is a 65 character line in Courier font.  If they chose to use Ariel 10, I will type in that for them but the line count is done in Courier or at least Ariel 10. 

xx

One account that I inherited told me to count from top to bottom, gross lines and just use microsoft word lines.  Their margins are 1" for chart notes and -- I did not do this they requested, letters/consults 1.45 as it lines up with their letter head.  Count blank lines, etc., was told to do it this way.   But then again I charge .115 per line and type in Times Roman 12.  Again, I figure out how much per hour I make and try to keep my cpl in line with that.   Another account wants chart notes in Arial 10 and I told them when I bid my cpl is for Courier 12 and so I change the file back to Courier 12 when I do my line count for them.  But I do all in gross lines, one word or 10 words all the same price for the line.   I do print and supply all paper except for letter head, pick up and deliver which is all included in my price.  But I make good money and again look at my hourly rate and my monthly receivables to see if it works for me. 

Patti

Gross line is courier new 12, 1-inch margins.  I tried to figure out some kind of formula, but not really sure where to start.

Any input is appreciated.

If you type in word.  You simply highlight the entire document and do a word count using the tools.  Once you have your line count, you would times that by cents per line you charge.  65 character with or without spaces will be doing your own math for each document and takes more time.  Go mid range in this instance if you use raw line count.  Be sure to have a contract agreement or at least a Memorandum of Understanding and provide them with good turnaround as stated in your contract.  This makes you look very professional and worth the going rate.   Congratulations!  NOTE:  And to think there have been statements made like "everything is going to voice recognition".  Your "new account" says NOT!!!  Have fun!   

65 character lines?

I think that would make a big difference.

That is more than me with a gross line count, checked a couple of documents.  Except for when I do a lot of consults/letters and I am about to count from date to signature for gross lines.  But if you do mostly chart notes, it is good.  Just check a couple of your documents and see what it is versus 65cpl at 12 to 13 cpl and then gross line at 12 to 13 cpl and see where you stand.  Again, I used to be paid 1 cent per word and did well until it comes to letters.    Also, only you know what you make per hour and if it is good for you.

Patti

I never bid per page anymore but by the line.  On a full page you can get anywhere from 50 to60 depending on the font and if you times that by 0.12 it is better pay.  It also depends if you are putting the chart notes consinuously and counting just full pages and not per each patient.  To me $3 per full page is WAY low, I used to charge when first starting out back in --- wow am I old -- 1988 $1.00 -- 10 lines or less, $2.50 half page and $4.00 full page.  Now I am lucky that my accounts all started out with me doing gross lines when it was still acceptable and I continue with gross lines, put patient after patient on sticky paper and just do line counts per Microsoft word.   That is what they are used to and that is one reason my rates are a little lower.  All averages out.  But per page - to me - does go in your favor. 

Good luck and congrats. 

Patti

Not to show my ignorance, but what is a "gross line?"