New here & ? regarding byte vs character count
Posted By: Skip on 2009-02-26
In Reply to:
Hi everyone. I am new here but not new to medical transcription. Very happy I stumbled upon this board. I am always looking to compare notes with other MTs.
Now, I know this question has probably been asked a million times on the site arleady, but since I am new and don't know my way around very much, forgive me for repeating.
Now my question/situation: I was asked to submit a proposal to a clinic yesterday. I found out that their current company figures lines based on bytes/65= 1 line, not my typical characters/65= 1 line. It has been a very, very long time since I have dealt with byte count - can someone refresh my memory and help me with ideas on how to address the difference with the new clinic?
Thanks in advance for your assistance, and I look forward to reading more posts on the site. Hope you all have a great day.
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byte count versus gross line-sm
Does anyone know how to compare byte count versus gross line pay?
Thank you
Take the character count divded by 65 and that will give you your line count.
x
Character count
I have no tip, but my co is also doing that. UGH!
Character count tips
The hospital/clinic I work for is changing the counting method from gross lines to character count. Does anyone have any tips on increasing production using total characters? Thanks
I used character count, 65 characters. What I
personally like about The Abacus is it will create an invoice for you, listing each document and the characters, lines, however you want to count it. It gives you choices on how to count.
How do I figure out what the character line count is--sm
if my document has 1,086 characters and 56 lines?
And don't forget you have to divide the character count by 65 :)
x
That's true - I could just total the character count sm
and just divide by 65 once. D'oh!
In Word, take the character count (with spaces) divided by 65... SM
that will give you an accurate line count, but you'll have to write the character count down for each and every report before you finish and send the report. I put a button on my tool bar that I just clicked to bring up the document counts and then I just kept a log that wrote down job number and character count for each report. Then at the end of the day just add up the characters divide by 65 and you've got your line count for the day. Kind of a hassle, but worth it in the long run.
0.12/cpl, macros count as 2 characters, backspacing is given to us as 1 character. No spaces. Aut
dd
There is Byte Scribe
I've never used it but I have it (somewhere) and liked Express Scribe better; the audio quality is better. That's the only one I know of.
Quick question! Is 10 cpl with benefits at 74 character line better than 9 cpl at 65 character line?
Thanks
it does not count gross lines...I count 37 and it counts 67.
x
Nope, not a higher count. Actually, the count is the same...
I use a word count and not a line count, but because you mentioned it, I ran a few documents using line count, and the count is exactly the same. However, Flashcount has a lot of nifty features. I like it. :)
You need to watch your line count. I was working for them and got reports that had line count of 0
You need to watch your line count. I was working for them and got reports that had line count of 0 in them. They did not pay for templates, they would deduct the template even if it was not used and deleted. I notified them and said they could not change it.
So I asked to be put on another account and they refused. I quit.
I was also promised they would have an incentive plan going into place if you type a certain # of lines. Two years went by and nothing.
I was really disappointed in OSI.
They also offered to pay half on joint AAMT, which they failed to do.
I am glad I am no longer there.
Does anyone pay by the character?
Does anyone know of a legit company that pays by the character?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
68 character
With 68 character line. What is h/f?
Hmm, that comes out to almost 8 cpl 65 character
Plus freebies, of course with gross line. Am I missing something here?
If you went from a 70 to a 65 character
line, then it should be easier to reach incentive. That was a positive for you, not a negative. Unless of course they changed the total line requirement for incentive to kick in.
charging per character
What is the average charge per char?? A dr called me and told me he is currently paying .002 per char. If I calculated right, that would be .13 cpl. Is it standard to charge char w/spaces or not? Thanks for any info, I always have charged by the line 
Yes, really. It's a character issue.
When someone is a thief, it is only a matter of time before they start stealing from friends. I could never trust someone I knew to be a thief. I do not care to share any part of my life with someone of poor character.
Hope its Kim. Her character can go in IMO. nm
x
Not if you are paid by every 65 character
and that is what the poster said: If you are on a line count that just takes characters and divided by 65, then font doesn't matter.
I charge $0.18 cpl (65 character) - so you are
in the ballpark, I suppose.
I am in Northern CA.
Black character......
means any black mark (typed character) seen on the page. Sneaky way of saying you are not being paid for spaces - which just boggles my mind..........
20-character lines.
it's the only explanation.
javascript:editor_insertHTML('text',' ');
65-character line
Some of you have asked about what her lines consist of. Her lines are the same as mine--65-character line including spaces. I know she has some templates, but I just really think that she's exaggerating somewhat. Maybe she can hit 500-600, but I just don't see how anything higher than that is possible.
I do like a good challenge, though, so I'm going to get started with my Instant Text and see where my counts are a month or so from now.
Thanks for all of your replies!!
These are 65-character lines,
Now there's an idea. The 30-character line.
Is this a 65-character line?
Are you getting paid extra for bold, underlying, etc? Don't see how they figure 6 cpl with spaces equals 9 cpl unless they use a different character count for their lines.
I don't think so. If it's a 65 character line, they probably
But regardless of how they do it, 9 cpl to the client has just GOT to equal poorly-transcribed, offshored medical records. I sure hope my record isn't one of them.
I don't think so. If it's a 65 character line, they probably
But regardless of how they do it, 9 cpl to the client has just GOT to equal poorly-transcribed, offshored medical records. I sure hope my record isn't one of them.
8 cpl 65 character in 8 hour day
Hello everyone - Question for anyone who is making 8 cpl at 65 characters in an 8 hour day. How much do you make per day, or how many lines do you do in a day, on an average? Please be honest, I am trying to figure out if it is just me and I suck, or if everyone struggles with this ridiculous line rate. Remember in an 8 hour time period. Thanks
70 character line
Is there anybody out there in the entire universe who uses a 70-character line? I work at a hospital and we have to type 1100 lines a day on a 70-character line. Just curious.
I think it was based on 65-character line
All these formulas are confusing to me. I guess I need to ask some more questions. But, it's also an IC position, so that makes a difference doesn't it? Low pay for that? But, you are right, might be good experience.
One character or key Stroke is equal
... to one byte (including spaces or anyother character, remember one KEY STROKE regardless of the input). If you ever want to calculate your bytes for certain amount of text -> paste it on NotePad and save it as text file. Later you can right click on the file to get it's properties to see it's exact size.
What is "compensation 65-character line B/W"? nm
xx
Has anyone ever heard of B & W 65 character line?
What exactly is it? I know 65 characters, but is that without spaces or what??
65 gross character line
Could someone please explain to me how this works. I have been an MT for 7 years with the same company and have been paid by # of total bytes divided by 72 x 11 cents per line. I am now moving on to a new job which pays by the 65 gross character line and I'm not sure how to figure this out. Would appreciate any help. Thanks so much.
6 character counts as a word
What would that calculate to be? Thanks for your help. I do not know many companies that pay by the word. I guess I will just have to see what my first pay check looks like. Thanks!
My hospital uses 90 character lines.
nm
An illness? More like a character flaw.
We all have choices to make, and the choices we make define our character. She chooses to drink herself into a stupor and drive a car. She could just as easily choose not to do so. It's all the apologists for drunks, the "it's-an-illness-we-must-not-judge-them" brigade that keep sending the dangerous drunks back out on the road. If someone chooses to drink and drive then kills someone, they have chosen to commit murder and should face the same consequences as any murderer.
.08 cpl/65 character line for me right out of school.
/
Are your lines 65-character, gross, or
other? Just curious as I do clinic work and in my area the going rate for gross lines is about 12 cpl, but more like 15-17 cpl for 65-character lines. I have heard (don't really know how reliable it is) that hospitals are charged up to the 22 cpl range. (I assumed that was on 65-character lines.)
I make 9 w/o spaces but I get every character - sm
on the page, regardless if I typed it or not, plus a cover page that is macro'd. However w/o the spaces I'd say I am out an average of $200 a month. Since you will not get headers/footers, it will probably be a little more. I try to template up as much as I can but only a handful of docs actually say the same thing every time. I figured it out once and I think the 9 w/o spaces equaled 7.75 with spaces. I get fairly regular raises though and with any luck get bumped up to .10 in the Spring (at least I am going to ask for it). You don't say how much experience you have, but if you do not have much I would go for it. I have been looking on an off for a while for a new job but am very limited as I have dialup (no DSL here, and most companies don't want satellite), so I am between a rock and a hard place. Any jobs I do find with dialup offer .07 cpl, unless it is real easy work I don't want to go that low. Make a list of pros and cons and go from there.
Why would a company pay by character when they also pay for spaces?
nm
Like poster below said a space is a character and
the only time you really need to be concerned is when they say they pay for 'printed' characters - which is not spaces...
I charge by 65-character line (sm)
My clinics have wanted 0.5-inch margins on the side. One of them wanted 10-point Times font. I think 65-character lines are fair for both parties.
You put in a character that doesn't below. My abbrv is set up with
s
1,100 65-character lines in four hours.
I was doing 1,100 65-char lines in four hours. Unemployed now and big nationals don't pay enough. Why do all the great accounts go to VR or newbies and I get stuck with ESL garbage?
It means you get paid for every character
you type, including spaces.
Example - The cat in the hat.
All letters and spaces in the sentence (including the 2 spaces after the period).
Blank lines are not counted as you did not type on them.
Many MTSO have a 65-character line count, so therefore for every 65 characters you type, you get paid for 1 line, whether it takes 1 line or 10 lines, it is the charcters that are counted, not the actual line of typing.
___cents/65 character line
many transcriptionists get paid by the 65-character line
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