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Think about .07 a line ---IF a word is considered 5 characters - sm

Posted By: Laura E. on 2005-10-19
In Reply to: Offered $5.50/1000 words?? - Being new, not sure..HELP PLZ.

So that would be 5000 characters/65 (if a 65-char. line), gets you ~77 lines. Divide 5.5/77 and get .07. Now are spaces included? If so how is that factored in? Presuming from the offer that spaces are not included, .07 is fine if just starting and probably the average if less than 2 years experience.


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Yes, you are paid for every line whether it has 1 word or 65 characters
I would think so anyway if it is straight gross, paying. Remember you physical sometims have short lines, family history, etc.
When is a word only 5 characters. I thought 7-10 was an average and 10 words a line? nm
s
A gross line is anything on a line is a line. A line set at 65 characters means it sm
has 1-inch margins on each side. The maximum number of characters on that line would be 65 and that includes spaces. If there is 1 character on that line it is a line.

A standard 65-character line usually consists of 65 characters with spaces unless, of course, the employer does not pay for spaces and then it would be 65-characters without spaces.
A gross line is any line with typewritten characters on it - no matter how long or SM
how short.  So your gross lines may be longer than 65 characters, but you get credit even for a line as short as "Sincerely,".  If your gross lines are not being counted that way, then you are not being counted on gross lines and are probably getting screwed.  I'd look into that if I were you.
A gross line is any amount of characters on a line

for instance...


MEDICATIONS:


Effexor


Prevasid


 


A 65 character line without spaces is black marks on the page only and 65 w/spaces is everything... tabs, spaces, numbers, letters, bold, etc.


 


 


How do they define a word? Is it characters? Is it the MS Word definition
of a word? You can fit approximately 500 words on one page of typing. It's about $.055 per line, or $2.75 per page. It's up to you. It's not great, but you are a newbie. If you don't have any other offers out there, try it for a while to gain some experience.
how many characters per line?
http://www.medicalese.org/line_count.html
90 characters per line SM

It's a long line.  However, when you are finished transcribing the 90 character lines you take a character count and divide by 65 and that's your line count.  It doesn't matter if there are 120 characters on a line, as long as you divide the character count by 65 and multiply by 9.5 cpl, that's how much you get paid. 


Clear as mud? 


90 characters per line
I just started working for a new company and was told I would be paid for 65 characters per line, including spaces, at 9 1/2 cents per line.  I noticed when I was transcribing that there were really 90 characters per line with spaces.  Has anyone ran into this problem at their jobs?  I'm not sure what to make of it. 
Characters per line - sm
With all the discussion going on about CPL, I wonder what character count ICs use, that is if you have a choice.
Anything on a line (even just initials) is considered a line.
I prefer to use the 65-character line count (including spaces).
Without spaces, what line is that on? 65 characters?
t
Pay by line versus pay by characters; what is
nm
Depends. How many characters per line?
nm
Do both count the same # of characters per line?
If they're different (65 characters per line, 55 characters, etc.), then you need to let us know what they are before anyone can give an objective answer.
A 65 character line is 65 characters
on a line. If have 650 characters in a document, that is equal to 10 lines, then multiply that by whatever your cpl rate ie. If 0.10 cpl then that would be 650 x 0.10 which would equal $0.65, if 6500 characters, then that would be 650 lines x 0.10 which would equal $6.50. This is if it is a 65 character line including spaces.
A 65 character line is 65 characters
on a line. If have 650 characters in a document, that is equal to 10 lines (650 divided by 65), then multiply that by whatever your cpl rate ie. If 0.10 cpl then that would be 650 x 0.10 which would equal $0.65, if 6500 characters, then that would be 650 lines x 0.10 which would equal $6.50.
65 characters constitues a line, no matter where
they are arranged on the page. You'd count all the characters (and spaces, if they are included in the count) in the document and divide by 65...that's the number of lines.

Hope that helps!
Line padding is also adding little blank characters

like spaces throughout the report to get paid more.  I saw reports at MQ and Sp that had lines of spaces shown on reveal codes between paragraphs where someone either didn't know how to work their expander, was cutting and pasting, or was deliberately padding their lines.


As for typing out abbreviations, I work on an account that doesn't use abbreviations at all.  I use otcx for over-the-counter, etc.


Both 65 characters per line -- one counts spaces, one doesn't NM
X
What is considered a good line rate...sm
for working 3rd shift (graveyard).  If you work nights, could you let me know what your line rate is?  TIA
What's considered a decent line rate for radiology?

9 cpl, 65 characters per line, spaces, headers, footers included. employee status. nm
 
Check the MT jobs available. Nowadays 8 or 9 cents a line is considered good for experienced MTs.
x
Gross line = each line on page counts as a line, even if it's only 1 word. nm
x
usually one "word" equals 5 characters, so it's still being paid by characters. nm
d
My line including spaces is 65 characters. I've heard that not counting spaces
takes away over 35% of your line count. I believe it too because you have at least 15 or so spaces on each line that you type. Use your first sentence up top as an example; you had 77 char and 21 spaces - in that line that would be a little less than 30% of your characters that you didn't get paid for. I don't think it's worth it and wouldn't want to work without getting credit for my spaces.
A gross line IS a gross line regardless if it's 90 characters long or 1 character long... SM

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?


What average line count do you type per pay period. what is considered above average and how long

gross-anything on line counts as line,even one word
xx
word or line

Which one is better:  billed per 65-character line or per word?


Word line count
The company I IC for told me to use the word count in the Word, divide the characters with spaces by 65 to get my line count.  Are you guys saying that this is not accurate?  The owner is a very honest person, so if this is not accurate, I'm sure she does not know it.  I think this is how she bills her clients as well. 
line count in word
Use the characters with spaces count and divide by 65.
per word versus per line

I have never been paid by the line before, and I was wondering before I go any further, what would be the minimum requirement of lines per day for most services?  I want to be full time and have benefits.


 


Thanks


I use both DQS & Word and avg about the same line count.
Two separate part time accounts.  I really don't see much difference.
line count in word
Microsoft word line count - what is the name of it and where can I buy it.  Also,on a dictaphone, how can i tell how many minutes of dictation i have left. 
Word line count
This is what i actually meant. i get paid per gross line and i need to figure out how many lines i am typing per day. someone told me there is a program for that
line counting in Word
Thank you for your help. I tried to do a test counting in Word but it seems to count the blank lines too so it is not accurate.
line counting in Word
Of course! I should have thought of that. Thanks for the advice.
So do they let you get your own line count using Word or
s
Line counting on Word...

I use templates for my reports and charge by the page, but I have been interested in charging by the line.  Do you include the template lines with your line count or minus that?  I am completely confused with this, still.  Thanks again~  


Line Count in Word

I am an IC and will be starting with a new client this week.  Can someone tell me how to get an accurate line count in Word?  I know that have a word/line count in Tools, but I have found that it is not accurate (it usually gives you more lines than you actually typed).  I don't want to cheat anyone, so I am hoping someone can tell me how to get an accurate line count.  Thanks in advance for your help.         Trish


Line count in word

Depends if you are counting gross or cpl.  The gross does count the blank lines but it is an accurate line count.  You can even put on the numbers to show you that it is.  You can do this under file and page set up.  You can also do to sections only.  But you can also take characters with spaces and divide by 65 or whatever character line you are charging.   Other than that you can buy a program that works.  When I used a program I liked Sylcount as you could set it up to count twice for a capital letter,bold, underline, etc.  And you are using two characters to do that.   But it takes a while to get used to and time is money, so I told my docs I was sticking with gross lines, lower rate and easier and less time to count and so we all agreed.  They are happy, I am happy. 


Line Count in Word
Thanks very much.  Very helpful.  I love this board -- I get so many answers to questions I have!  Thanks again.
Word line count
I check my Word line count against my employer's every few days or so. While you're in Word go up to Tools, Word Count. My pay is supposedly 65 cpl with spaces too, so I divide the word count that says with spaces by 65. I just did a report with 12,722 characters wtih spaces by my count. I just checked their count by dividing that number by 65 and my count was 195.72. On their counting it is 196.
Courier 10 in Word is a 72 character line.
I was offered a position for the same as you mentioned and declined. I found a position that pays 10 cents a gross line with Courier 12, 65 character line.

You do need to remember, a line is a line when paid by gross line. So, if you initials are the only characters on a line, you are paid for that full line.

WORD/LINE COUNTER QUESTION

Is there a program that you can down load to keep a running total of your lines all day.  I keep forgetting to go into word count after every report.  The company keeps track but I want to be sure it is right.  I have M. Word 2000 so I cannot leave it running like the newer versions. 


If the only thing on a line is the word "follow up"
templated, which in my case worked out to about one-third of the page, and I was paid by the page, 12 cents a line was great. All my signature lines were macroed and a large number of my reports were as well. I averaged $45 an hour. Your mileage may vary, but I don't think I was missing anything there.
Are you paid by the line, word, hour?

In Word you take the line count with spaces SM

and divide it by 65.  That will give you your line count.  So, if my report had 11,700 characters with spaces, that would equal 180 lines.  Multiple 180 lines x. 0.11 (your cost per line) and that would equal $19.80 for that particular report.


Good luck!


Chickadee


Please take note that the Word line counter--sm
is not accurate because it counts ALL lines, even those that are blank. If your reports are double spaced, it will count the lines in between as lines. be careful. recommend a good line counting program instead.