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# Budgetting for Paid Translators

Although we encourage the volunteer model there are projects that are funded and there are projects that receive funds from time to time to do a specific translation. This gives a rough outline of how to cost such a translation.

## Calculation

    Words = untranslated msgid words + fuzzy msgid words
    Cost = Words to translate * Rate per word
    Days = Words to translate / Words per days

### Rule of thumb

    Weeks = Strings to translate / 2000
    Days = Srings to translate / 400 or 500
      ( Use 400 for large project 500 for a small project. This then evens out
      lost days or slow progress due to complicated section.)

    Strings = Words / 3.5
      (This varies but is helpful)

## Calculating Costs

convert these numbers to dollars or other ‘international’ currency

Translators will quote based on the number of source words:

    R400 / 1000
    R40 / 100

    which calculates to R0.40 per words

Note: these are just for illustration purposes

Using pocount determine the number of source words. So this is the number of words in untranslated strings plus the number of words in fuzzy strings.

    Words = untranslated + fuzzy
    Words = 40 000 + 5 000

Note: make sure you count the msgid or source words not the translations.

You final costing would then be:

    Cost = 45 000 * 0.4
         = R18 000

## Calculating Time

Assuming that you need to translate 45 000 words do the following. Either,

- Find out how many words the translator can translate per day

    1300 words per day

    Days = 45 000 / 1300
         = 35 days
         = 7 weeks

- Convert to the rule of thumb guides above

    Strings = 45 000 / 3.5
            = 12 857
           +- 13 000

    Days = 13 000 / 400
         = 33

    Weeks = 13 000 / 2000
          = 6.5 weeks