The differences in Typing and Word Processing etc

Typing

You have to look at what the typing is, is it just copy typing of text say a 1^st to 3^rd year student assignment, a book with text etc. Contracts, agreements, etc they are plain copy typing with tabulation for the bullet points. A document with many bullet points or staggered bullet points is just plain copy typing.

When you type for students doing MBA, Masters or Ph.D etc then there is much more involvement with the typing, references need to be a set in a specific way, the manuscript, dissertation etc, university guidelines must be adhered to like the Harvard Business Method or APA 6^th Edition style. Some of these students are given bursaries which covers their typing, proofreading and editing costs.

But not all typing is plain copy typing; often you get documents with tables, charts, graphs, graphics. You have to look at what is the best way to do these, how long does it take to do a page, what is involved.

Word Processing

Word Processing covers many tasks - from graphics to graphs, tables, flow diagrams, most things that you must create that are not plain copy typing, this is word processing and it can be very work intensive and time consuming.

Can you create the chart in Excel and then copy it across into Word, can you do the graphic in word or must you go and create it in Photoshop etc and then copy it into word etc. Sometimes with manuals you may need to use the services of a Graphic Designer and these often quote per graphic involved, depending on what must be done to that graphic. So beware and don’t under quote if graphic design is involved, as you will need to cost in their charge too. You will need to ensure you explain this to the client. Sometimes you might have to scan a graphic and copy it into the document. Just check what is involved before doing the work.

A complicated table, chart or graph might take some time to create. When you start looking at the item you must create, then you need to look at the length of time it takes, is it viable to charge say R20.00 per page, if the job is going to take you long, no, it’s not viable.

Flow diagrams can take an inexperienced person a few hours to create, but someone experienced in doing flow diagrams then it can be done very quickly, even big complicated flow diagrams, so again you need to look at how long it takes you to do the job, what is involved.

Maths typing, typing of equations, signs and symbols is time taking but you need to look at the manual as a whole and work out how long you think it will take you, what is involved, you might do the work using maths software or you may use MS Word Equations etc.

With most typing work look at what is involved, there is a difference in time with experienced typists and new typists.

These days with the economy being what it is you need to look at the client, what, do you feel in your gut that a client can afford to pay. Don’t push the boundaries too low to get the work where it is not cost effective to do the job, also don’t push the boundaries and charge the client too high a price, you simply want get the job.

Bulk Typing

Manuals are bulk work so you could very easily go down to R15 to R20 per page or a price per manual, taken on how long it will take you to do. When you do manuals, check out what is involved; often you can give a lower price because it’s bulk work for you.

Formatting Documents

The best way to go for formatting is using your hourly rate. You never know how long it is going to take to format a document till you start working on it. A document that has been set up by someone other than yourself can often give all sorts of problems; let the client know this as its often not straight formatting. Often when you start everything will jump out of alignment, tabs etc so it can take twice as long to format than it would to retype.

Columns, tables, graphics tend to come out of alignment. Table of Content can become completely messed up and that can take a while to unravel and put right so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to work on formatting documents. Keep track of your time and charge hourly. If you charge per page you will find some pages can take much longer to format than others and you really have to look at the time that is spent formatting to price this properly. You can charge per page but might be better to go via your hourly rate.

Quotations

With all work, never quote blindly, how can you quote when you have no idea what the job/task is, you have no idea how long it will take you or what is involved. Ask the client to send you a sample. How can an architect quote on a job he has not seen! You need to look at the task at hand then decide what is involved, how long it will take you and get a full description of client requirements before quoting. No matter how urgent a job is, surely the payment is the most important thing in the end, the job is important to the client but they should understand that you do not quote blindly, ask for an example first, check it out, see if you can do the job in the time frame given, you can also negotiate as you know, how you work and how long jobs take. My advice would be do not take on an urgent task without seeing what is involved first as its quite easy to undercharge. Make sure you clarify the clients’ requirements and write them down/record them or get the client to email you further, as clients often forget or change their mind and lay the blame on you. Email them a copy of their requirements and get them to reply before you go ahead that everything is ok.

PDF

Do not PDF a document unless your client’s specifically asks you too. Do not think that by saving to PDF that you are forcing the client to return to you, that is not the case, they can simply get it done elsewhere, simply convert it online and edit it themselves. Most clients want the work typed up and then they want to be able to edit it themselves.

All comments are welcome.

Dictaphone - Transcription - Typing

Dictaphone - Transcription - Typing 'the difference'!

There is a difference between Dictaphone, Transcription, and Typing.
Dictaphone and Transcription are similar so we charge at an audio hourly rate or hourly rate and these are not referred to as typing in any way, they are both a skill in themselves and not everyone can do them. With both you listen then type up what you hear (Transcribe). This involves excellent listening skills, good grammar, english knowledge, knowledge of punctuation, and concentration etc.
Dictaphone is normally one person, could be a doctor or an attorney recording into a digital machine, recording device and then you as a Transcriptionist listen to that tape and transcribe it. This is normally quicker to do than doing a transcription of many people involved.
Transcription can be more involved, it can be a recording of a meeting with a few people present, a conference session, court hearings etc. It is usually when more than one person is speaking and the event is being recorded. Court recording are difficult to do as they can involve a lot of speakers and different language challenges and maybe a translator being involved. A focus group is difficult to transcribe as often there is a lot of people involved and cross talking all at once.
These two skills are not the same as copy typing, they are more involved and can take many hours to transcribe into a document therefore there is normally an hourly or audio hourly rate involved not a per page rate. It will normally take between 4 to 6 hours to transcribe a one hour file. Transcription of a Focus Group meeting can take a lot longer.
A lot of people have no idea that transcription and typing are not the same thing, a client can ring you and ask you to do typing and its not really typing it is transcription, make sure you verify this before quoting on the work, ask the client for an example, they can send you an example of a transcription sound file or a page taken from what they require copy typing. Ask for details/information on these tasks before quoting, the more detail you have the easier it is to quote. Do not quote blindly.
With transcription you need to listen to the file before quoting. There could be multiple speakers, cross talking, background noise, dual languages, if you listen first it can give you a good idea of how long you think you will take doing the transcript.
Typing is what it is and is not either of the above and it’s charged at a per page rate or a per word rate (sometimes students like it per word, but not often). Typing is normally when you type from written notes, PDF documents, author's books, reports, tenders, copy typing, company correspondence etc.
With typing you need to ask the client for an example, a client can say well its just copy typing, that maybe but copy typing can include graphs, flow diagrams, graphics, scanning of graphics, all these take more time to create and this must be taken into consideration when there is deadlines and you need to meet that deadline. If you scan that is time taking, if you need to do a graph or flow diagram they need to be created from scratch which is also time taking, this is not simple copy typing. A graphic can be scanned or involve being retreaved from the internet therefore you may have to find it, which can involve internet research, this time has to be featured in as part of your quote. To do a flow diagram it can take quite a few hours, remember this if you charge on a per page rate. Flow diagrams are not quick and easy, you have to build it from scratch, the layout has to be right, they can be very involved. Graphs and charts can mean that they need to be done in Excel then copied across to word into your document, this is also a process of creating and copying, time taking.
So you see copy typing is often not just copy typing.
These are just points to remember if you get asked to quote on Dictatation, Trancription and Typing.

Newbie VAs

As you start as a virtual assistant you need to think what are you going to offer clients. What are you skilled at doing, what do you like to do. The services you offer are very important. To get the type of work you would like, do target marketing it is often the way to go. If you are skilled in transcription then think what types of clients would produce transcription and dictation and market to those clients. The list is endless here.
I love to do typing and can type forever, so I look and market to the types of clients that I would get typing from.
Not every client will send you great work, some work can be boring and dull but that work still must be done if you take the work on. The client is dependent on you to complete their work. I dont mind what type of typing I get in, as long as it can be typed I will do the work, I love typing and its my niche service so I dont care if the work is boring after all it is a job and I will be paid for doing it so that to me is worthwhile and the client will be pleased with a job well done.
Everyone wants to do typing or transcription working from home well to do this you need to get out there and find this type of work, it will not fall into your lap.
As a virtual assistant you will need to have confidence in yourself to do the work and to deal and work with clients, you will need to be pro-active, assertive, get yourself out there, you cannot just sit back, you will never find clients that way, and they want find you.