Software we can count on

 

Michael Benis reviews PractiCount & Invoice, the new word count and invoicing software from PractiLine.

 

A pleasant surprise

 

Truth be told, I don't always relish testing software for translators for the simple reason that it so often turns out to be ill-thought-out, buggy and overpriced - even by the already lamentable standards of the software industry as a whole. I didn't, therefore, exactly jump at the opportunity of testing a new word count and invoicing package from a company I'd never heard of before.

 

In the event, I was caught entirely unawares. PractiCount is cheap, costing just a fraction under $60. You can download it over the Internet and get up and running in just a matter of seconds. The install routine works faultlessly. The program is also clear and intuitive to use, offering an uncluttered interface that works along standard Windows lines. Most important of all, it does exactly what it promises, providing batch counts of files in different formats to cut the time it takes you to provide estimates and invoice your clients. So, whether you tend to work on large projects involving files in half a dozen different formats or bill your clients with a single invoice at the end of the month, you're likely to see a return on your investment after PractiCount's first month's use.

 

How it works

 

It really couldn't be simpler. You enter all your own personal details, including name, address, VAT number (if applicable) and bank details. These will then automatically be printed on each invoice you raise. In addition, you can also enter the same details for each client. PractiCount saves this information and, once again, automatically prints it on each invoice for that client generated by the system. Not only that, but you can also save different rates for different clients and, indeed, different rates for different file types for the same client. Having entered that information (and you only have to do it once), all that remains to be done to tot it all up and issue an invoice is to select the file types and individual files required. The formats currently supported include Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint as well as RTF, HTML and Corel WordPerfect. You can also select the relevant currency and count unit (word, paragraph, line or page, with the latter two being customisable). Then it's simply a matter of clicking a button and within seconds PractiCount has done all your calculations for you, including totalling everything up and adding VAT if applicable. Click another button and it will export all the information to an RTF or other file that forms the basis for your invoice. That's it. It does exactly what it says on the box -- or rather, in this case, the website.

 

Peccadilloes

 

Good as PractiCount is, it's not perfect. While it "remembers" your client rates and count units, it won't remember mixed count units for the same client. That's to say if you charge for Word files by the word but charge for HTML files by the character, you'll have to generate the information for each format separately. Likewise, you can't include per-hour rates in the invoices it generates. The possibility of entering this information for each client to be included in an invoice would be a valuable addition, especially if you could keep a record of per-hour jobs done during the month and/or associate such charges with given files. The system could then cater for additional charges such as PDF file conversions and text preparation, desktop publishing and so on.

 

Lastly, PractiCount very practically (sorry couldn't resist that!) allows you to invoice different clients in different currencies and remembers the individual combinations. However, while providing a handy hyperlink to the Universal Currency Converter website, it can't itself provide automatic currency conversions for those of us who calculate our rates in our "home" currency but then make out the invoice total in the currency of our client's country of residence at the exchange rate applicable when the invoice is raised. A function that allows the user to enter the current exchange rates and automatically performs this calculation would also be a useful addition, although it should be pointed out that PractiCount does allow one to export the invoicing data to Excel, where such calculations could quite easily be performed.

 

Keeping things in perspective

 

I will be the first to admit that although the above are reasonable requests, they are worse than pernickety if viewed as complaints. Indeed, they are really compliments, recognising that PractiCount is already a commendably complete solution to our "word count" and invoicing needs. The only translators who are not likely to benefit are those who rely heavily on translation memory software and apply varying discounts for different matches (PractiCount allows you to apply a flat discount only). Exit routines to the Trados Analyse function and its equivalents could allow future versions of the program to cater for this need as well. However, one could at the same time argue that these discounts are becoming a thing of the past.

 

In the end, what really counts is that we and our clients are using the same system to quantify our work. PractiCount performed faultlessly here, especially where Microsoft Word files are concerned - and let's face it, that's what most of us use for most of our work - having a Word word count emulation feature that didn't miss a beat (and could teach quite a few translation memory companies a lesson).

 

Consequently, despite the fact that I keep campaigning for us to move away from word or character-based systems to calculate the value of our work, I can quite confidently say that this is one of the few programs almost all translators are likely to find a useful tool that saves them time, money and- perhaps most important of all - boredom. But don't take my word for it, wander off to www.practiline.com and see for yourself. You can download a demo version free of charge or flex your plastic online and grab the full product immediately. Even then, you'll get the reassurance of a 30 day money-back guarantee. Irresistible, isn't it?

 

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PractiCount uses a clear and simple Windows interface.

 

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The system can automatically apply different rates to different file types and clients.

 

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PractiCount can generate your invoices in a choice of formats, including RTF.

First published in ITI Bulletin, 2002.