Peachtree Transcription Associates LLC

Transcription Character Counting

Understanding Line Counts

Learn the different character counting methods, and how it can affect your per line cost.

The character counting methods have different methods for counting and billing characters used to create medical transcription.

Visual Black Character (VBC)

Each printed ASCII character on the page has a value of one character.

65 Character Net (no formatting)

Each printed ASCII character, space, tab and carriage return has a value of one.

65 Character Net (with formatting)

Same as above, except premium added for capitalization, bolding, underline, etc.

Gross Lines

The total number of horizontal lines that contain printed characters in the report.

Line counts can be quantified with line counting programs available for your PC.  To validate the accuracy of the line counts, use a program like PractiCount or Microsoft Word.

The example below shows how the line counting methods produce different totals for the same consult.

Microsoft Word Equivalent Characters (no spaces) Characters (with spaces) Lines
Transcription Term VBC “Lines” Net Lines (no formatting)

  Gross Lines

Rate$0.1932$0.16 $0.1146
Cost$6.20$6.00 $9.39
Characters Counted2087 2442 5330
Lines 32.1 37.5 82

 

 

 

                           Counting Method                                                                                             Equivalent Per Line Rates
VBC$0.08450$0.0966$0.1087$0.1207$0.1328$0.1449$0.1570$0.1690$0.1811$0.1932Base Price/0.8282
65 Character Unformatted (all printed ASCII character + spaces/tabs/carriage returns)$0.07$0.08$0.09$0.10$0.11$0.12$0.13$0.14$0.15$0.16Base Price
65 Character Formated (above + premium for formating)$0.0630$0.0720$0.0810$0.0900$0.0990$0.1080$0.1170$0.1260$0.1350$0.1440Base Price * 0.9
Gross Lines (total lines in the report)$0.0501$0.0573$0.0644$0.0716$0.0788$0.0859$0.0931$0.1002$0.1074$0.1146Base Price * 0.716

 

 

65 Character Counts with Formatting (example):

MetricCharacter ExamplesHow Its CountedExample
Visible Charactersa-z, A-Z, 1 2 3-0 ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + ` – = { } | [ ] \ : ” ; ‘ < > ? , . /© € °ö ò ó ô ?Each of theses is counted as one character.DOG

 

– counted as 3 characters

Hard ReturnReturn or Enter KeyEach Hard Return is counted as one character.SIT[Enter Key]

 

DOG

– counted as 7 characters

Space CharacterSpace KeyEach space equals one character.SIT DOG

 

– counted as 7 characters

Tab CharacterTab KeyUnsupported in most systems. 
Formatting CharacterItalic

 

Bold

Underline

Strikethrough

Subscript

Superscript

Two additional characters are counted for all text utilizing these formats; One character counts turning on the feature, and the second character is to turn off the feature.dog

 

dog

dog

dog

dog

dog

Each of the above examples is counted as 5 characters

dog

This example is counted as 9 characters

 Tables 
  Typically, one character is counted for each row of the table. 

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