Calculate Weighted Word Count – Professional Localization Calculator
:root {
–primary-color: #004a99;
–success-color: #28a745;
–bg-color: #f8f9fa;
–text-color: #333;
–border-color: #ddd;
–white: #ffffff;
}
body {
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text-align: center;
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header h1 {
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header p {
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/* Calculator Styles */
.loan-calc-container {
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border: 1px solid var(–border-color);
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padding: 30px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
margin-bottom: 50px;
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margin-top: 5px;
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Weighted Word Count Calculator
Total Weighted Word Count
0
Equivalent Billable Volume
Analysis Breakdown
| Category |
Raw Count |
Weight |
Weighted Count |
Volume Comparison: Raw vs. Weighted
Visual representation of effort reduction due to Translation Memory (TM) leverage.
What is Calculate Weighted Word Count?
When managing localization projects or freelance translation work, the term calculate weighted word count refers to the process of adjusting the total number of words in a document to reflect the actual effort required to translate them. Unlike a standard word count, which treats every word equally, a weighted count considers "matches" from Translation Memory (TM) software.
Professionals use this calculation to ensure fair pricing. A sentence that has been translated before (a 100% match) or is very similar to a previous translation (a fuzzy match) takes significantly less time to process than a completely new sentence. Therefore, these words are "weighted" at a lower percentage of the full rate. This method is the industry standard for determining billable volume in the Language Services Provider (LSP) sector.
Weighted Word Count Formula and Explanation
To calculate weighted word count, you apply a percentage factor (the weight) to the raw word count of each match category. The formula sums these products to derive a final "billable" word count.
The core mathematical model is:
WWC = (New × 1.0) + (FuzzyHigh × W1) + (FuzzyMid × W2) + (Reps × W3)
Variable Definitions
| Variable |
Meaning |
Typical Weight Range |
| New Words |
Words with no match in memory |
100% (Full Rate) |
| Fuzzy High (95-99%) |
Almost identical segments |
20% – 30% |
| Fuzzy Mid (85-94%) |
Segments with minor differences |
50% – 60% |
| Fuzzy Low (75-84%) |
Segments requiring significant editing |
70% – 80% |
| Repetitions / 100% |
Identical matches within the file |
0% – 15% |
Practical Examples
Example 1: Software Localization Project
Imagine a software update containing 5,000 words. Since much of the interface remains the same, the analysis shows:
- New Words: 1,000 words (Weight 100%) = 1,000 weighted words
- Fuzzy Matches (85-99%): 2,000 words (Weight 40%) = 800 weighted words
- Repetitions: 2,000 words (Weight 10%) = 200 weighted words
Calculation: 1,000 + 800 + 200 = 2,000 Weighted Words.
Even though the translator handles a file with 5,000 words, the invoice will reflect the effort equivalent of only 2,000 words.
Example 2: Marketing Brochure
A marketing document often has less repetition. For a 2,000-word brochure with no previous translation memory:
- New Words: 1,900 words (100%) = 1,900
- Fuzzy (75%): 100 words (80%) = 80
The result is 1,980 weighted words, nearly identical to the raw count, indicating almost full effort is required.
How to Use This Weighted Word Count Calculator
- Enter the Base Rate: Input your standard price per word (e.g., $0.12 or €0.08). This is used to estimate the final cost.
- Input Counts: Enter the number of words falling into each category (New, High Fuzzy, Mid Fuzzy, Low Fuzzy, Repetitions) based on your CAT tool's analysis log.
- Adjust Weights: If your specific agreement uses different percentages (e.g., charging 33% for high fuzzies instead of 30%), modify the "Weight (%)" fields accordingly.
- Review Results: The calculator updates instantly. Focus on the "Total Weighted Word Count" for billing and "Savings vs. Full Rate" to understand the efficiency gain.
- Copy Data: Use the "Copy Results" button to paste the breakdown into an invoice or email.
Key Factors That Affect Weighted Word Count Results
- CAT Tool Grid Settings: Different tools (Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast) may categorize "Fuzzy" matches differently. Ensure your calculator weights match your tool's grid.
- Translation Memory Quality: A large, well-maintained TM produces more 100% matches, significantly lowering the weighted count and cost.
- Content Repetitiveness: Technical manuals often have high internal repetition, leading to a much lower weighted count compared to creative literature.
- Language Pairs: Some languages require more editing even for high fuzzy matches (e.g., English to German grammar shifts), which might justify higher weights for fuzzy bands.
- Volume Discounts: Large projects might negotiate a "sliding scale" where weights decrease as volume increases.
- Context Matching: Modern tools identify "ICE" or "Context" matches (101% matches). These are often weighted at 0% or 10% because they require no review.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why do we calculate weighted word count instead of raw count?
A: It ensures fairness. Translators are paid for the actual effort exerted, while clients benefit from not paying full price for previously translated content.
Q: What is a standard weight for 100% matches?
A: Typical industry standards range from 0% (if no review is needed) to 25% (if review is required). 10% is a very common middle ground.
Q: Can weighted word count be higher than raw count?
A: Generally, no. Weights are percentages ≤ 100%. However, some complex pricing models apply surcharges for difficult formats, though this calculator focuses on standard reduction.
Q: How do I get the input numbers for the calculator?
A: You must run an "Analysis" or "Statistics" report in your CAT tool (like Trados Studio, MemoQ, or Memsource) before starting the project.
Q: Does this apply to machine translation post-editing (MTPE)?
A: Yes, similar logic applies. MTPE often uses a flat weight (e.g., 60-70% of the new word rate) for the entire text, or banded weights based on MT confidence scores.
Q: Is the weighted count used for scheduling?
A: Yes. A translator might process 2,500 new words per day, but could handle 4,000-5,000 weighted words if many are repetitions.
Related Tools and Internal Resources
Explore more tools to optimize your localization workflow:
// Initialize calculator on load
window.onload = function() {
calculateResults();
};
function calculateResults() {
// 1. Get Inputs using var (No const/let)
var baseRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("baseRate").value) || 0;
// Counts
var countNew = parseFloat(document.getElementById("countNew").value) || 0;
var countHigh = parseFloat(document.getElementById("countHigh").value) || 0;
var countMid = parseFloat(document.getElementById("countMid").value) || 0;
var countLow = parseFloat(document.getElementById("countLow").value) || 0;
var countReps = parseFloat(document.getElementById("countReps").value) || 0;
// Weights
var weightNew = 1.0; // Fixed 100%
var weightHigh = (parseFloat(document.getElementById("weightHigh").value) || 0) / 100;
var weightMid = (parseFloat(document.getElementById("weightMid").value) || 0) / 100;
var weightLow = (parseFloat(document.getElementById("weightLow").value) || 0) / 100;
var weightReps = (parseFloat(document.getElementById("weightReps").value) || 0) / 100;
// Validate negatives
if(countNew < 0) countNew = 0;
if(countHigh < 0) countHigh = 0;
if(countMid < 0) countMid = 0;
if(countLow < 0) countLow = 0;
if(countReps 0) {
savingsPercent = (savingsAmount / fullCost) * 100;
}
// 3. Update DOM
document.getElementById("resultWeighted").innerText = Math.round(totalWeighted).toLocaleString();
document.getElementById("resultRaw").innerText = Math.round(totalRaw).toLocaleString();
document.getElementById("resultCost").innerText = formatMoney(totalCost);
document.getElementById("resultSavings").innerText = savingsPercent.toFixed(1) + "%";
updateTable(countNew, countHigh, countMid, countLow, countReps, wNew, wHigh, wMid, wLow, wReps);
drawChart(totalRaw, totalWeighted);
}
function formatMoney(amount) {
return "$" + amount.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
}
function updateTable(c1, c2, c3, c4, c5, w1, w2, w3, w4, w5) {
var tbody = document.getElementById("breakdownTableBody");
var html = "";
html += "
| New Words | " + c1 + " | 100% | " + Math.round(w1) + " |
";
html += "
| Fuzzy (95-99%) | " + c2 + " | " + document.getElementById("weightHigh").value + "% | " + Math.round(w2) + " |
";
html += "
| Fuzzy (85-94%) | " + c3 + " | " + document.getElementById("weightMid").value + "% | " + Math.round(w3) + " |
";
html += "
| Fuzzy (75-84%) | " + c4 + " | " + document.getElementById("weightLow").value + "% | " + Math.round(w4) + " |
";
html += "
| Repetitions | " + c5 + " | " + document.getElementById("weightReps").value + "% | " + Math.round(w5) + " |
";
tbody.innerHTML = html;
}
function resetCalculator() {
document.getElementById("baseRate").value = "0.10";
document.getElementById("countNew").value = "1000";
document.getElementById("countHigh").value = "500";
document.getElementById("weightHigh").value = "30";
document.getElementById("countMid").value = "800";
document.getElementById("weightMid").value = "60";
document.getElementById("countLow").value = "400";
document.getElementById("weightLow").value = "80";
document.getElementById("countReps").value = "1200";
document.getElementById("weightReps").value = "10";
calculateResults();
}
function copyResults() {
var weighted = document.getElementById("resultWeighted").innerText;
var raw = document.getElementById("resultRaw").innerText;
var cost = document.getElementById("resultCost").innerText;
var text = "Weighted Word Count Estimate:\n";
text += "Total Weighted Words: " + weighted + "\n";
text += "Total Raw Words: " + raw + "\n";
text += "Estimated Cost: " + cost + "\n";
var tempInput = document.createElement("textarea");
tempInput.value = text;
document.body.appendChild(tempInput);
tempInput.select();
document.execCommand("copy");
document.body.removeChild(tempInput);
var btn = document.querySelector(".btn-copy");
var originalText = btn.innerText;
btn.innerText = "Copied!";
setTimeout(function(){ btn.innerText = originalText; }, 2000);
}
function drawChart(raw, weighted) {
var canvas = document.getElementById("resultsChart");
var ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
// Clear canvas
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
// Dimensions
var width = canvas.width;
var height = canvas.height;
var padding = 50;
var chartWidth = width – (padding * 2);
var chartHeight = height – (padding * 2);
// Scales
var maxVal = Math.max(raw, weighted);
if (maxVal === 0) maxVal = 100;
var scale = chartHeight / (maxVal * 1.1); // 10% headroom
// Bar Settings
var barWidth = 80;
var gap = (chartWidth – (barWidth * 2)) / 3;
// Draw Bars
// Bar 1: Raw
var h1 = raw * scale;
var x1 = padding + gap;
var y1 = height – padding – h1;
ctx.fillStyle = "#6c757d"; // Grey for raw
ctx.fillRect(x1, y1, barWidth, h1);
// Bar 2: Weighted
var h2 = weighted * scale;
var x2 = x1 + barWidth + gap;
var y2 = height – padding – h2;
ctx.fillStyle = "#28a745"; // Green for weighted
ctx.fillRect(x2, y2, barWidth, h2);
// Labels
ctx.fillStyle = "#333";
ctx.font = "bold 14px Arial";
ctx.textAlign = "center";
// Values on top
ctx.fillText(Math.round(raw), x1 + barWidth/2, y1 – 10);
ctx.fillText(Math.round(weighted), x2 + barWidth/2, y2 – 10);
// Categories below
ctx.fillText("Raw Count", x1 + barWidth/2, height – padding + 20);
ctx.fillText("Weighted Count", x2 + barWidth/2, height – padding + 20);
// Base Line
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.moveTo(padding, height – padding);
ctx.lineTo(width – padding, height – padding);
ctx.strokeStyle = "#ccc";
ctx.stroke();
}