Unrealistic analysis
Thread poster: Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 00:55
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Jan 20, 2021

Hello everyone

I just completed a job in Memsource where the reported word count was 1100 words. There were 10 two-word TM matches only. I analyzed the source text in Wordfast Pro 5 (which can do internal fuzzy analysis), and the count came to 1600 words. So Memsource's own analysis shaved 500 words (nearly 33% off of the word count).

(Without internal fuzzy matching the non-repeating word count was 2100 words.)

Memsource's file management system is very
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Hello everyone

I just completed a job in Memsource where the reported word count was 1100 words. There were 10 two-word TM matches only. I analyzed the source text in Wordfast Pro 5 (which can do internal fuzzy analysis), and the count came to 1600 words. So Memsource's own analysis shaved 500 words (nearly 33% off of the word count).

(Without internal fuzzy matching the non-repeating word count was 2100 words.)

Memsource's file management system is very difficult to deal with, but Memsource makes up for it with its super easy DOCX export and import. Still, it appears that one would have to raise per-word rates for Memsource jobs anyway, to compensate for over-eager discount calculations.

Samuel
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Elena Feriani
Korana Lasić
 
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:55
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
Oh Jan 20, 2021

Samuel Murray wrote:
So Memsource's own analysis shaved 500 words (nearly 33% off of the word count).

Interesting, thank you for this. I shall keep a careful eye on my Memsource projects.

Dan


Korana Lasić
 
David Turnbull
David Turnbull
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:55
Italian to English
Was MT enabled in the analysis? Jan 29, 2021

Could it be that MT was enabled and you have a net rate scheme set up?

For example your analysis might be discounting a % for segments where the machine translation engine has a certain level of confidence.


 
Katrin Braams
Katrin Braams  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 00:55
Member (2018)
English to German
+ ...
Agree Jan 31, 2021

I also found that word count in Memsource is ALWAYS a lot lower than in Word and in Trados.

Although I consider Memsource my favourite CAT I now try to stay away from it, as there are almost always huge discrepancies between my word count and the Memsource word count.


Korana Lasić
Heloísa Helena Benetton Costa
libelulariae
 
Stepan Konev
Stepan Konev  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 02:55
English to Russian
Bullets and list numbering Jan 31, 2021

I have compared an MS Word original file and Memsource statistics, and they seem to be very close to each other. Weirdly, MS Word counts automatic elements as words, including bullets and list item numbers.
'1. Introduction' (or '● Introduction') in MS Word give 2 words: '1.' (or '●') and 'Introduction'
Memsource just skips all automatic bullets and list items. MS Words doesn't.
I tried to remove all bullets and item numbers and the MS Word wordcount turned exactly the same
... See more
I have compared an MS Word original file and Memsource statistics, and they seem to be very close to each other. Weirdly, MS Word counts automatic elements as words, including bullets and list item numbers.
'1. Introduction' (or '● Introduction') in MS Word give 2 words: '1.' (or '●') and 'Introduction'
Memsource just skips all automatic bullets and list items. MS Words doesn't.
I tried to remove all bullets and item numbers and the MS Word wordcount turned exactly the same as in Memsorce.
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Dan Lucas
 
Donglai Lou (X)
Donglai Lou (X)  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 07:55
English to Chinese
+ ...
I have to say no to Memsource jobs Apr 8, 2021

Today I decided to say no to all memsource jobs, at least those from that very client. in the past, I have noticed that memsource wordcount is 10% or more less than Memoq. however, jobs are often small, like a few hundred words. so it is ok.

However, the PM offered a job of 5800 weighted words. when I import both TM and mxliff files into memoq, I found the weighted words are nearly 8200 words. I can't tell whether it is a problem of memsource. since memsource doesn't allow for
... See more
Today I decided to say no to all memsource jobs, at least those from that very client. in the past, I have noticed that memsource wordcount is 10% or more less than Memoq. however, jobs are often small, like a few hundred words. so it is ok.

However, the PM offered a job of 5800 weighted words. when I import both TM and mxliff files into memoq, I found the weighted words are nearly 8200 words. I can't tell whether it is a problem of memsource. since memsource doesn't allow for analysis in my case, I (we) am never on the same page with agents. it is indeed unfair.

Memsource is not a bad tool. To me, it is next to MemoQ. However, hiding analysis from translators may be a bonus to agencies but very evil.
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Korana Lasić
Heloísa Helena Benetton Costa
 
Stepan Konev
Stepan Konev  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 02:55
English to Russian
You can use your own Memsource account Apr 8, 2021

Donglai Lou wrote:
hiding analysis from translators
If you have access to their TM, you can use your own free account in Memsource to analyze your files. Also remember that memoQ counts number-only segments as words. If your file contains many tables with numbers, this may cause the difference.


 
Donglai Lou (X)
Donglai Lou (X)  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 07:55
English to Chinese
+ ...
Thank you Apr 9, 2021

Stepan Konev wrote:

Donglai Lou wrote:
hiding analysis from translators
If you have access to their TM, you can use your own free account in Memsource to analyze your files. Also remember that memoQ counts number-only segments as words. If your file contains many tables with numbers, this may cause the difference.


Hi! Stepan,

thank you very much.

I see and will definitely try the free account thing.

anyway, there are no figures and all tags have been tagged and excluded. I did try to find out the reason for difference.

the PM didn't respond to my query about the difference, either:(.


[Edited at 2021-04-09 02:03 GMT]


 
Peter van der Hoek
Peter van der Hoek
Spain
Local time: 00:55
Member (2008)
Dutch to English
+ ...
Depends on the PM Apr 9, 2021

I am pretty sure it all depends on the parameters set by the project manager.
I just finished a project in Memsource.
Memsource gave a word count of 7269 while Word gave a word count of 7268, so that was pretty accurate.


 
Silvia Carvalho
Silvia Carvalho  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:55
English to Spanish
+ ...
Depends on the PM - truly - Memsource account is accurate Apr 14, 2021

I've been a Senior PM in Localization for 20 years, currently a Localization Manager. Memsource word counts are correct if properly done. As someone wisely mentioned previously, it greatly depends on the Project Manager and their understanding of Memsource (or the training they've received). At our company, we constantly compare Word docs word counts to Memsource analyses and 99% of the time they match perfectly. Memsource doesn't include paragraph marks, dashes, bullets, etc. Word does. Other C... See more
I've been a Senior PM in Localization for 20 years, currently a Localization Manager. Memsource word counts are correct if properly done. As someone wisely mentioned previously, it greatly depends on the Project Manager and their understanding of Memsource (or the training they've received). At our company, we constantly compare Word docs word counts to Memsource analyses and 99% of the time they match perfectly. Memsource doesn't include paragraph marks, dashes, bullets, etc. Word does. Other CAT tools do the same. Hence probably why the discrepancy.
Additionally, as someone else mentioned, it also depends on the TM the project is run against and how it is applied (and whether or not the PM even understands how that works).
I recommend that if you get a project from a company that uses Memsource and you see a sizeable discrepancy, communicate the issue to the Project Manager. They should know how to deal with it. If they don't, then you can make a decision whether to take the project. We rely on great translators to let us know if something is wrong and good communication is key. Good luck, all!
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Heloísa Helena Benetton Costa
Heloísa Helena Benetton Costa  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 20:55
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I also noticed that! May 19, 2021

I have a client working only with Memsource now, and I always feel I am taking much more time to finish my jobs after they adhered to Memsource. I am always asking the client to recheck the wordcount, only to receive an answer that everything seems fine. I am feeling very frustrated, because I like this client and the projects very much, but I keep feeling that the wordcount is wrong. Anyway, I don't know how to perform my own wordcount, because the memory is online.

This agency was
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I have a client working only with Memsource now, and I always feel I am taking much more time to finish my jobs after they adhered to Memsource. I am always asking the client to recheck the wordcount, only to receive an answer that everything seems fine. I am feeling very frustrated, because I like this client and the projects very much, but I keep feeling that the wordcount is wrong. Anyway, I don't know how to perform my own wordcount, because the memory is online.

This agency was bought by another bigger agency and I felt that, since then, they are trying to save as much as they can.

I don't blame the PM, because most probably he follows the agency's standards.

Any ideas, colleagues?

Thanks in advance!

PS: Hi Silvia, long time no see!
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Roy Chacón
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 00:55
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
@Heloísa May 19, 2021

Heloísa Helena Benetton Costa wrote:
I don't know how to perform my own wordcount, because the memory is online.


Memsource usually offers export to DOCX as an option, so then you can do a wordcount on that.


Korana Lasić
 


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Unrealistic analysis






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