We might not always appreciate word-count calculations and the way deductions to the volume are applied. However, when the order is placed by the client, the number of words (or other unit) being invoiced should be totally clear. It has to be clear for both parties for two reasons:
- so that you can judge if you can meet the deadline
- to that you can determine how much you are going to invoice.
Setting that aside, I am not sure what the question is in your post.
Inez Ulrich wrote:
... the agency said there are 50.000 words of which 10.000 words are repetitions (excel cells with identical content
If you have a trace of that, then that means you can expect to invoice 40.000 words at full rate and the remaining 10.000 at some other agreed rate.
Inez Ulrich wrote:
... means I only have to deal with a certain amount of words once and then am finished with those, because of those identical cells.
Well, I would understand that means you only have to actually think about how to translate them once. You still have to "deal" with them and translate them physically.
Inez Ulrich wrote:
Now they say they never said it was only about 40.000 words to work on....>:(
Again, there should be some trace of this. If you do not have a formal purchase order, there must be a trace of it in an e-mail. Oral agreements are theoretically valid, but pretty impossible to prove. Any terms and conditions agreed by phone, should be backed up in writing. It is absolutely standard business practice and is fundamental for both parties.
If the client never said it was only about 40.000 words to work on, then this brings us back to the first point. The document may contain 50.000 words, 40.000 of which are invoiced at full rate, the remaining repeated words to be invoiced at some other (lower rate). That does not mean you do not have to touch the remaining 10.000 words.
If that is what the client means, and if that is how you are understanding the job, then you need to make sure you have enough time to get the job done and perhaps alert them to any difficulty that may represent.
The number one problem here seems to be lack of confirmation in writing and/or clarity of what has been agreed.
(and I have all conversation in written from, so yes, I can prove all of this - and I did yesterday).
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