Answers to frequently asked questions
1. What is a keystroke?
The term "keystroke" for us includes nearly everything in the text:  letters, digits, punctuation marks, spaces and carriage returns, but not paragraph spacing.  Your word processing program "word count" function will probably list this option as "characters (with spaces)" or similar, as well as listing the option "words".  As soon as you have found out how many keystrokes or words your German text (the so-called "source" text) contains, you can quickly calculate the exact maximum price yourself, using the prices shown below.  Of course you do not know yet how many keystrokes or words there will be in the translated English text (the so-called "target" text), so after the text is translated, you may receive a pleasant surprise.  Counting the words or keystrokes in the translated English text might yield a lower price than you had anticipated.  In any case, the invoice price will never be higher than the price per word or keystroke you calculated in advance based on the number of German keystrokes or words, unless you have specified a different price calculation method from those listed below.  Some customers prefer to do this because it fits in better with their own accounting systems.     Another positive pricing point.  We never request more money for more difficult texts.  If we do not understand your text, we will not get any smarter by asking for more money.  We used to have a phrase about surcharges for difficulty in our price list, but it died, withered and blew away from lack of use.  You also do not have to pay for the extra words used for our explanatory translations in the English text.  Such explanations are often necessary because particular concepts, organizational structures or legislation mentioned in the German text to be translated could easily be completely unknown outside of the country of origin.  The reason we say you do not have to pay for such explanatory translating is that as soon as a translated English text becomes longer that the German text to be translated, we will invoice you for the less expensive German text word or keystroke count, unless you have specified a different price calculation method from those listed below.   There are two interesting facts concerning our translations from German into English: The average German word consists of about 7.5 keystrokes,  including the space at the end,  but the average English word contains only about 6.5 keystrokes. . Our English translations usually contain more words but sometimes fewer keystrokes than the German text to be translated.  These facts, together with our price of USD / EUR 0.030 per source keystroke are the basis for the other pricing methods shown below.  These pricing methods are only roughly equal.  Depending on the style and type of German text to be translated, these varying pricing methods can easily result in differences in the total translation price of up to 10% for the same original text.  When it comes time to write our invoices, we will always use use the method that results in the lowest total price for you, unless you have specified some other method in advance.     Price per keystroke, either German or English:  EUR 0.015     Price per 1000 keystrokes either German or English:  EUR 15.00     Price per word of the German text to be translated: EUR 0.12     Price per 1000 words of the German text to be translated: EUR 120.00     Price per word  of the translated English text: EUR 0.11     Price per 1000 words  of the translated English text: EUR 110.00     Price per line (55 keystrokes)  of the German text to be translated: EUR 0.82     Price per line (55 keystrokes)  of the translated English text: EUR 0.82
2. I have just three lines to translate.  Is that possible?
. Anything is possible, but because of the high cost of paperwork,  the minimum net invoice amount for any order will be EUR 100.00.
3. What about VAT (Sales Tax)?
.  All our prices for copywriting and translation stated and explained in detail on this and other pages of this site do not include German Value Added Tax (Mehrwertsteuer - Sales Tax) where or if applicable.  All prices listed here are net of Sales Tax (VAT).  Whether Sales Tax (VAT) will have to be added to the net invoice amount depends on the invoicing and delivery addresses.  Inside Germany:  All translation or copywriting orders from inside Germany for delivery and/or invoicing inside Germany will definitely be subject to German Value Added Tax (Sales Tax).  Inside any other European Union (EU) country:  Any translation or copywriting orders from inside the European Union (EU) for delivery and/or invoicing inside the European Union (EU) will also be subject to Value Added Tax at the current German rate unless the customer  has furnished us with her/his/its valid European Union (EU) Sales Tax (VAT) identification number (USt-IdNr.).  If we have received your EU Sales Tax (VAT) identification number, it will be shown on your invoice and no Value Added Tax (Mehrwertsteuer - Sales Tax) will be added to the net invoice amount.  All such transactions will be reported to the appropriate German and/or EU tax authorities as required by German or EU regulations.  Countries outside the European Union (EU):  Translation or copywriting orders from outside the European Union (EU) for delivery and/or invoicing outside the European Union (EU) will be not be subject to Value Added Tax.  No Value Added Tax (Mehrwertsteuer - Sales Tax) will be added to the net invoice amount.  Our European Union (EU) Sales Tax (VAT)  identification number (USt-IdNr.) is:   DE118152689
4. What are your terms of payment?
.  Our invoices are due for payment in full immediately upon receipt unless otherwise agreed in writing and in advance.  Unfortunately, discounts for prompt payment or other reasons cannot be granted.  In accordance with Section 286 of the German Civil Code (BGB), invoice payments are overdue and default now automatically occurs 30 days after receipt of an invoice.  After this period, in accordance with Section 288 of the German Civil Code, we are permitted to demand default interest (interest on arrears) at 5 percentage points above the current European Central Bank Base Rate as published by the German Central Bank (Bundesbank) in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger).
5. Where do you officially do business?
We are sure there will never be any disputes about such things because we do first class work for reasonable prices and deliver on time, but just as a formality:   Officially, for Dan McCrosky, owner of DM - English Communications Service, the places of delivery and payment, as well as the venue for legal disputes  are all HAMBURG, GERMANY.   This just means: Unless you are willing to pay handsomely for such services, we won't be flying to Taiwan to deliver a CD nor to collect the payment for our work.  . If you would like to sue us, you'll have to do it here in Hamburg.
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.  DM - English Communications Service e-mail: info@texter-uebersetzer.de Englisch ist die Weltsprache / English is the worldwide language Inhaber / Owner: Dan McCrosky .......