# To: Brian from Maui



## cheeseme33 (Jan 10, 2005)

Brian, 
I did a spread sheet, (that you helped with some formulas on, thank you!)  and I have a question. If you were going to do a spread sheet for a company, lind of complex, how would you charge them? By the hours spent? If so, what? Or by the project? I'm just looking to be fair with the company, and still be fair to myself. I work for the company full time, and this was done outside of my regular employment....  Any insight would be helpful...

TIA

Chris.


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## Zack Barresse (Jan 10, 2005)

Hi Chris,

Not Brian, hope you don't mind my two cents.  

For me, personally, I would go on a project-by-project basis if you will not be doing this very often.  This leaves it quite flexible for you.  Although if this is going to be more of a constant nature, I would think about possibly having a contract of sorts.

If you do project-by-project and are looking for a fair price schedule.  I would ask different people (not in *public*) what they do, that is if they do charge for it.  Some people may not want to release this kind of information.  I know people who range from $20-$75 / hour.  So I think it depends on your skill level, the timeliness in which a project is completed, the overall benefit to the company, the time saved, formatting and cleanliness.

A lot of people I know will send a quote up front before the project is started.  This seems to work well, as you dont' waste your time and not get paid for it, plus if they gawk at the price they won't be able to say they didn't know what they were getting into.  This also makes it more likely that the people will pay too.  Remember the price should be comparable too.

You could be like Progressive Insurance, offer to send to a few competators for quote also.


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## cheeseme33 (Jan 10, 2005)

thanks firefytr,

This maybe something that would need continual updates, but nothing compared to the amount of work it took to start. Basically it's an incentive program. Anyway, Your right, I appoligize to everyone about asking something they might not want to release. Just trying to get a feel for the right $ amount. I want to be fair to them. Although I'm no expert on excel, I'm better then a few, I think. This is NOT something I'll be doing on a regular basis, very seldom actually...  The value to the company is pretty high. If run as planned, it should take their profit margin from 10% to about 35% constant. 

Thanks for you input! I needed some perspective!

Chris.


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## PaddyD (Jan 10, 2005)

If I were your employer, and asked you to do something extra in your own time, I would be inclinded to pay you standard overtime rates, all other things being equal.  If you were salaried rather than earning an hourly rate, I probably wouldn't give you anything extra!


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## cheeseme33 (Jan 10, 2005)

Well, I think I'm glad I don't work for you!  
Here's what happened... They asked me to keep track of my time. I did that, and turned it in.... Then they asked me to come up with a profect cost as if I didn't work for them, as in, I contracted with a company independently. Are they getting at something here? Am I missing something?    

Chris


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## PaddyD (Jan 10, 2005)

Keeping it simple, I'd probably start with a calculation like:

(fixed amount for just considering it) + ((number of hours spent * modest hourly rate)*(inefficiency factor cos I'm not a professional so my hours spent is likely to be inflated)

...& see if it looks like reasonable number


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## cheeseme33 (Jan 10, 2005)

PaddyD,

The number sounds very reasonable! I like that logic.

Thank you!


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## PaddyD (Jan 10, 2005)

by the way, don't forget the final element:

+ (haggle number to give me room to negotiate with employer & still end up with something reasonable)


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## Brian from Maui (Jan 11, 2005)

Gee, I leave to go to golf and miss all of this.  I'm not saying anything, my boss visits this site!


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