Understanding how TODAY Type calculates your scores helps you focus on the metrics that matter most for improvement.
Words Per Minute (WPM)
The Calculation
WPM is calculated using a standard formula:
WPM Formula
Net WPM = (Characters Typed ÷ 5) ÷ Minutes - Uncorrected Errors
We divide by 5 because the standard "word" in typing is defined as 5 characters (including spaces).
Example Calculation
If you type 300 characters in 2 minutes with 3 uncorrected errors:
- Gross WPM: (300 ÷ 5) ÷ 2 = 30 WPM
- Net WPM: 30 - 3 = 27 WPM
Accuracy
The Calculation
Accuracy measures correctness as a percentage:
Accuracy Formula
Accuracy = (Correct Characters ÷ Total Characters) × 100%
What Counts as an Error?
- Wrong character - Typing 'e' instead of 'r'
- Extra character - Typing 'thhe' instead of 'the'
- Missing character - Typing 'te' instead of 'the'
- Wrong case - Typing 'The' when 'the' is expected
Corrected vs. Uncorrected Errors
- Corrected errors - Mistakes you fixed with backspace. These affect your accuracy percentage but not as severely as uncorrected errors.
- Uncorrected errors - Mistakes left in the text. These reduce both your accuracy AND your net WPM.
Important
Always try to correct mistakes! Uncorrected errors have a bigger impact on your score than the time spent fixing them.
Chat Test Scoring
Chat simulations use additional metrics beyond basic typing:
Response Time
- How quickly you start typing after a customer message appears
- Total time to complete your response
- Faster responses score higher
Message Quality
- Accuracy of your typed response
- Completion of required information
- Grammar and professionalism (in some scenarios)
Multi-Chat Performance
When handling multiple chats simultaneously:
- Average response time across all chats
- Number of customers successfully helped
- Wait time experienced by customers
- Overall throughput (chats completed per minute)
Skill Level Thresholds
Your overall skill level is determined by your best test scores:
| Level | WPM Range | Typical Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0-30 WPM | Below 90% |
| Intermediate | 30-50 WPM | 90-95% |
| Advanced | 50-80 WPM | 95-98% |
| Expert | 80+ WPM | 98%+ |
Leaderboard Rankings
Leaderboards can be sorted by different metrics:
- WPM - Ranked by best typing speed
- Accuracy - Ranked by highest accuracy (minimum 3 tests required)
- Level - Ranked by overall skill level
- Streak - Ranked by consecutive days practicing
- Tests - Ranked by total tests completed
Improvement Tips
Focus on accuracy first - speed naturally follows. A 95% accurate typist at 40 WPM will improve faster than a 85% accurate typist at 50 WPM.