A cost estimate is a prediction of a Job’s final word-count totals and cost if the Job were to be translated via the Project's Default workflow, at the point when the estimate is run.
The Estimate Details gives you the total word count and the total character count of the source strings, along with the total weighted word count, for each workflow step, per language of the Job. It's based on the fuzzy estimate for the content in the Job, along with the appropriate fuzzy profiles and rate cards. The Estimate Details indicates how large a Job is and what it would be likely to cost if translated now, like in the example below.
Estimates are available for 60 days.
For more information on estimations, read our documentation on Word Counts & Estimates Explained.
This article walks you through:
How to Get a Cost Estimate
Cost estimates are only available to Account Owner and Project Manager roles, assuming all rate card information has been set up. They are accessible when creating a Job, before authorizing the Job for translation, in the Estimates Details tab of the Job Details page, and in the Estimated Cost card on the left side of the Job Details page.
Clicking View Estimate Details will open the Estimate Details tab.
From the Estimate Details tab, click the downward arrow next to a language to view a detailed breakdown of the cost estimate.
Refreshing Estimation Details
By default, estimations are given for unauthorized content if it will be translated in the Project Default workflow. There might be times when you would like to regenerate a cost estimate. Some use cases may include:
- Content has been removed from a Job that was in progress, and you'd like to get a new cost estimate.
- Content has been added to the Job that is in progress, and now you'd like to get a new cost estimate.
- You want an estimation based on workflows other than the Project Default. Note, content still needs to be unauthorized before an estimation can be regenerated for a specific workflow.
- If you add content to an existing Job, and the word count reaches over one million words, you will need to refresh the estimate to get an accurate cost estimate for the Job in its new state.
To update the estimation on unauthorized content:
- Click Refresh, under Cost Estimate (pictured below)
- Select the workflows you would like content translated in for each language
- Click Refresh Estimate
The Refresh Estimate window will only open if the job contains unauthorized content. If the job is in progress and all content is authorized, clicking the "Refresh" button will simply recalculate the estimate, as the content is already authorized in a particular workflow. Updated estimations can be viewed in the Estimate Details.
Tip: Got an estimate that's missing rate information? Read our guide on Troubleshooting Missing Rate Information on Cost Estimates
Edit Effort Estimation Levels
For accounts using Smartling’s AI Toolkit, cost estimates also display Edit Effort Estimation levels and discounts.
Edit Effort Estimation levels are shown in the cost estimate:
- if Edit Effort Estimation is enabled for the workflow used to generate the cost estimate, and
- if Edit Effort Estimation Level Discounts are set up in the associated Fuzzy Match Profile.
In order for Edit Effort Estimation levels to be displayed, the cost estimate is refreshed automatically once all content has gone through the Edit Effort Estimation process in the Machine Translation step.
Tip: As Edit Effort Estimation levels are applied during the Machine Translation step, any cost estimate generated before the Job is authorized does not reflect Edit Effort Estimation levels and discounts.