The Processing step is a major enhancement to the way content is routed to in a workflow. All new workflows created in your account will contain a Processing step by default.
Traditionally, after you authorize content for translation, all content configurations are processed while the content moves into the Translation step. A common problem that occurred was SmartMatched strings sometimes entered the translation step of a workflow, before being routed as configured. This sometimes led to translators working on content that was later moved by SmartMatch.
The Processing step rectifies this problem by facilitating content routing before content enters the Translation step. SmartMatch happens in the Processing step. Not only does this help avoid any potential confusion and overlaps, but the translators can also better gauge their workload and focus exclusively on content that needs their attention.
Please note that, if matching Translation Memory entries are created after the content gets authorized, continuous SmartMatch could still initiate during the Translation step.
How it Works
The Processing step is fully automated, meaning no input or configuration is required. SmartMatch settings remain in the Leverage Configuration.
As your content passes through the Processing step, the SmartMatched content will be submitted to the step defined in your SmartMatch rules. Otherwise, it will be automatically submitted to the Translation step.
Simply follow the usual process of authorizing content for translation. Everything else happens automatically, and you do not need to take any further action.
After your Job is authorized, your content moves through the Processing step. Here, the content gets analyzed and routed based on the SmartMatch rules set up in your Linguistic Package:
- If a SmartMatch translation is available, it is applied to the string directly in the Processing step. The SmartMatched translation gets sent automatically to a Revision step, a Hold step or the Published step (as specified in your SmartMatch settings).
- Strings which do not SmartMatch are automatically moved to the next step in your workflow, where they will be translated by your usual translation vendor.
- Because of the automation process, you cannot manually move content that enters the Processing step to the next workflow step.
- If SmartMatch is turned off, your content will immediately pass through the step and be directly submitted to the Translation step for a translator to work on.
- If content is authorized in a workflow that starts with a pre-Processing Hold step, standard SmartMatch will not begin until strings are submitted into the Processing step. If you prefer to hold content before translation, but want SmartMatch to run, we recommend using a Hold step after the Processing step.
- If your SmartMatch configuration sends matches to a Hold step, and your workflow includes a pre-Processing Hold step, SmartMatches will not be applied until the strings enter the Processing step.
Continuous SmartMatch may occur if there is an exact match string that is translated and published (thereby creating a SmartMatch condition) while the original string is still in the pre-Processing Hold step. As a result, strings may be SmartMatched and automatically moved forward in the workflow.
In the unlikely event that content gets stuck in the Processing step, you can troubleshoot this by selecting strings and rechecking for SmartMatch from the Strings View actions menu. Failing that, you can submit content to the next step from the same actions menu.
Workflow Configuration
The Processing step cannot be edited or deleted. You can add and configure all usual workflow steps before and after the Processing step. For example, if you wish to have all your content run through SmartMatch before allowing translators to claim the content, we suggest you add a Hold step for all the content to be processed before submitting all your content to the Translation step ready for claiming.
It’s possible to add a pre-translation decision step before the Processing step only. When you add a pre-translation Decision step before the Processing step, each new branch will include a Processing step before each Translation / Transcreation step.
You cannot add a Processing step to a workflow.