Overview of Fuzzy Match Profiles

What are Fuzzy Match Profiles?

Pricing for translation work is typically based on the number of source words translated along with the fuzzy scores of the strings when translated. Fuzzy score ranges are organized into pricing bands or ‘tiers’. Each tier costs a percentage of the rate, with higher-score tiers receiving progressively greater discounts - meaning, if you are translating the same or similar content, the price is reduced. This is illustrated below:

The definition of a set of fuzzy pricing tiers and associated rate discounts, like the above, is known in Smartling as a Fuzzy Match Profile.

The Fuzzy Match Profile that was active when a string was translated is included in the Word Count report, along with the string’s fuzzy tier (called ‘fuzzy breakdown’ in the report).

By default, fuzzy tier-based pricing applies only to work done in the translation step, with editing charged at the full per-word editing rate, regardless of fuzzy matches. This is the industry standard.

For more information on word counts, and estimates, read Word Counts & Estimates Explained.

Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile

All Smartling accounts must have at least one Fuzzy Match Profile, known as the Account Default. The Account Default is the default Fuzzy Match Profile associated with all languages, all workflows and all Agencies in the account.

By default, the Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile will be generated by Smartling and applied to all languages in the account.

If your Translation Agency has defined more than one pricing modal for different languages or content types, you can create multiple Fuzzy Match Profiles.

Multiple Fuzzy Match Profiles can be defined for an account, and they can be associated with the specific languages in the account, known as Account Language Associations, or associated with specific workflows, known as Workflow Associations. 

Workflow Steps

Fuzzy Match Profiles are applied to human translations steps only. They do not apply to machine translation steps, as those costs are determined by the MT provider. The Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile can be applied to any one of the following:

1. Translation step only
2. Translation step and Post-Edit step
3. Translation step and all post-translation steps (edit, post-edit, and review steps)
   • Note, this does not apply to Smartling Language Services Profiles. For Smartling Language Services workflows, Fuzzy Match Profiles are always applied to the Human Translation step and Post-Edit SLS step.

Accessing Fuzzy Match Profiles

Account Owners can access and configure Fuzzy Match Profiles in Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings.

The Fuzzy Match Settings has three tabs:

1. Settings
2. Profiles
3. Associations, which include
   • Account Language Associations
   • Workflow Associations

Settings

The Settings tab is where you set your Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile, and choose the workflow steps to assign it to.

Profiles

The Profiles tab gives you a list view of all Fuzzy Match Profiles in the account. It is where you can create Fuzzy Match Profiles, and copy, archive or unarchive any profile in the list. Any other action, such as setting the Account Default, or associating a profile with a language or workflow, must be carried out in the Account Language Associations or Workflow Associations tabs.

Account Language Associations

The Account Language Associations tab is where you can set the Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile, and associate a Fuzzy Match Profile with specific target languages in the account. 

Workflow Associations

The Workflow Associations tab allows you to associate a Fuzzy Match Profile with an entire workflow or specific languages in a workflow.

Creating Fuzzy Match Profiles

You can define a Fuzzy Match Profile for all languages in the account, for specific languages in the account, or for specific languages in a workflow. You must create a Fuzzy Match Profile before associating with a language or a workflow.

To create a new Fuzzy Match Profile:

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings
2. In the Profiles tab, click the + Fuzzy Match Profile button
   • The side panel will appear where you can input the Fuzzy Match Profile details
3. Enter a unique name (required)
4. Enter a description (optional)
5. Fuzzy Tiers:
   • Enter a value for the Fuzzy Match Range
   • Enter a value for the percentage of the rate payable
   • If your vendor offers a discount if the same string is included multiple times in a Job, insert the percentage of the rate next to the repetitions field
6. Edit Effort Estimation Level Discounts: If you are using Smartling's AI Translation Toolkit, you have the option to enter rate profiles for machine translated strings which were evaluated by Smartling's Edit Effort Estimation.
   
   • For each level, enter the payable rate percentage as per your agreement with your translation vendor. 
   • In order for this to take effect, ensure to apply your Fuzzy Match Profile also to the post-translation step. 
7. Click Save to confirm

Once saved, a Fuzzy Match Profile cannot be modified. Only the description can be changed. If you made a mistake, it is recommended that you copy the Fuzzy Match Profile, and edit the unsaved copy.

Copying a Fuzzy Match Profile

To create and modify a copy of a Fuzzy Match Profile:

1. Click anywhere on the Fuzzy Match Profile line item from the list of profiles
2. On the left side panel that opens, click copy
3. Enter a unique name (required)
4. Enter a description (optional)
5. Fuzzy Tiers:
   • Enter a value for the Fuzzy Match Range
   • Enter a value for the percentage of the rate payable
   • If your vendor offers a discount if the same string is included multiple times in a Job, insert the percentage of the rate next to the repetitions field
6. Edit Effort Estimation Level Discounts: If you are using Smartling's AI Translation Toolkit, you have the option to enter rate profiles for machine translated strings which were evaluated by Smartling's Edit Effort Estimation.
   
   • For each level, enter the payable rate percentage as per your agreement with your translation vendor. 
   • In order for this to take effect, ensure to apply your Fuzzy Match Profile also to the post-translation step. 
7. Click Save to confirm

It is recommended that you archive any version of a Fuzzy Match Profile that was a mistake, or is no longer required.

Archiving Fuzzy Match Profiles

Although you cannot permanently delete a Fuzzy Match Profile, it is recommended that you archive any Fuzzy Match Profiles that are no longer required or associated with account languages or workflow languages.

To archive a Fuzzy Match Profile:

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings
2. In the Profiles tab, select the Fuzzy Match Profile you want to archive 
3. Click Actions > Archive

Recovering Archived Fuzzy Match Profiles

You can identify archived Fuzzy Match Profiles from the Profiles list by the Status column. Alternatively, you can use the Status filter to view a filtered list of archived profiles.

To recover your archived Fuzzy Match Profiles:

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings
2. In the Profiles tab, use the Status filter, and filter by Archived
3. Select the Fuzzy Match Profile you wish to recover 
4. Click Actions > Unarchive

Setting an Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile

The Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile can be viewed and changed in the Account Language Associations tab:

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings > Account Language Associations
2. Under Account Default Profile, click Change
3. Choose a Fuzzy Match Profile from all active profiles in the account
4. Click Confirm

This associates the selected Fuzzy Match Profile and pricing model with all languages in the account.

Associating Fuzzy Match Profiles with Account Languages

When your Translation Agency has a specific pricing model for certain languages, regardless of the workflow the languages are translated in, you must create an account language association.

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings > Account Language Associations
2. Click the + Account Language Association button
3. Select a target language from the dropdown list of target languages in account
4. Choose the Fuzzy Match Profile to associate the selected languages with
5. Click Confirm

The selected language is now associated with a specific Fuzzy Match Profile. All other languages are associated with the Account Default Fuzzy Match Profile. However, if you want to get more granular with your pricing structure, we recommend that you avoid using Account Language Associations and just associate Fuzzy Match Profiles with workflows or workflow languages.

Associating Fuzzy Match Profiles with Workflows

When your Translation Agency bases their pricing model on what workflow they translate content in, it is recommended that you avoid using Account Language Associations and just associate Fuzzy Match Profiles with workflows or workflow languages.

To associate Fuzzy Match Profiles with a workflow:

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings > Workflow Associations
2. Click the + Workflow Association button
3. Select a workflow
4. Choose the Fuzzy Match Profile to associate the workflow languages with
5. Click Confirm

To associate Fuzzy Match Profiles with specific workflow languages:

1. Go to Account Settings > Fuzzy Match Settings > Workflow Associations
2. Click the + Workflow Association button
3. Select a workflow
4. Select target language from the dropdown list of target languages in the workflow
5. Choose the Fuzzy Match Profile to associate the workflow languages with
6. Click Confirm

Important Considerations

More Specific Associations Take Priority

If there is a conflict between your Account Default Profile, an Account Language Association and a Workflow Association, the more specific association will take priority. For example, if a Workflow Association has been set up for a given workflow and target language, it will overwrite any Account Language Association that may have been set up for the same target language. The more granular Workflow Association will be taken into account for your cost estimates and Word Count reports.

New Languages

Each time a new language is added to the account, it will be automatically associated with the account default Fuzzy Match Profile

New Workflows 

Each time a new workflow is created, the system will assess the languages in the workflow and check if those languages have a specific account languages association. If not, the languages will automatically be associated with the account default Fuzzy Match Profile.

Dynamic Workflows

If the workflow is a dynamic workflow, the Fuzzy Match Profile is associated with languages in all branches, however it is important to note that the estimates presented in the Job Details is only calculated from the main branch.

No Discount?

If your vendor offers no discount for fuzzy tiers, simply create a Fuzzy Match Profile with a Fuzzy Range of 0-100% at 100% of the rate.