Setup estimations based on dummy users
Tip
This is a setup step required for the generation of estimations when the work is done by many internal users.
Do not perform this step if XTM is being used to generate purchase orders for linguists, if all the work is being done by LSPs, or if you have fewer than 3 or 4 linguists.
Tip
The purpose of a dummy user is to represent costs for multiple users and every workflow step in every project that these users can execute, into a single user.
This is facilitated by creating a dummy project that contains all workflow steps possible.
Create rate cards for dummy users.
Tip
Multiple rate cards, each one typically representing a unique language group and, or subject matter will be created for a single dummy user.
Dummy user
Important
Dummy users provide an approximate cost for any user belonging to the same Language Group and Subject Matter Expertise.
Dummy Users can also be applied to LSP's.
Important
Dummy Users are used in conjunction with rate cards.
Tip
Dummy users speed up the estimation process because a rate card only needs to be created for a single Dummy User that can represent many linguists with the same skill set, whether internal or from an LSP.
A dummy user requires a rate card, even when used for LSPs. A single dummy user can contain multiple rate cards.
Note
Each dummy user that is logged in, whether internal or LSP counts towards the license cost. However, since dummy users should never log in to the system, in reality, they don't count towards your license cost since only active,logged-in users are measured when determining license costs.
Dummy users are created in:
The user configuration screens for internal Users.
The LSP Configuration screens for LSP accounts.
Warning
Dummy Users can't be used for generating purchase orders. Purchase orders need to be exact, and dummy users approximate the cost of any individual linguist with the same expertise.
It is recommended practice to create a single Dummy User for one or any combination of the following items:
Warning
Estimations using Dummy Users are not as exact as adding rate cards for each individual linguist, since each linguist's rates may vary from one to the other. This also applies to LSP's.
Rate cards for internal users
Note
Rate Cards need to be manually entered and are unique for each internal user. They represent the estimated cost of what the XTM system owner pays their linguists.
Tip
To avoid creating rate cards for each internal user, XTM allows for the creation of a Dummy User whose costs can be generalized to a group of users with the same expertise.
Note
Rate Cards are used for generating estimations and purchase orders. Since dummy users represent an approximation or general costs for a group of linguists, they are not recommended for generating purchase orders which require more accuracy.
Tip
Rate Cards can also be defined for LSPs in order to generate estimations and purchase orders.
All linguist rates can be applied using rates per word or character.
Rate Cards can contain any of the following universal costs or thresholds applied to all Projects and Languages Combined:
Tip
Consult this Rate Card Field Reference for a description of all pricing options applied to the Entire Application for this individual user or dummy user.
Fixed cost per project or language combination.
Minimum charges by project and language for all workflow steps.
Maximum words or characters that a user can translate.
A Base Price only in the case when percentage-based discounts can be applied. This is referred to as estimating using Factors.
Any combination of the following costs and thresholds can be applied, that are unique to each individual workflow step:
A fixed base fee per project, language, or file in actual cost.
A minimum charge for all projects, languages, or files per workflow step in actual cost.
Important
All charges are calculated on top of the fixed base fee. For example, if the fixed base fee is 10, and translation costs come out to 25, then the final fee is 10 + 25 = 35.
Important
The minimum charge works in the opposite direction. If the minimum charge is 40, and the translation costs come out to 35, then 40 becomes the estimated cost since 40 > 35.
An hourly rate per workflow step for any auxiliary functions such as DTP in actual cost.
A management fee in %.
A rush job fee in %.
A minimum charge for the given workflow step in actual cost.
Discounted items can be configured for rate cards either by Price (Actual Cost) or a Percentage (Factors).
Note
Rate cards support 4 decimal points in full price entries and 5 decimal points in percentage.
Rate Cards are configured in: