This article explains the concept of translation memory tiers, outlines the principles of the TM match usage calculation, and demonstrates how to monitor and manage your allocated amount of TM matches in the Smartcat console.
What are translation memory match tiers?
Translation memory match tiers are a way to categorize users according to how extensively they use the translation memory (TM) match functionality inside Smartcat. Each Smartcat subscription plan has a corresponding TM match tier. They are measured by the number of words you can insert or pretranslate from translation memories within one calendar month.
The tiers do not affect the storage of translation memories: Smartcat allows for unlimited TM storage in all accounts, including the free ones, along with unlimited users, projects, and words.
The tiers are not applicable to freelancer accounts.
What is the TM match usage count logic?
On the first day of each month, a monthly quota of TM words is allocated and the backward wordcount begins. The logic applied to the wordcount is as follows:
- When a TM match is inserted automatically during pretranslation, the number of words in the source segment is deducted.
- When a TM match is inserted automatically as a translation with a 100% match, the number of words in the source segment is deducted.
- When the translator selects a TM match from the CAT panel, the number of words in the source segment is deducted. In this case, the exact match percentage does not matter.
- If a TM match is inserted into a CAT segment and the CAT segment is then repeated several times, the number of words in the source segment is deducted for the initial insertion and for each repetition.
- If a CAT segment does not include a TM match, but is then repeated several times, the number of words in the source segment is deducted for each repetition only.
- MT (machine translation) units do not count towards the TM words quota. However, as soon as an MT unit is inserted into a CAT segment, it is written into the TM. Next time a similar source segment is encountered, the translator will be able to insert either the same MT unit or the corresponding TM unit from the CAT panel. Selecting the MT unit will not affect the remaining TM wordcount. However, selecting the corresponding TM unit will deduct the number of words in the source segment from the remaining TM words.
How exactly does this work in the interface?
As you approach the amount of TM matches outlined in your plan, you will be notified in advance that an upgrade will be required to continue using TM matches:
Your linguists will not see the amount of the remaining TM matches, but they will still see a warning, color-coded according to the remaining amount:
Once your monthly quota usage has reached 100%, you will not be able to see the content of your TM matches. However, you will still see whether matches exist and what their respective match percentages are.
Project manager’s view:
Linguist’s view:
Even if you have exceeded the quota, you can still add new content to your TMs by translating and confirming segments as usual. Concordance search will not be affected either, so your team can keep using it to find the right terminology for the source content. Prestranslation, however, will be affected. As explained above, any pretranslation from a TM deducts from the monthly quota. If your quota is reached, pretranslation from TMs will be unavailable.
