Understanding Translator Assignment Templates
Overview
Assignment templates let you save a set of linguist assignments — including who handles each workflow stage and language pair — so you can apply them to new projects without manually assigning suppliers every time.
How it works
You create a template that defines which supplier or group of suppliers handles each workflow stage (translation, review, proofreading) for each language pair
When you create a new project, you apply the template instead of making individual assignments
You can shortlist suppliers, add them to a project template, and choose to send invitations automatically. If you assign a template to a project manually, you must send the invitation from within the project.
Templates can include in-house linguists, Marketplace freelancers, or both
Benefits
Eliminate repetitive manual assignment for recurring project types
Ensure the right linguist is always assigned to the right language pair without remembering who handles what
Use Cascade Assignments to define priority groups and fallback logic so projects stay on schedule even if a preferred supplier is unavailable
Combine with Auto-launch to trigger assignments automatically when new content is added to a project
When to use it
Use assignment templates when you need to:
Assign the same linguists to recurring projects with the same language pairs
Stop manually selecting suppliers for every new project or task
Build fallback logic so projects don’t stall if a preferred supplier is slow to accept or unavailable
Prioritise internal linguists over Marketplace suppliers and fall back automatically if internal staff don’t accept in time
Control assignment costs by routing work to lower-cost suppliers first, with automatic escalation
Apply a consistent assignment pattern across a team without relying on individual project managers to remember the configuration
How to use it
Create an assignment template
Go to the left sidebar → Manage → Team → Assignment templates
Click + New template
Enter a template name
(Optional) Add a client, project tag, and subject
Click + Add workflow stage
Select the workflow stage (e.g. Translation, Review, Proofreading)
Select the source language and target language for this stage
Search for and select the linguists or agencies you want to add to this stage
Click Add stage to return to the template view
(Optional) Click + Add suppliers again to add another workflow stage or language pair
Click Create template to save
Result: The template is saved and available to apply to any future project.
Add cascade groups to a workflow stage
Cascade Assignments let you define multiple priority groups within a single workflow stage. The system invites Group 1 first, then automatically invites Group 2 after a set wait time if no one from Group 1 has accepted, and so on.
Inside a workflow stage in your template, locate the Assignment Priority section
Group 1 is created automatically — click Add suppliers and add your first-priority suppliers
Click Add group to create Group 2
Set the Wait before inviting time for Group 2 (how long to wait after inviting Group 1 before inviting Group 2)
Add suppliers to Group 2
Repeat to create up to 5 groups total
(Optional) Enable the AI-assignment (Final stage) toggle to have Smartcat automatically recommend and invite additional suppliers after all manual groups have been exhausted
💡 Invitations to earlier groups are never cancelled when a later group is invited. If a supplier from Group 1 accepts after Group 2 has already been invited, Group 1 still gets the assignment.
⚠️ The cascade stops as soon as any supplier accepts the task. Once accepted, no further groups are invited regardless of remaining wait times.
Your template contains tiered assignment logic that runs automatically without manual intervention.
Apply a template to a project
Create a new project or open an existing project
Go to the Tasks page
Click Assignment configuration
Click Template assignments
Select the template you want to apply
Review the shortlisted suppliers from the template
Click Invite suppliers to send invitations to all shortlisted linguists
💡 Click Manage suppliers to view or adjust the shortlisted linguists before sending invitations.
Suppliers from your template are shortlisted and invited to the project tasks.
Enable Auto-launch
Auto-launch triggers assignment automatically whenever new scope is added to a project, without requiring you to manually click Invite suppliers each time.
Open a project and go to Project Tasks → Assignment Configuration
Select your assignment template as the source
Toggle on Automatic invitation after adding or updating a file
Assignments from your template run automatically when new files or tasks are added to the project.
Edit an existing template
Go to Manage → Team → Assignment templates
Find the template you want to update
Click the Edit button (pencil icon) under the template and make your changes
Save the updated template
⚠️ Changes to a template do not retroactively affect projects that have already used the template. Only future assignments reflect the updated configuration.
The template is updated and available for use on new projects.
Requirements / Limitations
Template structure
A template can include multiple workflow stages and multiple language pairs
A single workflow stage is defined as a combination of: workflow stage type + source language + target language
If multiple templates match the same project, Smartcat displays them ranked by relevance from most to least suitable
Meta-information (client, subject, project tags) can be added to a template to improve relevance matching
Cascade Assignments constraints
Maximum of 5 manual priority groups per workflow stage
Wait time field accepts values from 1 to 60 only for each unit (minutes, hours, or days)
Entering 0 automatically sets to 1 minute
Leaving the field empty automatically sets to 1 minute
Entering more than 60 automatically sets to 60
To set longer wait times, switch the unit to a larger denomination (e.g. switch from Minutes to Hours)
The cascade stops permanently as soon as one supplier accepts — the system does not monitor whether the accepted supplier actually begins work
⚠️ Cascade logic ends at acceptance, not at completion. If a supplier accepts but does not begin work or misses a deadline, the cascade does not automatically reassign or escalate. The project manager must intervene manually.
Auto-launch
Only one assignment source can be active at a time per project: either AI assignments or template assignments, not both
Auto-launch and manual template application are both available, but cannot be used simultaneously for the same project
Supplier availability
If every supplier in a workflow stage is unavailable (inactive, blocked, or missing the required language pair), the assignment cannot start
The template must be edited to replace or add valid suppliers before retrying
Template updates
Editing a template does not affect projects already using it — only new assignments reflect changes
If a template’s suppliers become unavailable after the template is created, the template must be manually updated
FAQ
Can I save my translator assignments so I don't have to redo them every time?
Yes — that is exactly what assignment templates are for. Create a template with your preferred linguists per workflow stage and language pair, then apply it to each new project instead of assigning manually.
How do I create a template that automatically assigns the right person per language?
Create a template, add a workflow stage, and set the source and target language for that stage. Then add the supplier you want to handle that language pair. Repeat for each language pair you want to cover. When you apply the template to a project, Smartcat shortlists those suppliers for the matching tasks automatically.
What happens if my preferred translator doesn't accept the task?
Use Cascade Assignments inside your template. Add your preferred translator to Group 1, then add fallback suppliers to Group 2 with a wait time. If Group 1 doesn't accept in time, Smartcat automatically invites Group 2 without any manual intervention.
Are invitations to earlier groups cancelled when the next group is invited?
No — invitations from all groups remain active. If a Group 1 supplier accepts after Group 2 has already been invited, the Group 1 supplier still gets the assignment.
Why is the Add suppliers button greyed out?
The button stays disabled until you select all three required fields: workflow stage, source language, and target language. Set all three and the button becomes active
Can I use a template and also manually assign additional suppliers to the same project?
Yes. Applying a template shortlists the template’s suppliers, but you can also click Manage suppliers to add or adjust assignments manually before sending invitations
Can I embed an assignment template in a project template so it triggers on project creation?
Yes. When creating a project template, you can attach an assignment template and toggle on Auto-launch. When a new project is created from the project template, assignments are triggered automatically.
How does the AI-assignment Final Stage differ from standard AI assignment?
In the Final Stage context, instead of assigning 1 supplier, Smartcat invites 10 suppliers at once to maximize the chance of acceptance after all manual groups have been exhausted. If the user sets AI assignments to use only internal reviewers, they have 10 suppliers to assign and one matching team member, Smartcat assigns only one additional supplier.