Clodou

Who it's for / Translators

Quotes and invoices for translators, word by word

Most translation is priced per word, with a minimum fee for short texts, a surcharge for tight deadlines and an hourly rate for proofreading. Clients are often in another country and pay in their own currency. Give Clodou the word count and your rate, and it writes the quote, turns it into the invoice and keeps track of who has paid.

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Sound familiar?

  • Word counts, rates and surcharges worked out by hand for every job
  • Short texts billed per word when your minimum fee should have applied
  • Rush surcharges agreed by email and missing from the invoice
  • Clients in several countries, each paying in their own currency

How Clodou helps

Per-word lines from one sentence

"Quote 6,500 words at €0.12" becomes one line of €780. Clodou does not count words in your files: give it the count from your CAT tool or word processor, and say whether it is the source or the target count.

Your client's currency

Each quote or invoice can be in USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, INR, SGD, ZAR or AED. Amounts are never converted, so the client sees exactly the price you quoted, and the payment is recorded in that currency too.

Who still owes you

Ask "who owes me money?" and get every overdue invoice with what is still owed, in its own currency. Clodou can then prepare a polite reminder for you to approve.

How translators bill, and how Clodou handles it

Per word, on the source or target count

Most translation work is priced per word, counted on the source text or on the translation, as agreed with the client. Give Clodou the count and the rate, such as 4,800 source words at $0.11, and it writes one line of $528. Clodou does not open or count your files, so take the figure from your CAT tool or word processor and name the count in the line, for example 4,800 source words. If a client prefers a price per page or per hour, the quantity and unit price work the same way.

Minimum fees and rush surcharges

Short jobs often carry a minimum fee, so a 150-word certificate is billed at your minimum rather than per word, and tight deadlines often add a surcharge, such as 25% of the job. Tell Clodou the amount: "minimum fee, £40" or "rush surcharge, €195" becomes its own line, so the client can see what it is for. Clodou never applies a minimum or a surcharge on its own.

Proofreading, editing and certified translations

Proofreading or editing another translator's work is often billed by the hour: 2 hours at £35 is a line of £70. If you log those hours on a project with an hourly rate, Clodou can turn them into a draft invoice. Where you offer certified or sworn translations, put the certification fee on a line of its own. Clodou prints what you write; it does not certify anything or check what a certified translation needs where you work.

A rush job in euros and a certified translation in pounds

  1. Step 1

    Quote Atelier Verne for their catalogue: 6,500 source words, French into English, at €0.12 a word, plus a 25% rush fee of €195 for delivery in three working days. In euros.

    Adds Atelier Verne as a client and creates quote DEV-0012 in EUR with two lines: 6,500 source words at €0.12, €780.00; rush fee, €195.00. The workspace is in GBP with no tax set, so the quote totals €975.00.

  2. Step 2

    Atelier Verne approved it. Turn DEV-0012 into an invoice.

    Creates draft invoice INV-0048 for €975.00 with the same lines. It stays in euros: Clodou never converts amounts. On Solo and Team, your payment link prints on the PDF.

  3. Step 3

    Invoice Daniel Ruiz for the certified translation of his 180-word birth certificate: my £40 minimum fee, plus £25 for certification.

    Adds Daniel Ruiz as a client and creates draft invoice INV-0049 in GBP, the workspace currency, with two lines: translation, 180 words, minimum fee, £40.00; certification, £25.00. Total: £65.00.

  4. Step 4

    I sent INV-0048 and Atelier Verne paid the €975

    Marks INV-0048 as sent and shows an approval card to record €975.00 received, in euros like the invoice. Once you approve it, INV-0048 is marked paid.

Just ask

Quote Atelier Verne for 6,500 source words, French into English, at €0.12 a word

Add 2 hours of proofreading at £35 an hour to my draft invoice for Kestrel Books

Which invoices are overdue, and how much is owed on each?

Questions

Can I charge per word?
Yes. Enter the word count as the quantity and your per-word rate as the unit price: 6,500 words at €0.12 is one line of €780. Say whether you count source or target words, as agreed with the client, and Clodou puts it in the line's description.
Does Clodou count the words in my documents?
No. Clodou does not open or count your files. Take the word count from your CAT tool or word processor and give it in your message.
How do I add a minimum fee or a rush surcharge?
As its own line with the amount you charge, for example: rush surcharge, 25% of €780, €195. For a short text, the minimum fee can be the only line: translation, 180 words, minimum fee, £40. Clodou writes what you tell it and never adds a fee by itself.
Can I invoice a client abroad in their own currency?
Yes, if it is one of the ten currencies Clodou supports: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, INR, SGD, ZAR and AED. Name the currency when you ask for the quote or invoice. Amounts are never converted, and payments are recorded in the invoice's currency. Invoices built from logged hours use your workspace currency.
Should I charge VAT or GST to a client in another country?
Clodou cannot tell you: it depends on your own tax rules, so check them or ask your accountant. Once you know, Clodou applies what you set: your workspace's tax, another rate on one invoice, a rate per line or no tax at all. It never picks a rate for you.
What does it cost?
Free covers up to 5 clients and 20 AI actions a month, with no separate cap on quotes and invoices (making them in the chat uses AI actions). Solo, with your payment link on invoices, is $29 a month per workspace. Team, with 5 seats and automatic reminders, is $79 a month. Prices are in USD, and the first 14 days are a free Team trial.

Guides

Your whole back office, in one chat

Every new workspace starts with a 14-day trial of Team, no card required. Then stay on Free: up to 5 clients and 20 AI actions a month; quotes and invoices have no separate cap, and making them in the chat uses AI actions.

Free: $0. Solo: $29 a month. Team: $79 a month with 5 seats. Prices per workspace, in USD.

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