Interpreting Quote Template
Interpreters are booked by the half day or day, not by the word, and the mode changes everything. One consecutive interpreter can cover a factory visit, while a conference in simultaneous needs two in a booth with equipment. Quote the time you are held, not just the time you speak.
No sign-up. Totals, tax and deposit are worked out for you; print it or save it as a PDF.
Free download (no sign-up): Excel / Word
This quote as a file you can fill in and send: the line items below, with amounts, tax and the total worked out by formulas.
How to use this file
- Download it and open it in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, Word or Google Docs.
- Put in your business details and the client, then replace the example lines and prices with your own. In Excel, amounts, tax and the total update as you type.
- Check the payment terms, then save it as a PDF and send it to the client.
Example line items
| Item | Unit | Qty | Example price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 site visit: consecutive, one interpreter | day | 1 | 600–1,200 / day |
| Day 2 conference: simultaneous, team of two | interpreter-day | 2 | 800–1,500 / day |
| Booth, transmitter and receivers | day | 1 | 800–2,500 / day |
| Preparation: slides, speaker list, glossary | hour | 4 | 50–100 / hour |
| Overtime past 8 hours on site | hour | 1 | 100–200 / hour |
| Travel time and expenses | trip | 1 | 100–400 |
Amounts are examples before tax, not price advice. Add sales tax or VAT where it applies.
What to put on the quote
- Mode for each session (consecutive, simultaneous, escort), the language pair and whether both directions are needed.
- Booked hours including breaks, start and finish times, and when overtime begins.
- Materials the client sends in advance (agenda, slides, speaker names, product terms) and the date they are due.
- Equipment: booth, transmitters, receivers and a technician, supplied by you, the venue or a rental company.
- Whether the interpretation will be recorded or streamed, and the extra fee for that use.
Common mistakes
- Agreeing to cover a full-day simultaneous conference alone, and quality slipping after lunch.
- Getting the slides on the morning of the event, with no preparation time in the price.
- Quoting only the meeting hours when the client keeps you from the 8 a.m. hotel pick-up to the end of dinner.
- Finding out on the day that the session is recorded and published, with no fee agreed for it.
Deposit, balance and validity
50% to confirm the booking, balance within 14 days after the assignment. A cancellation less than 7 days before is charged 50% of the fee, and less than 48 hours before in full, because the dates were held. Quote valid for 30 days.
Questions people ask
Why do you need two interpreters for simultaneous?
Simultaneous interpreters take turns every 20–30 minutes to stay accurate; one person for a full day is a quality risk.
Is lunch with the delegation part of the booked time?
If you are expected to interpret during a meal, it is working time. The quote names which meals are working sessions.
Can you also translate our documents?
That is written translation, quoted separately by word count.
What if the meeting ends early?
The half-day or full-day rate stands, because that time was reserved and could not be offered to anyone else.