Earned CPC
The CPC a search term actually paid when it converted — used as a harvest's starting bid.
When a search term earns its own keyword through a Harvest, it needs an opening bid. Guessing is avoidable: the term already told you what it costs to win the order.
AutoPPC uses the term's realized CPC over the decision window, clamped to your bid floor and cap. Generic terms take a haircut first, because generics tend to convert at low bids and should have to earn a raise rather than start at the top.