Some very simplistic answers to a complex issue - briefly and sorry about sucking eggs - practice autorotations are not merely a flying exercise but an essential tool to save your life in the event of an engine failure.
At the hover - freeze lever, counter drift/yaw - cushion landing,
air taxi - freeze lever - counter drift/yaw - cushion landing,
air transit say 50 feet/30 kts - lower lever - counter drift/yaw - flare how much depends on height/airspeed - level - cushion landing,
transition to forward flight - lower lever - flare as required depending on height/airspeed - counter drift/yaw - level - cushion landing,
in climb - lower lever - counter drift/yaw - flare as required depending on height/airspeed - cushion landing,
cruise - lower lever - maintain attitude/airspeed even lower nose to gain best range airspeed (where was that forced landing area I saw a moment ago?) - from point of engine failure to the forced landing area is the most important and generally least practiced part of autorotative/engine failure practice,
in descent - lower lever - counter drift/yaw - airspeed range? - forced landing area?,
on finals - lower lever - counter drift/yaw - maintain attitude/airspeed - flare dependent on height/ROD/airspeed - cushion landing.
Bear in mind the helicopter rotor system takes about 1000 feet of descent to aerodynamically establish autorotation.
You will not necessarily get an engine failure at the best time - I know a pilot who had an engine failure due to the addition of lead - he forced landed backwards into the LZ he had just departed from.
GAGS
E86