Cut Costs! Integrated DTP and Translation
The ‘classical’ approach to translation often involves a huge amount of email traffic — the curse of the modern office! A typical workflow might begin with the co-ordinator sending it to the translator, who extracts the original text, translates it and pastes it back in, before reviewing it and returning it. The co-ordinator then sends it to the in-house reviewer, who reviews and returns it. Next, it is sent to the translator again and any last minute changes, or adjustments to the translation are integrated. Finally, the co-ordinator will probably sent it back to the Design/DTP team to resolve all the layout issues that arose during the process.
This process takes time, energy and money — considerably more than it needs to. By contrast, QuickSilver Translate’s integrated approach involves the following steps:
- You send us material to be translated, specifying your translation and DTP requirements
- We send it back, translated, reviewed and ready to deploy (high-res PDFs for print or screen)
- That’s it 🙂
QuickSilver Translate’s integrated approach
Is an end-to-end process which consolidates all elements of a translation project into one continuous workflow. Combining DTP software and processes, with leading-edge translation software (CAT tools) — saving you time, money and hassle.
How do we do it?
By using a combination of software tools, QuickSilver has developed an integrated, optimised method for exporting text and then importing the subsequent translation to and from all major formats. This includes InDesign, PowerPoint, FrameMaker, etc., as well as all web-based formats (HTML, XML, ASP, etc.).
Adopting this methodology helps eliminate the risk of human error (such as cut-and-paste mistakes, or a lack of knowledge of the target language) and significantly speeds up the translation cycle.
However, QuickSilver goes a step further by taking responsibility for the actual layout of the translated document. Integrating the whole process into a workflow that shortens the translation cycle and gives our customers greater flexibility and efficiency.
Why might you need this service?
Space and Spacing
Translations rarely take up the exact same amount of space as the original — different languages use a different number of words to say the same thing. If your original document is in, say, English or Chinese, the translation will almost certainly take up more space than the original. For example, an English to Spanish translation usually requires around 30% more space.
If you have not allowed for this — both in the layout and document set-up — you will receive your translated document with overset text. If the text boxes are unlinked, or were only large enough (or wide enough, eg. headings) for the English — your translated document may contain hundreds of boxes with overset text. All of which will have to be adjusted manually.
FONTS and typography
Some languages use non-Latin characters, or read right-to-left. Some Latin-based languages use characters that are not supported in every font, for example: å ç ê ð ñ ø ß and ž.
LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC PUNCTUATION / UNITS
A few examples:
- Different languages use different quotation marks — see our “Map of Quotation Marks” below.
- French punctuation requires a non-breaking space between the word and any two-part punctuation mark (eg. : ; ? !).
- Hyphenation rules vary between languages.
- English and Chinese use a decimal point, whereas most other languages use a decimal comma (eg. 1,000.25 vs. 1.000,25).
It’s also worth remembering that if your document is technical, it should conform to the international standards (SI) for representing units
Formatting
If your document contains auto-generated text, links or other complex formatting, it is essential that these features are set-up correctly before translation… if not, you may need to repeat the work for each new language. Such as:
- An auto-generated table of contents,
- with PDF bookmarks
- Hyperlinks (web, email)
- Cross-references,
- Index markers
- Tables (which may flow across pages)
- Imported graphics (which may include text)
- Anchored images and/or icons
- Multiple callouts
Key benefits of integrating DTP and translation
WE OFFER
- Optimised processes for the creation, re-creation and maintenance of professionally designed documents and websites
- File preparation, to ensure that the translation process is smooth and efficient.
- Creation of multilingual, technical documentation
- Re-creation of PDF files to same resolution (for printing or web publication)
- Expertise in the interface between DTP software and Translation Memory (TM) software
- Expertise in typographic issues, such as language-specific punctuation and aesthetics
- Cost-effective updates of documents and websites, as well as version control
- Multilingual PDFs: a single file containing all translations — click to select your language.
Thinking of translation, and the design and layout for translation, as two sides of the same coin is the most cost-effective approach to ensuring high-quality multilingual documentation.
The result
- As we translate into more and more languages the initial design costs pay-off. As the layout is only created once, for all languages.
- Quality control and review costs are negligible since DTP and translation are in the hands of the same team.
- Flexibility — our translation team can make any last-minute changes directly into the layout, without re-extraction and re-inputting of text. Thus, reducing post-processing costs.
- New versions of the same document in subsequent years entail no extra layout costs.
Quicksilver’s integrated approach reduces delivery times, increases productivity and eliminates errors. A set of benefits which translate into higher productivity, as well as a significant cost reduction.
Contact us for more information!
Note: If you prefer to prepare your documents in-house, you will find information and some time-saving tips, here: Preparing Layouts for Translation.