If the PM thinks you can’t handle the file, they won’t contact you about the project. It will only let you translate the actual text, leaving the code untouched. Not an HTML whiz? Use your CAT tool to allow you to quickly and easily translate files containing computer code, such as php, asp, html, exports from design programs, etc. Instead of clicking into all the little boxes in a PowerPoint file, or trying to see all the text hidden in the Excel cells, the CAT tool will put everything into the correct box and you (or your PM!) will only need to tidy it up. Using a CAT tool will help you maintain the formatting of all types of files. FormattingĪt Web-Translations, we appreciate when translation deliveries are ready to send to the client and don’t require additional Project Management time. Trados 2007’s WinAlign tool can do this (although it is rather tricky to use!), or you can use another tool like XBench, which is not a CAT tool, but which will allow you to create a TM export from an Excel file containing the source content in column A and the translation in column B. Has your PM sent you a stack of previously translated documents, along with their source files? Align reference materials to add to your TM to make sure you don’t miss any fuzzy or exact matches that could increase consistency and reduce the time spent translating. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, inversion of numbers, and formatting can often be checked in real time as well as when prompted by you at the end of a session. Your CAT tool offers a range of tools for quality control. This way you won’t forget which words are in the glossary, or waste time double-checking. Instead of referring to a separate file, import these terms into your CAT tool, which will prompt you when one of the words appears. We always ask clients for glossaries, and often create a terminology list for larger projects, especially if more than one translator is involved. We recommend that you export your TMs and store them in the cloud, on an external hard drive, or at least on a USB pen, keeping them safe should the worst happen. Over the years, there have been many, many times when we have had to use a TM to pre-translate a file after the bilingual or clean file became corrupted. Your CAT tool saves every sentence as you translate, so even if your computer crashes mid-translation, you have a backup. BackupĬorrupted Word files, computer crashes, accidental deletions… we all experience computer problems every now and then. This can help you plan your time for the remainder of the project. PlanningĬAT tools can help you keep track of your progress, displaying what percentage of the translation or proofreading you have completed. You can limit your search to the source text, translation, exact matches only, etc. Additionally, many CAT tools offer a concordance feature which allows you to search the TM for a word, word sequence or phrase. This will save you loads of time! ConsistencyĮfficiently handling repetition not only helps you to translate more quickly, it also increases consistency. The previous source text and translation will pop up, and you can insert the translation or edit it as necessary. CAT tools indicate if a segment is the same as what you have translated previously, either in your current document (repetition) or in your translation memory (100% or exact match), or if there are ‘fuzzy’ or ‘partial’ matches where the new source text is similar. For the 12% of you who don’t, here are some reasons why we think CAT tools are essential: SpeedĪlready translated something similar? If you have it in a TM (translation memory), you can efficiently deal with repetitive text. Last year, a Proz poll indicated that 88% of professional translators use a CAT tool.
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