Internationalisation checks for your print documents
First check, then translate
Get a no-obligation quote
Get a no-obligation quote
Your print documents should be translated for multiple target markets and go to print quickly or be promptly published as a download. Protect yourself from unpleasant surprises at the last minute: With internationalisation checks, we will clarify in advance whether your documents are ready for internationalisation: through good preparation, you can shape all project phases as efficiently as possible, save time and have predictable project costs without extra unforeseen work.
What’s smarter: having the source text undergo an internationalisation check and optimising it once, or correcting ten target language texts individually? Thanks to our internationalisation checks, missed deadlines and hectic email communication on an exhausted budget are things of the past.
But why is an internationalisation check necessary?
“Successful internationalisation begins in the development stage of the document, not with translation,” according to ProLinguo’s Managing Director, Anna Kaleta. “Problems always arise with our customers when internationalisation hasn’t been considered from the very start.”
Then the following happens, for example:
Internationalisation check: perfectly equipped for multilingual translation
We’ll provide you with a detailed report on how ready your InDesign, FrameMaker or QuarkXPress print documents are for internationalisation, as well as a simulated translation in the target language. This way you can see for yourself.
In the internationalisation report, we give clear guidance which you can use to optimise your document before the translation.
Use our know-how and have your documents optimised by our internationalisation experts. Our team makes any necessary changes to the source document and can obtain suitable fonts for your marketing documents after consultation.
Your documents will be perfectly prepared for translation and will only require minimal editing before being published. This means less effort, predictable costs, and deadlines met.
Two fictitious (but realistic) example projects
The “Rushworth Company” urgently needs to have its product catalogue in InDesign translated from English into six languages, including French, Chinese and Slovakian. Time is running out, along with their budget. The translation agency promptly delivers all translations as idml files.
The problems begin: The graphic design agency working with the customer informs them that the text is far too long in all languages. The layout was generated for the “short” source language of English and the text expansion of up to 50% in the French translation presents a problem. The customer asks the translation agency to shorten it, however the possibilities for this are limited and the text is still around 20% too long. The graphic design agency once again needs to alter the layout and add in and design new pages.
Another problem: the font doesn’t support the Chinese alphabet or the diacritic symbols of the Slovakian alphabet. The graphic designer looks for a new, suitable font and then checks the layout once more.
On top of that: the layout looks good, but it isn’t “cleanly” rendered. Manual formatting with the help of breaks and spaces leads to cut-off sentences and useless data polluting the translation memory. The customer loses some of the added efficiency brought by translation memory technology in the form of quicker processing, lower costs and greater consistency. And not just for this job: a polluted translation memory affects future projects too.
In conclusion: Additional costs are accrued for text shortening and layout alteration. Deadline and budget weren’t met. Extra email communication between all parties wasted time and money. The general mood reflects the urgency and stress of the project. The effectiveness of the translation memory has been permanently reduced – the customer will now have to pay more than necessary for future translations.
The “Wiseman Company” orders the translation of its product catalogue from English into five languages: French, Chinese, Slovakian, Russian and German.
For a small fee, the “Wiseman Company” orders an internationalisation check before the translation.
The report finds that
the text is too long in all target languages as the layout is too tight. However this only needs to be improved once in the original document, where it can be seen exactly which text block is too tight in each language. The customer’s graphic design department receives precise guidelines.
There are also issues with language compatibility: it’s apparent that the chosen font doesn’t support the diacritic symbols of Slovakian. That wouldn’t have occurred to the graphic designer at all, but the Slovakian customer would certainly notice. The problem can be solved with a new font similar to the original.
Thanks to the simulated translation, it becomes clear that the formatting is cutting off some sentences. To be able to make optimal use of the translation memory, the formatting needs to be repaired prior to translation.
Translation and graphic design agencies carry out the suggested changes in coordination with one another.
The document is translated, and everything runs smoothly. Only valuable data end up in the translation memory and the customer enjoys all benefits to their fullest.
In conclusion: The deadline and budget were met. There were no surprises or deviations from the planned workflow. Communication was efficient and relaxed. The customer benefits and will continue to benefit from a fully-functional translation memory. The graphic designer learns from the feedback and takes these points into consideration the next time.
Upload your file now for a no-obligation quote. We’ll get back to you right away.
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