Chinese Translation Checklist 2022: How to Speed Up Deliverables and Projects

Chinese Translation Checklist 2022: No two businesses are the same, so it’s no surprise that every strategy looks a little different. But even when faced with unique challenges, some best practices are worthy of applying. When working with Chinese translation projects, there are a few key things to keep in mind to speed up the process and deliverables.

If it’s your first time working with an agency, it’s best to choose a partner that has an established system or workflow. A project manager is helpful to ensure that everything you need is available to meet the standard and deadline.

Meanwhile, if you’re already used to working with third-party vendors and suppliers, we assume you already know your way around the market. But we hope this blog post will also serve as your guide to improve your existing workflow. By following these simple tips, you can avoid costly delays and ensure that your project is delivered on time and within budget.

#1 Get Organized

Chinese Translation Checklist: Always maintain an eye on file formatting, especially with identical naming conventions. Always double-check to ensure that the most recent version is delivered to you and all files are bundled into a single archive or folder. Remember to follow up if you have any questions about preparing your documents for translation.

If your document is full of images, tables, charts, and footnotes, ask the vendor what you should remove before they start translating so you won’t miss anything. You can always keep it in the final draft for validation since these changes may delay delivery time. If needed, make sure to go over content once you receive an updated delivered file.

What you should have:

• Consistent file formatting and labeling
• Folders and backup folders
• List of documents that have images, charts, illustrations, and more

#2 Compare and Collaborate With Other Vendors

Chinese Translation Checklist: Each vendor’s procedures and services are different, but certain tried-and-true best practices can significantly impact. For example, submitting files to numerous vendors may allow you to compare their work and pick your favorite option. You’d then ask all remaining vendors for changes or extra deliverables at no cost after making your selection.

This method will save you time and allow you to receive better quality translation because each vendor would have only had access to translated portions instead of the entire document at once.

It’s best practice not to destroy initial translations if they need revision. This may delay the project as a whole because re-working from scratch takes time, and double-checking those changes could be very costly in terms of wasted hours, especially for larger projects with tight deadlines.

What you should have:

• List of vendors and suppliers you want to work with
• Initial drafts
• List of prices of deliverables

#3) Set a Deadline

When working with Chinese translation agencies, it’s best practice to make your deadline clear at the beginning. This way they know how much time is available and can give you an accurate estimate on when they can deliver the final product. Specify that the project should be finished within an “X” number of days or weeks. Most agencies will assume one week (about five business days) if not specified.

If you need something faster than their standard deliveries (usually in 3-5 business days), then this should be discussed in advance, so expectations are set correctly from the start. You may need to pay additional fees for expedited deliveries.

What you should have:

• Clarity on terms and conditions of deliverables
• List of additional fees for rush projects

#4) Use Translation Memory Tools

Using a translation memory tool is one of the best ways to lower average translation costs when working with Chinese translators, but it’s even better when you use it from the start.

Translation memory software saves all translations that have been previously completed and uses them as a database to help find similar phrases in future projects. This can save you up to 90% on your translations because employees don’t need human intervention or retyping.

This way, your documents don’t have to be translated from scratch each time they are needed, which is very expensive and less accurate in the long run. It takes a lot of effort and expertise to produce professional translations, so why pay more than necessary? Always ask the price of translation projects once the vendors use the CAT tool on documents.

What you should have:

• Terms and conditions of translation memory tools between the buyer and vendor
• Translation memory software (for existing)
• Discounted price of translation project

#5) Use Glossary for Technical Terms

If you’re looking to translate between English and Chinese, it’s essential to understand the cultural differences between each language. Although most people know that some words or phrases don’t cross over, they often neglect the importance of specific technical terms.

While translation agencies will be able to provide professional terminology for specific businesses (such as medical or legal translations), it’s still recommended to give them an idea of what you’re trying to say if they don’t understand your context. Explain the basic point of each sentence, and make sure to include any general or industry-specific words that might need further explanation.

While these differences may sound minor, even one wrong word can drastically change the meaning of a phrase, leading to serious problems down the road if translations are taken seriously. In other words, it’s important not to overlook this step because it could cost you more than you think if something is misunderstood (whether on purpose or mistakenly).

What you should have:

• Glossary of terminologies
• Style guides

Chinese Translation Checklist 2022: Final Thoughts

This blog post aims to provide you with a checklist for speeding up your translation projects. We hope it helps make the process smoother and less stressful. Get organized, compare and collaborate with other vendors, set deadlines, use translation memory tools that can help speed things along by looking at previous translations for similar content (or words), and use glossaries when possible to keep technical terms consistent throughout your project.

If you need an experienced team to oversee this process, LIMPID is here for you. Let us know how we can best assist in meeting these needs so that together through our partnership, we can deliver outstanding results on time!

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