Use of Translation Memories
Usually, companies expect to have the final approved version of a document before sending it for translation. What you probably do not realize is that by using a TM (Translation Memory), the translator can start working on the project before it has been officially approved. With a TM, costs and delivery times can be reduced considerably.
For example, when a document is delivered to the translator while still in the “draft” stage, the translator can start working on it without having to wait for the latest changes to be made or the final approval. When the document is ready, he or she simply analyzes the final version with the TM, and the file is updated and translated/modified only for any necessary changes that were introduced between the draft stage and the final version.
Clearly, this provides flexibility for the translator (because he or she can translate into a less demanding pace) and for the customer, because not only is the work completed ahead of schedule, but the translation costs will be significantly reduced.
A brochure, for example, or a technical document, may not change significantly each time it is updated. The client may add a new product, additional instructions, and so on, but normally the changes are minimal. Without the use of the TM, this fact is irrelevant, since the entire file would have to be reworked from scratch every time a new version is sent. With the use of TMs, the customer only pays for the translation of the changes made, in lieu of paying the whole document again.
When a client sends updated versions of its files, the TM that was previously created recognized the previous version which segments are identical and the translator only has to work on the small percentage of the segments that have been modified, added and/or eliminated with respect to the original version.
This represents a significant cost savings. For a company that produces three or four versions of the same document each year, the difference between using TMs for translations or translating documents from scratch every time is a savings of 50% or more.
At Trusted Translations, we quote new projects by considering the consistent use of CAT tools and TMs to reduce time and translation costs for your business.
(Versión en español: https://www.trustedtranslations.com/como-reducir-costos-de-traduccion-2012-01-23.html)
