Agency CAT tools and formatting Thread poster: SusieSmith
|
|---|
Imagine you completed a translation for an agency using their online CAT tool.
Then they got back to you the next day and said they downloaded the Word file from their CAT but there are a lot of formatting issues (e.g. some words not in italics when they should be) they want you to correct it ...
would you agree to do this?
| | | | Angela Malik 
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:27
German to English
+ ...
| Yes (but not for free) | Sep 12, 2016 |
If I had time for it, then yes, I probably would, but if the formatting corrections are extensive I would warn them that it will cost extra as this wasn't discussed as part of the original scope of the work when the translation was commissioned.
| | | |
You didn't mention tags? Were these not present in their CAT tool or did you leave them out? This could be why the formatting is off and if you left them out then you should fix at no extra charge.
| | | | wotswot
France
Local time: 14:27
Member (2011)
French to English
| Formatting tags are just that! | Sep 13, 2016 |
Either they or you removed or altered the tags.
Richard
| | |
|
|
|
Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 14:27
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Unplanned format checking is charged extra | Sep 13, 2016 |
DJHartmann wrote:
...Did you leave out [any tags]? This could be why the formatting is off, and if you left them out then you should fix at no extra charge.
wotswot wrote:
Either they or you removed or altered the tags.
I agree with DJ that if the formatting problems are due to you having left out tags that were formatting tags, then you have an obligation to fix the final file for no extra charge. However, I disagree with Wotswot that formatting problems in the final file are necessarily due to poor tag handling by the translator. Not all CAT systems do formatting well.
WFP (not an online tool, though) is a very good example of this: it strips leading and trailing tags automatically, which means that if the source text has formatting at the very start or very end of the segment, your translation will have the same formatting in the same places, even if different words are in those positions. Other CAT tools that do not strip leading and trailing tags automatically may still have a setting to do that (e.g. OmegaT, also not an online tool). I've also seen this in online tools.
In addition, it's not always possible to see in an online tool (or in a number of offline CAT tools either) whether a tag is a paired formatting tag or a non-paired formatting tag or a non-formatting tag, so the translator has to guess.
And sometimes multiple tags are displayed as a single tag in the CAT tool. For example, the source text may be "word1 <i>word2</i><b> word3</b> word4", but it's displayed in the CAT tool as "word1 {1}word2{2} word3{3}word4" instead of "word1 {1}word2{2}{3} word3{4} word4", which means that unless the translation's word order is exactly the same as the source text's word order, the translation's formatting will be upset.
SusieSmith wrote:
Imagine you completed a translation for an agency using their online CAT tool. ... Then they got back to you the next day and said they downloaded the Word file from their CAT but there are a lot of formatting issues (e.g. some words not in italics when they should be) and they want you to correct it. Would you agree to do this?
If it's not too much work, I'd do it, but I'd also complain about it. If the formatting problems are the result of the client's own decision with regard to which CAT tool the translator is required to use, the translator should not have to suffer for it.
If it's quite a bit of work, I'd explain to the client that format checking is not included in the original quote and that I would charge X extra. After all, having been forced to use an online CAT tool, I had little control over the formatting.
And I would take this as a lesson learnt: when a client asks you to do a translation in an online tool, and you agree, remember to tell them that the quote does not include format checking afterwards.
[Edited at 2016-09-13 08:30 GMT]
| | | | | Agree with Samuel | Sep 13, 2016 |
I completely agree with Samuel. If you left out tags, then fix it for free. If you placed tags as best you could, then the fault lies with their chosen CAT tool and they'll need to factor in editing afterwards as an additional cost.
I'm actually working on formatting a long text right now "for free", but it's my own fault because while my CAT tool is compatible with their CAT tool, there are still problems with tag conversions and that's what messes up the formatting. I chose to use... See more I completely agree with Samuel. If you left out tags, then fix it for free. If you placed tags as best you could, then the fault lies with their chosen CAT tool and they'll need to factor in editing afterwards as an additional cost.
I'm actually working on formatting a long text right now "for free", but it's my own fault because while my CAT tool is compatible with their CAT tool, there are still problems with tag conversions and that's what messes up the formatting. I chose to use a different one than they use, so it's on me to fix it. If I were using the same one they were and there were still formatting issues, I would expect them to pay for my time. ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Agency CAT tools and formatting | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
