In the past, translators used to work manually using multiple spreadsheets which allowed for a great deal of human errors whatever the level of accuracy and attention to detail translators may have. In today’s world, cutting-edge technologies have made all jobs easy and facilitated in almost all industries, and translation is not an exception.
Translation software has been introduced as a remarkable technological advancement that facilitates the translation process for translators and helps them focus more on their strategic tasks and projects while it takes over all the repetitive and less creative work.
In this article, we will go over the meaning of translation software, its main features, and benefits, and explain how to select the best translation software for your project.
What is Translation Software?
Translation software refers to the computer programs, tools, and resources that help streamline the whole translation process and allows all teams to communicate smoothly with each other.
The main goal of translation software is to deliver flawless and best-in-class translation projects. It entails all the tasks related to project management, translation, proofreading, data analysis, and reporting.
Translation software automates the whole translation project and enables you to track all the progress and updates.
What Are the Main Features of Translation Software?
An efficient translation software should have all the tools and functions that help in facilitating the whole translation process to make it easy, fast, and accurate at the same time such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and automation.
Actually, translation software is continuously evolving to surprise us every day with new features and tools that make translation more rigorous and accurate than ever. The following are some of the basic features any translation software program should have:
Translation Memory
It is a very important part of any translation software. Translation memory saves the time and effort of translators when they need to translate a text or part of a text that has been already translated or that is similar to another one that has been previously translated.
It works as a database that saves all the past translations to help translators by suggesting possible translations for texts. The translator, in this case, is free to accept the translation as it is, make some changes, or reject it completely.
This tool can be very handy especially when clients ask to update user manuals or previously translated documents. Instead of working on the same project from scratch, the translators can only make the required updates. This is most common in the medical and legal fields where translators should be accurate while selecting the suitable terminologies.
Translation Glossaries
A translation glossary or term base is an updated form of a dictionary that includes single or double-word terms, their definitions, and translations in one or more languages.
Every translation project should be sent to the translator along with a recommended translation glossary that may help him/her during the translation. However, a translator may choose to upload a new one sent by the customer.
Translation glossaries are specifically useful when you work on several projects sent by the same client. They help you stay consistent in using the proper terminology in every project.
Machine Translation
Machine translation should be an integral part of any translation software. It is a very fast and cost-effective way to translate documents that have less creativity and do not need human intervention. However, automatically translated texts should be reviewed by human translators as a post-editing process to ensure their accuracy and guarantee that they are error-free.
Quality Assurance
An effective translation software program should have tools that detect any errors that human translators may not notice such as typos, spelling, and punctuation errors.
What is the Importance of Translation Software?
Having translation software to streamline the whole translation process is particularly important if you decide to expand to overseas countries and you need to translate all your brand’s information into multiple target languages. It will allow you to track the progress of your translation projects and help translators collaborate effectively. Here are some of the key benefits of translation software:
- Translation software tools help translators stay consistent in selecting industry-related terminologies since all of them will use the same glossaries.
- They save you time and money. Translation software programs facilitate translators’ work by providing them with suggested translations and term bases. Moreover, if you need to incorporate any updates into your previously translated projects, you will not need to hire a translator to start the project all over again, the translators will just go over the previously translated text and update the required parts only.
- Translation programs enhance the quality of your translated documents by keeping the design and formats intact since all files are uploaded, translated, and downloaded through only one tool. Moreover, such programs can detect errors such as typos, spelling or punctuation errors to make sure that all translated texts are accurate and error-free.
How to Select the Best Translation Software?
There are two types of translation software: desktop software and cloud-based translation software. The cloud-based is the most advanced version. It does not require you to set up devices. All you need to do is to access the program using any web browser as long as you have a good internet connection.
The best translation software program is one that allows all teams to collaborate and assign tasks in a very flexible and easy way. It also secures clients’ data, texts, and any sort of communication among all teams working on the project. Thus, you have to choose a translation program that applies the most advanced data security protocols.
Why Choose Afrolingo?
At Afrolingo, we use the latest technology to ensure that the translation process is as smooth and seamless as possible. We also make sure that our translation software program has a strict quality assurance system to guarantee the accuracy of any translation project we deliver. Our main goal is to achieve consistency, flexibility, and accuracy in any translation project.
If you are looking for a professional translation agency that offers high-quality and cost-effective translation services, look no further than Afrolingo! Request a quote now!
