Insisting on formats to be submitted by client Thread poster: irskdansk
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irskdansk
Denmark
Local time: 15:12
Danish to English
I have the usual last-minute panicked office employee calling me to translate their organisation's annual report, because no one thought to factor it in to the process.
However, they have employed a design company this year to produce a digital report - think lots of fancy flash graphics, etc.
She wants me to translate the report directly from the website. There are so many side bars, interactive graphs, tables, etc. it would take me hours just to copy paste the origina... See more I have the usual last-minute panicked office employee calling me to translate their organisation's annual report, because no one thought to factor it in to the process.
However, they have employed a design company this year to produce a digital report - think lots of fancy flash graphics, etc.
She wants me to translate the report directly from the website. There are so many side bars, interactive graphs, tables, etc. it would take me hours just to copy paste the original content into something that resembled a Word or PDF doc in order to properly evaluate the scope of the assignment and give a detailed quote for the job.
(Their IT person doesn't have the knowledge/time/resources to export files that could be translated in MemoQ and reintegrated into the website. And I don't have the tech know-how to walk them through it.)
Have others experienced a similar situation before and would I be right in thinking I should insist on some sort of manageable file before I can give a proper quote and take on the job?
Thanks for any advice! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | | | Ask for an editable file. | Apr 3, 2018 |
Unless you have a workable text editor software, I would ask for and editable format or proper file I could work on or just refuse to quote and reject the offer, no thank you.
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Barry Walker
Brazil
Local time: 11:12
Portuguese to English
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| More for less... | Apr 3, 2018 |
Unfortunately, this is becoming common practice and I believe it's simply the old case of companies wanting 'more for less'. Why get an editable file if the translator is desperate enough to accept the job and spend hours, as you said, copying and pasting the text. Websites are one example, presentations with flashy graphics and documents with endless tables are also common. I've accepted jobs like this (particularly when I was starting with translations) and refused them (after becoming 'wise' ... See more Unfortunately, this is becoming common practice and I believe it's simply the old case of companies wanting 'more for less'. Why get an editable file if the translator is desperate enough to accept the job and spend hours, as you said, copying and pasting the text. Websites are one example, presentations with flashy graphics and documents with endless tables are also common. I've accepted jobs like this (particularly when I was starting with translations) and refused them (after becoming 'wise' to the work involved!). Even worse, I find, are PDF files that have been poorly scanned and are difficult even to read, let alone be able to copy and paste the text. Nowadays, my clients know pretty much what I will and won't accept. I'd say don't accept until they provide you with a manageable file, or at least agree to compensate you for the work that you would need to put in to crate your own manageable file. ▲ Collapse
| | | | irskdansk
Denmark
Local time: 15:12
Danish to English
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks for all the tips! | Apr 3, 2018 |
Of course there should be some original source files somewhere that were provided to the designers, but the office contact has no idea how to locate them...
| | | | Dan Lucas 
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:12
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
| If they pay by the hour, perhaps | Apr 3, 2018 |
irskdansk wrote:
She wants me to translate the report directly from the website.
I personally would insist on an editable file or walk away.
In theory you could undertake to extract the data and charge them by the hour, but it is unlikely that you will be able to provide an accurate estimate in advance, and that might well create trouble down the road. If you bill them for 20 hours when they had expected 3 hours, things will not go well.
Dan
| | | | | The file is out there... | Apr 3, 2018 |
Insist that they have to get the file from the design company, or even better... put you directly in contact with those people. Or someone higher up in the organization who can get the proper file. Highlight the cost factor, if they don't get the right file, it's going to cost a lot more.
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Angela Malik
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:12
German to English
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| Not 'more for less' | Apr 4, 2018 |
Barry Walker wrote:
Unfortunately, this is becoming common practice and I believe it's simply the old case of companies wanting 'more for less'. Why get an editable file if the translator is desperate enough to accept the job and spend hours, as you said, copying and pasting the text.
What? I agree that some clients are always looking for 'more for less' but in a situation like this where the client is using flashy final documents, if you copy-and-paste to translate it, surely the client would have to copy-and-paste your translation to use it in their flashy digital format. Everybody's time is wasted.
I think this is not a case of wanting more for less, I think it is a case of poor planning on the part of the client, and lack of knowledge/time on both parts as to how to extract the text in an automated process to produce workable files for both parties.
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