JavaScript 25 31 1 0 Updated Jan 5, 2021. Text-Translation-API-V3-Go Go 5 7 0 0. Add online and offline text translation to Android apps translation offline text-translation Java 18 59 3 0 Updated Jun 11, 2018. Translator-HumanParityData Human evaluation results and translation output for the Translator Human Parity Data release 6 31 0 0. Find and compare top Translation Management software on Capterra, with our free and interactive tool. Quickly browse through hundreds of Translation Management tools and systems and narrow down your top choices. Filter by popular features, pricing options, number of users, and read reviews from real users and find a tool that fits your needs.
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Finding the best document translation software for your 2021 business needs is the secret to efficient, high-quality translation.
While the must-haves in a translation system can vary based on the organization, there are some non-negotiable features that one should always look for when choosing document translation software.
In this article, you’ll discover the top 15 best document translation software features to help your organization achieve accurate translations while reducing costs and saving time.
Best Document Translation Software Features to Look for
1. Sufficient Language Pairing
One of the best document translation software features to search for is compatibility with all the possible language pairs your business will be working with. Prior to investing in document translation software, we suggest you map out the languages your team will need to translate to and from. In the translation industry, these are commonly referred to as “language pairs.”
For example, your company might do business in German, English and Japanese. Just because a document translation software system claims it will translate German might mean it translates from German to English, but it doesn’t mean it will translate from German to Japanese (and vice versa).
2. File Translation Capability
The best document translation software will include the ability to translate files. For example, Word documents, PDF’s, Powerpoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets and Outlook files.
The translation software you choose should have compatibility with all the file types your company will need to translate. This includes not just what you need now, but what you might need in the future. You might only need compatibility with Word documents right now, but might your company need to translate a website in the future and therefore need HTML file compatibility?
What’s more, the best document translation software available will be able to do more than just translate files—it will quickly translate batches of files.
3. Copy & Paste Translation
In your day-to-day, there very well may be instances in which you aren’t performing high-volume translations. This makes it important to find document translation software that not only allows file translation, but also the simple ability to gist an email or paragraph of text. This is where copy-and-paste translation functionality will be useful.
4. File Formatting Preservation
Perhaps one of the best document translation software features you can find will be file formatting preservation. This will save you hours of time on reformatting your entire output file to match the original.
Search for a system that will preserve most of the format of your files for you so that you spend *less* time replacing the images in your file, reverting the font style or reconstructing your paragraphs.
Otherwise, you will spend more than just minutes reformatting your output file to match the original.
**Please note file formatting tools aren’t perfect, but they will save you some time.**
5. Translation Memory
Translation Memory is the most important component of any scalable translation workflow.
Translation Memory learns your words and phrases as you edit translations within the document translation software. It stores your translations as segments in a bilingual repository.
These segments are then used for future translation projects so that you never need to translate the same word or phrase twice. This is particularly useful for organizations using specialized vocabulary—especially within content that needs to be updated frequently.
Some examples of such materials include spare parts catalogs, organizational code of conduct and employment contracts. Essentially, any content with a long shelf life will benefit from Translation Memory.
It’s important to note that human translation is required for you to reap the benefits of Translation Memory.
6. Translation Editing
The best document translation software to choose is one that includes the ability to edit machine translations. This is key to achieving accurate translations when you’re using translation software.
This is because the software will typically produce a first draft translation for you using machine translation in combination with Translation Memory.
Take note of our calling it a “first draft.”
In most cases, the software will give you a file that is predominantly machine translation. This is never going to be as perfect as human translation.
The more complex or technical the text is that you need to translate, the more human post-editing will be required in order to achieve high-quality translations. For example, translating a car owner’s manual from Mandarin to English.
You’ll need a human translator because the translation requires human expertise in that specific subject matter area and for those languages. Machine translation is nowhere near being adequate for this task.
Editing and Translation Memory are used to train machine translation engines. Training your machine translation engine will yield immediate quality improvement results.
That being said, the best document translation software platforms are able to improve the initial draft translations with users’ translation edits.
These systems can improve draft translation quality quickly.
7. Automatic Spell-Check
When you shop for software, you should make sure it comes with an automatic spell-checker to point your spelling mistakes. This way, you can focus on the human translation component.
8. Real-Time Collaboration
It’s rare that there’s only just one person working on a translation project, and this is why the best document translation software will support real-time team collaboration.
You can easily share translations and co-edit from within the interface.
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Choose a web-based document translation software so that you can collaborate with colleagues across the globe. This way, they don’t need to install clunky software on their computers, and everything related to your translation projects will be accessible in one place.
9. Translation Tracking
If you’re going to be working with a team on translation projects, you’ll want the ability to track which translations each of your colleagues contributes. This is why the best document translation software for teams will include translation edit history.
10. Text-to-Speech Output
If your organization produces audio and video for internal purposes such as employee training, you should make sure that the software you choose gives audio output files for your translations.
It’s ideal if you can receive an audio file for an uploaded script, in the target language. This will save your company money because you will have eliminated the need to hire voice talent. If voice-over translation is important to your organization, make sure you define which languages you need voice-overs for.
You’ll want to be sure that the most common commercial languages are available in the software you choose.
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11. Live Human Support
The best document translation software will provide you with 24/7 human support. Enough said.
12. Powerful API Access
If your company likes to integrate its software systems with each other, robust API access is something you should look for in document translation software. As an organization grows, this becomes increasingly important. Keep this in mind as you compare your options.
13. Data Security
The best document translation software is one that comes with tight security. This is because any company that uploads its data into a software program is at risk of a data breach.
Features to look fore include, but aren’t limited to: Look for features such as multi-factor authentication, encrypted file storage at rest, in use and in transit and proof of a third party security audit and attestation, plus more.
14. Helps You Achieve Compliance With Mandates
If your organization needs extra security or must to adhere to strict data compliance laws, it’s important to ask the software company what measures they take to help you achieve compliance.
Working with financial information or healthcare information? The best document translation software for your business will be compliant with SOX (finance) or HIPAA (healthcare) regulations.
If your organization uses Microsoft Single Sign-On, you should opt for document translation software that is compatible with it.
15. Confidentiality
With any software that you use, you need to check the Terms of Service to make sure they don’t reserve the right to use your data in ways that your company disapproves of.
You don’t want the translation software company to repurpose your data in any way that could compromise the confidentiality of your data. This includes sharing, indexing or publishing it.
Our Recommendation for the Best Document Translation Software
At Pairaphrase, we developed the all-around best document translation software available in the translation industry. This is because we’re hyper-focused on ease-of-use combined with the powerful technology you need to get smart, safe and fast translation.
Our minimalist interface helps you work smarter while all the power runs in the background. It’s professional translation technology made smart. With Pairaphrase, there are multiple plans available to support your organization as it grows.
Not to mention Pairaphrase includes all of the 15 features we list above, plus more.
Schedule a live demo with our sales rep today.
Want the best translation software for professional translation in 2021? Access to the top translation software tools is an important factor in translating efficiently and accurately.
While language translation application needs might vary by company or translator, there are some necessities that you should always look for when choosing a business translation software program or application.
With this post, you can spare yourself hours of sifting through popular translation app reviews online.
Here are the 15 best professional translation software tools and features to help your business get high-quality translations while reducing your costs and conserving your time.
Top 15 Translation Software Tools & Features to Look for
1. Ample Language Pairs
The most important feature in a best-in-class translation software tool is compatibility with the language pairs your team needs translated (or will eventually require). Before you invest in what you consider to be your top option for a translation software tool, you should map out the languages you need to translate to and from. These are referred to as language pairs.
For example, you might work with French, English and Chinese. Just because a professional translation software system states it will translate French might mean it translates from French to English, but it doesn’t mean it will translate from French to Chinese (and vice versa).
2. Premium File Translation Tool
The best professional translation software programs you’ll find will include tools for file translation. If you come across a translation system without these, stay away.
The program you choose should be compatible with all the file types your company definitely needs to translate. You should also think ahead. This means keeping in mind the additional types of files your company might need to translate in the future.
What’s more, ideally the application won’t only be able to translate files, but it will translate multiple files simultaneously with speed (batch file translation).
3. Automatic File Formatting
If you plan on translating digital files, you want to search for a system that will automatically format much of your files for you.
This is hands down one of the best translation software features you can find. This is because it will encode your image placement, font properties, spacing and paragraph breaks and attempt to retain most of the original format as possible.
Otherwise, you will spend more than just minutes reformatting your output file to match the original.
**Please note automatic formatting isn’t perfect, but it will save you some time.**
4. Copy & Paste Translation
In some instances you won’t need to perform high-volume translations. The ability to gist an email, instant message, or paragraph of text from another website will be your task at hand. This is where a copy-and-paste translation tool will come in handy.
When shopping for professional translation software tools, make sure the program you choose not only includes a file translator, but also the ability to gist translations of small snippets of text via pasting.
5. Translation Memory
Translation Memory is the core component of any scalable translation process. It’s used by every major translation company in the world to lower costs, deliver ongoing quality improvements and reduce the resources it takes to translate.
It’s one of the top translation software tools available to businesses focused on their bottom line.
Translation Memory learns your words and phrases as you translate. As you edit translations within the system, Translation Memory works in the background. It stores your translations as segments in a bilingual repository.
These segments are then used for future translation projects so that you never need to translate the same word or phrase twice. This is particularly useful for organizations using specific technical jargon—especially within content that needs to be updated on a regular basis.
Some examples of such materials include owners manuals, organizational code of conduct and HR training materials. Essentially, any content with a long shelf life.
It’s important to note that human translation is required for you to reap the benefits of Translation Memory.
6. Translation Editing Tools
Your top translation software option will include the ability to edit translations. This is vital to achieving accurate translations.
This is because the software will typically produce a first draft translation for you using machine translation in combination with Translation Memory. Take note of our calling it a “first draft.” In most cases, the software will give you a file that is predominantly machine translation. This is never going to be as perfect as human translation.
The more obscure or technical the text is that you need to translate, the more human post-editing will be required in order to achieve high-quality translations. Think translating an automobile service repair manual for mechanics from Japanese to English.
You’ll need human translation because the translation requires human expertise in that specific subject matter area and for those languages. Machine translation is nowhere near being adequate for this task.
That being said, good professional translation software tools are able to improve the initial draft translations with users’ translation edits. These systems can improve draft translation quality quickly.
Always remember that when it comes to effectively using software for translation, best practices include collaborating with a human translator.
7. Translation Spellcheck Tool
No need for elaboration here. Look for an integrated spellchecker to eliminate the need to proofread, so you can focus on the human translation component.
8. Translation Collaboration
The best software tool for translation professionals will support team collaboration. Why? There is rarely ever just one person completing a translation request.
Bilingual employees are often used to produce translations in global organizations. This means that you’ll need to be able to easily share translations and request editing from within the app interface.
Choose cloud-based professional translation software so that you can collaborate with international colleagues. This way, they don’t need to install software on their computers, and everything related to your translation projects will be accessible in one central hub.
9. Translation Tracking
Speaking of collaboration, it’s important to be able to track the translations that your colleagues contribute on a translation project.
The best translation software tools will include translation edit history. You’ll want to be able to see the details tied to each segment of edited text, including date and timestamp, the editor’s name and what was changed.
10. Voice-Over Translation
Does your organization produce audio and video for internal purposes such as employee training? A translation software system that allows you to get text-to-speech output files will come in handy for global training initiatives.
It’s handy to receive an audio file for an uploaded script, in the target language. You’ll save money because you won’t need to hire voice talent. If voice-over translation is important to your organization, make sure you define which languages you need voiceovers for.
You’ll want to be sure that the most common commercial languages are available in any CAT tools you use.
11. Live Human Support
Top-notch professional translation software applications will provide you with 24/7 live human support. After all, your new investment should save you time in all respects.
Don’t buy a program from a company that won’t give you the chance to get live support when you need help. CAT tools can require technical assistance, so this is an important consideration.
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12. Professional Translation Software API
Does your company like to integrate its software systems with each other? If so, professional translation API access is important–but it should include the features listed above. Before you purchase translation software, make sure it not only gives you the option to access its API, but make sure it allows you to make API calls that don’t just deliver raw machine translation.
13. Enterprise-Level Security
The best professional translation system is one that comes with enterprise-level security. Why? Any company that uploads its data into software is at risk of a data breach.
Look for features such as multi-factor authentication, encrypted file storage at rest, in use and in transit and proof of a third party security audit and attestation, plus more.
14. Compliance with Specific Mandates
If your organization needs to adhere to strict data compliance laws due to the industry in which it operates, compliance with specific mandates is important to look for in business translation software. This may include GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), or SOX (Sarbanes Oxley).
If this is important to your organization, make sure this is available as an option so that you choose the best professional translation software possible.
15. Confidentiality
With any software that you use, you need to check the Terms of Service to make sure they don’t reserve the right to use your data in ways that your company disapproves of.
You don’t want the translation software company to repurpose your data in any way that could compromise the confidentiality of your data. This includes sharing, indexing or publishing it.
Recommendation for the Best Professional Translation Software Tool
At Pairaphrase, we developed the all-around best professional translation software tool available on the market today. This is because we’re hyper-focused on ease-of-use combined with the powerful technology you need to get smart, safe and fast translation.
With multiple options available to support your organization’s specific needs, we’re here to support you as your organization grows. Not to mention Pairaphrase includes all of the 15 features we list above, plus more.
Schedule a live demo today.
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