FAQ - Frequently asked questions and answers

General information

What is the difference between the Basic, Expert, Premium and Post-Editing requirement levels?

Basic (two-eyes principle):
Quick and easy, without additional revision. An experienced specialist translator translates your texts to our high standards. Basic texts generally have only minor industry-specific requirements.

Expert (dual control principle):
A text is translated by an experienced specialist translator. A specialist reviewer edits independently of this. This four-eyes principle ensures flawless specialist translations of demanding texts that meet the high specific requirements of your industry. The specialist reviewer is also an expert in your industry, so you can be sure that your translation will not contain any errors.

Premium (six-eyes principle):
Six eyes see more than four. The team of experts consists of a specialist translator, a specialist reviser, another specialist reviser or, if required, a specialist editor, an industry expert based in the target country of the translation. He is responsible for accuracy in technical language, corporate language and style. It ensures that the message of the text reaches your target group exactly as it should.

Post-editing (machine and human):
Depending on the language combination and text type, texts may be suitable for machine translation. During post-editing, this machine translation is checked for correctness by a post-editor.

If you are unsure which requirement level is the right choice for your translation project, give us a call. We will be happy to advise you.

How long is the Toptranslation office occupied?

We are there for you from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (CET). On request and by prior arrangement, we are also happy to work outside these regular business hours.

What information is important to obtain a high-quality translation?

All translations are carried out by qualified and experienced specialist translators who translate exclusively into their native language. However, to ensure that your text is translated exactly according to your wishes, you can help us with important information.

For what purpose do you need your translation? A translation for an annual report or a company brochure may require revision by a second translator, a simple e-mail correspondence may not. Is it a website text, trade fair documents, a contract or internal company correspondence? Depending on the purpose, we offer the right requirement level: Basic, Expert or Premium (https://frontend.tt.gl/sprachliche-leistungen/fachuebersetzungen).
Who is the target group of your translation? A website text for a young target group follows different conventions than a specialist article for an academic audience or a legal document that is read exclusively by lawyers. If you tell us the target audience for your translation, it helps us to strike the right note.
In which target country will your translation be read? An American audience, for example, expects different wording than a British audience, even if both speak English. South American Spanish differs from European Spanish and French spoken in France differs from French spoken in Canada.
Should we translate close to the text or more freely? Instructions for use and contracts must be translated close to the text, while advertising messages can be translated a little more freely, but there are also less clear-cut cases. If you tell us whether we should translate close to the source text or a little more freely, this will help us with the translation.
Can you provide us with reference materials? If you have texts that you want us to use as a reference, terminology lists, style guides or glossaries, this helps us to translate technical terms, product names or abbreviations used consistently, for example. You can also help us if you tell us whether we should translate proper names, titles, etc. or not.
If you leave a telephone number, we can call you back and clarify any questions about the project quickly and easily in a personal conversation.
So that we can start the translation as quickly as possible, it is important that you do not make any subsequent changes to the source text. It is better to wait a little longer and then send us the final source text.
Please allow sufficient time and do not specify the desired delivery date too soon. A professional translator manages around eight to ten standard pages per day, plus one day for revision and possibly another day for proofreading.

Finally: let us know your feedback on the translation! What were you satisfied with and what can we do better next time?

What happens if the translator asks questions about the content of the text?

If the translator has any questions about the text, they should contact the responsible project manager. They will first check whether they can answer the question themselves, if necessary after brief research. If they cannot answer the questions themselves, they should contact the translation client. Questions will of course be sent collectively.

Is the quotation free of charge?

Quotations are free of charge and non-binding. During our business hours you will receive your individual offer within 30 minutes.

Do you offer express translations or an overnight service?

Urgent translations are an integral part of our services. Our regular prices apply for medium processing times. For larger quantities of text with a shorter delivery time, we charge an express surcharge of 10 to 30 percent on the base word price. If you are not sure whether your translation can be produced within the requested delivery time, please give us a call. We will be happy to advise you.

Is there a possibility of a free trial translation?

We can produce sample translations of up to 250 words on request. We usually have your text translated by two different teams of specialist translators and you choose the translation that suits you best. In this way, we ensure that we build up a pool of regular translators for you right from the start that meets your linguistic requirements. You only pay for one translation, the costs for the second team are covered by Toptranslation.

What documents do you need to start a translation project?

All we need to start a project is the source text (i.e. the text you want us to translate for you) and the target language you require. To ensure that your text is translated exactly according to your wishes, you can help us with a few additional tips.

Translation service

What is the difference between the four-eyes principle and the six-eyes principle?

In accordance with ISO 17100, the international standard for translations, a text is not only translated but also proofread by a second language expert. The reviser compares the source and target texts, checks the translation for completeness and corrects grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors, as well as obvious stylistic errors and incorrect terminology. We call this requirement level (Expert) the dual control principle.
With the six-eyes principle (premium), a text is also edited by a third translator, the proofreader. He has years of relevant experience in your industry and knows the technical terms and specific requirements inside out. The proofreader adapts the translation to the target country and the target audience, makes stylistic corrections and ensures that your text is received exactly as it should be.

What is the difference between a specialist translator, specialist reviewer and specialist editor?

Every specialist translator and every specialist reviewer must have sufficient Qualifications to be able to work for us.

A Specialist translator will only translate your source text if the target language is his native language and he has the relevant specialist knowledge.

A Specialist auditor has the same qualifications as a specialist translator. It compares the source text with the translation and checks for completeness and consistency, spelling, grammar and punctuation. If a translation is processed by two independent translators in this way, it meets the requirements of the international standard ISO 17100.

Everyone Specialist editor of the Toptranslation database has a recognized university degree and more than five years of professional experience in his field. He is very familiar with industry-specific terminology and knows the standard industry formulations and stylistic features. He puts the finishing touches to your translation and optimally adapts it to the intended purpose and target group.

How long do I have to wait for the offer and what response times can I expect?

During our business hours, we will provide you with a free and non-binding quote within 30 minutes. We respond to e-mails within 60 minutes.

What DTP services do you offer?

We offer the following DTP services on request:

Preparation of source documents for CAT systems
Adjustment/post-processing of the layout
Adaptation to the typographical specifications (by agreement)
Internationalization (by arrangement)
DTP proofreading

Typographical proofreading includes the following individual services by arrangement:

Checking typographical correctness
Checking the correct implementation of internationalization requirements
Checking the numbering and figures
Check formatting based on the source file

To do this, we need the source files in open format.

Do you also translate websites?

Yes. When translating websites, we usually work with an API (Application Programming Interface), an interface within your usual system environment, depending on the CMS (content management system). You can order and receive translations directly from here. Alternatively, you can install a plug-in that allows you to export the website content quickly and easily and then receive the translation in the correct format so that you can re-import it to the correct location in just a few minutes. We will be happy to advise you on this.

Alternatively, we can also translate the content of your website directly in your CMS.

Can you incorporate the translation directly into our company brochure?

Yes, we can incorporate your translations directly into your print media, such as company brochures, product catalogs or trade journals. All we need is the source file in open format.

I have a text that has already been translated. Do you also offer proofreading or editing services?

Yes, we also offer a proofreading and editing service. To do this, we need the source text and the translation.

Does Toptranslation also offer certified translations?

Yes, we also offer certified translations by sworn or sworn (the terms differ depending on the federal state) specialist translators. Please note that certified documents are only valid in the original and must therefore be sent by post. The delivery time for the translation is therefore extended by one to two days for postal delivery.

Do you offer dubbing for videos in several languages?

Yes, we also offer dubbing, voice-over and subtitling for videos. We would be happy to prepare an individual offer.

Do you also offer interpreting services?

We also offer an interpreting service. Depending on your requirements, you can choose between video interpreting, telephone interpreting and on-site interpreting. Feel free to contact us and receive an individual and non-binding offer.

Which languages do you offer?

You can find an overview of our languages here. If you need a translation into another language, please contact us. We are sure to find a qualified specialist translator for you. The rarity of a language means that there is not a translator for every conceivable source language who can translate directly into this rare language. It may be necessary to translate into the desired target language via a bridge language such as English or German.

What is post-editing?

Post-editing is the post-processing of a machine translation. The translation is compared with the source text in order to correct incorrect and incomplete translations. Post-editing is therefore always bilingual. A post-editor has the same qualifications as a translator.

Processing time and delivery times

How many words can you translate per day?

A professional translator can translate around eight standard pages per day. Depending on the source language, such a standard page contains approximately 250 words. If a large document needs to be translated more quickly, it may be advisable to split the text and have several translators work on it at the same time. We would be happy to discuss the details with you in person to find the best solution for your requirements. Give us a call or write us a E-mail.

How quickly can you deliver the translation?

Depending on the difficulty of the source text, a professional translator can translate around eight standard pages a day. For large volumes that are needed quickly, a text can also be processed by several translators at the same time. A final revision by a single reviser ensures consistency in style and terminology where necessary. If you need your translation by a fixed deadline, please contact us. We are sure to find a solution.

Who will process my translation request? Do I have a personal contact person?

A qualified project manager with a direct telephone extension is available to you as your personal contact throughout the entire duration of the project - from the preparation of the quotation to delivery and beyond. Our project managers are qualified translators themselves and can therefore provide you with the best advice.

Can you meet my requested delivery date?

In order to meet your requested delivery date, we start the translation immediately after your confirmation of the quote. When specifying your desired date, please bear in mind that a professional specialist translator can translate around eight standard pages per day and also allow sufficient time for additional services such as revision, proofreading or layout design. If you are not sure whether your desired date is realistic, call us or send us a E-mail. Our multilingual service team will be happy to advise you.

How can you speed up the translation process?

To speed up the translation process for large volumes of text, it is sometimes advisable to split a text and have several specialist translators work on it at the same time. A final revision by a single auditor ensures a uniform style. If you notify us of large volumes before the start of the project, we can also "reserve" the right team of specialist translators for your order in advance.

Can I rely on the punctual delivery of the ordered translation?

Yes. Punctuality and reliability are fundamental to our service, which is why it is our top priority to ensure that you receive your translated documents by the agreed delivery date at the latest. In the unlikely event of delays, for example due to the illness of a translator, we will endeavor to find a replacement as quickly as possible so that the delivery date is not delayed.

Technology

What is the difference between a terminology tool and a translation memory?

A terminology database works like a dictionary in which translations of terms and expressions are stored. This must be created once, filled with entries and maintained regularly.
A translation memory automatically saves source texts and their translations, recognizes repetitions automatically and displays them during the translation process. It therefore does not have to be filled manually. Both can be used independently, but work best in combination.

What advantages does the customer dashboard offer me?

Your individual dashboard is web-based (no installation required) and can be accessed from anywhere using secure access (256-bit SSL encryption). You can manage all translation projects and view the status of your open requests and orders at any time. There are no additional costs for setting up and using your basic dashboard.

The functions at a glance:

Document upload for request for quotation
Document download after project end
Download translations (individually or document groups as ZIP)
Download invoices
Compare, download and accept offers
Creation of new translation projects
Submitting assessments of completed translations and project management
Creation and management of cost centers (e.g. your internal SAP cost center or other systems such as Ariba, DATEV, etc.)
Individualization of your dashboard, e.g. with your own company logo and employee photos
Management of company-internal glossaries
Management of your company structure and employees in the system

What is a translation memory?

A translation memory is a text database that stores all previously translated segments and recognizes repetitions in texts. These can be whole paragraphs, sentences or individual sentence components. A translation memory not only recognizes completely identical repetitions, so-called 100% matches, but also similar but not completely identical sentence segments, so-called fuzzy matches. A translation memory is made up of translation units, i.e. language pairs of source and target language.

Do you make the terminology database available to your customers?

We will be happy to provide you with your company-specific terminology database. You decide whether you create and maintain the database yourself or whether we do it for you.

Can you provide an interface to our system?

Yes. We do everything we can to ensure that the translation process runs as smoothly as possible for you. If you need translations from a special system environment such as SAP or from a content management system, we provide you with an API so that you can order and receive translations directly from your system. This saves multiple reformatting and the translations arrive exactly where you need them. In the case of a website, this means that all translated texts are in the right place, where necessary adapted to the layout in terms of quantity or font size. All you have to do is activate the page.

Can I view the status of my translation?

You can view the status of your requests and your ongoing and completed projects in your personal dashboard at any time. You can use the dashboard on the move or at home (e.g. with a tablet or smartphone). The "https" in the address line stands for 256-bit SSL encryption. Therefore, uploads and downloads as well as communication with your project manager are more secure than e-mails. No installation is necessary for your individual dashboard, you need no software, no licenses, no training. It's even free of charge. If you wish, we can set it up when you place your first order and you simply save it as a bookmark in your browser.

Is it possible for you to translate directly in the content management system?

Yes, we can also translate directly in the CMS (content management system) of your website. This saves you time and effort because all translations automatically end up where you want them. Depending on the CMS, we usually also work with an API or plug-in for website translations, which allows us to export the website content quickly and easily and then deliver the translation in the correct format so that you can import it back into the right place in just a few minutes. We will be happy to advise you on this.

Can I also send my request by e-mail?

Yes, you can send your request via E-mail send. Or you can use our Inquiry form.

Costs and billing

Will the translation be cheaper if there is more time for editing?

Yes. We grant a 5% discount for the "Not urgent" option.

How and when is the invoice sent?

You will receive your invoice at the end of the project by post or electronically by e-mail - whichever you prefer. You can also find all invoices at any time in your personal Customer dashboard.

How can I reduce the cost of translation?

You can reduce the cost of your translation by allowing sufficient time. Because we grant a 5% discount for the "Not urgent" option. If you also provide us with your source text in its open source or exchange format, we can analyze it using translation software and identify text repetitions. This repeat discount reduces your costs by up to 65%.

Can you send me the invoice by post?

We can also send you your invoices by post on request.

Are cross-text repetitions (also compared to previous orders) discounted?

If you use recurring phrases or text modules, these segment repetitions are recognized and discounted. Each time it is repeated, our translation memory system (TMS) displays the existing translation. The specialist translator takes care of this. You save.
Our TMS runs with every translation on request. All translations carried out by the specialist translator are stored in a database so that the TMS "remembers" each segment when it occurs again. The more translations are stored in the translation memory, the more effective it becomes for your company. The TMS reduces your translation costs by up to 65 percent.
The use of such a system is free of charge.

What payment methods do you offer?

You can pay by bank transfer, online bank transfer, check and Paypal.

Why does your website not contain a quotation calculator?

How much a translation costs depends on several factors. Therefore, we cannot give any information on the cost of a translation without knowing the details. Have an influence on the offer price:

The source text. If you send us the source text, we can determine how demanding the text is. A specialist medical article requires more effort than simple correspondence. We can also analyze the text with translation software to identify repetitions in the text. This not only makes the translator's work easier, but also reduces your costs by up to 65 percent.
The source and target language(s). For some languages, there are numerous native speakers and therefore numerous translators. There are fewer qualified translators for other languages, which also increases the price.
The size of the text: translating a large text into one language is less work than translating many short texts into many languages, even if the total amount of text is the same in both cases.
The services you require: do you also need DTP work, certifications or other additional services?
The desired delivery date: we discount orders with longer delivery times and charge a surcharge for express orders.

There is no automatic quotation calculator to adapt each quotation to your wishes and requirements in the best possible way. Every quote is free and non-binding and will reach you within 30 minutes.

Do you offer word, line and page prices?

We usually charge by the word. The source text is used for the calculation. On request, we can also invoice by line or by page.

Experience and references

How much experience do your specialist translators have?

Each of our specialist translators has a recognized university degree in translation or a recognized degree in another specialist field with at least two years of translation experience or at least five years of translation experience. We have proven experts for demanding specialist translations. For example, we have complex medical texts translated by qualified medical professionals and difficult legal documents translated by experienced lawyers.

Do your translators have industry-specific experience with regard to our company's industry?

Our specialist translators not only have a recognized university degree and several years of professional experience as translators, but also industry-specific experience. This distinguishes the translator from the specialist translator. Our specialist translators are proficient in industry-specific terminology, are familiar with common usage and also understand technical contexts.
You will find an overview of our core sectors here. We also offer translations for sectors that are not explicitly listed. Send us your source text or give us a call. Our multilingual service team will be happy to advise you.

Can you provide us with examples of translations that you have translated for other clients in the past?

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with sample translations, as most source texts and translations are subject to data protection. However, we will be happy to provide you with some references for comparable translation projects on request.

Do you also offer translations for sectors that are not explicitly listed?

Yes, we also offer translations for sectors that are not explicitly listed on our website. It is best to upload your source text in the Offer form upload, send us the text via E-mail or call us to receive a detailed offer. Our multilingual service team will be happy to advise you.

Quality and safety

How are Toptranslation's specialist translators selected?

Our specialist translators have several years of professional experience in their industry. As there is no globally binding description of the qualifications of translators, Toptranslation has developed a three-stage examination procedure. Each of our specialist translators has met our strict admission criteria. In addition, the performance of our specialist translators is continuously recorded and evaluated. This means we know exactly who is best for your translation project.

How do you ensure that the translation does not contain any errors?

All texts are produced exclusively by qualified native-speaker translators. For error-free translations of demanding texts, we recommend the "Expert" level in accordance with ISO 17100. A translation in the Expert requirement level is translated by an experienced specialist translator and edited independently by a reviser. This approach ensures flawless technical translations of demanding texts. The additional reviser is always an expert in your industry as well, so you can be sure that your translation does not contain any errors. For the highest demands, we also offer the six-eyes principle, our premium requirement level. Your text will also be proofread by a third language expert.

How does Toptranslation handle confidential documents?

We attach great importance to the security and confidentiality of your documents and data. When uploading your data via our Inquiry form all communication with the web servers is secured by 256-bit SSL encryption. The documents required to process the orders are stored on the web servers for the duration of the order. Individual deadlines for deleting data and documents can be implemented as an option. Customer-related data is stored in an additionally secured database. Access to the database is restricted by individual access data. Project managers who are tasked with processing the orders can download individual or all documents for an order via an SSL-encrypted connection. The hard disks of the employee computers are always encrypted (Truecrypt, AES) so that access to the data and documents stored on them is only possible after prior authentication. On request, we will be happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before the start of the project or send you our data protection and data security concept.

Can you guarantee personnel consistency?

To ensure the greatest possible consistency, we always use the same team of specialist translators for your translations wherever possible. On request, we will be happy to set up a pool of regular translators for you so that your translation projects are handled exclusively by this pool. A permanent project management team is also available to you as a personal contact for all projects.

Do you have quality management certification?

We ensure the quality of our processes in accordance with ISO 9001. We are also certified to ISO 17100, the international standard for translation service providers, and ISO 18587, the international standard for post-editing machine translations.

Can I participate in the selection of translators to translate for our company?

Yes, you can. If you wish, we can have two different pre-selected teams of specialist translators produce a test translation in consultation with you, and you choose the translation that you like best in terms of style. In this way, we put together a regular pool of translators who are continuously commissioned for all your translation projects.

Will you provide me with a permanent contact person from your company?

Yes. A qualified project manager with a direct telephone extension is available to you as your personal contact throughout the entire duration of the project - from the preparation of the quotation to delivery and beyond. Our project managers are qualified translators themselves and can therefore provide you with the best advice.