There are so many clarifying questions that can pop up when requesting a quote for translation projects, so providing your Language Service Provider (LSP) all the information you have upfront can save a lot of time. Here are our top tips for getting a speedy translation quote.

1. Send an NDA if you have it.

   If your legal department has an NDA to share your content, coordinate sending it to your LSP. This can take a while to get from the right party, so having it on hand is best practice. Once everyone has signed, you are ready to send your content for quoting.

2. Send all files for translation and project information

   It may seem easy to send general information about your project to an LSP to get a quote for translation, but this will only lead to more back and forth to get a final project quote.

   When requesting a quotation, be sure to:

   • Attach all files in question and detail what languages you are looking to work with.

   • If you are translating into a language with multiple locales, specify which you are requesting (eg. Portuguese (Brazil) vs. Portuguese (Portugal), French (France) vs. French (Canada), Chinese (Simplified) vs. Chinese (Traditional), etc.).

   • Confirm your timeline for the project.

   This way, your LSP can review the content and:

   • Establish what kind of tone you are conveying (technical, marketing, etc.)

   • Price for the correct locale

   • Determine whether your project will require post-translation desktop publishing

   • Decide whether your project is deemed a rush translation or normal

   • Analyze your content for repetitions, which will save you time and money

   Don’t: “How much would it cost to translate a few 3-page documents into Portuguese?”

   Do: “How much will it cost to translate the four attached documents into Brazilian Portuguese? We need it back by next Monday at 4 pm EST.”

3. Specify if you want to translate images

   If your files include .jpg or .png images, those images will have to be recreated using design software as the text is hardcoded in. When requesting a quote, specify whether or not you need images translated and if so, which specific images.

4. Ensure you include design files

   If you are looking to translate a PDF, be sure to send your LSP the design files as soon as possible. This helps them generate an accurate word count for quoting and determine how much post-translation desktop publishing will be necessary, as well as flag any images that may require special localization.

   If you don’t have a design copy of your PDF, it may cost more to translate. Contact your graphic design department and see if they can provide an editable file.

   Popular design file types include:

   • InDesign

   • Illustrator

   • Photoshop

5. Supply translation assets if you have them

   If you have a translation glossary or style guide, include them with your original Request for Quote. Your LSP will be able to analyze your assets alongside your files for translation and save you some money along the way.

Bottom Line

Don’t: “How much would it cost to translate a few 3-page documents into Portuguese?”

Do: “How much will it cost to translate the four attached InDesign documents into Brazilian Portuguese? We need it back by next Monday at 4 pm EST. There are images on the first two pages that need to be translated but ignore those on the third page. Also attached is our brand package, including all fonts used.”