Value-added services in translation companies

The ISO 17100 standard distinguishes between the main translation process and other value-added services that may form part of a project when the client needs them. These services do not replace translation or revision, but they may be necessary for the final content to be useful, publishable or suitable for the target country.

A certified translation agency should not present every assignment as if it were the same. Translating a contract in Word does not require the same work as localizing a website, preparing subtitles, revising a third-party translation, laying out a catalogue or adapting technical documentation for several markets.

For that reason, value-added services must be agreed from pre-production and made clear in the quotation.

What value-added services in translation are

Value-added services are complementary tasks that may accompany the main translation service.

They may take place before, during or after the translation process. Some prepare the source content. Others improve the translated version, adapt the text to its final format or facilitate publication.

The most common services include localization, terminology management, transcription, subtitling, dubbing or voice-over, multilingual desktop publishing, cultural adaptation, revision of third-party translations, expert review, proofreading, back-translation, translation memory alignment and linguistic and cultural consultancy.

Not all of them are necessary in every project. What matters is identifying what the client actually needs.

Localization

Localization adapts content to a specific market. It is not limited to translating words.

It can affect currency, units of measurement, cultural references, date formats, tone, images, forms, calls to action, automatic messages, legal requirements or user expectations.

In website translation, localization may include menus, buttons, metadata, alternative text, legal pages, forms and error messages.

A translated website that has not been localized may sound correct and still fail commercially in the target market.

Terminology management

Terminology management helps maintain consistency in specialised or recurring projects.

It may include creating glossaries, terminology databases, lists of forbidden terms, client-approved equivalents and rules on acronyms, product names or internal designations.

This service is very useful in technical documentation, medical and pharmaceutical translations, legal translations, automotive content, software, catalogues, manuals, contracts and corporate documentation.

Inconsistent terminology can damage the clarity of the document and create doubts for the final reader.

Multilingual desktop publishing

Multilingual desktop publishing is needed when the translated text has to preserve or adapt a design.

It may apply to catalogues, manuals, brochures, presentations, technical data sheets, labels, instructions for use, corporate reports or InDesign documents.

When text is translated, it may expand or contract. Line breaks, reading direction, available space and the length of buttons and headings may also change.

For that reason, translation and desktop publishing have to be coordinated. After layout, proofreading may be necessary to detect cut-off text, visual typos or errors introduced during design adjustment.

Transcription

Transcription converts audio or video into text.

It may be used before translating an interview, a meeting, a statement, a training session, a corporate video or a technical recording.

In some projects, the source content is transcribed first and then translated. In others, the transcription is used as reference material for subtitling, dubbing or internal documentation.

The quality of the transcription affects the quality of the subsequent translation. If the audio contains proper names, technical terminology or background noise, the text should be carefully checked before translation.

Subtitling and subtitle translation

Subtitling is not just translating a script.

Subtitles must fit timing, line length, reading speed, segmentation and visual context. They also have to consider who is speaking, what appears on screen and what information can be omitted without loss of meaning.

Subtitle creation and translation may be needed for corporate videos, courses, interviews, marketing content, internal training, congresses, digital platforms or institutional material.

This service requires criteria different from those of a conventional written translation.

Dubbing, voice-over and recording

Some audiovisual projects require dubbing, voice-over or recording with professional voice talents.

In these cases, the translation must be adapted to oral rhythm, available time and target audience. A text that works in writing may sound artificial when read aloud.

Script adaptation is important for corporate videos, e-learning, advertisements, presentations, documentaries, tutorials or institutional content.

Several profiles may be involved: translator, adapter, reviser, voice talent, sound technician and project manager.

Revision of third-party translations

A company may ask for a translation already produced by another person, a previous supplier or an automatic system to be revised.

This service must be clearly defined.

A full bilingual revision is not the same as a quick reading, a monolingual correction or a quality evaluation.

When a third-party translation is revised, it is advisable to clarify whether it will be checked against the original, what level of intervention is expected, whether errors will be corrected directly, whether a report will be issued, whether the text is already laid out, whether terminology will be reviewed and whether there is a critical deadline or use.

ISO 5060 may be especially relevant when the objective is to evaluate the quality of the translated product.

Back-translation

Back-translation consists of translating an already translated text back into the original language in order to check meaning, consistency or possible deviations.

It is used in some medical, pharmaceutical, clinical, regulatory or research contexts.

It should not be confused with ordinary revision. Its purpose is not to produce a publishable final text, but to detect differences between the original and the translation by indirect comparison.

Post-editing

Post-editing consists of modifying and correcting machine translation output.

Although the current edition of ISO 17100 excludes raw machine translation output plus post-editing as a service covered by that standard, post-editing does appear as a related service and has its own framework in ISO 18587.

This has to be explained clearly to the client. Human translation with revision under ISO 17100 is not the same as post-editing machine translation.

Why these services have to be defined before starting

Value-added services affect deadline, price, professional profiles, tools and quality control.

A translation involving desktop publishing, subtitling, in-context revision or terminology management cannot be priced as a simple translation.

For that reason, these services must be clear before the project begins. This allows the client to know what is being ordered and the agency to assign the right resources.

LinguaVox and value-added services

LinguaVox can combine translation, revision, terminology management, multilingual desktop publishing, web localization, transcription, subtitling, voice-over, post-editing and revision of third-party translations according to the needs of the project.

These services are useful in technical, medical, legal, audiovisual, web, corporate and multilingual projects.

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Frequently asked questions about value-added services

What are value-added services in translation?

They are tasks that complement the main translation, such as localization, desktop publishing, subtitling, transcription, terminology management, third-party revision, back-translation or cultural adaptation.

Are these services always included in a translation?

No. They have to be agreed according to the project. A standard translation may not include desktop publishing, subtitles, in-context revision, glossaries or proofreading if they have not been ordered.

What is the difference between translation and localization?

Translation transfers content from one language to another. Localization adapts that content to the target market, including cultural usage, format, tone, currency, references, web navigation or local conventions.

Is subtitling considered ordinary translation?

Not exactly. Subtitling combines translation, adaptation, segmentation and timing control. The text has to fit the image, the reading speed and the space available.

Is post-editing part of ISO 17100?

The current edition of ISO 17100 does not cover raw machine translation output plus post-editing as a service in its own right. For machine translation post-editing, the specific reference is ISO 18587.

When is multilingual desktop publishing useful?

It is useful when the translated document has to preserve a design or be published in final format: catalogues, manuals, presentations, brochures, labels, InDesign documents or corporate materials.