How to control your translation budget

2 Jan 2025

Managing your translation budget effectively is essential for businesses looking to expand globally while maintaining cost efficiency.

Here are some strategic tips to help you control your translation expenses without compromising on quality. 

1. Plan ahead 

The first step in controlling your translation budget is to plan ahead. Discuss your pricing options with a reputable supplier well in advance. Early planning allows you to get accurate quotes, set realistic budgets, and avoid rush fees that can significantly increase costs. By establishing a clear understanding of your translation needs and timelines, you can negotiate better rates and terms. 

2. Use CAT tools 

Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools are invaluable for managing translation budgets. These tools save your translations so they can be reused in future, providing consistency, saving time, and reducing costs on future work. By leveraging CAT tools, you can efficiently manage large volumes of content and minimise repetitive translation efforts. 

3. Centralised storage of translations 

Working with a reputable supplier who can store your translations in a centralised location is crucial. A central repository ensures that all your translation work is easily accessible for future use, eliminating the need to start from scratch each time. It also helps maintain consistency and quality across all translated materials, further saving you time and money. 

4. Prioritise languages and process in batches 

When dealing with limited budgets, it’s important to prioritise languages for your target markets. Focus on the most critical languages first, and if needed, process translations in batches. This allows you to manage costs more effectively and ensures that you’re not overspending on less critical languages. Batching your translation projects can also lead to bulk discounts from suppliers. 

5. Provide glossaries with preferred terminology 

Providing glossaries with your preferred terminology can significantly reduce translation costs and time spent on review rounds. A well-prepared glossary ensures that translators use the correct terms, reducing the need for extensive revisions and corrections. This not only streamlines the translation process but also enhances the overall quality and coherence of your translated documents. 

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Key takeaways 

• Controlling your translation budget requires a combination of strategic planning, leveraging technology, and collaboration with your translation supplier.

• By planning ahead, utilising CAT tools, centralising your translations, prioritising languages, and providing glossaries, you can manage your translation costs efficiently while ensuring high-quality outcomes. 

Why Choose Intonation? 

As part of your planning process, choosing the right translation agency is key. At Intonation we work across various industries to deliver our translation services at bespoke, cost-effective rates.

We pride ourselves on our friendly team of ‘mother tongue’ translators who are carefully matched to your business requirements.  If you’re looking to optimise your translation budget, get in touch with our team today. We’re here to help you achieve cost-effective and high-quality translations tailored to your business needs. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are CAT tools and how do they help with translation costs? 
Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools help manage translation budgets by saving your translations and creating a translation memory. This allows for reusing previous translations in future projects, ensuring consistency and reducing costs over time. 

2. Why is centralised storage of translations important? 
Centralised storage of translations ensures that all your translation work is easily accessible for future use, eliminating the need to start from scratch each time. This maintains consistency and quality across all translated materials, saving you time and money. 

3. How can providing glossaries with preferred terminology save costs? 
Providing glossaries with your preferred terminology ensures that translators use the correct terms consistently, reducing the need for extensive revisions and corrections. This streamlines the translation process, saving both time and money on review rounds. 

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