Preparing files is an important step in translation projects with computer-aided or -assisted translation (CAT) tools. Optimised files can even simplify your team's post-translation processing and eliminate hours of repetitive operation across multiple languages.
Project managers might find the most value from computer-aided or -assisted translation (CAT) tools during the preparation phase, when seeing the stored translations automatically applied to the new project they are working on. However, CAT tools' major benefit is in the main translation and review process.
Finding out what your customer's expectations are is always an important first step towards success. As a translator, you should check with your customer or project manager if updating the translations of exact or context match entries is requested, or not.
To translate PDF files, try to use the source IDML file when available. In InDesign, INDD files can be saved as an IDML file which can be processed in computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools. This way, all the formatting can safely be handled while working on the translation in the CAT tool. According to memoQ, their tool can even import INDD files directly.
Today's CAT tools also have direct PDF file import features, but the resulting docx file (Microsoft Word format that is generated internally by the CAT tool) will contain many extra line breaks. These line breaks need to be removed so translators can efficiently work on the document. Otherwise, the translator will need to repeatedly use the join segment feature while translating in the CAT tool.
So, if no source INDD file is available, or if Microsoft Word format is preferred as an intermediate file for some reason, here is a traditional, minimum pre-processing for translators.
