Freelance translators and translation agencies

Ten rules to make sure you stand out to translation agencies

Posted On May 14, 2018By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 1 No Comments

In a globalized world with literally hundreds of thousands of professional freelance translators out there competing for work, you’ve got to stand out from your competition. But how can you make sure you get hired again and keep your translation agency happy?

Here are a few tips to make your translation client fall in love with your services.

Ask yourself whether you are a good candidate for the translation

Before accepting a job or potentially wasting your time applying for a job, think carefully about whether you meet the requirements. Do you have experience with the subject matter? It’s better to refrain from translating a document you have no experience in at all than to lose a client when they realize you’ve done a sloppy job. Also carefully consider whether you’re able to meet the deadline.

Answer requests ASAP

Translation agencies count on reliable and readily available translators. If you’re approached by a new client, you will definitely start off on the right foot if you get back to them quickly and professionally. It’s a good idea to make sure that regular clients are able to reach you by providing them with alternative ways of contacting you, such as your WhatsApp or Skype details.

Don’t make promises you can’t keep

Agencies like working with freelancers who are prepared to meet their expectations and follow their schedules. From time to time, you’ll be approached by clients that have specific requirements. For instance, some agencies may need a freelancer to be available five hours per week for ongoing assignments or they may need to know well in advance if you will be available for a project that’s starting in a month’s time. Don’t commit to anything you can’t accomplish. Your client will have a hard time finding another translator if you’re not actually available like you promised and will have second thoughts before hiring you again.

Check files

Prevent unexpected problems. Once you’re sent the files for a translation, open them immediately to make sure that they open properly and that they are the right files. The same is true for translation packages; check that everything is fine, including translation memories. Translators can have heavy workloads and may only realize that there’s a problem with the files when they have just a few hours left to translate them – all because they didn’t take the time to check them when they were received. Also, bear in mind that the translation agency might not be in your time zone so the sooner you report a problem the better.

Check POs

If you’re sent a PO or agreement, verify that the word count and the rate you agreed is correct. Also, make sure to check that the currency is correct. Any discrepancies should also be reported immediately.

Meet deadlines

Remember that when a client says that a translation needs to be delivered by tomorrow, 3 pm ET, you can’t deliver it tomorrow at 6 pm ET. Translation agencies have strict schedules and parallel projects to finish. Most of them have their translations reviewed by another translator and they need time to proofread files and do a quality control before delivery. If you have a problem, notify the agency well in advance of the time you’ll be delivering the translation. Give yourself extra time when you state the new deadline as it would be terrible to miss it twice.

Develop a Quality Assurance (QA)  process

Don’t send draft translations. Although translation agencies have their own QA procedures, it’s your job to provide an error-free translation. Many reviewers charge on an hourly basis and it will, therefore, be more expensive for an agency to review a translation that hasn’t been proofread by the original translator. Your QA process should include deleting double spaces, checking the format and, of course, checking the spelling. Don’t change file names, simply add the international langue code at the end. For instance: “name ES.docx.”

Be open to comments

Your job isn’t over when you deliver the translation. The agency will have your translation proofread or checked. You will usually receive the tracked changes and comments. Carefully review all the changes and make sure you reply to all comments. Don’t panic when you receive revisions – all documents will always need a few changes to be made and it doesn’t mean that you’ve done a bad job. If you disagree with a change, say so. Don’t just reply to the email with a “Received. Thank you.” Your project manager needs to know that you’ve read the proofread document and that you agree with all the changes. If you’ve made a glossary, update it for future translations.

Pay attention to invoicing

Prepare your invoice as soon as you finish the project and send it to the contact provided for payments. Some translation agencies require specific information such as the PO, date delivered, etc. Remember to include all the information and specify your preferred method of payment.

Go the extra mile

Translation agencies are sure to keep choosing freelancers who go above and beyond the call of duty. Successful freelance translators are passionate, pro-active and put 100 percent into every single project. If you show your client that you love your work and you make your own suggestions on how to make the project successful, they’ll be impressed.

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PDF Translation

How do I translate a PDF file?

Posted On April 23, 2018By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 2 11 Comments

If you are a translator, you may already have had a client ask you to translate a PDF document.

But what exactly is a PDF file? PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is easy to open on various devices and is a standard file used for sharing business documents. Translating with a PDF editor means you’ll likely have to do some reformatting since the translation will have a different word count (texts written in Spanish, for example, are typically 20-30 percent longer than texts written in English). There may also be graphics, images and tables with text inside them that will have to be reformatted to accommodate the new word count.

Do you need to deliver the translation with a format identical to the PDF file?

There is a chance that the client doesn’t need a file with an identical format. They might just want the translation sent to them in a Word document and have someone internal do the PDF formatting with the translated text. Do not assume that they want you to take care of the formatting just because the document they sent you is a PDF file. Ask them first and find out exactly what they need.

If the client has decided they want you to do the formatting, here is what you need to do:

Establish how the PDF was created

Is it a simple file created from a Word document or was it created with a graphic design software such as InDesign? Or is it a scanned document? If it was created with a Word document, the conversion will usually be pretty simple. To find out which application was used to create the PDF: Click (in Adobe Acrobat) File> Properties> Description. Under Application, the program used to create it will be listed (e.g. MS Word, InDesign).

Choose the best PDF translating method

Direct translation– If the PDF file is not a scanned document, it is possible to translate directly in a PDF editor (such as Adobe Acrobat) by overwriting the text. As mentioned above, the word count in the translated version will be different, which means you will need to work out some formatting issues. With a direct translation, this can be a challenge as formatting options are limited with PDF editors.

Retyping– This is basically the only option for scanned documents that are converted badly with an OCR software since you cannot edit the text using a PDF editor. For other types of docs where the text can be edited, retyping would be the most time-consuming way to translate a PDF file, potentially adding hours to your translation time.

OCR software– OCR (Optical Character Recognition) programs are not free but they are ideal for challenging formatting issues. They allow you to convert PDFs to editable documents. It should be noted that, in most cases, you will need to fix the format after converting and exporting PDFs to Word. You should learn the basics of the OCR software you use. There is a way to choose how blocks will be read by the OCR software. For example, you can choose the program to read a block as an image, table or text.

Computer-Assisted Tools– Programs such as SDL Trados allow you to extract the text from a PDF to be translated in their interface but will not help when it comes to formatting issues.

PDF readers and editor– PDF readers and editors programs allow you to copy the text to the clipboard or copy and paste text manually. The paid versions let you convert and export files. This option is not ideal for complex formatting.

How to charge for a PDF translation

If you are presented with a PDF file with a complex format, ask your client if they can provide you with the source file. If they cannot and want you to deliver a translation with an identical format, in order to calculate your price for the client, you should consider how long it will take you to reformat the file with the translated text and if you will need to use a vendor (such as a graphic designer) in order to do this successfully.

A final tip

For those who work with PDFs frequently, a PDF editor such as Adobe Acrobat Professional is recommended, however, there are also cheaper options so shop around before you purchase one.

Do you need to translate a PDF? Contact us for a quote!

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Translation events

Calendar of translation events – April 2018

Posted On March 20, 2018By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/ 1 No Comments

April 3-5

LocWorld36 Tokyo. Localization World, Ltd. Tokyo, Japan

April 9-11

SpeechTEK 2018. Information Today, Inc. Washington, DC USA

April 13-14

International Interpreters Forum. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Moscow, Russia

April 19

BP18 Translation Conference. Business + Practice for Freelance Translators and Interpreters. Vienna, Austria 

April 19-20

13th EUATC International Conference. European Union of Associations of Translation Companies. Madrid, Spain

April 25-26

Internationalisation through the Art of Translation and Interpretation. Western University of Arad. Arad, Romania

April 25-28

ALC Annual Conference. Association of Language Companies. Scottsdale, Arizona USA

April 26

Localization unconference Toronto. Localization unconference Team. Toronto, Canada

April 26-28

Localization unconference Berlin. Localization unconference Team. Berlin, Germany

 

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Signs of a Good Translator

The Telltale Signs of a Good Translator: How to Recognize Them

Posted On December 21, 2017By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 1 No Comments

Recognizing the telltale signs of a good translator is essential when recruiting a freelancer. Selecting the correct person will save you a huge amount of time and hassle in the long run, as it will avoid poor quality work and unhappy clients.

Here are some of the main points to look out for.

CV and Cover Letter

First impressions are paramount. CVs and cover letters tell you a lot about writing skills and should be well-written and faultless. If a freelance translator hasn’t taken the time to ensure this, then you simply can’t trust their skill.

As well as spelling, punctuation, grammar and structure, you should also be looking for excellent content. If the translator is replying to an advertisement, then all the required information should be covered. Have they taken the time to research your company and include relevant references to it? Above all, it needs to be original enough for you to be sure that it hasn’t been copied and pasted from stock examples online.

Social Media

Look candidates up on social media. Translators should keep their social media platforms up-to-date and professional looking. A high-quality photo is a great first impression and completed profiles should give an idea of their experience and activity.

Referring to social media should be done even before contacting a translator. A stagnant, badly created social media platform may indicate that the freelancer is not as immersed in the industry as you would like. Are they worth taking the time to contact?

Communication

Once a translator has passed the CV, cover letter and social media checks, put their communication skills to the test. When you contact them for a quote or to ask questions after receiving their CV, they must respond in a timely manner. Taking too long may mean that you have to chase them on work deadlines.

Do their replies indicate that they understand what your project is about? Do they ask the right questions, showing that they know what a translation project involves? Even better if these questions make you think of issues you didn´t anticipate.

These are the basic telltale signs of recognizing a good freelance translator to work with in your agency. Each one is a minimum requirement. If a translator fails on any of the above points, you need to keep looking.

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Celebrating the Fourth Fastest-Growing Industry in the United States!

Posted On October 1, 2017By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers, Translations/  No Comments

September 30 was International Translation Day – the day for translators and the translation industry as a whole to stand up and be celebrated! Translators are not always been seen as they work in the background of many industries. Yet it is thanks to them that many other industries prosper due to the ability to maximize their reach to different areas of the globe.

The history of International Translation Day

Originally a day to celebrate St Jerome, also known as the patron saint of translation. He was the man who translated the bible in to Latin. This was the beginning of the bible being translated into 636 languages, with the New Testament alone now available in 1442 languages.

Since 1953, St Jerome Day has been celebrated worldwide in order to raise awareness of the importance of translation. In 1991, the International Federation of Translation officially deemed the September 30 to be International Translation Day.

The translation industry in figures

International Translation Day calls for a look at the figures of the translation industry, which has continued to grow in times when other industries have suffered.

Reports from the Centre of Next Generation Localisation have named the translation and localization industry as the fourth fastest-growing industry in the Untied States. The industries using the widest variety of languages are software products, medical devices, automotive and pharmaceuticals.

According to the CNBC, the last seven years have seen a 24% increase in the number of operating translation companies, as well as a significant 50% jump in the number of people employed in the industry.

Technology has not replaced the need for translation

Despite speculation that technology and the advent free online translation tools could damage the translation industry, it is in fact technology that has seen the industry boom.

As the Internet has become ever present in life and in business over the past two decades, globalization has develop the increased need for translation worldwide.

Research results from the Common Sense Advisory, a translation industry think-tank, showed that “a full 63% of global brands recently reached more customers by increasing the number of languages on their websites”. Without translation agencies, this extended reach would not have been possible.

The translation industry – a facilitator of international reach and growth. That’s something to celebrate!

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Translation tool privacy breach explained

A Word of Warning about Free Online Translation Tools

Posted On September 19, 2017By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers, Translations/  1 Comment

News broke at the beginning of the month that large amounts of documents that had been submitted to Translate.com were visible to the general public.

Norwegian news agency NRK was the first to run the story, which detailed the exposure of sensitive information about Statoil, Norway’s state oil company. Contracts, workforce reduction plans and dismissal letters were publicly available to see online after the company had opted for a free online tool for their translation needs, in place of using a translation agency.

Slator, a translation industry news site, investigated further and reported similar findings for other companies and industries, including documents such as email exchanges, late payment notices, tax matters and termination letters.

Reaction from governments and institutions was quick and abrupt. The Oslo Stock exchange instantly blocked access to Translate.com.

Translation tool privacy breach explained

 Translate.com offered a full and detailed explanation of how this privacy breach occurred, stating that the documents in question had been submitted via a system that ceased to be used two years ago.

Up until the end of 2015, Translate.com used volunteers to translate documents submitted to the site. These documents were stored on the cloud so that all volunteers had access to them. This also meant that they were publicly available online.

Translate.com defended their system choice, stating that it had issued clear warnings on their homepage. The point was also made that the free service was not appropriate for business use involving sensitive data, and that a private, protected and payable enterprise service would be better suited.

An apology was offered, together with a strong warning to remove private data from documents that are submitted, including names, addresses and phone numbers.

Why translation agencies are a safer option

 When employing the services of a translation agency, you can rest assured that your data will be treated with the utmost privacy. Reputable agencies will have non-disclosure agreements that are signed as a matter of routine to ensure 100% confidentiality.

Using a free online translation tool may be an appealing way of saving money, but is it worth the risk? Exposing sensitive data and information could cost your business much more than money. You could lose your hard-earned reputation and client base.

 

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How failing to proofread your website content will lose you money

Posted On September 7, 2017By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

In a world where internet buying has become common place, there is less and less face-to-face contact with sales people. Coercing potential customers into purchasing a product or service in-store just doesn’t arise as often.

Everything comes down to your website content. So what happens if that content is littered with typos, spellings or grammatical mistakes? It’s simple – you lose money.

People are becoming increasingly ruthless in selecting where to spend their money, so if you fail at the first hurdle by simply not having your website content professionally proofread, then you are likely to suffer financially.

Why is proofreading so important?

The inbound marketing agency, ImpactBND, answered this question nicely:

“If your content is plagued by poor grammar, it’s likely that people will think twice about the quality of your products or services.”

Your actual copy can be some of the best written around, but if it contains mistakes, its effect will be lost almost instantaneously.

When potential customers are looking for a new service or product provider, they are looking for a trustworthy, knowledgeable and credible company. This is very hard to show if a customer sees that the effort hasn’t been made to ensure the website is faultless.

There is a very talked-about case involving a British company called TightsPlease.co.uk. After correcting a typo on one of their tights category pages from ‘Tihgts’ to ‘Tights’, the company noticed a 80% increase in conversions. This is the proof that one simple error can lose your business a significant amount of money.

The importance of proofreading translations

The correct translation of your website is paramount if you want people to take your business seriously. The same applies for the proofreading of that translation. Content that has been badly translated or that contains spelling or grammar errors will very quickly fail to provide you with the extra revenue you had envisaged.

A translation agency should have a vigorous quality assurance process that involves employing a second qualified translator to proofread any translated text. Proofreading your own work is an almost impossible task, as your eye does not spot all the errors. A two-stage process means, as a client, you can be 100% sure that the translation delivered will be faultless and ready to upload onto your site.

Although having your website proofread will mean an initial outlay of money, it should be seen as an investment that will earn you higher profits in the long run.

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Toxic Clients in the Translation Industry

Identifying Toxic Clients in the Translation Industry

Posted On August 10, 2017By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Identifying toxic clients in the translation industry is actually fairly simple – they are the clients that make you feel bad at the end of the day, the ones that stop you from getting a good night’s sleep, and the ones who generally make you dread the job you usually enjoy.

However, it is important to identify why a client like this has become problematic. Toxic clients usually display one, but often more, of the traits we discuss below.

General disrespect – at any level

Disrespect at a lower level can be the client not valuing the translation work you do for them, but not causing you too many problems. This can simply be a lack of gratitude – never getting a thank you can be very frustrating and demotivating.

At the higher end, translation agencies and freelance translators do sometimes come across rude clients, who voice their feelings in an inappropriate way. Once this line has been crossed, it can be hard to continue working with the client.

The middle ground is a client that leaves you feeling stressed at the end of the day. Remember that if you are taking longer to wind down at the end of the day because of the way a client treats you, this extends your working day.

No respect for your time

Having no respect for your time can come in many different forms. It can be an unawareness of the time it takes to complete a translation. Clients can presume that if you are a translator you can just translate thousands of words right away.

A client can monopolize your time, by constantly checking up on what you are doing, changing the task at the last minute and asking for continual amendments. If you have fifteen clients and one of them is taking up the largest proportion of you time in relation to the amount of work you do for them, this is unfair to both you and your other clients.

The ‘grass is always greener’ client

When a company employs the services of a translation agency, there has to be trust. A client who is constantly questioning your work and thinking they could get better services elsewhere does not have any trust. Worse still are the clients that get a bilingual employee without qualifications in their firm to ‘check’ your work and take their word over yours.

Late payers

A translation agency has bills to pay, like any other company. A late paying client can mean that you cannot meet your financial commitments. This is not good business practice and should be addressed when onboarding a new client in order to set expectations.

Low payers

Clients that pay low rates are not always bad clients – some just don’t have the means to pay more. It is then your choice whether to work with them or not. After all, it isn’t all about money. Doing small projects in your favorite field for lower rates might be just what you need to keep you motivated.  However, if you do agree to lower rates, make sure you can do it without feeling bitter.

The real problem arises when a high-end company approaches you and offers you peanuts. This is the time to say no, as they don’t respect the skill, time and effort that go into translation work.

The bottom line is, if you feel bad at the end of the day working for a certain client, then it is time to reevaluate. The first step should be to think about how to improve the relationship. If this doesn’t or can’t work, you need to make plans of how to move away from them.

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Calendar of translation conferences, workshops, courses, webinars. July and August 2017

Calendar of translation events – July and August 2017

Posted On June 30, 2017By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  1 Comment

July 1

Course: How to Get Machine Translation to Work for You. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Online and Monterey. California, USA

July 5 – July 7

8th Asian Translation Traditions Conference. Faculty of Languages and Cultures, SOAS, University of London
London, UK

SSAWW 2017, Society for the Study of American Women Writers, Université Bordeaux Montaigne
Montaigne, France

July 6 – July 7

ND Focus on Sales & Marketing, Elia (European Language Industry Association), Geneva, Switzerland

July 6 – July 9

ACLA 2017, American Comparative Literature Association, Utrecht, Netherlands

July 10 – July 14

International Terminology Summer School, TH Köln, Cologne, Germany

August 1 – August 4

Computer-Assisted Translation Course, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Monterey, California USA

August 3 – August 5

FIT XXI World Congress, International Federation of Translators, Brisbane, Australia

August 4 – August 6

1st Translation Industry Conference in Latin America, Translated in Argentina, Cordoba, Argentina

August 5 – August 6

TRADUSA 2017, Brazilian Meeting of Specialized Translators in Healthcare, São Paulo, Brazil

August 8 – August 10

University of Malaya, The 16th International Conference on Translation (ICT-16), The Value of Translation in Society, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

August 12

California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA), CHIA Training: Interpreting Skills Workshop, Madera, CA

August 16 – August 18

PACLING 2017 , Pacific Association for Computational Linguistics, Yangon, Myanmar

August 20 – August 24

Interspeech 2017 Special Session, conglomerate, Stockholm, Sweden

August 31

Community Interpreting as a Profession, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, online

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Must-have tools and apps for translators and freelancers

Essential tools and apps for translators

Posted On May 31, 2017By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/ 4 2 Comments

When it comes to translating, having the right tools for the job can make all the difference. Whether you are a translator, a translation agency, or a freelancer these tools and apps will help you manage all your activities.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT / ORGANIZING / SCHEDULING / COLLABORATING

  1. Rulingo

English and Russian
Paid version

Cloud-based translation business management platform.

  1. Todoist

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Manage tasks and projects anywhere with Todoist. At home. At school. At work. Online. Offline. And across 10+ platforms.

  1. Trello

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process.

  1. Asana

English
Free and paid versions

Asana is a web and mobile application designed to help teams track their work.

  1. Quahill Basic

English, French, German
Free and paid versions

QuaHill Enterprise is translation management software for LSPs and teams of translators. The software enables complete administration of all processes ranging from the receipt of purchase orders, through preparing quotations, generating the project, preparing and recording purchase orders, ensuring access to files by vendors, delivery of translations to the client and invoicing.

  1. Portable Kanban

English
Free

 Portable Kanban is a Personal Task Manager. This Portable Free Personal Electronic Kanban Software might be used to help schedule and track your daily events or tasks and to monitor assignment productivity.

  1. LSP Expert

English and French
Paid tool – 30 day free trial.

LSP.expert helps you manage your daily translation jobs. Features: track daily work, invoicing, reporting, client management.

  1. Remember the Milk

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Remember The Milk is the popular to-do list that’s everywhere you are: from your phone, to the web, to your Google apps, and more.

  1. Podio

Multilingual
Paid version

Podio supplies a web-based platform for organizing team communication, business processes, data and content in project management workspaces.

  1. Doodle

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Doodle radically simplifies the process of scheduling events, meetings, appointments, etc. Use Doodle to find the best time for any event. Suggest a number of times and invite participants to select their preferences.

  1. Insightly

English
Free and paid versions

Insightly is the easy, powerful and affordable online Customer Relationship & Project Management.

TERMINOLOGY/DICTIONARIES

  1. InterpretBank

Paid version

InterpretBank is an intuitive terminology tool for interpreters to create and manage multilingual glossaries.

  1. Glosbe

Free

Provides free dictionaries for almost every existing language and translation memory with 1 013 284 995 sentences included.

  1. IATE’s Chrome extension

Free

IATE (= “Inter-Active Terminology for Europe”) is the EU inter-institutional terminology database. IATE has been used in the EU institutions and agencies since summer 2004 for the collection, dissemination and shared management of EU-specific terminology.

  1. Termcoord

Free

Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament. Resources, Traineeships, Glossaries, Articles about Terminology.

PDF VIEWER / CONVERTER

  1. SumatraPDF

Multilingual
Free

A free PDF, eBook (ePub, Mobi), XPS, DjVu, CHM, Comic Book (CBZ and CBR) reader for Windows. Includes screen shots, documentation and a support forum.

  1. Abby FineReader

Multilingual
Paid version

FineReader is an all-in-one OCR and PDF software application for increasing business productivity when working with documents. It provides powerful, yet easy-to-use tools to access and modify information locked in paper-based documents and PDFs.

SCREEN CAPTURE

  1. FastStone Capture

English
Free. For commercial use, license is required.

FastStone Capture is a powerful, lightweight, yet full-featured screen capture tool and screen video recorder. It allows you to easily capture and annotate anything on the screen including windows, objects, menus, full screen, rectangular / freehand / fixed regions as well as scrolling windows / web pages.

  1. Snipping tool

Multilingual
Free

A screenshot utility included in Windows Vista and later. It can take screenshots of an open window, rectangular areas, a free-form area, or the entire screen. Snips can then be annotated using a mouse or a tablet, stored as an image file (PNG, GIF, or JPEG file) or an MHTML file, or e-mailed.

  1. ScreenGrab

Language depends on your browser settings
Free

Add-on – Firefox (I am not sure if it is available in other browsers). Saves webpages as images

VOICE RECOGNITION

  1. Dragon Naturally Speaking

Languages supported: U.S. English, UK English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Japanese.
Paid version

With Dragon Naturally Speaking Home, you can talk to your computer and watch your spoken words instantly appear in documents, email and instant messages.

ACCOUNTING / INVOICING

  1. Wave

Language: English

Free accounting software for small businesses.

  1. Zoho Books

Paid version

Zoho Books is an online accounting software to manage your invoices, bills, banking, inventory and do mobile accounting as well.

TRANSLATION SCAMS

  1. Payment Practices

Paid subscription

Dataset related to the payment practices of translation agencies and other consumers of translation services.

  1. Translator Scammers Directory

English
Free

Website maintained by volunteers from the TRANSLATOR SCAMMERS INTELLIGENCE GROUP to fight the plague of translators’ impersonation and identity and CV theft and fake translation companies running wild in the translation industry.

VARIOUS

  1. Lock Hunter

English
Free

It is a free tool to delete files blocked by something you do not know. LockHunter is useful for fighting against malware, and other programs that are blocking files without a reason. Unlike other similar tools it deletes files into the recycle bin so you may restore them if deleted by mistake.

  1. Search and Replace

English and Deutsch
Paid version

Search and replace utility used by programmers, webmasters, translators, and novice computer users. Search and Replace searches through one or more files files for a string and can also replace that ‘search hit’ with another string.

  1. Repetition Detector

    Free trial

Repetition Detector 2 helps you detect repetitions in texts (while preserving your formatting), and much more: overused auxiliairies, adverbs, adjectives and complete phrases are also detectable. The software is available in English and French but works equally well with texts in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Icelandic.

  1. Remove line breaks

English
Free

Have you received a document full of broken sentences? Remove line breaks with this tool!

IMPROVING CONCENTRATION

  1. Focus@Will

English
Paid version

focus@will combines neuroscience + music to boost productivity and tune out distractions.

WORDCOUNT

  1. Count Anything

English – It counts Asian characters
Free

Count Anything is a free word-count utility for Windows. It supports: Word (.doc, .rtf), Excel (.xls, .csv), PowerPoint (.ppt), Writer (.odt), Impress (.odp), Calc (.ods), HTML , XML, Text, PDF.

BACKUP

  1. Backblaze

English
Paid version

Robust, scalable low cost cloud backup and storage services. Personal online backup to enterprise scale data storage solutions.

PRINT TO PDF

  1. Bullzip PDF Printer

The Bullzip PDF Printer works as a Microsoft Windows printer and allows you to write PDF documents from virtually any Microsoft Windows application.

  1. Microsoft Print to PDF

Multilingual
Free

Microsoft Print to PDF feature is available in every application in Windows 10 that has printing capability.

TAKING BREAKS AND TIME MANAGEMENT

  1. Workrave

English
Free

A program that assists in the recovery and prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). The program frequently alerts you to take micro-pauses, rest breaks and restricts you to your daily limit. The program runs on GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows.

  1. Eyeleo

English
Free

EyeLeo is a handy PC application that regularly reminds you to take short breaks for your eyes.

CUSTOMER RELASHIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)

  1. Highrise

English
Paid version

Highrise makes running your business easy. Share tasks, notes, deals, email history, and more with our CRM Software for small business.

  1. Streak

English
Free and paid version

Manage customers directly inside Gmail. Useful for: sales , CRM, hiring, and support

  1. Yesware

English
Paid version

Yesware puts powerful sales tools inside your inbox, with email tracking, phone dialer, and sales automation.

DESIGNING

  1. Canva

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Canva makes design simple for everyone. Create designs for Web or print: blog graphics, presentations, Facebook covers, flyers, posters, invitations

TIME MANAGEMENT – PRODUCTIVITY

  1. TomatoTimer

English
Free

TomatoTimer is a flexible and easy to use online Pomodoro Technique Timer

  1. Moosti

English
Free

Moosti is a simple time tracker with similar functions described on Pomodoro Technique.

  1. Fitbit App

Free
Multilingual

Use the Fitbit app and dashboard to track activity, record workouts, log food, connect with friends and family & more.

  1. RESCUE TIME

English
Free and paid versions

A personal analytics service that shows you how you spend your time and provides tools to help you be more productive.

UNIT CONVERSION

  1. ConvertAll

English
Free

ConvertAll is yet another unit converter. But it can combine the units any way you want.

EDITING/PROOFREADING

  1. Verifka

Multilingual
Paid

Verifika is a software tool that helps to locate and resolve formal errors in bilingual translation files and translation memories. It detects formatting, consistency, terminology, grammar and spelling errors in the target language.

  1. PerfectIt.

English
Paid

PerfectIt helps professional editors and translators to deliver error-free documents. It helps improve consistency, ensure quality and enforce your style guide.

  1. NaturalReader

English
Free and paid versions

NaturalReader is a text-to-speech app that reads webpages, documents, and eBooks aloud to you with quality, natural-sounding voices.

  1. Xbench

Free and paid versions

ApSIC Xbench provides simple and powerful Quality Assurance and Terminology Management in a single package. Just load files in any of the dozens of CAT formats supported and get your translation quality to the next level.

SOCIAL MEDIA

  1. Hootsuite

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Save time by managing all of your social media marketing efforts from a single dashboard. With Hootsuite’s platform, you get the tools to manage all your social profiles and automatically find and schedule effective social content.

  1. Instapaper

Multilingual
Free

A simple tool for saving web pages to read later on your iPhone, iPad, Android, computer, or Kindle.

  1. Buffer

English
Free

Share to Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn – all from one place, on your schedule.

MAILING

  1. MailChimp

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

MailChimp provides email marketing for more than 15 million people globally. Send better emails, connect your e-commerce store, and sell more stuff.

FEEDBACK – SURVEYS

  1. SurveyMonkey

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Create and publish online surveys in minutes, and view results graphically and in real time.

  1. Typeform

English
Free and paid versions

Build beautiful, engaging, and conversational online forms, surveys, quizzes, landing pages, and much more with Typeform.

INVOICING

  1. FreeAgent

Paid version

FreeAgent provides online accounting software made specifically for freelancers, small business owners and their accountants.

CLOUD STORAGE/FILE SHARING

  1. Dropbox

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Dropbox is a free cloud storage service for sharing and storing files including photos, documents and videos.

  1. Google Drive

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

  1. OneDrive

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

OneDrive is pre-installed on Windows 10, and it works well on all your devices. Access and share files and photos on PC, Mac, Android and iOS.

ANTIVIRUS

  1. Advanced SystemCare Ultimate

English
Paid version

From IObit: Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 10 is a powerful and full-scale software for PC security and performance. It offers ultimate protection to Windows system in real-time against various security threats such as spyware, ransomware, DNS attacks, browser tracking, homepage modification and helps the users to block malicious online threats such as phishing websites and pop-up ads ensuring a secure and ads-free online surfing.

  1. CCLEANER

Free and paid versions

CCleaner automatically deletes unneeded files and Windows Registry entries. It can also detect duplicate files, securely wipe a storage device, and act as an alternative to Windows’ Programs and Features tool for uninstalling software.

MICROSOFT OFFICE ALTERNATIVES

  1. WPS OFFICE

English
Free and paid versions

Totally free office suite. Download the free office suite from wps official website. Compatible with .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx.

  1. Free Office

Multilingual
Free

FreeOffice is a complete office suite with a word processor, a spreadsheet application and a presentation program – all compatible with their counterparts in Microsoft Office.

  1. Google Docs

Multilingual
Free

Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides are a word processor, a spreadsheet and a presentation program respectively, all part of a free, web-based software office suite offered by Google within its Google Drive service.

TRANSLATION SOFTWARE – CAT

  1. Olifant

Free
English

Olifant is a .NET application that allows you to load or import translation memories in different formats (such as TMX or tab-delimited). You can edit the translation units, their attributes and any other associated data. Olifant allows you to save or export your data in various formats.

  1. smartCAT

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

smartCAT is a cloud-based environment enabling the translation workflow of companies (including translation companies) and individual translators.

  1. MateCAT

English
Free and paid versions

MateCat is a free and open source translation tool. Companies, translation agencies, freelance translators and any other users can use it for free with no limitations on the number of projects and users.

  1. SDL Trados Studio

Multilingual
Paid version

SDL Trados Studio is a CAT tool and translation memory software that provides features to help translate faster and more easily.

  1. Wordfast

Multilingual
Paid version

Wordfast is the world’s leading provider of platform-independent translation memory software. Wordfast offers powerful desktop, server, and web-based solutions designed to meet the needs of freelance translators, translation agencies, multinational organizations, and educational institutions worldwide.

  1. MemoQ

Multilingual
Paid version

memoQ translator pro is a computer-assisted translation tool which runs on Microsoft Windows and on Mac using Parallels or VMWareFusion. It was envisioned more than 12 years ago by a group of enthusiastic linguists who aimed to develop innovative translation software which increases translator’s productivity while being easy to learn and use.

  1. Memsource

Multilingual
Free and paid versions

Memsource Cloud is a complete translation platform that includes translation memory, integrated machine and human translation, terminology management, and a web-based as well as a desktop translator’s editor.

SUBTITLE EDITOR

  1. Subtitle Edit

Subtitle Edit is a free editor for video subtitles – a subtitle editor. With SE you can easily adjust a subtitle if it is out of sync with the video and much more.

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