The Secret to Saving Time and Money: Translation Memory
Technology is transforming the way organizations approach translation and localization. At Avantpage, we carefully select and integrate translation technologies that add real value, helping our clients achieve greater accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in every project. One of the most impactful of these is translation memory (TM), which makes past translations work more efficiently for your organization.
In this article, we’ll dive into what translation memory is, explore the key benefits of this technology-driven approach, and show how it can streamline workflows, improve translation quality, and add value to future projects.
What is Translation Memory?
Translation Memory reuses past translations to increase translation efficiency. When your translation project is completed, the language from the original (or source) document is stored along with the language from its translated counterpart in a secure database. This occurs with every project as you begin to build a translation memory.
The information from the database is then used for any new translation projects you request. The new source document is run against the database to see if any words, phrases, or sentences match past source documents’ language. If a match is found, the linguist working on your translation can choose to use the match outright, or they can choose to adjust the translation based on the language match.
In essence, translation memory allows our linguists to choose text they’ve previously translated if it suits the new document.
Learn about machine translation vs. translation memory.
How Translation Memory Works
Translation memory software stores previously translated text segments in a database. When a translator works on new content, the software automatically compares it against this database and suggests matches. If a partial or perfect match is found, the translator can reuse or adapt the existing translation instead of starting from scratch.
Over time, this process improves both speed and consistency, especially for projects with repeated terminology or recurring content like product manuals, legal documents, or marketing materials.
Leveraging Translation Memory
At Avantpage, translation memory is available as an optional add-on to our translation services. While not every project requires it, this translation process can provide advantages for clients whose content involves repeated language or specific terminology. Our professional translators use translation memory to build a secure database of translation units that can be referenced in future translations.
Translation memory is especially beneficial for clients such as:
– Contract lawyers and legal teams – for documents with repetitive terminology, clauses, or case numbers.
– Healthcare organizations – for patient forms, compliance materials, and instructions that need consistent language across future projects.
– Government agencies – for recurring public notices, policies, and forms in multiple language pairs.
– Corporations with technical manuals – for instructions and product documentation, where consistency and accuracy are critical.
By reusing previously approved translations, translation memory ensures consistency across large volumes of content while creating long-term value for future projects. See how XTM worked with Avantpage to streamline their translation projects.
What Are the Benefits of Translation Memory?
By comparing your text to previous translations, our linguists have the option to use previous translations in the new document (if they fit correctly). This not only reduces the amount of time that our linguists need to put into translating a file, but it also improves the consistency of your translations.
If you have words, phrases, or sentences that show up consistently within your translated documents, they’ll be translated in the same manner every time they appear in a file you send us. This reduces the room for error and allows your documents to communicate a consistent message to your clients.
In short, translation memory:
- Reduces costs
- Shortens turnaround times
- Ensures that brand messaging and technical terms remain consistent across multiple projects
How Translation Memory Reduces Costs
While setting up a translation memory is not a free service, it will save you money over time. You may not see savings in your first few projects, but as matches become more frequent, you’ll see increased savings from the matches. This will provide you with long-term savings as your translation memory continues to build.
Learn more about saving money on specific types of translation projects with translation memory.
Frequently Asked Questions About Translation Memory
Is Avantpage’s translation memory process HIPAA-compliant?
Yes. Avantpage’s proprietary platform, AvantShield, ensures that all translation memory data is stored securely and handled according to HIPAA regulations. Our professional translators follow strict confidentiality protocols, so any protected health information in source files is fully safeguarded throughout the translation and memory storage process.
What is a translation memory system, and how does it support the localization process?
A translation memory system stores translation units in a database. During the localization process, the system automatically suggests matches when the same or similar text appears in future projects. This not only streamlines workflows but also improves translation quality and consistency across multiple language pairs.
What are the benefits of a dedicated translation memory database vs. other automation and translation tools?
A dedicated translation memory database offers lasting value that generic automated translation or standalone AI translation tools can’t match. While automated translation provides quick results, it doesn’t guarantee consistency across future projects. A translation memory termbase, however, stores approved translation units that professional translators can reuse, ensuring accuracy and consistency in every target language.
This functionality is powerful in workflows involving repeated segments of text, like product manuals, legal contracts, or website updates. Unlike one-off automation, a translation memory system builds a long-term asset that streamlines translation costs, improves translation quality, and delivers better results for both human translators and language service providers. Learn how to make translations easier for your healthcare organization.
What is a context match, and why is it important?
A context match occurs when the translation memory finds an identical source text segment in the same structural context, ensuring maximum accuracy. This goes beyond simple word matching, supporting better quality assurance and more natural-sounding translations.
What role do professional translators play in translation memory workflows?
Professional translators ensure that the translation memory system is populated with accurate, high-quality translations. While AI-powered and automated translation features can speed up certain tasks, human translators are essential for refining context, ensuring cultural appropriateness, and delivering the best user experience.
How does a computer-assisted translation differ from other translation tools?
A CAT tool is a professional translator’s workspace that integrates multiple functionalities, including translation memory, terminology glossary access, terminology management, and quality assurance checks. Unlike automated translation or AI translation, CAT tools rely on human translators who use stored translation units to ensure context match and accuracy.
Which file formats are compatible with translation memory systems?
Most modern CAT tools and translation management systems support a wide range of file formats, including source files from Microsoft Office, Adobe, XML, HTML, and content management platforms. This functionality allows translators to work directly with the source file while maintaining formatting integrity in the target language.
Can translation memory improve future projects and workflows?
Absolutely! Each completed project enriches the database with new translation units, which can then be leveraged in future projects. This creates a cumulative benefit as future translations become faster and more consistent, which also reduces translation costs. Learn how to get the most out of your translation budget.
Build Better Workflows with Translation Memory
While you may be concerned about how a Translation Memory will affect the quality of your translated text, there’s no need to worry. Your document will still go through the Translation, Editing, Proofreading (TEP) process, and all of our quality check processes. Using Translation Memory doesn’t affect the quality or accuracy of your translated text.
If you’d like to learn more about translation memory, download our Translation Memory one-pager. If you’re interested in building a translation memory or starting your next translation project, give us a call at 540-750-2040 or request a free quote today.
