Integrating Wordfast in a Legacy Environment

Wordfast has been applauded for breaking new grounds at translation level:
superior terminology management, better ergonomy, small learning curve...
But how can Wordfast be inserted in an existing workflow?

Three facts:

• Wordfast is compatible with nearly all legacy translation environments (Trados, IBM Translation Manager, SDLX, DéjàVu, Transit, either through the TMX format, or directly, at native format level).

• Wordfast is compatible with files prepared (tagged) for translation with standard tools, like the Trados (Stagger) or RW (Rainbow) set of filters.

• Wordfast is compatible, at translated (segmented, bilingual) document level with Trados: a Wordfast-translated file can be cleaned-up with Trados, and vice-versa.

If, for example, Trados is your legacy translation environment, the following workflow can be used:

• Files are prepared (and/or tagged) in-house using Trados tools and filters.

• Files are translated using Wordfast.

• Translated files are then cleaned-up and untagged in-house using Trados.

In this case, the industrial process requires the agency to have only one Trados license, with as many translators as needed equipped with Wordfast.

Beside almost instant deployment, minimal learning curve and dramatic cost-cutting, you will also reap the benefits of Wordfast's superior terminology handling and quality-check features at translation level:

• Re-use of client terminology thanks to the most user-friendly glossary format ever (fully, directly compatible with Ms-Word/Excel/Access, Txt format and nearly all terminology formats commonly used);

• "Informative" terminology recognition using glossaries of unlimited size (the translator is informed, at every segment, of the terms which are present in the agency and/or client's glossary, with instant access to their translation, without ever leaving Ms-Word);

• "Curative" terminology control: the translator is warned when he/she fails to use the required terminology, and prompted to correct terminology right during the translation process, to avoid after-translation loss of time, loss of quality, etc;

• After-translation (e.g. in-agency or in-house) quality-check can be run over files in batch mode to spot terminology and/or typographic errors, with full reporting.

Champollion & Wordfast Ltd is ready to answer more detailed queries on the deployment of Wordfast on an industrial scale.

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