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Translation is the written reproduction of a text in another language. Translations are not carried out word by word, but convey the meaning of the text. The use of computer-aided translation (CAT) tools garantees a consistent translation of all documents throughout all phases of a long-term project. However, different documents need different approaches: a marketing text, e.g., should be translated as idiomatic as possible, whereas official documents are bound by norms and have to appear true to the original. Another important factor for a good translation is the translator's knowledge of the speciality.

Collaboration between translator and client: The translator offers specialist knowledge in the required field, on-time delivery and confidentiality. A translator needs an appropriate time frame to carry out the assignment to the best of his/her capabilities. Generally, the daily capacity of a translator is 2,500 words. Before an assignment is accepted, the document needs to be seen in order to evaluate the complexity and required specialities. A specialisation in engineering can be limited to certain subareas, because not every translator will cover all areas. A client should clearly express requirements with respect to: usage of company slang; the target group; whether previous translations need to be considered for consistency; and potentially decide on reference materials.
In general the client should be aware that a text does not have one possible translation but several. Different translators would not translate the same text identically, because each language is alive and changes constantly.

A certified translation is a translation that has been formally verified for use as an official document. Documents that may require a certified translation include certificates (birth, marriage, divorce, academic, etc), official transcripts (such as school, work, medical related reports, etc), regulatory documents (power of attorney, contracts, etc) and many others. In Germany these translations have to be carried out by a certified translator which is accredited with a district court. Your translation will receive an official stamp. In Great Britain a translation can be certified in different ways. The service depends on the nature of the document and who requires it. It is important to check what is meant by a “certified translation” from the organisation requesting it. For most purposes, a certified translation comes in 2 forms:
1. A translator may translate your document and then sign that they have carried out the translation.
2. A translation can also be notarised before a Notary Public or Notary Scrivener. In such cases you would need to request the attendance of a translator at an office to carry this out.

Proofreading is an indepent check of a translation by a third party which understands the required foreign language, has the necessary technical knowledge and compares the translation with the original and checks for completeness, spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors as well as a that the text says what it is meant to say.

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