Translating a small workshop catalogue: brief, glossary, sample and final checks

How to commission a workshop catalogue translation: protect technical facts, share a glossary, test a sample and agree revisions and usage rights.

Decide whether you need translation or new marketing copy

A small workshop may want to show its catalogue to buyers in another region or country, or to a business contact who works in a different language. The task becomes less straightforward when a single term can refer to a material, a manufacturing technique or a finished item. Decide first whether you need an accurate translation of specifications, customer-friendly adaptation of product descriptions, or a wholly new advertising message. Those are different deliverables and should not be hidden inside one vague request. List the catalogue sections and identify facts that must remain exact: dimensions, composition, included parts, care instructions and production lead times. Avoid adding claims that the original does not support.

Supply current source files and a working glossary

Send the translator the latest editable text rather than pictures of paragraphs. If descriptions are split between product cards, give each item a stable reference number so the translated copy cannot accidentally move to the wrong product. Provide a short glossary covering materials, finishes, collection names, brand expressions and abbreviations. Mark terms that must remain unchanged, and specify that numeric values and units must not be altered without an explicit discussion. Product photos can help the translator identify a component or technique, but they cannot replace the written specification. Remove customers’ personal information, confidential purchase prices and other details that are irrelevant to the language task.

Test a small but representative passage first

Before entrusting an unfamiliar provider with the full catalogue, agree a short paid sample or a clearly defined sample under mutually accepted terms. Include an ordinary product description, a specialised term and a sentence with exact measurements. Ask the translator to flag ambiguities rather than silently guessing. Ideally, a person who knows both the target language and the goods should review the passage. If such a reviewer is not available, record that limitation openly: machine output is not the same as an independent native-language check. Compare completeness as well as style. Check that sizes, warnings and conditions remain present and that no unsupported benefits have appeared.

Agree file formats, corrections and rights to the text

Set the handover format before work begins: a two-column source-and-translation sheet, separate product cards or text ready for layout. Decide who responds to review comments, how many correction rounds are included and whether uncertain source terms should remain visible in comments. Clarify where the finished writing may be used, whether subsequent edits are permitted and whether editable files are delivered. Check figures, item codes, model references and measurement units separately rather than relying on a general impression of fluency. Review a mix of simple and technical product cards, not just the opening page. The acceptance process should be tied to the agreed scope.

Write a precise request when looking through Match2Go

Match2Go is a geosocial service for direct communication between people. A workshop can express its intention to find a translator or language editor and discuss the assignment directly. State the source and target languages, catalogue subject, approximate volume, required file format and whether specialist review is necessary. If the assignment can be completed remotely, say so clearly rather than presenting it as a local visit; specify any geographical preference only if relevant. Do not upload confidential material to a public request. Ask for samples and explain how the trial passage will be assessed. Match2Go grows by recommendations rather than paid advertising, but a listing does not guarantee a reply or proof of competence.

Prepared with AI assistance; independent human editorial review has not been confirmed.