Using information technology to optimise translation processes at PricewaterhouseCoopers Madrid

Using Information Technology to Optimise Translation Processes at PricewaterhouseCoopers Madrid Ross Smith Manager Translation Service PricewaterhouseCoopers Paseo de la Castellana 108 28046 Madrid Spain ross.smith@es.pwcglobal.com Abstract This paper describes how information technology is used by the Translation Department of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Madrid to optimise translation processes. It commences by describing a mechanism for handling workflow via the corporate network, designed to maximise speed and efficiency in translation requests and also to function as an automated record for administration purposes. This is followed by an appraisal of the CAT system used in the Translation Department, namely the Trados Workbench and related applications. Finally, an ongoing project for making MT (Systran) available to PwC employees around the world over the Firm's intranet is outlined. Keywords Workflow; Automation; CAT; Trados; on-line translation engines Overview of Work Flow The translation department at the Madrid office of PwC handles translation for all the Spanish offices (20 in total) except Barcelona, which has its own translation team, and for all the Spanish Firm's divisions (Auditing/Business Assurance, Tax and Legal Services, Financial Advisory Services, Management Consultancy Services, Global Human Resource Management and Business Process Outsourcing). The automated translation work flow commences with the source language document, usually written in Spanish to be translated into English, though sometimes other languages combinations are involved (English-Spanish, French-Spanish-French, German-Spanish-German being the most common). Around 75% of these documents are in Microsoft Word; 15% are in Microsoft PowerPoint and the remaining 10% are in another format or submitted on paper. Most of the paper documents are "sworn translations". The internal source documents are prepared by secretaries, typists or, increasingly, the auditors, lawyers and consultants themselves. External materials such as articles from newspapers and specialised journals, as well as documents supplied by the Firm's clients, are also translated. PowerPoint used to be employed primarily for presentations of the Firm's services, in line with its intended function, but it is increasing used for ordinary reports that will be printed and delivered to clients on paper. This slows down translation, though it has little effect on the use of the CAT tools since the PowerPoint documents are rarely appropriate for the Trados Workbench. Paper documents are sent to the Translation Department by internal courier and evidently are translated in the usual manner, by a "human" translator. Occasionally paper documents are scanned, though this is rarely worthwhile. On-line Translation Request Form Documents in electronic format are sent using a Translation Request (Solicitud de Traducción) via the Lotus Notes corporate network. This consists of filling in an on-screen form with all the information needed by the Translation Department: name of requester, telephone extension, target language, deadline date, internal charge code, person to whom translation should be sent by Lotus Notes when completed and any other relevant information. Once the form has been filled in and the electronic document attached if appropriate, the user presses a button marked SEND and the Translation Request is thus submitted. In fact this mechanism is a data base and the request is …

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