Table of Contents
Translation and Localisation
Why is t important to translate manuals?
Legal Requirement
In many cases, translating a manual is a legal obligation. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 , which replaces Directive 2001/95/EC on general product safety, states:
“Manufacturers shall ensure that their product is accompanied by clear instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers, as determined by the Member State in which the product is made available on the market.”
A properly translated manual ensures that users can install, operate and maintain the product safely and correctly. Errors or ambiguities in translation may lead to incorrect use, resulting in injury or damage.
Although Directive 85/374/EEC on product liability and its successor Directive 2024/2853 do not explicitly state that a missing or incorrect translation automatically leads to liability, unclear or unavailable instructions in the required language may cause a product to be considered defective. In such cases, the manufacturer may be held liable.
Accurate translation is therefore essential when you translate a manual.
Improved User Experience
In addition to legal requirements, usability is an important reason to translate a manual. A clear manual in the user’s own language improves understanding and reduces frustration. From a commercial perspective, this strengthens customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. When users can operate a product easily and confidently, they are more likely to choose your brand again.
Localisation
Localisation goes beyond translating a manual. It involves adapting the content to the culture, habits and expectations of users in a specific country or region. Localisation may include adjustments to language style and tone, measurements and units, date and time formats, and symbols and colour usage (as colours may have different meanings across cultures).
By localising your documentation, you ensure that the message remains clear, relevant and appropriate for the target market.
Selecting Translators
When starting a project to translate a manual, select your translation partner carefully. You may choose to work with freelancers, a small agency or a larger translation company.
A freelancer is often cost-effective but usually requires more coordination. If you need multiple language versions, you may need to manage several freelancers.
A larger translation agency typically offers multiple languages under one roof. You have a single point of contact, and the agency manages project coordination and quality control. However, for highly specialised content, such as technical or legal documentation, a specialised agency with subject-matter expertise may be more suitable.
Points to Consider
When selecting a translation partner, evaluate:
- Experience and language range – Which languages are offered? Are translators native speakers with relevant qualifications?
- Subject-matter expertise – Does the translator understand your industry and terminology?
- Quality assurance – How is quality controlled and verified?
- Costs – Compare quotations and assess overall value for money
Checking Translation Quality
Even if an agency guarantees quality, it may be difficult to assess this yourself if you do not master the target language. Agree in advance on procedures for feedback, corrections and complaints. It is also advisable to have part of the translated content reviewed by a local contact in the target country. If this is planned from the outset, responsibilities for feedback can be clearly defined.
Minimising Translation Costs
The total cost of translating a manual may include translation work, project management, desktop publishing (DTP), terminology management, and technical file preparation.
You can manage costs through the following measures:
- Optimise File Structure
Use automatic tables of contents and link illustrations instead of embedding them directly. Work with consistent templates to reduce manual formatting. - Limit Text Volume
Use short, active sentences and consistent terminology. Apply Simplified Technical English (STE) where appropriate. Replace text with illustrations where possible. Clear and concise source texts reduce translation costs. - Use a Content Management System (CMS)
A CMS enables you to manage and reuse content across multiple documents and languages. This reduces duplication and improves consistency. - Bundle Translation Assignments
Many agencies apply a minimum project fee. By submitting multiple documents at once, you can improve efficiency and reduce costs per assignment. - Use Translation Memory
Translation memory systems store previously translated segments. Identical or similar content can be reused, reducing translation time and costs. - Use Machine Translation
Machine translation tools, such as DeepL, MateCat or Google Translate, can generate a first draft. A professional translator then reviews and corrects the text. This approach can reduce costs while maintaining quality.
Machine Translation: How Does It Work
Modern machine translation systems perform significantly better than earlier systems. While errors may still occur—especially in highly specialised or complex texts—translations are generally more natural.
Earlier systems translated word by word. Modern systems use Neural Machine Translation (NMT), which analyses entire sentences and interprets context and meaning. NMT systems are trained on large datasets of example translations. They learn grammar, patterns and style over time.
Possibilities and Limitations
Machine translation delivers the best results when the source text is clear, simple and consistent. Post-editing remains necessary in most professional contexts. Quality also depends on the language combination. Common language pairs, such as English–German, English–French or English–Dutch, usually produce better results than less common combinations. Some languages are currently not supported at all.
Confidentiality is another important consideration. To protect sensitive information, use secure paid services or solutions that prevent data from being stored or reused for training purposes.
Manualise Manages Your Multilingual Manuals
Are you expanding internationally and need to translate manuals for your products? Or do you require technical translation for another reason? Manualise manages the entire process for you.
We collaborate with a network of reliable translation partners. Based on your requirements for quality, budget and delivery time, we select suitable technical translators. The final decision remains yours.
Do you already work with a preferred translation partner? We are happy to collaborate with them.
Would you like to use machine translation? We can coordinate machine translation combined with professional post-editing. This approach balances efficiency with technical accuracy and clarity
Our Approach
We follow a structured process to translate manuals and deliver multilingual documentation:
Step 1 – Preparation
We analyse the source material, define the scope and plan the project.
Step 2 – Pre-production, Translation, and Post-production
We optimise the source material if required, create a glossary or terminology list, prepare files for translation, perform the translation and convert the translated text back into the required format.
Step 3 – Desktop Publishing and Quality Control
We format the translated documents and carry out a final review. This ensures that your manuals are consistent, professionally designed and ready for publication.