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How to Vet Translation Companies

10/23/2023

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You’ve got great marketing and informational materials that need to reach a linguistically diverse audience in the United States.

You’re getting ready to launch your SaaS product globally.

You need protected information translated so you can communicate with a patient.

You need to discuss student progress with a parent who has limited English proficiency.

What do all of these scenarios have in common?

They all need translation services. Whatever your reason for needing translation, your next step is vetting translation companies.

Use the four criteria below to find a great translation company:
  1. 1. Expertise and Experience
  2. 2. Translation Quality and Process
  3. 3. Data Security and Privacy
  4. 4. Reliability

1. Expertise and Experience

To understand a company’s experience in translation, look at the company’s time in business. The longer a company has operated, the more projects it has completed. A company’s longevity can indicate experience. If you’re considering a newer translation company, look at the experience its leadership has in the industry.

Evaluating a company’s expertise is a little different. Find out if the translation company has completed projects like yours before. If you’re in a niche industry, you may want to look for more specialization in your niche.

Next, you need to learn about the company’s translator network. Depending on your needs, evaluate the network on breadth and depth. Breadth matters if you’ll request translations in a number of languages. If you just need one or two languages, the breadth of the company’s translator network may not matter.

The depth of the translator network is all about expertise. Look for a translation company that contracts with native speakers who live in a country where that language is spoken. You should also check that translators have experience in your industry, whether it’s tech, education, manufacturing, legal contracts, etc. Industry experience ensures familiarity with jargon and specific terms so that they’ll be translated correctly.

2. Translation Quality and Process

Unless you speak the target language, it’s hard to know how good a translation is. Instead, you need to evaluate the translation process and quality assurance checks a company offers.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed criteria for translations to ensure consistency. Your translation company should know what these are and follow them.

Beyond following ISO guidelines, your translation company should have a clear translation process that includes multiple quality checks.

First, the translation company should look at the project details and give you an estimate. Once, you’ve approved the project, it’ll go to a translator. While most translation companies use translation software to lower costs and increase speed, you want a human translator working on it to ensure a high-quality end result.

Once the translation is finished, it should be edited and reviewed. Once any errors are fixed, it moves into formatting. In formatting, the translation will be put into context. For example, the translated text for a flyer, would be put back into the original flyer design.

Next, is final proofing where an in-context linguistic analysis is completed in case any translation errors slipped through. Then, the translation is finally ready to be delivered to you.

3. Data Security and Privacy

Privacy matters to your business. As you get websites, apps, legal contracts, etc. translated, you want to keep your competitive edge by ensuring your company’s proprietary information is not disclosed to others. Your translation company should have up-to-date data security practices and be willing to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Depending on your industry, you may need a translation company that complies with HIPAA, FERPA, and GDPR rules. If your translations need to meet specific regulatory requirements, check that your translation company understands and follows them.

4. Reliability

Many factors combine to make a translation company reliable. Most importantly, you want to understand how good its customer service is. Observe how the company responds to your questions. Ask about what happens if there’s an issue with the final translation.

You should also understand what the final product will look like. Learn how the translation company formats and delivers the translation. Make sure you’ll get a ready-to-use product.

On your translation projects, you’ll have a budget and a timeline. Ask how the translation company ensures projects are on budget and on time. Another consideration for costs and timeline is finding a company that can help you balance those limitations successfully against translation quality. While it’s always best to have the highest quality translation, it’s nice to have some flexibility.

Thoroughly vetting translation companies will help ensure you pick one that meets your needs, delivers high quality translation products, and offers responsive customer service.

Your marketing and informational materials will be connect better with your target audiences.

You’ll set your global launch up for success.

Your patient will understand important health information.

Your student’s parents will be able to support their academic success.
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What to know about sending files to Zab

10/17/2023

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Translation is an important and exciting process – whether you’re expanding your business or communicating with families at your school. We love helping companies establish a strong brand in new regions and making communication easy across language barriers.

In 2022, we translated files into over 115 languages for our clients – from Spanish and Simplified Chinese to Ukranian and Somali. Whatever language you need translated, we probably already have translators ready to work on your project.

Below you’ll learn more about what file types we process and how to submit files for translation.

File Types

We work with many types of files. Below is a list of files that we typically work with.
Writing and Data Files Design Files Resource Files
• Microsoft Word • Adobe InDesign • JSON
• Microsoft Excel • Adobe Illustrator • PHP
• Microsoft PowerPoint • Canva • PO/POT
• Scanned documents • Canva • Properties
• HTML • Articulate 360/RISE • RC
• CSV • RESX
• XLIFF
• XML

If you are using a file type not listed above, please let us know what kind of file you’re working with because we will likely be able to work with it.

Keep in mind that additional work is required for scanned documents, and we may not be able to match the style and fonts exactly.

Below you’ll learn more about what file types we process and how to submit files for translation.

File Submission Instructions

Please follow the instructions below to ensure we deliver a high-quality final product.

When you submit your files for translation, please send us two things:
  • • the original source file and
  • • a PDF of the final English version (if available).

Send these documents to your solutions consultant via email. If your files are too big or require another submission method, talk to your solutions consultant about other options.

We use the primary source file for translation and can accommodate multiple languages.

We use the PDF file to make sure we’re matching style and formatting for the translated final product.

If you only have a PDF file, we can still work with it. However, accessing the primary source files allows us to more easily match the formatting and style.

Keep in mind that some fonts don’t support all languages, so we may make minor changes to best accommodate matching your style guide and delivering a quality written translation.

Special Instructions for Adobe InDesign File Submission


For best results, we need a file package for Adobe InDesign that includes
  • • source links,
  • • .INDD file,
  • • .IDML file, and
  • • fonts.

To export a package, click File>> Package>>Package.
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When the window displays, double check that the following boxes are checked:
  • • Copy fonts
  • • Copy linked graphics
  • • Update graphic links in package
  • • Include .IDML
  • • Include .PDF
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Below is what the package folder should look like when you submit it.
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Once the file package is completed, send it to us via email. If you have larger files, talk to our team about other ways to submit your documents.

Need help with translation? Request a quote to connect with one of our solutions consultants.
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How To: Make Sure Your District Budgets for Translation

10/6/2023

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You’re on the frontlines of education. You work directly with students and parents daily.

You know what resources you need. It’s just a matter of working with your school and district to ensure those needs are met.

If you work with a lot of English-language learners, chances are you’ve run into the need for interpretation or translation. Had your school planned for these costs?

If you need more funding for translation, you need to ensure that it’s part of the school district’s budgeting process. Starting these conversations early can help you get a sense of the resources available to your district and ensure you have the resources you need next year.

Who to talk to about budgeting for translation

You need to know who’s involved in the budgeting process. We’ll review basics about who manages the budgeting process, but remember that some of these things can vary by state and school district.
  • • Superintendent: oversees school district budget and budgeting process
  • • Assistant superintendent / chief business official / budget administrator: creates and presents budget preparation guidelines for the next school year
  • • School Board: reviews and approves budget process, guidelines, and calendar
  • • School administrators: assists in budget development as assigned by the superintendent
  • • Principal: oversees budget at the school-level
  • • School employees: offer feedback and make budget requests

When to start conversations about budgeting for translation

Planning and budgeting for the next school year is a year-long process that starts in the fall. We’ll review how this process works and ways you can get translation into the conversation earlier, rather than later.

Fall – Set Goals and Priorities


The superintendent and other school administrators start working on budget guidelines, due dates, and the development process for the district in the fall.

Fall seems early to start thinking about the next school year. However, if you ran into translation funding shortfalls last year, now’s a good time to flag it as a priority for your school.

Working with your principal, make sure that translation funding is on the school district’s priority list.

Winter – Create School District Budget


School districts start creating the budget during the winter. It gets busy during this season, especially since it’s holiday season. However, keep tabs on conversations around the budget. Talk to your principal to see if they have any updates, and offer another reminder of translation’s role in the success of your students.
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Spring – Schools Create Their Budgets


Once the district sets its budget, it allocates funds to each school. Your principal will start making decisions for your school based on this information. Here’s where you can learn more about how your school specifically will cover translation costs.

Remember that budgets have to be submitted and approved before going into effect, so there is still an opportunity to make changes if needed.

Summer – Reporting and Making Adjustments


During the summer, schools finish reporting for the school year and end the fiscal year. They also submit their finalized budgets and funding requests. Based on what comes back after approval, there may be additional changes. If you’re lucky, you may be approved for more that you thought or exactly what you requested. If not, you’ll need to consider areas for making cuts.

How to make the case for translation

As you prepare to talk to the school board and your principal about budgeting for translation, keep a few things in mind:
  1. 1) Budgets are detailed and have many parts. They allocate funding for buses, staff salary and benefits, building upkeep, any debt the school district has, etc. There are often competing priorities, and it can be easy for certain programs to be forgotten.
  2. 2) Data is your friend. Your school district and principal need a tangible way to justify how they allocate funds. Information on student demographics and parent English proficiency will help your district prioritize translation funding appropriately.
  3. 3) Stories are memorable. While data makes a strong case, combine it with a story or two to make it tangible. Maybe a family had a really positive experience, or a student made really good progress academically because there was good communication facilitated by translation.

Here’s an example of what you can say:

“I was looking at the student body, and X percent of our students are English language learners or have parents with limited English proficiency. Building strong parent-teacher relationships is tricky with a language barrier. I want to make sure that we’re setting aside enough resources for interpretation and translation next year so we’re offering the same opportunities to parents for involvement at school and that our students get support from home.”

Depending on the response, it may be worth adding a gentle reminder that translation is a requirement of schools. However, keep in mind that the Office of Civil Rights considers budgetary limitations and overall need for translation when enforcing its requirements.

In other words, maybe your school district can only cover translations for specific notices, like IEP or 504 plans, because it is a small district with a limited budget and a small population of English-language learners. Expectations on budgeting for translation in districts with more funds or higher populations of English-language learners would be higher.

Remember that while most of the funding for translation services comes from state and local allocations, there are a few federal programs that supplement these costs in certain areas. The specifics can vary by school and depend on the program, so asking more questions about how your school can access these funds will also help move the conversation along.

Expressing your school’s need for translation and working with your principal and school district to ensure planning for these costs will make it easier to establish positive relationships with parents and support your students next year.

Do you need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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How To: Translation Budgeting for School Districts

10/2/2023

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Every fall you start planning the school district’s budget for the following year. It’s a multi-faceted task. It’s hard to forget to fund salaries or buses, but other items can be overlooked or deprioritized.

Translation sometimes falls into that category. However, it should be a higher priority for school districts across the United States to address the needs of students and parents with limited English proficiency, particularly as those populations grow.

Between 2010 and 2020, the number of English-language learners grew by half a million. English-language learners are about 10 percent of total enrollment in US public schools. The most common language of these students is Spanish (75 percent). Other common languages include Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

While some schools have a much higher proportion of English-language learners in their student bodies, translation is something all school districts should be looking at to meet regulatory requirements and ensure students have the support they need at home.

Why budget for translation

According to a May 1970 memo, schools must offer all parents the same meaningful access to information, including details about school events, student performance, and parental participation.

Since the emphasis is on meaningful access, translation or interpretive services may be necessary to provide information to parents who have limited English proficiency.

The Office of Civil Rights is part of the Department of Education that protects equal access in education, including ensuring that translation services are being provided by schools to parents when necessary.

Schools cannot charge parents for translation or interpretive services, so you need to plan to cover those expenses. Planning for these costs will help prevent lawsuits and regulatory issues from arising.

Most of the funding for translation in your school district will come from state and local sources. There are some federal programs that provide supplemental funding for translation for specific requirements, so it’s important to assess how these apply to schools in your district.

How to budget for translation

As you start to budget for translation, you’ll need to look at the needs in your district and understand the costs of translation and interpretive services.

Assess needs


Your school district’s translation needs will vary based on several factors: the demographics of your school districts, parent-district engagement, types of communication sent, and your overall budget and program size. These are also the criteria the Office of Civil Rights uses to evaluate whether a school is meeting its translation obligations.

You’ll need to make these considerations at the district level and for individual schools as you allocate funding to meet needs.

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Demographics


First, consider the demographics of your current enrollment. What proportion of the student body are English-language learners? What proportion of parents have limited English proficiency?

Information from school welcome centers and ELL programs will help you make this assessment.

As you consider the current demographics, you should also look at the projected demographics of the incoming kindergarten class. This information will help you understand any demographic changes that your budget will need to address to meet changing needs.

The more ELL students you have, the more you’ll need to prioritize translation in your budget.

Engagement


Next, consider how much engagement your school district has with parents and the community. The more engagement you have, the more you’ll need to weigh translation costs as you make budgetary decisions.

Types of Communication


Schools do a lot of communicating with parents – from weekly newsletters to student report cards, it can be a lot to translate. If your school district has a tight budget, it may not be able to translate every communication. However, the most important notices must be translated for parents.

If you’re working with a small budget, make communication priorities part of your guidelines.

Overall Budget and Program Size


If you’re running a large program with a generous budget, it can be easier to ensure adequate funding for translation. Smaller budgets for smaller programs can be trickier. However, it comes back to prioritizing what communication is critical to translate.

Estimate costs


After you’ve assessed what your school district’s translation needs are, you need to understand how the translation industry works and what market rates are.

Translation services are different from interpretive services since they focus on written language. Because translation focuses on written language, it’s much easier to scale and the cost per word will decrease over time.

When you work with a translation company, you may start with a glossary for terms for how you want specific things translated. This terminology list will be followed and added to as you keep sending documents for translation. In other words, if a phrase appears multiple times in a document, you may have to pay full price for its translation once depending on the context.

Some documents are specific to certain students and require privacy considerations. However, when you’re translating a document for mass communication like a newsletter, it only needs to be translated once. After the document is in the target language, you can send it to as many people as you’d like.

To compare translation services and rates, start by sending out a Request for Pricing or a Request for Proposals (RFP). Looking at the responses will give you a sense of the market rates and budget accordingly.

How to vet translation companies

Once you’ve budgeted for translation, you’ll need to choose a translation company. Since you’re likely going to use their services over a long period of time, vet companies carefully to ensure you choose an experienced, reliable company.

Create an RFP


When you make an RFP, include information about your translation needs – languages and types of documents. Be thorough with this information so the translation company can be equally thorough in its response.

Once you receive responses to your RFP, look at the pricing breakdown. What’s the formatting cost, the translation cost, etc.?

Check for experience


You also need to check the company’s experience and expertise. Does the company hire native speakers? Are the translators familiar with K-12 education and translating documents in that field? How does the company ensure a quality translation?

Ensure FERPA compliance and data security


Since some of the documents your schools will need translations for will be protected student information, you need to know how the company addresses data security and complies with FERPA.

Budgeting adequately for translation services will ensure that your school district complies with regulations and that all parents in your school district can support their child’s academic growth.

Need translation services in your school district? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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5 Things to Know About the SBA STEP Grant

9/26/2023

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Big dreams and hard work.

That’s what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and you have it in spades. The next thing you need to build on your success?

Funding.

If you’re a small business in Utah with dreams of expanding to global markets, you’re in luck. The U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) offers grants to help cover the costs of bring your business to countries around the world.

Below are 5 things to know about the SBA STEP Grant.
  1. 1. $500,000 is available in Utah.
  2. 2. The maximum annual award for the SBA STEP Grant is $15,000.
  3. 3. Small businesses must meet eligibility requirements.
  4. 4. SBA STEP funds can be used for business expenses related to international expansion.
  5. 5. Applying for the grant has a few steps.

1. $500,000 is available in Utah.

The SBA is making $500,000 available to Utah small businesses through STEP. These funds will be managed by the World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah) and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO).

2. The maximum annual award for the SBA STEP Grant is $15,000.

Eligible small businesses may receive up to $15,000 in funding to cover business expenses related to expanding to an international market.

Grant recipients must provide a 25 percent cash match to their total grant award. A company receiving the maximum award will need to match $3,750.

3. Small businesses must meet eligibility requirements.

According to the SBA STEP Grant’s page,, your business must meet the requirements below:
  • • An “eligible small business concern”
  • • A for-profit business registered in Utah
  • • Physically located and operational in Utah for at least one year
  • • Not barred from federal funds
  • • One or more full-time employees
  • • Export-ready company seeking to export goods or services of U.S. origin or have at least 51 percent U.S. content
  • • Sufficient resources to bear the costs associated with trade
  • • Small businesses in accordance with SBA Small Business Standards

The following businesses are not eligible:

  • • Nonprofits
  • • Educational institutions or for-profit schools recruiting students
  • • Law, accounting, and financial firms
  • • Consulting agencies
  • • Hospitality or tourism operators
  • • Real estate developers
  • • Multi-level marketing, direct sales, or network marketing companies
  • • Foreign-based companies or companies more than 49 percent foreign owned
  • • Companies, organizations, or individuals recruiting foreign direct investment
  • • Companies engaged in illegal activity (federal or state law)
  • • Companies that present performances of a sexual nature or specialize in selling products or services of a sexual nature
  • • Companies getting more than one third of their gross annual revenue from legal gambling

4. SBA STEP funds can be used for business expenses related to international expansion.

These expenses include translation and localization services, travel to international trade shows, sales trips, or business meetings, preparing marketing materials for new markets, or using U.S. Department of Commerce services.

Permissible travel costs include economy airfare and baggage fees, ground transportation, parking, lodging, currency exchange fees, and meeting spaces.

Other expenses related to travel, like passports, visas, entertainment, etc. are not covered by SBA STEP Grant funding.

5. Applying for the SBA STEP Grant has a few steps.

First, you need to confirm that you’re eligible to apply for the grant. Begin by submitting the questionnaire on WTC Utah’s website.

If you’re eligible to apply, you’ll receive login credentials where you can complete the application.

Do you need translation or localization services for your company? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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Federal Funding for Translation in K-12 Schools

9/18/2023

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You’re trying to communicate with parents about their child’s academic performance and get their support from home. The only challenge?

A language barrier.

Translation allows you to overcome that challenge, so the next thing to address is how to pay for it. Many districts aren’t aware that there is federal funding available to supplement state and local funding for translation in schools. We’ll cover the basics of federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Title I, Part A and Title III, Part A.

Translation Obligations and Funding

Schools are required to make information shared with parents accessible regardless of proficiency in English. They also may not charge parents for translation. Local and state public school funding are the primary resources for covering the costs of translation services. Ask your principal about how state and local school funding is allocated for translation at your school.

Supplemental federal funding is available to cover certain translation costs under IDEA, ESSA Title I, Part A, and ESSA Title III, Part A. While these laws cover educational needs more broadly, we’ll review what these programs require and cover specifically for translation below.

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IDEA

IDEA ensures that students with disabilities have access to a free public education and receive any additional educational services they need. When it comes to conducting student assessments and communicating with parents who are not proficient in English, translation services are necessary.

IDEA funding may be used to pay for translation services that meet its requirements, including
  • • student assessments,
  • • notices about identification, evaluation, and educational placement of student,
  • • requests for consent for educational services, and
  • • notification of right to confidentiality.

ESSA Title I, Part A

Generally speaking, Title I funds can be used to fill Title I-specific requirements, including
  • • achievement information,
  • • report cards of state and local educational agencies,
  • • Parents’ Right to Know,
  • • school’s Title I plan,
  • • school and parent programs, meetings, activities and planning for those events,
  • • Parent and Family Engagement policy,
  • • School Improvement identification and all necessary details and rights related to that identification, and
  • • information about student identification as an English Learner and details about instruction programs.

Schools using Title I funding fall into two categories: Schoolwide Programs and Targeted Assistance Programs. Specific rules about funding use can vary based on which category your school falls into. Talk to your principal and district for more information about your school specifically.

Schoolwide Programs have at least 40 percent low-income student population. These schools can use Title I funds to benefit all students using a schoolwide plan based on a comprehensive needs assessment.

Targeted Assistance Programs offer supplementary education services to students selected to participate in Title I. These schools must use scientifically-based research.

ESSA Title III, Part A

You can use Title III funds to pay for translations of any required notices and communication to parents and guardians in Title III. This communication centers on student identification and placement in a language instruction program. You’ll need to provide details about the program, other program options available, how the student specifically will benefit, and information on how parents can be involved. If applicable, you’ll also need to notify parents of failure to meet the Title III Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs).

Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and State Educational Agencies (SEAs) can use Title III funds to contract with a translation company to provide these notices. LEAs can also use Title III funds to cover supplemental translation and interpretation services that are specific to Title III services and students.

In other words, Title III funding cannot be used for translation required by other laws or regulatory entities, like the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), IDEA, and Title I.

It may be that your school district has a contract with a translation company to do all of the translation work you need. The funding you use to pay for these services will change based on what regulatory requirement the document fills.

Understanding funding guidelines and availability will help you get the translation services you need to connect with parents and ensure your students have the support they need.

Need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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What Tech Companies Should Know About Translation

9/7/2023

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In today's interconnected world, it’s easier than ever to reach global markets. Even markets within the United States are linguistically diverse.

The only thing standing between you and tapping into these markets is a language barrier.

You need translation.

From your marketing to your software, translation will help you connect with more customers. So, what does translation look like?

As much as we’d like it to be a simple process of converting text, it’s more complex.

Translation Process

While every translation company has its specific processes, here’s what you can expect generally when working with a translation company:
  1. 1. You’ll submit files that need translation.
  2. 2. The company will review those files and the scope of your project. Your project details may include a style guide and a pre-approved terminology list. Once the whole project is reviewed, you’ll receive estimates of costs and timelines.
  3. 3. Once you approve the project, the company will prepare the files and project details to send to its translators.
  4. 4. Translators will complete the translation and send it back for review.
  5. 5. The company will run quality assurance checks to ensure quality translation.
  6. 6. Next, the company will prepare the final files to send to you.
  7. 7. The company will run a final linguistic review of the translation in context.
  8. 8. You’ll receive the final translation. If you have questions or concerns, you can work with the company to ensure the final product meets your needs and expectations.
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Considerations for Translating Software and Technology

Translating software and websites goes beyond language. It includes making the user interface or website adaptable to your new user audience.
  1. 1. Localization: Localization affects your user interface on your app and website. You’ll need to think about the user experience. Some languages are oriented right to left instead of left to right like English. When words and phrases are translated into other languages, the text length is rarely the same as the source text. This difference in text length can lead to a clunky interface and poor user experience. Using responsive design and planning for these adjustments will help you create a beautiful and easy-to-use final product.

  2. 2. Technical Jargon: You may have specific technical terms you want translated a certain way. Or, you may have terms that need to remain untranslated for the best comprehension of your customers. Creating and sticking to a terminology list or glossary can help ensure clarity and customer satisfaction.

  3. 3. Consistency: Just like your marketing team is consistent with your branding and company voice, you’ll want your translation to be as cohesive and strike a similar tone in the target language. Developing and following a company style guide in both the source and target languages helps ensure a consistent brand.

Beyond your user interface, you’ll also need to have supplemental documents translated, including legal notifications and support resources. You may need to provide additional or different legal notification to comply with local and regional regulations.

Translation and ROI

It’s worth paying for high quality translation because it carries a high ROI for your business. Translation expands your market reach, grows your online visibility, makes it easier to deliver a positive customer experience, helps you comply with regional regulations, and helps establish a positive brand presence in your new market.
  1. 1. Market Reach: Translated marketing materials, product descriptions, and other customer communications make it easy for your target audience to connect with your brand and do business with you. Expanding market reach is a key ROI whether you are taking your business global or broadening your markets within the United States.

  2. 2. SEO and Online Visibility: SEO is very competitive in the English language and is less competitive in others. There are also more users on search engines conducting searches in languages other than English. Translating your website helps you decrease the intensity of your online competition and grow your audience.

  3. 3. Customer Satisfaction: Offering customer support and resources in their language improves customer satisfaction with your business and services. Afterall, no one is going to use an app that they don’t understand.

  4. 4. Regulatory Compliance: Businesses operating in different countries often need to adhere to various regulations and standards. Translating legal and regulatory documents ensures compliance and prevents legal issues. Even in the United States, it’s sometimes required to offer information in languages that your employees understand.

  5. 5. Positive Brand Presence: A bad translation can destroy your brand overseas because it shows a lack of preparation and a lack of interest in customers from your target region. Ensuring you have a quality translation protects the brand you’re building.

How to Find a Quality Translation Company

Getting a good translation requires context of where and how the language is being used in addition to understanding cultural norms and subtexts of a language.

Hiring your own translator can be a long, difficult process – you’ll need to verify how well they know the target language and their level of familiarity with your industry. When you’ve got a project to manage or have enough to do with writing the original language tech documents, it’s worth outsourcing that task to experts.

It’s much easier to vet translation companies and hire one. You just need to check four things:
  1. 1. Expertise and Experience
  2. 2. Translation Quality and Process
  3. 3. Data Security and Privacy
  4. 4. Reliability
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Expertise and Experience


Consider how long the company has been in business, how experienced its translators are, and whether it can process the files you need accurately.
  • • How experienced are the translators in the target language?
  • • How knowledgeable are the translators in your industry?
  • • What languages are available?
  • • What types of files can the company process?

Translation Quality and Process


Learn about the company’s approach to translation and how it ensures you get a high-quality translation.
  • • How does the company ensure an accurate, high-quality translation?
  • • Does the company follow international standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)?
  • • Does the company offer different levels of quality that can be adjusted based on your budget and timeline?

Data Security and Privacy


Whether you’re working with protected information or trying to maintain your proprietary information, you’ll need to ask how the company approaches data and privacy.
  • • Does the company comply with regulatory requirements like HIPAA, FERPA, and GDPR?
  • • Does the company sign non-disclosure agreements that will help protect your business?

Reliability


You’ve got a deadline, and you aim to impress. You need a reliable translation company.
  • • What does the final translated product look like?
  • • How does the company ensure that projects are on-budget and on-time?

Translation isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment in growing your business and being successful financially. Finding the right translation company will help you expand your market reach, improve your online presence, and reduce liability by complying with regulations.

Need help with translation? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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What to Know About FERPA and Translation

8/31/2023

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Maybe you work with students every day to build English-language proficiency. Maybe you have bilingual students in your classroom.

Whatever your teaching specialization, parents are key partners in achieving student academic success. If parents have a non-English primary or home language, providing translated records and information is key to building a strong partnership. Schools are also legally required to provide parent communication in translation, especially documents like IEPs and 504s.

As you handle these records and work with others to translate them, you’ll need to keep the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in mind. Failing to follow FERPA can result in severe consequences. We’ll cover what you need to know about FERPA and translation below.

FERPA Overview


FERPA protects sensitive student information, including grades, transcripts, class lists, course schedules, health records, and disciplinary records. Parents have the right to access their children’s educational records until their children are 18 or enrolled in a post-secondary institution. FERPA also regulates the disclosure of these records to third parties, including translation services. You’ll need to get permission from parents before sending student records to a translation company for translation.

All educational institutions that receive federal funding are required to comply with FERPA, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.

School Obligations to Students and their Families

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Equal Access


Schools must provide all parents of enrolled students with the same meaningful access to information, which means that it must provide information in translation to families with limited English proficiency. Schools may have trained members on their staff who can help with this service or can work with translation companies to ensure all parents are getting the information and communication they need.

Notification of Rights


Schools must provide an annual Notification of Rights to families that outlines their rights under FERPA. You’ll need to translate this notice of rights for families that have limited English proficiency. If your school doesn’t already have the necessary translated forms, a translation company can help complete the translation.

Informed Consent and Authorization


The only way to get informed consent and authorization for the annual Notice of Rights and any request for student records is by translating those forms into a language that parents can understand. Translation companies can make this easy by taking care of the translation piece.

Secure Storage


While FERPA does not have explicit standards for schools regarding digital data security, schools are responsible for protecting student information and data. When you request translation of student documents, you’ll need to choose an organization that has good data security practices, complies with FERPA, and holds its team accountable for data security.

Guidelines for Choosing a Translation Service


As you evaluate translation services, consider the following:

Expertise and Experience


Does the company have experienced translators in the target language? Has the company translated FERPA-protected educational records before?

Assess your overall language needs. Maybe you just need a few languages that are commonly spoken in the United States. Or, maybe you need to find a company that offers translation in languages that aren’t as common in the United States. When you’re looking at a translation company, check what languages they offer services in.

Next, consider the experience of the company’s translators. Ask about the translator’s language expertise and what kinds of documents they specialize in. These questions will help you understand if the company is a good fit.

Translation Quality and Process


What levels of translation quality are available? How does the company ensure consistency and accuracy in its translations?

Just like there are different writing styles for a research paper, novel, blog article, and social media posts, there are different qualities of translation. Most translation companies offer a few different levels. Zab Translation Solutions offers Publication Quality, Reading Quality, Reference Only, and Machine Translation. These differing levels have different price points, timelines, and costs.

Make sure that the translation company offers the quality level you need for your documents. With student records, it will usually be Publication Quality. You’ll want to ensure an accurate, high-quality translation because a mistranslation or low-quality translation can lead to confusion on the parents’ end and increase your school’s liability risk.

The second consideration is the consistency and accuracy of the translation. Unless you speak the target language, it is difficult to assess this yourself. Instead, you should focus on the translation company’s process for preventing errors and ensuring a high-quality final product. How many people review a translation before you get it? If there is an error, what is the process for fixing it and preventing it in the future?

FERPA Compliance


Does the company offer certified translations? How do they answer questions about data storage and security?

You need to ensure the privacy and security of your students’ protected information. You should be confident that your translation company follows all the best practices to ensure your students’ privacy and complies with FERPA.

Reliability


How dependable is the company in keeping timelines, sticking to budgets, and delivering a high-quality, ready-to-use end product?

Whether it’s school registration, parent-teacher conferences, or IEP meetings, you have strict deadlines for getting documents to parents. You need a translation company that sticks to deadlines reliably.

A lot of preparation and details go into these events, so you’ll also want to look for a company that offers a ready-to-use end product so that the only thing standing in your way is the copy machine.

And, it’s always best to stay on-budget. So, finding a company that does that reliably matters.

Ensuring FERPA compliance as you translate documents will keep your students’ information safe while you work with their families to support their English-language learning and overall academic success. Choosing a trusted translation company will also ensure that you have one less thing to do and will let you focus on what you do best: teaching.

Do you need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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ChatGPT in Language Translation Reality

8/8/2023

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Here, at Zab Translation Solutions, we’re big on automation and optimization. We realize it’s the only way to be competitive. Therefore, we’ve also been spending a lot of time with ChatGPT. I personally really like ChatGPT. It’s fun! It’s addicting. It’s useful enough that we’ve bought multiple subscriptions for testing. We’ve even implemented it in some basic automation processes.
 
It’s also gimmicky, problematic, and, in many ways, more hype than reality. However, a wise man once told me, “This is the worst it will ever be”, which is probably true. Therefore, we’ll continue to use it as much as it is helpful in what we are trying to accomplish.
 
Will it replace human translators? Maybe one day, but that day isn’t anywhere in the near future as far as I can tell. Unfortunately, too many people are sucked into the vortex of believing that it’s currently in a state to replace translators. This is simply untrue – on multiple levels.
 
The first, and most basic problem, is that most people don’t stop to realize that translation is rarely just copy-and-paste of text. A real translation project isn’t this:
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​It’s this:
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​ChatGPT wouldn’t even know where to get started if you try to present it a problem like the realistic one above. And even when you ask ChatGPT to help you with something multiple times simpler than that, then you get the following conversation:
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AI cannot and should not be ignored. However, it's unfortunately become an inappropriate replacement in far too many instances while still in its early infancy.
 
With regards to translation in particular, please also keep the following issues in mind:

  1. If you are providing any confidential material to ChatGPT, this information will essentially be made public. Ensure you are not breaking any agreements with your customers or even potentially breaking laws by doing this.
  2. As Vanderbilt University's student newspaper reported: "There is a sick and twisted irony to making a computer write your message about community and togetherness because you can’t be bothered to reflect on it yourself.” -Bethanie Stauffer. Let's use AI where it makes sense. Let's use it to enhance what we are doing. However, let's not get caught up in the hype or false belief that it is ready to start replacing humans because we are lazy in our understanding or use of it. 
  3. Since ChatGPT is currently far from perfect, how do you want your target audience to feel? Do you want quality, or do you want your non-English speakers to feel like second-rate customers? Would you allow a 12-year-old to write your English content or translate for you? What about software QA, file formatting, etc.? ChatGPT will fail miserably here (and probably won’t even be able to do anything at all).
  4. Along these same lines, when you think about translation, take into consideration how much time and money you spent to create the equivalent English product. You shouldn’t need to spend the same amount for translation, but you also shouldn’t think you can get away with a professional translation “on the cheap” either.

For now, we’re going to stay in our lane and continue to enjoy ChatGPT (and similar AI), and implement it as much as it is useful to what we are doing. However, we’re not going to pretend it works miracles, because it doesn’t.
 
(By the way, ChatGPT wrote a good percentage of this article, with human review, of course, so it even agrees. 🤣)
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What languages dominate the internet?

6/7/2023

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If you're struggling to compete, there are plenty of easier opportunities in the global marketplace that you are missing out on. Simply putting your message out in another language can go a long way - even with basic organic SEO from Google and otherwise. Let us help you get more attention and find more opportunities.

The following is an article that may also provide some helpful tips: https://restofworld.org/2023/internet-most-used-languages
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How to Vet Translation Companies

10/23/2023

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You’ve got great marketing and informational materials that need to reach a linguistically diverse audience in the United States.

You’re getting ready to launch your SaaS product globally.

You need protected information translated so you can communicate with a patient.

You need to discuss student progress with a parent who has limited English proficiency.

What do all of these scenarios have in common?

They all need translation services. Whatever your reason for needing translation, your next step is vetting translation companies.

Use the four criteria below to find a great translation company:
  1. 1. Expertise and Experience
  2. 2. Translation Quality and Process
  3. 3. Data Security and Privacy
  4. 4. Reliability

1. Expertise and Experience

To understand a company’s experience in translation, look at the company’s time in business. The longer a company has operated, the more projects it has completed. A company’s longevity can indicate experience. If you’re considering a newer translation company, look at the experience its leadership has in the industry.

Evaluating a company’s expertise is a little different. Find out if the translation company has completed projects like yours before. If you’re in a niche industry, you may want to look for more specialization in your niche.

Next, you need to learn about the company’s translator network. Depending on your needs, evaluate the network on breadth and depth. Breadth matters if you’ll request translations in a number of languages. If you just need one or two languages, the breadth of the company’s translator network may not matter.

The depth of the translator network is all about expertise. Look for a translation company that contracts with native speakers who live in a country where that language is spoken. You should also check that translators have experience in your industry, whether it’s tech, education, manufacturing, legal contracts, etc. Industry experience ensures familiarity with jargon and specific terms so that they’ll be translated correctly.

2. Translation Quality and Process

Unless you speak the target language, it’s hard to know how good a translation is. Instead, you need to evaluate the translation process and quality assurance checks a company offers.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed criteria for translations to ensure consistency. Your translation company should know what these are and follow them.

Beyond following ISO guidelines, your translation company should have a clear translation process that includes multiple quality checks.

First, the translation company should look at the project details and give you an estimate. Once, you’ve approved the project, it’ll go to a translator. While most translation companies use translation software to lower costs and increase speed, you want a human translator working on it to ensure a high-quality end result.

Once the translation is finished, it should be edited and reviewed. Once any errors are fixed, it moves into formatting. In formatting, the translation will be put into context. For example, the translated text for a flyer, would be put back into the original flyer design.

Next, is final proofing where an in-context linguistic analysis is completed in case any translation errors slipped through. Then, the translation is finally ready to be delivered to you.

3. Data Security and Privacy

Privacy matters to your business. As you get websites, apps, legal contracts, etc. translated, you want to keep your competitive edge by ensuring your company’s proprietary information is not disclosed to others. Your translation company should have up-to-date data security practices and be willing to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Depending on your industry, you may need a translation company that complies with HIPAA, FERPA, and GDPR rules. If your translations need to meet specific regulatory requirements, check that your translation company understands and follows them.

4. Reliability

Many factors combine to make a translation company reliable. Most importantly, you want to understand how good its customer service is. Observe how the company responds to your questions. Ask about what happens if there’s an issue with the final translation.

You should also understand what the final product will look like. Learn how the translation company formats and delivers the translation. Make sure you’ll get a ready-to-use product.

On your translation projects, you’ll have a budget and a timeline. Ask how the translation company ensures projects are on budget and on time. Another consideration for costs and timeline is finding a company that can help you balance those limitations successfully against translation quality. While it’s always best to have the highest quality translation, it’s nice to have some flexibility.

Thoroughly vetting translation companies will help ensure you pick one that meets your needs, delivers high quality translation products, and offers responsive customer service.

Your marketing and informational materials will be connect better with your target audiences.

You’ll set your global launch up for success.

Your patient will understand important health information.

Your student’s parents will be able to support their academic success.
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What to know about sending files to Zab

10/17/2023

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Translation is an important and exciting process – whether you’re expanding your business or communicating with families at your school. We love helping companies establish a strong brand in new regions and making communication easy across language barriers.

In 2022, we translated files into over 115 languages for our clients – from Spanish and Simplified Chinese to Ukranian and Somali. Whatever language you need translated, we probably already have translators ready to work on your project.

Below you’ll learn more about what file types we process and how to submit files for translation.

File Types

We work with many types of files. Below is a list of files that we typically work with.
Writing and Data Files Design Files Resource Files
• Microsoft Word • Adobe InDesign • JSON
• Microsoft Excel • Adobe Illustrator • PHP
• Microsoft PowerPoint • Canva • PO/POT
• Scanned documents • Canva • Properties
• HTML • Articulate 360/RISE • RC
• CSV • RESX
• XLIFF
• XML

If you are using a file type not listed above, please let us know what kind of file you’re working with because we will likely be able to work with it.

Keep in mind that additional work is required for scanned documents, and we may not be able to match the style and fonts exactly.

Below you’ll learn more about what file types we process and how to submit files for translation.

File Submission Instructions

Please follow the instructions below to ensure we deliver a high-quality final product.

When you submit your files for translation, please send us two things:
  • • the original source file and
  • • a PDF of the final English version (if available).

Send these documents to your solutions consultant via email. If your files are too big or require another submission method, talk to your solutions consultant about other options.

We use the primary source file for translation and can accommodate multiple languages.

We use the PDF file to make sure we’re matching style and formatting for the translated final product.

If you only have a PDF file, we can still work with it. However, accessing the primary source files allows us to more easily match the formatting and style.

Keep in mind that some fonts don’t support all languages, so we may make minor changes to best accommodate matching your style guide and delivering a quality written translation.

Special Instructions for Adobe InDesign File Submission


For best results, we need a file package for Adobe InDesign that includes
  • • source links,
  • • .INDD file,
  • • .IDML file, and
  • • fonts.

To export a package, click File>> Package>>Package.
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When the window displays, double check that the following boxes are checked:
  • • Copy fonts
  • • Copy linked graphics
  • • Update graphic links in package
  • • Include .IDML
  • • Include .PDF
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Below is what the package folder should look like when you submit it.
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Once the file package is completed, send it to us via email. If you have larger files, talk to our team about other ways to submit your documents.

Need help with translation? Request a quote to connect with one of our solutions consultants.
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How To: Make Sure Your District Budgets for Translation

10/6/2023

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You’re on the frontlines of education. You work directly with students and parents daily.

You know what resources you need. It’s just a matter of working with your school and district to ensure those needs are met.

If you work with a lot of English-language learners, chances are you’ve run into the need for interpretation or translation. Had your school planned for these costs?

If you need more funding for translation, you need to ensure that it’s part of the school district’s budgeting process. Starting these conversations early can help you get a sense of the resources available to your district and ensure you have the resources you need next year.

Who to talk to about budgeting for translation

You need to know who’s involved in the budgeting process. We’ll review basics about who manages the budgeting process, but remember that some of these things can vary by state and school district.
  • • Superintendent: oversees school district budget and budgeting process
  • • Assistant superintendent / chief business official / budget administrator: creates and presents budget preparation guidelines for the next school year
  • • School Board: reviews and approves budget process, guidelines, and calendar
  • • School administrators: assists in budget development as assigned by the superintendent
  • • Principal: oversees budget at the school-level
  • • School employees: offer feedback and make budget requests

When to start conversations about budgeting for translation

Planning and budgeting for the next school year is a year-long process that starts in the fall. We’ll review how this process works and ways you can get translation into the conversation earlier, rather than later.

Fall – Set Goals and Priorities


The superintendent and other school administrators start working on budget guidelines, due dates, and the development process for the district in the fall.

Fall seems early to start thinking about the next school year. However, if you ran into translation funding shortfalls last year, now’s a good time to flag it as a priority for your school.

Working with your principal, make sure that translation funding is on the school district’s priority list.

Winter – Create School District Budget


School districts start creating the budget during the winter. It gets busy during this season, especially since it’s holiday season. However, keep tabs on conversations around the budget. Talk to your principal to see if they have any updates, and offer another reminder of translation’s role in the success of your students.
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Spring – Schools Create Their Budgets


Once the district sets its budget, it allocates funds to each school. Your principal will start making decisions for your school based on this information. Here’s where you can learn more about how your school specifically will cover translation costs.

Remember that budgets have to be submitted and approved before going into effect, so there is still an opportunity to make changes if needed.

Summer – Reporting and Making Adjustments


During the summer, schools finish reporting for the school year and end the fiscal year. They also submit their finalized budgets and funding requests. Based on what comes back after approval, there may be additional changes. If you’re lucky, you may be approved for more that you thought or exactly what you requested. If not, you’ll need to consider areas for making cuts.

How to make the case for translation

As you prepare to talk to the school board and your principal about budgeting for translation, keep a few things in mind:
  1. 1) Budgets are detailed and have many parts. They allocate funding for buses, staff salary and benefits, building upkeep, any debt the school district has, etc. There are often competing priorities, and it can be easy for certain programs to be forgotten.
  2. 2) Data is your friend. Your school district and principal need a tangible way to justify how they allocate funds. Information on student demographics and parent English proficiency will help your district prioritize translation funding appropriately.
  3. 3) Stories are memorable. While data makes a strong case, combine it with a story or two to make it tangible. Maybe a family had a really positive experience, or a student made really good progress academically because there was good communication facilitated by translation.

Here’s an example of what you can say:

“I was looking at the student body, and X percent of our students are English language learners or have parents with limited English proficiency. Building strong parent-teacher relationships is tricky with a language barrier. I want to make sure that we’re setting aside enough resources for interpretation and translation next year so we’re offering the same opportunities to parents for involvement at school and that our students get support from home.”

Depending on the response, it may be worth adding a gentle reminder that translation is a requirement of schools. However, keep in mind that the Office of Civil Rights considers budgetary limitations and overall need for translation when enforcing its requirements.

In other words, maybe your school district can only cover translations for specific notices, like IEP or 504 plans, because it is a small district with a limited budget and a small population of English-language learners. Expectations on budgeting for translation in districts with more funds or higher populations of English-language learners would be higher.

Remember that while most of the funding for translation services comes from state and local allocations, there are a few federal programs that supplement these costs in certain areas. The specifics can vary by school and depend on the program, so asking more questions about how your school can access these funds will also help move the conversation along.

Expressing your school’s need for translation and working with your principal and school district to ensure planning for these costs will make it easier to establish positive relationships with parents and support your students next year.

Do you need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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How To: Translation Budgeting for School Districts

10/2/2023

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Every fall you start planning the school district’s budget for the following year. It’s a multi-faceted task. It’s hard to forget to fund salaries or buses, but other items can be overlooked or deprioritized.

Translation sometimes falls into that category. However, it should be a higher priority for school districts across the United States to address the needs of students and parents with limited English proficiency, particularly as those populations grow.

Between 2010 and 2020, the number of English-language learners grew by half a million. English-language learners are about 10 percent of total enrollment in US public schools. The most common language of these students is Spanish (75 percent). Other common languages include Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

While some schools have a much higher proportion of English-language learners in their student bodies, translation is something all school districts should be looking at to meet regulatory requirements and ensure students have the support they need at home.

Why budget for translation

According to a May 1970 memo, schools must offer all parents the same meaningful access to information, including details about school events, student performance, and parental participation.

Since the emphasis is on meaningful access, translation or interpretive services may be necessary to provide information to parents who have limited English proficiency.

The Office of Civil Rights is part of the Department of Education that protects equal access in education, including ensuring that translation services are being provided by schools to parents when necessary.

Schools cannot charge parents for translation or interpretive services, so you need to plan to cover those expenses. Planning for these costs will help prevent lawsuits and regulatory issues from arising.

Most of the funding for translation in your school district will come from state and local sources. There are some federal programs that provide supplemental funding for translation for specific requirements, so it’s important to assess how these apply to schools in your district.

How to budget for translation

As you start to budget for translation, you’ll need to look at the needs in your district and understand the costs of translation and interpretive services.

Assess needs


Your school district’s translation needs will vary based on several factors: the demographics of your school districts, parent-district engagement, types of communication sent, and your overall budget and program size. These are also the criteria the Office of Civil Rights uses to evaluate whether a school is meeting its translation obligations.

You’ll need to make these considerations at the district level and for individual schools as you allocate funding to meet needs.

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Demographics


First, consider the demographics of your current enrollment. What proportion of the student body are English-language learners? What proportion of parents have limited English proficiency?

Information from school welcome centers and ELL programs will help you make this assessment.

As you consider the current demographics, you should also look at the projected demographics of the incoming kindergarten class. This information will help you understand any demographic changes that your budget will need to address to meet changing needs.

The more ELL students you have, the more you’ll need to prioritize translation in your budget.

Engagement


Next, consider how much engagement your school district has with parents and the community. The more engagement you have, the more you’ll need to weigh translation costs as you make budgetary decisions.

Types of Communication


Schools do a lot of communicating with parents – from weekly newsletters to student report cards, it can be a lot to translate. If your school district has a tight budget, it may not be able to translate every communication. However, the most important notices must be translated for parents.

If you’re working with a small budget, make communication priorities part of your guidelines.

Overall Budget and Program Size


If you’re running a large program with a generous budget, it can be easier to ensure adequate funding for translation. Smaller budgets for smaller programs can be trickier. However, it comes back to prioritizing what communication is critical to translate.

Estimate costs


After you’ve assessed what your school district’s translation needs are, you need to understand how the translation industry works and what market rates are.

Translation services are different from interpretive services since they focus on written language. Because translation focuses on written language, it’s much easier to scale and the cost per word will decrease over time.

When you work with a translation company, you may start with a glossary for terms for how you want specific things translated. This terminology list will be followed and added to as you keep sending documents for translation. In other words, if a phrase appears multiple times in a document, you may have to pay full price for its translation once depending on the context.

Some documents are specific to certain students and require privacy considerations. However, when you’re translating a document for mass communication like a newsletter, it only needs to be translated once. After the document is in the target language, you can send it to as many people as you’d like.

To compare translation services and rates, start by sending out a Request for Pricing or a Request for Proposals (RFP). Looking at the responses will give you a sense of the market rates and budget accordingly.

How to vet translation companies

Once you’ve budgeted for translation, you’ll need to choose a translation company. Since you’re likely going to use their services over a long period of time, vet companies carefully to ensure you choose an experienced, reliable company.

Create an RFP


When you make an RFP, include information about your translation needs – languages and types of documents. Be thorough with this information so the translation company can be equally thorough in its response.

Once you receive responses to your RFP, look at the pricing breakdown. What’s the formatting cost, the translation cost, etc.?

Check for experience


You also need to check the company’s experience and expertise. Does the company hire native speakers? Are the translators familiar with K-12 education and translating documents in that field? How does the company ensure a quality translation?

Ensure FERPA compliance and data security


Since some of the documents your schools will need translations for will be protected student information, you need to know how the company addresses data security and complies with FERPA.

Budgeting adequately for translation services will ensure that your school district complies with regulations and that all parents in your school district can support their child’s academic growth.

Need translation services in your school district? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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5 Things to Know About the SBA STEP Grant

9/26/2023

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Big dreams and hard work.

That’s what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and you have it in spades. The next thing you need to build on your success?

Funding.

If you’re a small business in Utah with dreams of expanding to global markets, you’re in luck. The U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) offers grants to help cover the costs of bring your business to countries around the world.

Below are 5 things to know about the SBA STEP Grant.
  1. 1. $500,000 is available in Utah.
  2. 2. The maximum annual award for the SBA STEP Grant is $15,000.
  3. 3. Small businesses must meet eligibility requirements.
  4. 4. SBA STEP funds can be used for business expenses related to international expansion.
  5. 5. Applying for the grant has a few steps.

1. $500,000 is available in Utah.

The SBA is making $500,000 available to Utah small businesses through STEP. These funds will be managed by the World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah) and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO).

2. The maximum annual award for the SBA STEP Grant is $15,000.

Eligible small businesses may receive up to $15,000 in funding to cover business expenses related to expanding to an international market.

Grant recipients must provide a 25 percent cash match to their total grant award. A company receiving the maximum award will need to match $3,750.

3. Small businesses must meet eligibility requirements.

According to the SBA STEP Grant’s page,, your business must meet the requirements below:
  • • An “eligible small business concern”
  • • A for-profit business registered in Utah
  • • Physically located and operational in Utah for at least one year
  • • Not barred from federal funds
  • • One or more full-time employees
  • • Export-ready company seeking to export goods or services of U.S. origin or have at least 51 percent U.S. content
  • • Sufficient resources to bear the costs associated with trade
  • • Small businesses in accordance with SBA Small Business Standards

The following businesses are not eligible:

  • • Nonprofits
  • • Educational institutions or for-profit schools recruiting students
  • • Law, accounting, and financial firms
  • • Consulting agencies
  • • Hospitality or tourism operators
  • • Real estate developers
  • • Multi-level marketing, direct sales, or network marketing companies
  • • Foreign-based companies or companies more than 49 percent foreign owned
  • • Companies, organizations, or individuals recruiting foreign direct investment
  • • Companies engaged in illegal activity (federal or state law)
  • • Companies that present performances of a sexual nature or specialize in selling products or services of a sexual nature
  • • Companies getting more than one third of their gross annual revenue from legal gambling

4. SBA STEP funds can be used for business expenses related to international expansion.

These expenses include translation and localization services, travel to international trade shows, sales trips, or business meetings, preparing marketing materials for new markets, or using U.S. Department of Commerce services.

Permissible travel costs include economy airfare and baggage fees, ground transportation, parking, lodging, currency exchange fees, and meeting spaces.

Other expenses related to travel, like passports, visas, entertainment, etc. are not covered by SBA STEP Grant funding.

5. Applying for the SBA STEP Grant has a few steps.

First, you need to confirm that you’re eligible to apply for the grant. Begin by submitting the questionnaire on WTC Utah’s website.

If you’re eligible to apply, you’ll receive login credentials where you can complete the application.

Do you need translation or localization services for your company? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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Federal Funding for Translation in K-12 Schools

9/18/2023

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You’re trying to communicate with parents about their child’s academic performance and get their support from home. The only challenge?

A language barrier.

Translation allows you to overcome that challenge, so the next thing to address is how to pay for it. Many districts aren’t aware that there is federal funding available to supplement state and local funding for translation in schools. We’ll cover the basics of federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Title I, Part A and Title III, Part A.

Translation Obligations and Funding

Schools are required to make information shared with parents accessible regardless of proficiency in English. They also may not charge parents for translation. Local and state public school funding are the primary resources for covering the costs of translation services. Ask your principal about how state and local school funding is allocated for translation at your school.

Supplemental federal funding is available to cover certain translation costs under IDEA, ESSA Title I, Part A, and ESSA Title III, Part A. While these laws cover educational needs more broadly, we’ll review what these programs require and cover specifically for translation below.

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IDEA

IDEA ensures that students with disabilities have access to a free public education and receive any additional educational services they need. When it comes to conducting student assessments and communicating with parents who are not proficient in English, translation services are necessary.

IDEA funding may be used to pay for translation services that meet its requirements, including
  • • student assessments,
  • • notices about identification, evaluation, and educational placement of student,
  • • requests for consent for educational services, and
  • • notification of right to confidentiality.

ESSA Title I, Part A

Generally speaking, Title I funds can be used to fill Title I-specific requirements, including
  • • achievement information,
  • • report cards of state and local educational agencies,
  • • Parents’ Right to Know,
  • • school’s Title I plan,
  • • school and parent programs, meetings, activities and planning for those events,
  • • Parent and Family Engagement policy,
  • • School Improvement identification and all necessary details and rights related to that identification, and
  • • information about student identification as an English Learner and details about instruction programs.

Schools using Title I funding fall into two categories: Schoolwide Programs and Targeted Assistance Programs. Specific rules about funding use can vary based on which category your school falls into. Talk to your principal and district for more information about your school specifically.

Schoolwide Programs have at least 40 percent low-income student population. These schools can use Title I funds to benefit all students using a schoolwide plan based on a comprehensive needs assessment.

Targeted Assistance Programs offer supplementary education services to students selected to participate in Title I. These schools must use scientifically-based research.

ESSA Title III, Part A

You can use Title III funds to pay for translations of any required notices and communication to parents and guardians in Title III. This communication centers on student identification and placement in a language instruction program. You’ll need to provide details about the program, other program options available, how the student specifically will benefit, and information on how parents can be involved. If applicable, you’ll also need to notify parents of failure to meet the Title III Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs).

Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and State Educational Agencies (SEAs) can use Title III funds to contract with a translation company to provide these notices. LEAs can also use Title III funds to cover supplemental translation and interpretation services that are specific to Title III services and students.

In other words, Title III funding cannot be used for translation required by other laws or regulatory entities, like the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), IDEA, and Title I.

It may be that your school district has a contract with a translation company to do all of the translation work you need. The funding you use to pay for these services will change based on what regulatory requirement the document fills.

Understanding funding guidelines and availability will help you get the translation services you need to connect with parents and ensure your students have the support they need.

Need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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What Tech Companies Should Know About Translation

9/7/2023

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In today's interconnected world, it’s easier than ever to reach global markets. Even markets within the United States are linguistically diverse.

The only thing standing between you and tapping into these markets is a language barrier.

You need translation.

From your marketing to your software, translation will help you connect with more customers. So, what does translation look like?

As much as we’d like it to be a simple process of converting text, it’s more complex.

Translation Process

While every translation company has its specific processes, here’s what you can expect generally when working with a translation company:
  1. 1. You’ll submit files that need translation.
  2. 2. The company will review those files and the scope of your project. Your project details may include a style guide and a pre-approved terminology list. Once the whole project is reviewed, you’ll receive estimates of costs and timelines.
  3. 3. Once you approve the project, the company will prepare the files and project details to send to its translators.
  4. 4. Translators will complete the translation and send it back for review.
  5. 5. The company will run quality assurance checks to ensure quality translation.
  6. 6. Next, the company will prepare the final files to send to you.
  7. 7. The company will run a final linguistic review of the translation in context.
  8. 8. You’ll receive the final translation. If you have questions or concerns, you can work with the company to ensure the final product meets your needs and expectations.
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Considerations for Translating Software and Technology

Translating software and websites goes beyond language. It includes making the user interface or website adaptable to your new user audience.
  1. 1. Localization: Localization affects your user interface on your app and website. You’ll need to think about the user experience. Some languages are oriented right to left instead of left to right like English. When words and phrases are translated into other languages, the text length is rarely the same as the source text. This difference in text length can lead to a clunky interface and poor user experience. Using responsive design and planning for these adjustments will help you create a beautiful and easy-to-use final product.

  2. 2. Technical Jargon: You may have specific technical terms you want translated a certain way. Or, you may have terms that need to remain untranslated for the best comprehension of your customers. Creating and sticking to a terminology list or glossary can help ensure clarity and customer satisfaction.

  3. 3. Consistency: Just like your marketing team is consistent with your branding and company voice, you’ll want your translation to be as cohesive and strike a similar tone in the target language. Developing and following a company style guide in both the source and target languages helps ensure a consistent brand.

Beyond your user interface, you’ll also need to have supplemental documents translated, including legal notifications and support resources. You may need to provide additional or different legal notification to comply with local and regional regulations.

Translation and ROI

It’s worth paying for high quality translation because it carries a high ROI for your business. Translation expands your market reach, grows your online visibility, makes it easier to deliver a positive customer experience, helps you comply with regional regulations, and helps establish a positive brand presence in your new market.
  1. 1. Market Reach: Translated marketing materials, product descriptions, and other customer communications make it easy for your target audience to connect with your brand and do business with you. Expanding market reach is a key ROI whether you are taking your business global or broadening your markets within the United States.

  2. 2. SEO and Online Visibility: SEO is very competitive in the English language and is less competitive in others. There are also more users on search engines conducting searches in languages other than English. Translating your website helps you decrease the intensity of your online competition and grow your audience.

  3. 3. Customer Satisfaction: Offering customer support and resources in their language improves customer satisfaction with your business and services. Afterall, no one is going to use an app that they don’t understand.

  4. 4. Regulatory Compliance: Businesses operating in different countries often need to adhere to various regulations and standards. Translating legal and regulatory documents ensures compliance and prevents legal issues. Even in the United States, it’s sometimes required to offer information in languages that your employees understand.

  5. 5. Positive Brand Presence: A bad translation can destroy your brand overseas because it shows a lack of preparation and a lack of interest in customers from your target region. Ensuring you have a quality translation protects the brand you’re building.

How to Find a Quality Translation Company

Getting a good translation requires context of where and how the language is being used in addition to understanding cultural norms and subtexts of a language.

Hiring your own translator can be a long, difficult process – you’ll need to verify how well they know the target language and their level of familiarity with your industry. When you’ve got a project to manage or have enough to do with writing the original language tech documents, it’s worth outsourcing that task to experts.

It’s much easier to vet translation companies and hire one. You just need to check four things:
  1. 1. Expertise and Experience
  2. 2. Translation Quality and Process
  3. 3. Data Security and Privacy
  4. 4. Reliability
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Expertise and Experience


Consider how long the company has been in business, how experienced its translators are, and whether it can process the files you need accurately.
  • • How experienced are the translators in the target language?
  • • How knowledgeable are the translators in your industry?
  • • What languages are available?
  • • What types of files can the company process?

Translation Quality and Process


Learn about the company’s approach to translation and how it ensures you get a high-quality translation.
  • • How does the company ensure an accurate, high-quality translation?
  • • Does the company follow international standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)?
  • • Does the company offer different levels of quality that can be adjusted based on your budget and timeline?

Data Security and Privacy


Whether you’re working with protected information or trying to maintain your proprietary information, you’ll need to ask how the company approaches data and privacy.
  • • Does the company comply with regulatory requirements like HIPAA, FERPA, and GDPR?
  • • Does the company sign non-disclosure agreements that will help protect your business?

Reliability


You’ve got a deadline, and you aim to impress. You need a reliable translation company.
  • • What does the final translated product look like?
  • • How does the company ensure that projects are on-budget and on-time?

Translation isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment in growing your business and being successful financially. Finding the right translation company will help you expand your market reach, improve your online presence, and reduce liability by complying with regulations.

Need help with translation? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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What to Know About FERPA and Translation

8/31/2023

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Maybe you work with students every day to build English-language proficiency. Maybe you have bilingual students in your classroom.

Whatever your teaching specialization, parents are key partners in achieving student academic success. If parents have a non-English primary or home language, providing translated records and information is key to building a strong partnership. Schools are also legally required to provide parent communication in translation, especially documents like IEPs and 504s.

As you handle these records and work with others to translate them, you’ll need to keep the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in mind. Failing to follow FERPA can result in severe consequences. We’ll cover what you need to know about FERPA and translation below.

FERPA Overview


FERPA protects sensitive student information, including grades, transcripts, class lists, course schedules, health records, and disciplinary records. Parents have the right to access their children’s educational records until their children are 18 or enrolled in a post-secondary institution. FERPA also regulates the disclosure of these records to third parties, including translation services. You’ll need to get permission from parents before sending student records to a translation company for translation.

All educational institutions that receive federal funding are required to comply with FERPA, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.

School Obligations to Students and their Families

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Equal Access


Schools must provide all parents of enrolled students with the same meaningful access to information, which means that it must provide information in translation to families with limited English proficiency. Schools may have trained members on their staff who can help with this service or can work with translation companies to ensure all parents are getting the information and communication they need.

Notification of Rights


Schools must provide an annual Notification of Rights to families that outlines their rights under FERPA. You’ll need to translate this notice of rights for families that have limited English proficiency. If your school doesn’t already have the necessary translated forms, a translation company can help complete the translation.

Informed Consent and Authorization


The only way to get informed consent and authorization for the annual Notice of Rights and any request for student records is by translating those forms into a language that parents can understand. Translation companies can make this easy by taking care of the translation piece.

Secure Storage


While FERPA does not have explicit standards for schools regarding digital data security, schools are responsible for protecting student information and data. When you request translation of student documents, you’ll need to choose an organization that has good data security practices, complies with FERPA, and holds its team accountable for data security.

Guidelines for Choosing a Translation Service


As you evaluate translation services, consider the following:

Expertise and Experience


Does the company have experienced translators in the target language? Has the company translated FERPA-protected educational records before?

Assess your overall language needs. Maybe you just need a few languages that are commonly spoken in the United States. Or, maybe you need to find a company that offers translation in languages that aren’t as common in the United States. When you’re looking at a translation company, check what languages they offer services in.

Next, consider the experience of the company’s translators. Ask about the translator’s language expertise and what kinds of documents they specialize in. These questions will help you understand if the company is a good fit.

Translation Quality and Process


What levels of translation quality are available? How does the company ensure consistency and accuracy in its translations?

Just like there are different writing styles for a research paper, novel, blog article, and social media posts, there are different qualities of translation. Most translation companies offer a few different levels. Zab Translation Solutions offers Publication Quality, Reading Quality, Reference Only, and Machine Translation. These differing levels have different price points, timelines, and costs.

Make sure that the translation company offers the quality level you need for your documents. With student records, it will usually be Publication Quality. You’ll want to ensure an accurate, high-quality translation because a mistranslation or low-quality translation can lead to confusion on the parents’ end and increase your school’s liability risk.

The second consideration is the consistency and accuracy of the translation. Unless you speak the target language, it is difficult to assess this yourself. Instead, you should focus on the translation company’s process for preventing errors and ensuring a high-quality final product. How many people review a translation before you get it? If there is an error, what is the process for fixing it and preventing it in the future?

FERPA Compliance


Does the company offer certified translations? How do they answer questions about data storage and security?

You need to ensure the privacy and security of your students’ protected information. You should be confident that your translation company follows all the best practices to ensure your students’ privacy and complies with FERPA.

Reliability


How dependable is the company in keeping timelines, sticking to budgets, and delivering a high-quality, ready-to-use end product?

Whether it’s school registration, parent-teacher conferences, or IEP meetings, you have strict deadlines for getting documents to parents. You need a translation company that sticks to deadlines reliably.

A lot of preparation and details go into these events, so you’ll also want to look for a company that offers a ready-to-use end product so that the only thing standing in your way is the copy machine.

And, it’s always best to stay on-budget. So, finding a company that does that reliably matters.

Ensuring FERPA compliance as you translate documents will keep your students’ information safe while you work with their families to support their English-language learning and overall academic success. Choosing a trusted translation company will also ensure that you have one less thing to do and will let you focus on what you do best: teaching.

Do you need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email [email protected] to ask for service and pricing details.
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ChatGPT in Language Translation Reality

8/8/2023

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Here, at Zab Translation Solutions, we’re big on automation and optimization. We realize it’s the only way to be competitive. Therefore, we’ve also been spending a lot of time with ChatGPT. I personally really like ChatGPT. It’s fun! It’s addicting. It’s useful enough that we’ve bought multiple subscriptions for testing. We’ve even implemented it in some basic automation processes.
 
It’s also gimmicky, problematic, and, in many ways, more hype than reality. However, a wise man once told me, “This is the worst it will ever be”, which is probably true. Therefore, we’ll continue to use it as much as it is helpful in what we are trying to accomplish.
 
Will it replace human translators? Maybe one day, but that day isn’t anywhere in the near future as far as I can tell. Unfortunately, too many people are sucked into the vortex of believing that it’s currently in a state to replace translators. This is simply untrue – on multiple levels.
 
The first, and most basic problem, is that most people don’t stop to realize that translation is rarely just copy-and-paste of text. A real translation project isn’t this:
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​It’s this:
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​ChatGPT wouldn’t even know where to get started if you try to present it a problem like the realistic one above. And even when you ask ChatGPT to help you with something multiple times simpler than that, then you get the following conversation:
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AI cannot and should not be ignored. However, it's unfortunately become an inappropriate replacement in far too many instances while still in its early infancy.
 
With regards to translation in particular, please also keep the following issues in mind:

  1. If you are providing any confidential material to ChatGPT, this information will essentially be made public. Ensure you are not breaking any agreements with your customers or even potentially breaking laws by doing this.
  2. As Vanderbilt University's student newspaper reported: "There is a sick and twisted irony to making a computer write your message about community and togetherness because you can’t be bothered to reflect on it yourself.” -Bethanie Stauffer. Let's use AI where it makes sense. Let's use it to enhance what we are doing. However, let's not get caught up in the hype or false belief that it is ready to start replacing humans because we are lazy in our understanding or use of it. 
  3. Since ChatGPT is currently far from perfect, how do you want your target audience to feel? Do you want quality, or do you want your non-English speakers to feel like second-rate customers? Would you allow a 12-year-old to write your English content or translate for you? What about software QA, file formatting, etc.? ChatGPT will fail miserably here (and probably won’t even be able to do anything at all).
  4. Along these same lines, when you think about translation, take into consideration how much time and money you spent to create the equivalent English product. You shouldn’t need to spend the same amount for translation, but you also shouldn’t think you can get away with a professional translation “on the cheap” either.

For now, we’re going to stay in our lane and continue to enjoy ChatGPT (and similar AI), and implement it as much as it is useful to what we are doing. However, we’re not going to pretend it works miracles, because it doesn’t.
 
(By the way, ChatGPT wrote a good percentage of this article, with human review, of course, so it even agrees. 🤣)
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What languages dominate the internet?

6/7/2023

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If you're struggling to compete, there are plenty of easier opportunities in the global marketplace that you are missing out on. Simply putting your message out in another language can go a long way - even with basic organic SEO from Google and otherwise. Let us help you get more attention and find more opportunities.

The following is an article that may also provide some helpful tips: https://restofworld.org/2023/internet-most-used-languages
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