Instructions that elevate your brand
Instruction manual translation
At DataSource, we specialize in translating technical documentation with precision and clarity. Our expert team ensures that your user guides and instruction manuals are accurately translated, maintaining the original meaning and technical accuracy across 80+ languages.
Why instruction manuals are different
For instruction manuals we often do not simply translate what was written in English; instead, we follow the steps to first ensure that the instructions make sense. In cases of any questions or doubts, we seek clarification. This happens a lot because instructions are usually “written” by factories in Asia where English is not the first language and possibly copy/pasted from various sources. This means that if not carefully proofread or at least questioned during translation, your translated manuals could make reference to wrong functions, wrong products, and even wrong brands!
We recognize that these materials are often printed and packaged with the products. Errors in printed manuals can be costly, so it is vital to be conscientious when translating instruction manuals.
The timeline for instruction manual translations is often short. These translations are typically assigned towards the end of the production schedule, leaving a limited window for translation before layout, printing, and packaging. Therefore, it is important that the translation agency is able to respect deadlines so that it does not cause production or shipment delays.
Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) for instruction manuals
The content for a retailer’s instruction manuals can be both technical and repetitive. Technical, because the products can range from simple homeware items to garden tools. Repetitive, because a retailer can sell similar products over different seasons, whereby some products are simply upgrades of previous models and therefore the instructions only need an update.
We have 20+ years experience handling these content challenges for our retail clients. In such cases, we leverage Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools, which are essentially the management of translation memories (TM) and terminology databases (TB) to enhance the translation process at scale. The benefits for everyone:
- Ensures consistency in terminology across all documents
- Improves translation speed and efficiency
- Maintains a translation memory for future projects, reducing costs
- Facilitates easy updates and revisions to existing manuals
- Enables seamless collaboration among multiple translators on large projects
Our services for technical documentation
With 20 years of experience helping 30+ global retailers on user manuals and packaging, we have established flexible workflows that allow us to add value at any point of your documentation development lifecycle. We work on 2,000+ manuals every year!
Technical Writing: Write clear, concise instruction manuals in English from the production sample and technical data.
Photoshooting: Capture high-quality images for packaging, instruction manual, or e-commerce usage.
Translation: Utilize our expert linguists and CAT tools to translate the content accurately.
Desktop Publishing: Format the translated content to match the original layout and design.
Why use DataSource
- Over 20 years of experience in technical translation
- Expertise in 80+ languages
- Specialized translators with industry-specific knowledge
- Rigorous quality control processes
- Cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality
- Ability to handle large-scale, multi-language projects
- Experience working with all entities in the supply chain: suppliers, distributors and retailers
Contact us
Ready to elevate your instruction manuals for a global audience? Contact DataSource today for expert translation services that ensure your products are understood and used correctly worldwide!