Adobe InDesign Translation Project Schedules

Our company has performed so many translation projects for InDesign documents over the years that they now seem routine. To customers though, especially new ones, translating InDesign documents may be a new experience spurring questions about a number of things. Among the usual questions are the one listed below. Brief answers are provided for each item.

1) How is pricing calculated?

For Adobe InDesign projects there are two categories of costs. The first and most obvious is the translation of text. This includes standard editable text within the InDesign file, and also graphics with text elements that are sometimes included in InDesign documents. Graphics may need to be translated using software other than InDesign.

The second category of cost is the InDesign formatting. Translation work performed by skilled human linguists takes place outside the InDesign environment. Extracting the text for translation allows the use of standard software tools that professional translators use to recognize text repetition, thereby reducing costs, and promoting continuity of translation throughout the body of a project.

Translation services are priced based on the word count. InDesign formatting services are priced according to the number of pages for formatting. Project pricing is transparently identified in written quotes issued to customers on request.

2) How long will the project take?

Project schedules to complete InDesign translation projects scale with the scope of each project. The scope is mainly determined by the total word count, any measurable text repetition, and the number of pages for formatting. On average professional translator process around 2500 source word per day. Estimated project schedules are indicated on issued quotes and can arrange from one day for small projects, to several weeks for projects for documents of 200 or more pages.