Quick answer: A useful translation brief explains what the material is for, who will read or receive it, the required language direction, which source and reference files are available, and what format or deadline applies. Include the receiving organization’s current written requirements when the translation will be submitted externally. Clear instructions help define the work; they do not decide what an external recipient will accept.
Explain purpose and audience
State whether the translation is for internal review, publication, a transaction, study, or submission to a named organization. Identify the intended reader and country or jurisdiction when relevant. Attach complete current instructions from a recipient and identify the relevant section instead of relying on memory.
Specify the language direction
Name both the source and target languages, including a regional variety or script preference when it matters. Identify approved spellings of people’s and organizations’ names and provide a reference document if available.
Send complete source material
Provide every page and relevant reverse side, stamp, handwritten note, table, diagram, and attachment. Use a legible file and preserve page order. Flag anything missing, cropped, faint, or obscured; do not edit source images to remove marks that may affect interpretation.
For a large project, list the files and flag duplicates, superseded versions, and reference-only materials so an old draft is not mistaken for the controlling source.
Share terminology and references
Provide an approved glossary, style guide, prior translation, product names, preferred terms, or earlier text only when relevant and authorized. Identify the version and say whether it is mandatory or advisory. Do not assume a prior translation is accurate simply because it was used before; point out inconsistencies for review.
Define the deliverable
State whether you need an editable document, formatted replica, table, subtitles, software strings, or another specific output. Attach formatting instructions and identify the required file type. If certification or a signature is requested, include the exact instruction and ask what the quotation includes.
Separate translation from other tasks such as notarization, authentication, legalization, transcription, desktop publishing, or video editing. Ask whether each is included rather than inferring it from a general service label.
Set a review window
Give the requested deadline and any fixed submission date. Ask the provider to confirm feasibility after reviewing the files and scope. Reserve time to check names, dates, numbers, terminology, and layout. An enquiry date is not a confirmed delivery commitment.
| Include | Useful information |
|---|---|
| Purpose and audience | Named recipient or intended readers |
| Languages | Source and target, including required variant |
| Complete files | All pages, attachments, stamps, and relevant reverse sides |
| Recipient instructions | Current written requirements and source/date |
| Terminology | Approved names, glossary, style guide, reference version |
| Deliverable | File type, layout, certification request, separate procedures |
| Timing | Requested deadline and external submission date |
Before sending confidential information, check the provider’s published privacy terms and stated submission channel. Avoid unrelated personal data. Ask how missing information, corrections, and scope changes will be handled.
If requesting a Globalize service, include these details so the scope can be assessed. A service page may help identify a route, but the project’s quotation and deliverable must be confirmed for that request.
A compact example you can adapt
Purpose: submission to a named recipient for a stated process. Languages: source language to target language, including any required variant. Files: list each current file and identify the controlling version. Instructions: attach the recipient’s current written rule and note its date or link. Names and terms: provide approved spellings and any relevant glossary. Output: state whether an editable file, layout recreation, certification element, or separate procedure is requested. Timing: give the requested date and ask the provider to confirm feasibility after reviewing the scope.
This example is a request structure, not a promise that every provider offers each output. Remove any item that does not apply and mark unknowns as questions rather than assumptions.
Make the source package easy to check
Use descriptive filenames and a simple index when sending multiple files. Separate final source documents from references, prior translations, and background material. State whether a reference is authoritative, optional, or supplied only for context. Keep a record of the instructions and versions sent so that later changes can be identified.
For scanned or image-based documents, check that text is not cut off, pages are upright and in order, and seals or notes remain visible. Do not enhance, crop, or rewrite an image in a way that changes the source. Flag the uncertain portion and ask whether a clearer original is needed.
Confirm assumptions before work starts
Ask the provider to repeat back the document set, language direction, output, included review, exclusions, and requested date in the quotation. Resolve differences between the written recipient instruction and your request before proceeding. If the source changes, ask whether the new version changes the scope or timing. These steps reduce avoidable back-and-forth; they do not guarantee a particular translation outcome or recipient decision.
Close the loop after sending the request
Ask the provider to confirm receipt of every listed file and note any missing page, unreadable section, or unclear instruction before work begins. Keep one contact person responsible for answering questions and identify who may approve terminology or source changes. If several departments contribute files, nominate the person who can confirm which version is final.
When the quotation arrives, compare it with your brief line by line. Correct a mistaken language direction, missing attachment, or misunderstood output before accepting the scope. Save the final brief, quotation, source file list, and recipient instructions together. This record helps distinguish a later source change from an omission in the original request and gives both sides a clear reference if a question arises.
Add examples and decision rules for recurring work
When the same type of material will be translated repeatedly, include a small approved terminology list with definitions and examples in context. Mark terms that must remain unchanged, terms that may be translated, and terms that depend on the audience or jurisdiction. Provide one approved sample if it reflects the required tone and layout; label it as a reference rather than asking the translator to reproduce errors it contains.
Set a clear question path: who can clarify the source, who approves terminology, who reviews the draft, and who gives final acceptance. Define how questions will be recorded and how a revised source file changes the scope. If the team intends to use tracked changes, comments, or a bilingual table, name that format in advance. For batch work, give each file a stable identifier and identify duplicate or superseded versions. These small controls reduce avoidable rework and make review decisions easier to trace.