A request for technical translation can look straightforward: a document, a language pair and a deadline. Yet two teams can quote the same file differently when the final use, terminology or layout requirements are unclear. A useful brief explains what must be delivered, not just what must be translated.

Begin with the decision the document supports

Will the material guide equipment maintenance, inform a regulatory submission, train staff or communicate a new product? Tell the supplier who will read it, where it will be used and whether there are approved reference documents. This context helps the team assess terminology, tone and the level of review appropriate to the project. If a receiving institution requires a particular form of translation, share its instructions rather than assuming a standard professional translation will be accepted.

Send a representative file and identify the final format

The source file reveals more than a page count. Tables, diagrams, text embedded in images, footnotes and noneditable PDFs can change the work needed. Send the original editable file when available, together with any PDF that shows the intended appearance. If you cannot share the complete document at the quoting stage, provide a representative sample, the approximate volume and a description of the remaining material. State whether the final delivery should be editable, ready to publish or supplied as translated text for your own design team.

Specify languages, audience and terminology

“English” or “Spanish” may not fully describe the intended audience. Identify the countries or teams that will use the text when that matters to word choice. Share product names, acronyms, glossaries, translation memories, previously approved documents and terms that must remain unchanged. If different departments use different expressions for the same concept, decide who will resolve those choices before translation begins.

Define review and approval responsibilities

Tell the team whether a subject-matter expert on your side will review terminology, whether tracked changes or comments are needed, and who will approve the final version. A review request can mean checking a human translation, editing an automated draft or verifying a file after layout work; these are different scopes. Providing both the source and the translated draft helps assess what kind of review is feasible.

Share the real deadline and any handling requirements

Give the date when the material must be used and mention any milestones, such as a draft for internal review or a final file for printing. If the document is confidential, explain applicable access or handling requirements before sharing the complete material. A clear schedule allows the team to assess availability and propose a responsible delivery plan; urgency alone does not describe the actual constraint.

A brief you can send

  • Source file or representative sample, with any editable originals
  • Source and target languages, plus the intended audience
  • Subject matter, document purpose and approved terminology
  • Required final format, layout needs and review process
  • Date of use, interim milestones and handling requirements

With this information, Opportunity Translations can evaluate the file and prepare a proposal that defines the work, timeline and deliverable.