Author: Yuri Tsverkun
Founder at OCR Craft
Over 15 Years of Experience in the Translation Industry

Project managers often receive PDFs for translation that are too complicated for 1-to-1 PDF to DOC conversion. To translate such files, PMs will need to recreate them in InDesign. 

For such projects, we have created two workflows and are happy to share them with you. Below, we also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each workflow.

Workflow #1:

  • Step 1. Complete pre-DTP text extraction >
  • Step 2. Translate >
  • Step 3. Create the file in InDesign in the target language >
  • Step 4. Save the completed translation as a PDF file or an InDesign package.

Workflow #2:

  • Step 1. Complete pre-DTP text extraction >
  • Step 2. Recreate the file in InDesign in the source language >
  • Step 3. Translate the IDML file >
  • Step 4. Save the completed translation as a PDF file or an InDesign package.

As it happens, each workflow has its own pros and cons:

Workflow #1: You will receive the standard DOC file for translation. After you have completed the translation, you will send the file to us for DTP. We will, in turn, complete the DTP, verify the file for any issues, and deliver to you the final PDF (together with its InDesign package, if requested).

This is the simplest workflow. However, it entails two steps of involvement on our part: pre— and post-translation. 

Workflow #2: You will receive an InDesign package from us for translation, which you can then process through your CAT tool. After translating the .idml file and proofreading its InDesign copy, you will be able to save the final version of your document as a PDF or an InDesign file package.

This workflow is convenient because you will receive a project file recreated in InDesign before translation. This also means that our involvement in the project will be limited to one step—prior to translation. Therefore, you will have more flexibility in managing your project. 

However, this workflow has a minor drawback: your team will need to verify the final file in InDesign, which can be challenging unless you have a DTP specialist on your team. 

We charge the same fee for either workflow unless you need to translate your document into three or more languages. For a project involving multiple languages, workflow #2 is a better and more affordable option.