Start with the reader
Who will read the translation? A workplace safety notice for employees needs a different tone from a customer-facing service page or a personal document for a government authority.
Include practical details
Source and target languages, approximate word count, file format, preferred deadline and the country where the content will be used. If you have approved terminology or brand glossaries, share them early.
- Source language and target language
- Intended audience and country of use
- Approximate content length
- Preferred file format
- Deadline preference
What not to send initially
Please do not include identity numbers, medical records, payment details or other sensitive personal information in the first message. We will agree on a secure way to share documents once the project scope is confirmed.
A short description is enough to start: document type, languages, country and whether a person or a company will read it. Files can follow once the handover method is agreed.
One project, one reviewer
If several people will comment, name one person who sends the final notes. Mixed feedback on names and dates is the fastest way to delay a certificate or a contract.
Also say whether the translation is for information or for a submission. Those are different jobs. A page that explains a service does not need the same checks as a paper an authority will file.