How to prepare a document for translation: 7 tips

Algirdas Urbonas · 27 September 2026

Part of the time and cost of a translation depends not on the text but on how it is sent. A few simple steps help you get the translation sooner and without extra rounds of corrections.

1. Send an editable file if you have one

A Word or Excel file can be translated straight away and returned in the same layout. A scanned PDF first has to be converted to text and cleaned up, which takes time.

2. Send the whole document

Include annexes, stamps and handwritten notes. If the authority later asks for an annex to be translated as well, you will need a second order, and two orders always take longer than one.

3. Tell me what the translation is for

The authority and the country decide whether you need the translator’s signature, notarisation or an apostille, and whether British or American English is the better choice.

4. Add earlier translations and a term list

If your company already has translated documents or a list of approved terms, send them. Terms will be translated consistently, and repeated passages will go faster.

5. Give a specific date

Instead of “as soon as possible”, give the date and time you actually need it. A document of a few pages usually takes 1–⁠2 working days. The urgency surcharge applies only if you need the translation on the day you order it.

6. Names as they appear in official documents

Personal and company names must be spelt exactly as in the passport or company register. If in doubt, send a copy of the passport or the register extract.

7. Mention confidentiality in advance

If you need a non-disclosure agreement, we can sign one before you send me the documents. You can also black out any personal data that the translation does not need.

Get a quoteSend me the file – you will have a price and a delivery date the same working day.

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