The devil is in the details – QAing financial documents

 

[buildings and reflection on water*]

One relatively stable translation niche is financial translation, which involves any document required in the flow of money as well as various documents proving place of residence. Many of the requests are for translations from PDFs that list personal specifics on a standard form such as a tax declaration or utility invoice. In practical terms,  a previous translation can be used as a template. However, entering different details onto an existing form is not as simple as it seems. In first drafts,  it can happen that the translator introduces errors, namely in numbers, names and formatting. A proper QA process can essentially ensure that the client receives a completely accurate translation.

To a non-translator, translating a water bill or bank statement may be simple. It seems that all one has to do is run the PDF through a decent PDF-Word converter and out comes a nice Word document. Alas, in almost all cases, the resulting Word document is a mess, requiring more work to fix the formatting than to translate it manually, i.e., line by line. This means that the first translation of any such PDF can take significant time, up to 90 minutes for one page if the format is complicated as in tax forms or some utility bills. On the other hand, assuming the translation is accurate, that resulting Word document can be used for any other customer requesting translation of a document in the same format. Thus, it is worthwhile for the translator to invest time and effort to produce a proper template. However, when entering the new details, the translator faces the danger of introducing errors. These can be eliminated by appropriate checking.

One major issue is incorrect numbers. One challenge is when a page is extremely “busy” with numbers of which some change, e.g., the amount due, while others remain the same, e.g., the company number of the utility. Furthermore, since the numbers are being entered manually, the translator may reverse two numbers, e.g. "27" becomes "72", creating an error. Finally, while the forms may be same, some documents may include or not contain specifics appearing in the template, such as a certain fee or service. Thus, the translator should compare all the numbers on the original and translation and make sure that they are identical. The ideal time for this process is the next day when the mind sees the actual details much clearer.

Names can also be tricky. First, when working from a different alphabet (Hebrew to English in my case), it is vital to confirm the relevant spelling of any name on the document. Aside from any hurt feelings, it may impact the legal validity of the document. Once the translator completes the translation, it is important to confirm the name was spelled identically throughout the document. The human mind is more than capable of switching spellings in the middle of a project. A quick check of names identifies any such error before the client discovers it.

The last issue, formatting, while generally irrelevant in terms of content, is vital for customers. The translated document should look as identical as possible to the original. If an item is boxed, bold, underlined or white-in-black in the original, it should also be so in the translation just as a text without margin lines should look the same in the translation. Adding items to a template can further disturb the formatting. Thus, the translator needs to compare the visual aspects of the target and source documents to make sure that they match as much as possible. Customers value this result with the users of the documents appreciating the ability to easily compare data. Proper formatting is an essential part of a professional translation of a financial document.

The QA processes described above involve checking multiple aspects of the document. Ideally, the translator should do each one in turn, i.e., first comparing numbers, followed by names and then formatting. Of course, the translator should also take into account the time involved in this process in setting the price. Not only does this QA process produce a proper translation, it leads to repeat business from the same customer and recommendations. In other words, proper QA of financial documents is time well spent.

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