We have translated and localized hundreds of websites and we can say with confidence that although we can definitely help your business shine in other markets and cultures, things are definitely not as easy as they may seem – there are lots and lots of technical considerations and issues that you may not even think of. For example, text in the target language often becomes longer and does not fit the space allocated to it. Who is taking care of your website and what happens once you update some pages? With simple websites, the owner of small business may be able to copy-paste text from Word herself, but with more complex ones using Content Management Systems, you may need help of web designers or engineers. Navigating through such systems may be easy from the perspective of design or technical support, but may be a nightmare for linguists not used to working in them (especially considering that everybody seems to be using their own /proprietary system.)

From a practical perspective, if you send us your website’s address, it might be sufficient to quickly review it and provide a general estimate. To provide a binding quote though, especially in the case of more complex websites, we need to receive all pages that need to be localized as html files (there can be hundreds and thousands of them) or in other editable format, as well as to review / discuss all technical and linguistic requirements (for example, the need to use a special format, work in a specific system, limit the number of characters, and so on). Your web-developer should be able to help you download / extract them (or all relevant text / content) for translation. (Once translated, they will also help you place those pages / import files correctly to the website.) This process may sound complex, but it will allow us to properly analyze the project, understand the scope of work, document it (so that we know exactly what we do), use special CAT tools to help leverage repetitions and fuzzy matches – that can result in savings of 25-70%, and so on and on.

Our website offers many options for submitting requests for quotes or actual projects, most popular ones are here. For simple documents / projects without any special technical, linguistic or certification requirements, you can use Simple Projects options where you can upload files and see estimated price right away. For more complex projects, use Complex Projects option, where you can upload files in most popular formats and describe your project. Our experienced project managers will get back to you shortly to clarify details and once we know all the details, we will send you a formal binding quote that will never change.

If you are just starting out, you can book a consultation so that you can learn more about us and how we can make your business communications a success, and we will learn more about your documents in order to provide the best possible solution for you.

If unsure – just Contact Us and we will get back to you to discuss your project and offer the best solution for your specific situation.

ABC Language Solutions is an ISO-certified company, and we have very strong confidentiality and document-handling policies. All documents / files are stored on secure servers and are accessible only on the need-to-know basis. All staff and linguists have signed NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) and adhere to various strict  Ethics and other Codes and Regulations of various professional organizations.

It is necessary to understand though that we live in the new Internet-based world, and most business is done online. This means there should be a balance between convenience and security. In practical terms, files pass through many points beyond our control where they can be seen / accessed by various people (such as technicians, admins, etc), even without our knowledge. For example, if there’s a fire in the office building, files and computers can potentially be accessed by fire fighters or building security.

Of course, there are additional measures that can be taken to mitigate such risks – for example, encrypting communications, using special locked cabinets, computers with no access to Internet, etc.  Such measures will typically mean higher costs and delays. (For instance, we deal with over 120 languages, and it is not possible for us OR for any other agency to have that many linguists on staff for occasional jobs. So, if the requirement is that translation is done from the original document, it will need to be sent by secure mail or courier to us, then to translator, then back to us and back to you, resulting in extra time, high additional cost and potential risks beyond our control.)

We deal with highly confidential information and documents for police, courts, Immigration on a daily basis, and fully understand on a very deep level security concerns and risks, as well as ways to mitigate risks and bring down costs. If you have special concerns, requirements or requests in this respect, just let us know, and we will be happy to discuss them and offer you the best possible solution within your budget!

We must admit, there is a lot of confusion here! Many people use different terms (official, accredited, sworn, etc) that mean the same thing, and to make things worse, often the same term means different things for different people.

On a high level, in Canada the term “certified translation” most commonly means translation done by a Canadian Certified Translator – this would be a translator who is a member in good standing of one of the Provincial Translators’ Associations. Usually, this implies a higher level of professionalism and everything that comes with it – from responsibility to liability. However there are very few such translators (1-2 in some language combinations, and none in others!), and they are usually very busy, so it may be difficult or impossible to arrange such a translation in some language combinations. In many situations, a notarized translation would be acceptable or even preferred as well (this is when a translator would swear a special legal affidavit in front of a Lawyer or Notary Public or Commissioner for Affidavits). In other situations, industry knowledge and expertise may be more important than any certifications (most commonly, this would be the case with specialized / technical translations). If documents are to be used abroad, there may be additional / country-specific requirements, and some organizations in Canada keep their list of preferred / recognized translators too, this is also the case in many other countries.

So, choosing the right translator can be a significant challenge! We are proud to say that over many years we’ve been in business, we did not have A SINGLE case where translation would not be accepted because we did not follow the instructions, did not meet the requirements or for similar reasons. We also offer a full money-back guarantee – something very few, if any, companies in this industry do. It all starts from listening to you and learning about YOUR specific needs and requirements!

We are a professional translation company, not an individual translator. We have a good team of professional linguists having all necessary qualifications of an authorized translator who are ready to meet your requirements. We provide a multitude of linguistic services, including official translations, and can help you to translate different kinds of documents that require legal certification. When you order a certified translation, you will receive your documents signed and stamped by a certified translator. It means that translation is approved and valid in the country where it is to be used and it will have full legal equivalence to the original document.

There are different types of official translations. Generally speaking, the official translation is the one done by a professional translator, and stamped and signed by a registered authority. Exact process can vary from country to country and depends on the specific country or organization’s requirements. In Canada there are two major types of official translation: certified and notarized, which are both accepted by most offices. Certified translation is done by a member in good standing of provincial organizations of Canada and attests that it is a true and accurate reflection of the original document. Notarized translation means that the translated documents have been signed by a translator or company representative before a notary public or lawyer.

When it comes to translation, there are different steps that require thorough linguistic review and detailed approach. First of all, we need to ensure an accurate understanding of the content to be translated. It is important because it gives a way to choose the right translator with all necessary qualifications, background and experience to do the work. When translation is done, it is sent for a quality check to ensure that you receive ready-to-use, high-quality translation. Also it involves the final revision before finalizing and delivering the document.

First of all, you should prepare and send us the documents to be translated along with all the requirements. You can check them at the organization where you are planning to submit them. When you send us all the files and details concerning your request, we will promptly review them and will provide you with a binding quote.