What happens to your documents after you send them for translation?
This is a question far fewer people ask than they should.
That is why, in this two-part series, we decided to take a closer look at what you should consider – and why – if data security matters to you.
When choosing a translation agency, it is only natural to discuss price, turnaround time, and, hopefully, quality. What is discussed far less often is what happens to your materials once they leave your company’s own systems.
Whether it is a contract, technical documentation for a product that has not yet been made public, an internal financial report, or even an entire business plan, when you send a document for translation, you are not simply handing over the document itself. You are also handing over the data and confidential information it contains.
Yet far fewer people think about this than they should.
And it is one of the most important questions to ask.
A translation project does not necessarily involve just one person working on a particular document. A project manager, translator, reviewer, and sometimes even a desktop publishing specialist may all be involved. And when multiple languages are involved, the process can become even more complex.
What makes a professional translation truly professional is that each task is handled by the right specialist.
But it matters who can access the material – and how. And that is only one of the many questions:
Can a contributor see the entire project even if they are only working on one part of it? Are they allowed to pass the material on to someone else? Can you trace who has accessed it? And is there a clearly defined procedure in place if something does go wrong?
Every inadequate answer represents a potential business risk.
The translation industry also operates in a fairly unique way: many projects involve external specialists working together, because different expertise is required for medical, legal, and mechanical engineering texts.
That is completely normal. What should never be left to chance, however, is how the client’s material reaches those specialists and what they are allowed to do with it.
Good data security therefore does not begin with an NDA, nor does it end with a strong password. The entire process needs to be controlled and traceable.
Data security does not mean claiming that nothing can ever go wrong on our side. No responsible organization can promise that.
What it can promise is that it does everything possible to prevent problems, knows exactly who has access to what, and is prepared to act if something does happen.
At Hunnect, we believe that when a client entrusts us with their materials, we are responsible for more than just the quality of the translation. We are also responsible for the information we gain access to along the way.
So when you choose a translation partner, do not just ask how much the project will cost and when it will be ready.
Ask this, too: what happens to my documents during the process? Because a good translation partner also makes sure your information stays secure.
Read the next blog article in our series to learn how we put all of this into practice at Hunnect.
