Translation turnaround time and delivery terms
Translation turnaround time depends on word count, languages and format. Your quote confirms the deadline.
How long will my translation take?
Clients often ask this question, which leads to several answers, therefore here we have provided some valuable information on the time required to provide you with your translations.
Project delivery times
The turnaround time of a translation depends on various factors, from the number of words, the level of difficulty of the languages and file formats, to the area of specialisation.
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In order to complete a good quality translation, there needs to be enough time available for project management, proofreading, and email exchanges to take place. We must also take into account the review and quality check that every translation goes through.
For the most urgent projects, or those that are higher in volume, teams of several professionals are formed, with a project manager to coordinate the team. Below, you will find some information about the turnaround times according to the number of words that your project contains:
Small Projects
(500 to 5,000 words)
Aside from the size of the project, a quality assurance check is always carried out to make sure that the translation doesn't contain any errors, and ensures that the original format has been maintained.
Therefore, a translation of a 2,000-word document can take around 2 days.
However, the more time you have to complete a task, the higher the quality is guaranteed.
Medium Projects
(5,000 to 10,000 words)
When working on projects with tight deadlines, documents between 5000 and 10000 words are generally handled by more than one translator.
To guarantee translation consistency, we use translation memories for correct terminology management. This means that all translators working on the same project can work with the same vocabulary, ensuring that your translation is coherent throughout.
However, when a standard deadline is set, only one translator will handle the job.
Large Projects
(more than 10,000 words)
Thanks to the wide geographical scope of our translation team, we are more than able to manage large translation projects.
In this situation, each translator takes on an additional task, such as, project manager, building up the bilingual glossary, proofreading, etc.
This comprehensive approach, alongside the close collaboration of our professionals, allows us to deliver reliable translations to you and your business on the date we agree with you.
Turnaround times: frequently asked questions
How long does a standard translation take?
A quality check is always carried out. The deadline depends on length, languages, file format and subject, so we confirm it with the quote.
Can you deliver urgently?
Tell us your deadline when you request the quote. We confirm it with the quote. A sworn translation is normally ready in 2–3 working days in its certified digital version; paper adds about 2 days. 24-hour or next-day delivery is possible only exceptionally, at a premium and once we confirm it.
Do you deliver sworn translations on paper or digitally?
A digitally signed copy is usually enough. If you need paper, we send it by post or you can collect it at our Valencia office. Check beforehand whether the receiving authority requires a paper copy.
Do weekends and public holidays count?
No. Turnaround times are in working days: weekends and national public holidays in Spain do not count. If your deadline falls right after a weekend or a bank holiday, tell us when you request the quote and we will plan for it.
When does the turnaround time start?
From the moment you confirm the quote and we receive the final files. If the document changes afterwards (extra pages, a new version of the source or another target language), we propose a new delivery date before going ahead.
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