ERPs generate extensive reports comprising insights that help businesses make decisions and pivot strategies. While most ERP reports are specific to a particular location, many can be used commonly across various geographies. In the latter case, these reports have to be translated to make them lucid for those who will refer to them and make decisions.
Nevertheless, the seemingly straightforward task of ERP reports translation can involve several complexities, knowing and dealing with which is part of a translator’s job. So, let’s look at some challenges in ERP report translation and how to overcome them.
7 Common Challenges in ERP Reports Translation
Translation isn’t merely converting text from one language to another. It is a much more complex process that involves considering numerous factors. ERP reports translation that involves translating extensive reports could comprise several critical challenges, directly impacting the quality, accuracy, and value of the report. Here are seven ERP reports translation challenges translators usually face and their potential solutions.
1. Technical Terms and Industry-Specific Terminology
ERP systems are customized to generate reports consisting of industry or company-specific terms and terminologies. In most cases, it is normal to use these terms and terminologies in English or the company’s native language. However, when it comes to other languages, translating them can be challenging as not every term and terminology has an alternative in every local language.
For example, a term used in English might not necessarily have a local alternative in Thai, Hindi, or Korean language. Such situations can pose a challenge to the translator, as they wouldn’t have anything to translate. But they can deal with such situations. One potential solution to address it is to build a glossary of key terms with their meaning in the local language to help the native users understand them and use them appropriately.
2. Script and Formatting
Script, formatting, and structure form another set of critical challenges in ERP reports translation. Every language has a specific script. For example, while English follows the Latin script, Indian languages like Marathi and Hindi use Devanagari, all of which begin from the left and travel to the right. On the other hand, Arabic starts from the right and goes to the left. Translators should be careful about these variations during translations, as each script can significantly impact the formatting part of the translated report.
But the challenges don’t end here. Every language has different grammar rules and regulations that govern the length of a particular word and sentence. The way these languages are written, the sentences, and the words used in them can prove challenging while ensuring the accuracy of the translations.
And is that it? No. In addition to linguistic variations, translators also have to deal with the specific format and structure of every report. It is necessary to align every element, including language, its specific requirements, and report formats to ensure the translated report is intuitive and accurate from every perspective.
Although the above are significant challenges, it isn’t that the ERP reports translation provider cannot deal with them. Preparing a comprehensive plan that involves considering the above before beginning the project can help deal with them effectively.
3. Localization Challenges
ERP reports translation transcends translation and extends to something broader – localization. Localization involves aligning every element to the local culture. While localizing an ERP report, translators should consider cultural nuances and regional variations. For instance, some words or phrases might not necessarily have a local equivalent. Even if there’s one, it might have a different meaning in the other language and culture. Thus, translators shouldn’t merely know a particular language but have a proper understanding of the local culture. While ensuring accuracy, it can help avoid cultural offenses and problems arising from it.
4. Comprehensive Contextual Understanding
ERP reports are comprehensive documents involving various technicalities, statistics, inferences, etc. All these aspects are critical to the business and its strategy. Hence, translating them becomes even more important. Accordingly, while having a comprehensive understanding of the language involved, ERP reports translation providers should also have an unfathomable understanding of the context. Additionally, a comprehension of the various business processes, the purpose of translation, and the objectives of the document are other critical aspects translators should be aware of.
5. Repetitive Translations
Various ERP reports might have content that requires the same translation. Repeating the same set of translations time and again can waste time and unnecessarily increase workload. As a solution, companies can leverage translation memory tools or ERP-specific translation software. These tools can store previous translations for reuse, ensuring consistency across different reports. However, here translators have to ensure that the translations they do are contextually correct.
6. Quality Assurance
Checking the translation quality of extensive ERP reports isn’t only arduous but could involve various complexities. It is because quality is a multi-dimensional element. It isn’t only evaluating the document on the linguistic front but others like context and culture. Although quality assurance is the responsibility of the quality check team, it is translators who should primarily avoid errors with a meticulous approach that involves careful proofreading of every translated element of the report.
Nevertheless, to deal with something as extensive as quality, providers of ERP reports translation services should implement a robust review quality check process involving SMEs to assess and validate the translation’s accuracy. The idea is to deliver an accurately translated ERP report that’s correctly understood and drives the right actions.
7. ERP’s Technical Challenges
ERP reports translation involves various potential challenges. However, in addition to them, the ERP’s technical problems also can cause problems during the translation process. It could be incomplete reports or ambiguity in a particular result. These challenges indicate the need for communication between the IT and the translation team to rectify errors, if any, increase the clarity of reports, and make the translation more seamless and fruitful.
So that was about some generic challenges in ERP reports translation. Specific challenges may vary with the ERP and the organizational context. LinguaSol is here to help!
We are comprehensive ERP reports translation providers with unparalleled expertise in translation for multiple business domains. Our translation solution covers everything from accurate translations to ensuring a range of quality checks to deliver a thoroughly translated ERP solution. Connect with us at [email protected] to explore more about our ERP reports translation services.
Ref. No- LSB1241039
