liminfo

SDL Trados Reference

Free reference guide: SDL Trados Reference

25 results

About SDL Trados Reference

The SDL Trados Studio Reference is a comprehensive guide for professional translators and localization engineers covering the seven core areas of the leading CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tool: TM Management (translation memory creation, match types, alignment, concordance search, migration), Terminology (termbase creation, MultiTerm, automatic term recognition), Projects (project creation, file filters, project packages, batch tasks), Translation Work (editor layout, segment status, auto-propagation, tag management, keyboard shortcuts), QA/Review (QA checker, word count analysis), File Formats (SDLXLIFF, custom filters, plugins), and Collaboration (MT integration, GroupShare).

The TM management section explains the hierarchy of match types critical for translation pricing and productivity: Perfect Match (PM) requires context and document structure identity, Context Match (CM) requires surrounding segment identity, 100% match is text-only identity, and Fuzzy matches range from 75-99% similarity. The reference also covers TM creation, TMX import/export, alignment of existing bilingual documents to build TM, concordance search (Ctrl+F3) for term verification, and TM maintenance/migration between Trados versions.

The reference addresses practical workflow topics including project package distribution (.sdlppx for sending, .sdlrpx for return), batch tasks for pre-translation and analysis, QA checking for untranslated segments, number mismatches, tag errors, and terminology compliance, word count analysis with tiered pricing models, and machine translation integration with Google, DeepL, Microsoft, and Amazon providers including Adaptive MT. GroupShare server-based collaboration for simultaneous multi-translator workflows is also covered.

Key Features

  • TM match type hierarchy from Perfect Match through Context Match, 100%, Fuzzy, to No Match with pricing implications
  • Translation memory creation, TMX import/export, bilingual alignment, and concordance search workflows
  • Termbase and MultiTerm management with automatic term recognition and approval status tracking
  • Project package creation and distribution (.sdlppx/.sdlrpx) for translator-PM collaboration
  • QA checker verification covering untranslated segments, numbers, tags, terminology, and consistency
  • Word count analysis with configurable tiered pricing rates by match level for project quoting
  • Machine translation provider integration (Google, DeepL, Microsoft, Amazon) with Adaptive MT learning
  • Essential keyboard shortcuts including Ctrl+Enter (confirm), Ctrl+T (copy source), Ctrl+F3 (concordance)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a translation memory (TM) in Trados?

A translation memory is a database that stores pairs of source and target language segments from previous translations. When you translate a new document, Trados automatically searches the TM for matching or similar segments and suggests them as translations. TM files use .sdltm format (Trados-specific) or .tmx (universal exchange format). This dramatically increases consistency and productivity by reusing existing translations.

What are the different TM match types?

From highest to lowest quality: Perfect Match (PM) matches text plus context and document structure; Context Match (CM) matches text plus surrounding segments; 100% match is exact text match only; Repetition is a repeated segment within the same document; Fuzzy match (75-99%) is a partial match with varying similarity; No Match requires new translation. PM and CM can often be accepted without review, while fuzzy matches require editing.

How does word count analysis work for pricing?

Batch Tasks > Analyze counts words in each match category (PM, CM, 100%, Fuzzy bands, New). Pricing applies tiered rates: typically PM at 0%, 100% at 10%, 95-99% at 25%, 85-94% at 50%, 75-84% at 75%, and New words at 100% of the per-word rate. This reflects the decreasing effort needed as match quality increases, and is the standard basis for translation project quoting.

What is the difference between .sdlppx and .sdlrpx packages?

An .sdlppx (project package) is created by the project manager and sent to the translator. It contains the source files, TM, termbase, and project settings. After completing the translation, the translator creates an .sdlrpx (return package) containing the translated files and updated TM. This package-based workflow ensures all resources travel together and TM updates flow back to the PM.

How do I use concordance search?

Press Ctrl+F3 to open concordance search, which searches the TM for any segment containing your search term (not just full-segment matches). You can search in both source and target languages. This is invaluable for checking how a specific term or phrase was previously translated to maintain consistency across projects, especially when the exact segment does not appear as a TM match.

What does the QA checker verify?

The QA checker (Review > Verify) checks for: untranslated segments, number mismatches between source and target, missing or misordered formatting tags, terminology non-compliance against the termbase, inconsistent translations of identical source segments, and spelling errors. Each issue is flagged with a warning or error. Running QA before delivery is essential for professional translation quality.

How does machine translation integration work?

Trados can connect to MT providers (Google Translate, DeepL, Microsoft Translator, Amazon Translate) as translation providers. When no TM match exists, the MT engine suggests a translation that the translator can post-edit. Adaptive MT learns from translator corrections over time, improving suggestions. This MTPE (Machine Translation Post-Editing) workflow is increasingly common for high-volume projects.

What is GroupShare used for?

GroupShare is a server-based platform for team collaboration. It centralizes TMs, termbases, and projects so multiple translators can work on the same project simultaneously with real-time TM sharing. It supports full workflow management (translation, editing, proofreading stages) with role-based access. GroupShare requires a server license and is primarily used by translation agencies and large in-house localization teams.