Translation Memory vs. Project Memory

Wordbee Translator offers two distinct types of memories: standard translation memories, which are uploaded by the translator, and project memories, which are automatically created by the system whenever a project is started.

Translation memories can be either owned by the translator themselves or supplied by a client or project manager. You may load as many translation memories at the same time as you want as part of the resources in your project. However, a project memory is created automatically by the system whenever a project is started, hence there can only be one per project; this memory is just a compilation of the segments in the documents you are translating and serves to store the translations made within the project.

Since project memories store all translated segments belonging to a particular document, their status and text may change during the project workflow. Once you feel the segments are validated, you can store these in one translation memory (usually referenced as consolidation memory) to use for further reference or pre-translation purposes. Let’s clearly explain the above with a practical example:

You are translating the instruction manual for a printer. Your translation agency provides you with 10 translation memories, each one the translated manual of the previous model. The new manual has many similarities with the previous ones, but the content has been slightly changed to reflect the new printer’s features. In addition, some paragraphs from previous manuals have been removed. The result will be the following:

• Your resources tab will have 10 translation memories; the ones you were provided with by the agency.

• Your project will have only one project memory, automatically created by the system with the file you currently need to translate. The project memory will store all of your translations for that document.

Once you start translating, the following happens:

-          you find a 100% match, which you accept without altering. This segment will be carried over to the project memory and stored for future use.

-          you find several segments that are similar, but not exactly the same, as the one you are translating. You modify those to match your current text, and the system only stores your final versions of these segments in the project memory.

-          In case of segments being repeated in your document, you will be able to populate these with the auto-propagate feature.

-          Once you are done with the translations, you can send all validated translations to a translation memory where all segments are stored for future reuse in the system. Any new project containing that translation memory will have these segments ready for leveraging. for browsing, etc. Alternatively, you can decide to attach to the project memory of a project into the new project (cross-referencing project memories is limited to 40 resources).

Of course, a project memory can be exported in a standard format to become a translation memory for any future project in which it may be required.

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