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Rules for sequencing tasks correctly

This section describes in detail the specifics of each task type. The goal of this section is to give you guidelines that you must familiarize yourself with before you start building your own custom workflow templates. Currently, the UI does not validate whether your task sequence is correct, which means that you might end up creating workflows which cannot run or which are not logical.

What information can I find out about each task type if I read this topic?

The following structure is observed for each task type that we discuss:
  • Task_Type (Human or Automated)
    • A description of what the task type does, as well as its input and output
    • Possible tasks BEFORE Task_Type - This sub-section indicates the possible tasks that you can place immediately before a given Task_Type , so that you create task sequences correctly. Note that this is the range of possible tasks you can select. When you build your workflow, select ONE of the tasks listed here.
    • Possible tasks AFTER Task_Type - This sub-section indicates the possible tasks you can place immediately after a given Task_Type , so that you create task sequences correctly. Note that this is the range of possible tasks you can select. When you build your workflow, select ONE of the tasks listed here.
    • DOs and DON'Ts (where necessary) - This sub-section indicates other best practices or things you should observe to avoid mistakes.

File Type Detection (Automated)

File Type Detection is typically the first task in any workflow and checks if the source files can be processed as translatable by an existing file type configuration. The input file is a native source file. The output file is a native source file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE File Type Detection
  • Human tasks: Engineering
  • Automated tasks: -
2. Possible tasks AFTER File Type Detection
  • Human tasks: Engineering
  • Automated tasks: File Format Conversion

Engineering (Human)

Engineering is used to convert or replace the source file in the Pre-processing workflow phase. The input file is a native source file. The output file is a native source file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Engineering
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: File Type Detection
2. Possible tasks AFTER Engineering
  • Human tasks:
  • Automated tasks: File Format Conversion

File Format Conversion (Automated)

File Format Conversion converts source files to an internal bilingual format for processing purposes. The input file is a native source file. The output file is a bilingual source file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE File Format Conversion
  • Human tasks: Engineering
  • Automated tasks: File Type Detection (mandatory)
2. Possible tasks AFTER File Format Conversion
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, Document Content Analysis
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • Do not add a Human task between File Format Conversion and Copy Source to Target.

Document Content Analysis (Automated)

Document Content Analysis uses AI to scan the source files to identify the domains the content belongs to. The input file is a bilingual source file. This task works only if the source files are in English. You can check the results of the analysis in the projects Files tab by selecting the right-hand side content analysis pane.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Document Content Analysis
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: File Format Conversion
2. Possible tasks AFTER Document Content Analysis
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • Document Content Analysis works ONLY if the source language of your project files is English. If the language is not English, the task status is Failed.

Copy Source to Target (Automated)

Copy Source to Target creates bilingual versions of the file for each target language. The input file is a bilingual source file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Copy Source to Target
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: File Format Conversion
2. Possible tasks AFTER Copy Source to Target
  • Human tasks: Translation, Planning, Linguistic Review, Implement Linguistic Review
  • Automated tasks: Project Content Analysis, Machine Translation, Translation Memory Matching
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • Make sure you have a File Format Conversion task prior to Copy Source to Target.
  • Include Translation after Copy Source to Target ONLY if you do not need to apply any translation memories and if you calculate all project costs offline.
  • Include Project Content Analysis after Copy Source to Target ONLY if there is a Document Content Analysis task earlier in the workflow.

PerfectMatch (Automated)

PerfectMatch matches the source segments of a file against the translated segments of another file, which is very similar or nearly identical with the file you want to translate. For example, you have a file, called File1 which is already translated. You have another file, called File2, which is 90% similar to File1. By using the PerfectMatch step, 90% of File 2 is translated automatically based on File1. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE PerfectMatch
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target
2. Possible tasks AFTER PerfectMatch
  • Human tasks: Bilingual Engineering, Translation, Linguistic, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Project Content Analysis, TM Matching, Machine Translation, Analysis, Target File Generation, Customer Quote Generation, Translation Memory Update
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • Do not add the PerfectMatch task before the native file is converted to bilingual format (File Format Conversion) and the intermediate files for each target language are created (Copy Source to Target).
  • If you add PerfectMatch in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • Include the Project Content Analysis task after PerfectMatch ONLY if there is a Document Content Analysis task earlier in the workflow.
  • RWS recommends that you add PerfectMatch before TM Matching, and not after, as segments translated via PerfectMatch are cheaper than those translated by TMs or MT.

TM Matching (Automated)

TM Matching matches the source segments against the translated segments in the TM resources. It is commonly known as pre-translation. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE TM Matching
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, Machine Translation
2. Possible tasks AFTER TM Matching
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Project Content Analysis, Machine Translation, Analysis, Target File Generation, Customer Quote Generation
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • Do not add the TM Matching task before the native file is converted to *.sdlxliff (File Format Conversion) and the intermediate files for each target language are created (Copy Source to Target).
  • If you add TM Matching in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • Include the Project Content Analysis task after TM Matching ONLY if there is a Document Content Analysis task earlier in the workflow.

Machine Translation (Automated)

Machine Translation applies translations from the MT provider configured in a translation engine based on the match settings there. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Machine Translation
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, TM Matching
2. Possible tasks AFTER Machine Translation
  • Human tasks: Customer Review, Implement Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Project Planning, Translation
  • Automated tasks: Analysis, Customer Quote Generation, Project Content Analysis, Target File Generation, Translation Memory Update
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Machine Translation in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • Do not add the Machine Translation task before the native file is converted to *.sdlxliff (File Format Conversion) and the intermediate files for each target language are created (Copy Source to Target).
  • Include the Project Content Analysis task after Machine Translation ONLY if there is a Document Content Analysis task earlier in the workflow.
  • RWS recommends that you add Machine Translation after TM Matching, and not before.

Generative Translation (Automated)

Generative Translation applies translations from an LLM. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Generative Translation
  • Human tasks: Bilingual Engineering
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, TM Matching, Machine Translation
2. Possible tasks AFTER Generative Translation
  • Human tasks: Customer Review, Implement Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Project Planning, Translation
  • Automated tasks: Analysis, Customer Quote Generation, Project Content Analysis, Target File Generation, Translation Memory Update
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Generative Translation in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • Do not add the Generative Translation task before the native file is converted to *.sdlxliff (File Format Conversion) and the intermediate files for each target language are created (Copy Source to Target).
  • Include the Project Content Analysis task after Generative Translation ONLY if there is a Document Content Analysis task earlier in the workflow.
  • RWS recommends that you add Generative Translation after TM Matching, and not before.

Project Content Analysis (Automated)

Project Content Analysis aggregates the results of the content analysis performed at individual file level. The input file is a bilingual target file. This task works only if the source files are in English. You can check the results in the Content Analysis tile during Project Planning or by checking the details of the project Dashboard tab.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Project Content Analysis
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Document Content Analysis, Copy Source to Target, TM Matching, Machine Translation
2. Possible tasks AFTER Project Content Analysis
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Analysis, Project Planning, Translation, Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • You should add a Project Content Analysis task in your workflow ONLY if there is a Document Content Analysis task earlier in the workflow.
  • Project Content Analysis works ONLY if the source language of your project files is English.

Analysis (Automated)

Analysis calculates statistics showing the number of segments, the number of characters, the number of words per match band & cross-file repetitions. The analysis statistics are used to calculate the work volume which represents the basis on which the quote is calculated (as part of the Customer Quote Generation task).

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Analysis
  • Human tasks:
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, TM Matching, Machine Translation
2. Possible tasks AFTER Analysis
  • Human tasks: Project Planning, Translation, Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Customer Quote Generation (strongly recommended), Document Content Analysis, Generate Offline Package Resources, Project Content Analysis, Target File Generation, TM Update
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Analysis in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • If you apply translation resources (TM or MT) to your source files, you must add the Analysis task after you apply translation resources, not before.
  • Projects and their related information are displayed in reports ONLY after the Analysis workflow task has been completed. Keep this in mind as you create custom workflow templates.

Bilingual Engineering (Human)

Bilingual Engineering is used by administrators, lead project managers, and project managers to alter the bilingual file before being processed in terms of quote. Examples include marking locked content and correcting the source content. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Bilingual Engineering
  • Human tasks: Project Planning, Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, TM Matching, Machine Translation
2. Possible tasks AFTER Bilingual Engineering
  • Human tasks: Bilingual Engineering, Translation, Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: TM Update, Target File Generation

Generate Offline Package Resources

Generate Offline Package Resources adds the (cloud) project TMs and termbases to the cloud project package during project download.

The only thing to consider here is that Generate Offline Package Resources should be place before the first Human task in the workflow.

Customer Quote Generation (Automated)

Customer Quote Generation calculates the customer quote based on the pricing model selected at project creation for that customer and on the statistics analysis. The input file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Customer Quote Generation
  • Human tasks:
  • Automated tasks: Analysis (mandatory)
2. Possible tasks AFTER Customer Quote Generation
  • Human tasks: Customer Quote Review, Customer Quote Approval, Implement Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Project Planning, Translation
  • Automated tasks: Generate Offline Package Resources, Target File Generation, TM Update
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Customer Quote Generation in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • You must add the Analysis task before the Customer Quote Generation task.
  • If you want to add both Translation and Generate Offline Package Resources after Customer Quote Generation, the task sequence must be: Customer Quote Generation > Generate Offline Package Resources > Translation.

Customer Quote Review (Human)

Customer Quote Review is for an assignee (usually the Project Manager) to review the baseline quote, adjust the language costs/the additional costs/due date, and then submit the quote to the customer. The input file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Customer Quote Review
  • Human tasks: -
  • Automated tasks: Customer Quote Generation (mandatory)
2. Possible tasks AFTER Customer Quote Review
  • Human tasks: Customer Quote Approval (recommended), Translation, Linguistic Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation, TM Update

Customer Quote Approval (Human)

Customer Quote Approval is for the assignee (usually the customer who requested the translation project) to approve the project quote. The input file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Customer Quote Approval
  • Human tasks: Customer Quote Review
  • Automated tasks: Customer Quote Generation (mandatory)
2. Possible tasks AFTER Customer Quote Approval
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation, TM Update
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Customer Quote Approval in your workflow, you must make sure that Customer Quote Generation is present earlier in the workflow.

Project Planning (Human)

Project Planning is used to configure workflow steps and review user assignments for the entire workflow. The input file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Project Planing
  • Human tasks: Customer Quote Approval, Language Planning
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, Analysis
2. Possible tasks AFTER Project Planning
  • Human tasks: Implement Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Translation, Language Planning
  • Automated tasks:
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Project Planning to your workflow, make sure that Copy Source to Target is also present earlier in the workflow.

Language Planning (Human)

Language Planning is used to configure workflow steps and review user assignments for a specific target language in the workflow. The input file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Language Planning
  • Human tasks: Customer Quote Approval, Project Planning
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, Analysis
2. Possible tasks AFTER Language Planning
  • Human tasks: Implement Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Translation, Project Planning
  • Automated tasks:
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Language Planning to your workflow, make sure that Copy Source to Target is also present earlier in the workflow.
  • If you add Language Planning to your workflow, but you exclude certain target languages from the Language Planning task, the settings from the Project Planning task (if present) will apply to the excluded languages.
  • If you add Language Planning to your workflow, you cannot bypass it via transitions.
  • Language Planning can only have one outcome: Done.

Translation (Human)

Translation is used by a linguist to translate the source content into the required target languages. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Translation
  • Human tasks: Project Planning, Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, TM Matching, Machine Translation
2. Possible tasks AFTER Translation
  • Human tasks: Translation (a second instance), Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: TM Update, Target File Generation
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Translation in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.

Linguistic Review (Human)

Linguistic Review is used by a linguist to review the translated content, and either approve it or resubmit it for correction. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Linguistic Review
  • Human tasks: Project Planning, Translation
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, Analysis, TM Update
2. Possible tasks AFTER Linguistic Review
  • Human tasks: Linguistic Review, Translation, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: TM Update, Target File Generation
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Linguistic Review in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.

Automated QA Check (Automated)

Automated QA Check scans a translated or reviewed file to spot if it contains any of the inconsistencies defined in the project settings. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Automated QA Check
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: -
2. Possible tasks AFTER Automated QA Check
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Update TM, Target File Generation

Remove Tracked Changes and Comments (Automated)

Remove Tracked Changes and Comments accepts all tracked changes and removes all the comments from a bilingual file (translated or reviewed) before the file reaches the customer. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Remove Tracked Changes and Comments
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: -
2. Possible tasks AFTER Remove Tracked Changes and Comments
  • Human tasks: Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Update TM, Target File Generation

Customer Review (Human)

Customer Review is used to review the translated content, and either approve or request corrections (to be made by linguists as part of the Implement Customer Review task). The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file. Customer Review is performed in Trados Online Editor.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Customer Review
  • Human tasks: Project Planning, Translation, Linguistic Review
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, Analysis, TM Update
2. Possible tasks AFTER Customer Review
  • Human tasks: Implement Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Translation, Customer Review (a second instance)
  • Automated tasks: TM Update, Target File Generation
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Customer Review in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.

Implement Customer Review (Human)

Implement Customer Review is used to implement the comments or corrections requested by customer reviewers. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file. Implement Customer Review can be performed in either Trados Online Editor or Trados Studio.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Implement Customer Review
  • Human tasks: Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target, TM Update
2. Possible tasks AFTER Implement Customer Review
  • Human tasks: Customer Review, Linguistic Review, Translation
  • Automated tasks: TM Update, Target File Generation
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add Implement Customer Review in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.

TM Update (Automated)

TM Update is the task where system updates the TM(s) associated with the project, with specified segments based on project settings. The input file is a bilingual target file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE TM Update
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Copy Source to Target
2. Possible tasks AFTER TM Update
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Customer Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • If you add TM Update in your workflow, you must make sure that Copy Source to Target is present earlier in the workflow.
  • You must not forget to add a TM Update task as part of the Finalization stage to ensure your TM has the latest version of the TUs. You cannot add a TM Update task after the Target File Generation task, only before.
  • In general, a TM Update task makes sense if you previously added Machine Translation or a Translation task beforehand.

Target File Generation (Automated)

Target File Generation converts the latest bilingual file to a translated file in the native file format. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output file is a bilingual target file and a native version of the target file. As part of the Target File Generation task, you cannot perform any manual action, including uploading an *.sdlxliff file.

1. Possible tasks BEFORE Target File Generation
  • Human tasks: Translation, Linguistic Review, Implement Customer Review
  • Automated tasks: TM Matching, Machine Translation, TM Update
2. Possible tasks AFTER Target File Generation
  • Human tasks: DTP, Final Check, Hold for Feedback
  • Automated tasks: File Delivery (recommended)
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • You must have tasks which process the document between Copy Source to Target and Target File Generation.
  • RWS strongly recommends that you add a Target File Generation task before either of the following tasks - Desktop Publishing, Final Check, Hold for Feedback, File Delivery - to ensure that the target file which needs to be submitted to the customer is generated with the correct version.

Final Check (Human)

Final Check is used perform final checks and/or upload the target files with any supported file extension or in *.zip format before delivering them to the customer. The input file is a native target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

For more information about the Final Check task, consult this topic.

1. Tasks BEFORE Final Check
  • Human tasks: DTP
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation (mandatory)
2. Tasks AFTER Final Check
  • Human tasks: DTP, Final Check (custom), Hold for Feedback or any task which accepts bilingual files as input
  • Automated tasks: File Delivery (recommended)
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • You must add a Target File Generation task before either of the following tasks - Desktop Publishing, Final Check, Hold for Feedback, File Delivery - to ensure that the target file which needs to be submitted to the customer is generated with the correct version.

DTP (Human)

DTP (Desktop Publishing) is used to convert or replace target files. The input file is a native target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

For more information about the DTP task, consult this topic.

1. Tasks BEFORE DTP
  • Human tasks: Final Check
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation (mandatory)
2. Tasks AFTER DTP
  • Human tasks: Final Check, Hold for Feedback or any task which accepts bilingual files as input
  • Automated tasks: File Delivery (recommended)
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • You must add a Target File Generation task before either of the following tasks - Desktop Publishing, Final Check, Hold for Feedback, File Delivery - to ensure that the target file which needs to be submitted to the customer is generated with the correct version.
  • If a file is returned to a workflow task that precedes DTP, all the changes made to that file during the initial DTP task must be redone from scratch in the subsequent DTP task.

File Delivery (Automated)

File Delivery is used to convert the latest bilingual file to a native bilingual file format, and also to create a new version of the file. File Delivery marks the file as ready for delivery and download in the system. The input file is a bilingual target file. The output is a new version of the bilingual target file fed as input.

1. Tasks BEFORE File Delivery
  • Human tasks: any task which outputs a bilingual target file
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation (mandatory)
2. Tasks AFTER File Delivery
  • Human tasks: Hold for Feedback (recommended) or any task which accepts bilingual files as input
  • Automated tasks: -
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • You must add a Target File Generation task before either of the following tasks - Desktop Publishing, Final Check, Hold for Feedback, File Delivery - to ensure that the target file which needs to be submitted to the customer is generated with the correct version.
  • If File Delivery is not included in a custom workflow, the file is marked as ready for delivery and download when the last task in the workflow is completed.

Hold for Feedback (Human)

Hold for Feedback is used by project managers to wait for feedback from the customer or other stakeholders and, if necessary, to return the file back to a previous workflow task. The input file is a native target file. The output file is a bilingual target file.

The Hold for Feedback task allows you to perform the same operations as the Final Check task. The Hold for Feedback is automatically completed with the Elapsed status after a specified period unless you complete the task manually at your own convenience. For more information about the Hold for Feedback task, consult this topic.

1. Tasks BEFORE Hold for Feedback
  • Human tasks: any task which outputs a bilingual target file
  • Automated tasks: Target File Generation (mandatory)
2. Tasks AFTER Hold for Feedback
  • Human tasks: tasks which accept bilingual files as input
  • Automated tasks: -
3. DOs and DON'Ts
  • You must add a Target File Generation task before either of the following tasks - Desktop Publishing, Final Check, Hold for Feedback, File Delivery - to ensure that the target file which needs to be submitted to the customer is generated with the correct version.