How to Commission Translation, Subtitles or Onsite Interpreting
Updated 17 October 2026 · SparkGuild editorial
To request a useful quote, state the language direction, intended audience, amount of material, required output and deadline. For an onsite assignment, add the place, local time and meeting format. A contributor should be able to explain what they will deliver and how you will review it.
Use this guide to prepare your own request. The templates and three examples below are original planning aids, not live jobs, price estimates or completed SparkGuild projects.
Choose the work you actually need
| Need | Supply before quoting | Ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Translate a document | Final source file, target language and intended reader | Agreed translated files and a list of unresolved questions |
| Check an existing translation | Both source and translated versions | Corrections, comments and the agreed final version |
| Create translated subtitles | Final video, language direction and any transcript | Approved text, timing and specified subtitle or video files |
| Interpret a meeting | Agenda, date, time zone, venue and languages | An agreed attendance and language-support plan |
Separate translation, proofreading, transcription, layout and video editing in the request. If you need several, ask whether each is included. A transcript without timestamps will not satisfy a request for timed subtitles.
Make language and audience explicit
Write “English source → German target,” rather than “English/German.” For a two-way meeting, name both directions. Identify the intended regional audience and writing preferences, such as Brazilian Portuguese or Traditional Chinese, when relevant.
Describe the purpose: a public product page, internal training, a customer meeting or a document for a named recipient. Include approved product names, a small terminology list and an example of the tone you want. Ask contributors to flag ambiguous wording instead of silently choosing a meaning.
If a recipient requires certification, a stamp or specific translator credentials, obtain that recipient's acceptance requirements before requesting a quote. Ask applicants to explain how they meet those requirements; do not assume that a general translation includes them.
Prepare a clear file package
Send a file list with page counts, source-word counts or recording duration, and label estimates. Identify the final version and any sections outside scope. Supply editable files when available; if you only have scans, share a representative page so the contributor can assess legibility and layout work.
Specify whether you need the original formatting reproduced, a bilingual table, tracked changes or only translated text. Name the application in which you must open the result. Agree who answers terminology questions and when that person can respond. State whether machine-assisted drafts are acceptable and who reviews the final language.
For subtitles, agree text, timing and presentation
Provide the final video and say whether a checked transcript already exists. Specify the spoken language, subtitle language and whether you want one language or two displayed. Ask for the exact file your destination accepts, a video with permanently visible subtitles, or both.
Include names, speaker labels and important sounds where your intended audience needs them. W3C's accessibility guidance explains that captions convey relevant speech and non-speech audio, and that automatic captions need accuracy checking and correction. W3C caption guidance.
Agree a short preview in the actual player. Review spelling, meaning, synchronization, line breaks, readability and coverage through the final sentence. Changing the video after timing is approved should trigger a scope discussion.
For onsite interpreting, make attendance workable
Give the event date, local start and finish times, named time zone, city and venue. Share precise access arrangements privately once needed. Include preparation time, breaks, participant numbers, subject matter and whether questions require two-way interpretation.
Explain how the meeting will run: pauses for interpretation, continuous speech, a presentation or a walking visit. If unsure which arrangement fits, ask the interpreter to propose it and identify any equipment or additional personnel needed.
Provide slides, terminology and an agenda in advance. Confirm relevant subject experience and any required credentials. Ask the quote to separate preparation, attendance, travel and additional time, and state what happens if the date or duration changes.
Compare the same scope and acceptance checks
Ask each proposer to identify their pricing unit and what it covers: source words, finished minutes, recorded minutes, hours or an agreed project. An audio minute and a finished-video minute can describe different work, so write the measured quantity into the brief.
Compare the total for your supplied materials, including review, layout, subtitle timing, exports and approved expenses. Agree a feedback window and correction process. If the project is uncertain, a bounded paid sample can establish terminology and delivery format before you commission the rest.
Copy this request template
Task: [translation / proofreading / subtitles / interpreting]
Purpose and audience: [where and by whom the result will be used]
Language direction: [source → target; regional preferences]
Materials: [file list, version, quantity and any estimates]
Terminology and references: [approved names, glossary, example]
Please deliver:
[files, formats, timing, layout or onsite attendance]
Included work:
[translation, review, transcription, timing, layout, preparation]
Acceptance:
1. [coverage and meaning checks]
2. [terminology, file or playback checks]
3. [who reviews and how questions are resolved]
Deadline: [date, time and time zone]
For onsite work: [venue, schedule, breaks, meeting format]
Required qualifications: [recipient or project requirements]
Budget/currency: [your limit or request for an itemized quote]
Expenses and revisions: [what needs agreement]
Please reply with relevant experience, availability,
your approach, total quote and any missing information.
Three illustrative briefs
Document: Translate a final 1,800-word English instruction file into German for customers. Supply an editable document, preserve numbered steps and use the supplied glossary. Return the translated file and a question list. Acceptance includes every section, number and approved product name, followed by review from our named German-speaking colleague.
Subtitles: Create Spanish subtitles for one final eight-minute English interview. We supply a checked transcript and speaker names. Deliver the agreed timed file and a preview in our player. We will check coverage, meaning, names and timing; additional cuts or changed footage require a separate scope agreement.
Onsite: Provide Japanese–English support for two supplier meetings on [date] in [city], from [start] to [finish, time zone]. We supply the agenda and terminology beforehand. Please propose an interpreting arrangement, confirm subject experience and quote preparation, attendance and travel separately. Written meeting minutes are an optional separate deliverable.
Publish a request others can assess
Post your own language task with the template's outcome, materials and review requirements. You can also browse language and research resources, local assistance or the general task-brief guide. External listings show their publishers' requirements; current availability must be checked at source.
The planning advice and examples are SparkGuild editorial recommendations. The W3C source was checked on 17 October 2026 and supports the caption-accuracy point above.