How to do batch translation of contracts, processing multiple documents in groups

Key points of this article

First group them by file format and purpose. The electronic PDF, Word and scanned documents are processed separately, so there will be much less setting switching.
The same group of contracts uses the same translation method and legal style, so that the wording of the terms can be unified.
Each group will first use a sample translation containing terms, forms and attachments to confirm that the formatting and numbering are correct before processing the rest of the documents in a unified manner.
Machine translation results involving rights and obligations, deadlines and amounts should be compared with the original text one by one, and important terms should be reviewed by someone who understands the law.
Name the file using the rule of "date-destination-type-serial number" so that the translation and the original can correspond one-to-one.

If you have dozens of procurement contracts, confidentiality agreements, and service agreements that need to be translated into another language, what is time-consuming is often not the translation itself, but the mixing of the documents: scanned copies and electronic versions are interleaved, some require bilingual comparison, and some only require translation. After several rounds, it is difficult to remember which copy has been processed. This article is written for people who need to handle batch tasks of contract translation, such as legal assistants, cross-border business personnel and administrative heads of small teams.

After reading, you will get a set of processes that you can follow directly: first group the contracts according to format and purpose, set them uniformly in the same group, upload them one by one to OmniDoc for translation, and then use the fixed check items to check the results. I do not recommend a certain "batch tool" here, because it is the grouping method and checking habits that determine efficiency, not which software.

How to group contract translation batch translation to make it easier? One sentence conclusion

One sentence conclusion: Don’t treat all contracts at once. Divide them into several groups according to format and purpose. Complete each group with the same settings, and try to translate one copy within the group first.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
All are electronic versions in PDF or Word and serve the same purpose.	Put them in the same group and choose bilingual comparison or translation only	The settings are consistent, and the layout and format of the translation are also consistent.
Scanned PDF included	To form a separate group, first confirm whether the text can be selected	The text sources of the scanned documents are different, and the verification points are also different.
A series of contracts for the same customer or project	Group by project, first translate one as a terminology sample	The name of the person, company name and terms and conditions need to be consistent
Available in both Word and PDF versions	Mainly editable Word, PDF for comparison	When the contents of the two versions are inconsistent, you can determine which version shall prevail.
Contract with attachments, forms and amounts	The attachments and the text are processed in the same group, focusing on checking tables and figures.	Attachments, tables and figures are areas that are easily missed or misunderstood.

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Confirm the file format and text source: Try to use the mouse to select a piece of text in the PDF. If you can select it, it means it is an electronic version; if you cannot select it, it is probably a scanned copy. The format determines how to group and what to look at when checking.
Confirm the purpose of the translation: Is it for internal legal affairs to compare item by item, or is it sent to the other party for reading or archiving? If comparison is required, use bilingual comparison, and if it is only for reading, select only the translation. The settings for the same batch of contracts are also different for different purposes.
Compile a glossary: List the company name, person name, position, and fixed translations of terms such as "liquidated damages", "confidential information" and "force majeure". After each group of translations, check it against each other.
Confirm processing authority: Contracts often contain confidentiality clauses. Before uploading, confirm whether company regulations or customer requirements allow online processing. Do not upload contracts that you do not have the right to process.
Allow time for review: Machine translation results need to be manually checked, especially the responsibilities, deadlines, amounts and termination terms. Set aside this part of your schedule and don’t wait until just before the deadline to start looking at it.

Steps to translate contracts group by group

Create sub-folders according to "Format-Purpose": For example, "PDF-Confidentiality Agreement" and "Word-Purchase Contract", and the scanned copies are placed separately in the "Scans" folder.
Unified naming: Rename according to the rules of "date - name of the other party - contract type - serial number" to facilitate matching the translation with the original later.
Pick a sample within the group: Choose a contract with complete terms and tables or attachments, which can expose typography and terminology issues.
Upload the sample and select settings: Upload the file in omnidoc.top (you can also use the desktop client), select the translation method required by this group, and select legal options in the style.
Check sample translation: Check the layout, clause numbers and terminology after downloading. If any inconsistent translation is found, record it in the glossary first.
Process the rest of the contracts in this group in a unified manner: After the sample is confirmed to be correct, use the same settings and upload them one by one. After each copy is downloaded, it is immediately renamed according to the naming rules and stored in the corresponding "Translation" folder.
End this group before moving on to the next group: After all is completed, search for keywords in the translations of this group and confirm that the translation methods are unified before starting the next group.

Check each item after completion

Check items	How to see	What to do if there is a problem
Typesetting and numbering	Check whether the clause number, title level and table are complete against the original	If there are missing sections or tables, re-upload the copy; if there are still problems, fill them in manually.
Party, amount and date	Check the company name, person name, amount, capital number and date one by one	Modify the original and record the correct writing in the glossary
Terminology consistency	Search for words such as "liquidated damages" and "confidential information" in this group of translations to see whether the translation method is unified.	If it is not uniform, replace it uniformly within this group and update the glossary.
Right and obligation clause	Check the terms of responsibility, time limit, discharge and dispute resolution one by one	Provisions with ambiguous meanings shall be submitted to people who understand the law for confirmation
Scanned parts and accessories	Confirm that the attachment has been translated and that the text of the scanned piece has no recognition error.	Identify the errors and correct them against the original; if necessary, do OCR in the PDF editor of the desktop client, and then check

Both machine translation and OCR can make mistakes, and everything involving amount, time limit and liability should be compared verbatim with the original.

# frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. There are many contracts. Can you upload them all at once?

The method described here is to upload one by one: first confirm the settings with a sample, and then uniformly deal with the same group of files. Documents are often divided into groups and checked once at the end of each batch, which is easier to find problems than one-time processing.

2. Can the scanned contract be translated directly?

You can upload scanned version of PDF translation directly. However, the recognition quality of the scanned pieces will affect the translation, so we should focus on the numbers, names and proper nouns when checking. When you need to edit, you can first do OCR in the PDF editor of the desktop client.

3. Which should be used in the contract, bilingual control or translation only?

When you need to compare them one by one and give them to internal legal review, use bilingual comparison; only for reading or archiving, use translation only. In either case, it is recommended to keep the correspondence between the original and the translation.

4. Can it be signed as a formal contract directly after translation?

It's not recommended. The results of machine translation need to be checked manually, and contracts involving legal effect should be reviewed by people who know the law or have the corresponding qualifications before being signed.

5. There is sensitive information in the contract. Is it safe to translate online?

First look at the confidentiality requirements of the company or customers, do not upload contracts that do not have the right to deal with. When it comes to sensitive information, you can desensitize personal or commercial information that does not need to be translated, or deal with it in a way that the company allows.

# Summary

The translation of multiple contracts can be promoted in an orderly manner by grouping contracts, unifying them, translating a sample first, then processing them group by group, and checking them with a fixed list. The key to batch translation of contract translation is not how many times you click at a time, but that you can review every step and know where to change if something goes wrong.

Open OmniDoc, upload the document and start translation.