OmniDochow to make the Excel form in both Chinese and English, with the translation listed side by side
Explain clearly how to do bilingual comparison in Excel: first select the output method according to the purpose, then clean up the structural issues such as merging cells, upload the translation and select bilingual comparison, and finally check the numbers, formulas and adjacent positions one by one. Suitable for readers who need to review it box by box.
Key points of this article
- When you need to review the text box by box, choose bilingual comparison. When you only want to hand it over to others to read, choose translation only. Do not mix the two results.
- Clean up merged cells and confirm hidden worksheets before translation. These structural problems can easily lead to misalignment of parallel results.
- Upload the .xlsx file and select bilingual comparison output. After downloading, check whether the original text and the translated text are in adjacent positions.
- Do not trust the translation directly for numbers, dates, models and formula results, but confirm them column by column with the original table.
- The translation of the same term in different industries should be consistent. It is recommended that important amounts and terms be reviewed by knowledgeable people.
If you have a Chinese or English Excel spreadsheet in your hand, and you need to let the other party understand it cell by cell, or you want to check whether the translation is missing or misplaced, a common requirement is to put the original text and the translated text in the same table and read them side by side. Many people search for "how to use excel translation" and most of the tutorials they get only output a translation. After the translation, they have to take it apart and put it back together.
This article is written for readers who want to prepare bilingual versions of quotations, comparison of financial details, experimental data tables or product parameter tables. After reading, you will know: when to choose bilingual comparison and when to just translate; what areas to clean up before starting; how to upload, select the output method and download in OmniDoc; how to check the results after getting them.
How to choose the output method when doing bilingual comparison in Excel? One sentence conclusion: if you need to review it box by box, choose bilingual comparison. If you only want to deliver the translation, choose translation only. If the table has a complex structure, back it up first and then translate it.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| Check the original text item by item with the translator or colleagues | Bilingual comparison output | The original text and the translated text are in the same location, so there is no need to switch files back and forth during verification. |
| Only one foreign language version is required to be sent to the customer | Translation output only | The file is cleaner and has no redundant original content. |
| There are a lot of formulas or calculation results in the table | Back up first, then check item by item after translation. | The formula and results need to be confirmed not to have been changed. |
| Reference text between multiple worksheets | Check worksheet by worksheet | Translations referenced across tables must be confirmed to still correspond |
| The table is very long, only one piece is needed | First copy the required area to the new file | Reduce irrelevant content and make it easier to check |
Before you start: Confirm these points first
- File Format: OmniDoc supports translation of Excel's .xlsx files. If you have an earlier .xls file, it is recommended to save it as .xlsx in Excel before uploading it.
- Original table backup: The translation result will be a new file, but it is still recommended to keep the original table. When problems arise, the original table is the basis for backtracking and re-translation.
- Merge Cells: If you merge a table with many cells, the translation will be easily misaligned after being put in. Check whether there are unnecessary merges before uploading, and disassemble those that can be disassembled first.
- Hidden content: Whether hidden rows, columns and worksheets need to be translated must be decided in advance. If the hidden content is not understood as the part that needs to be translated, it may be missing from the results, so you need to pay attention to it when checking.
- Pure data columns: Contents such as order number, model, amount, and date usually do not need to be translated, and they should be confirmed to be consistent with the original table during verification.
Steps to generate Excel bilingual comparison in OmniDoc
- Open omnidoc.top, or select the Excel file in the desktop client, which can be downloaded from download.omnidoc.top.
- Upload the .xlsx file to be translated and confirm that the file name and content are the one you want to process.
- Select the source language and target language, such as Chinese to English, or English to Chinese.
- Select bilingual comparison as the output method, so that the original text and the translated text are presented side by side.
- If the form is geared toward a certain type of professional content, choose a corresponding style, such as technical, business, or legal, to help keep the terminology consistent.
- Submit the translation task and wait for the result file to be downloaded after completion.
- Open the result, first look at the first row where the header is located, and then check each worksheet to see whether the original text and the translated text are adjacent and whether the rows and columns are aligned.
- After confirming that it is correct, save it as a new file and store it separately from the original table.
Check each item after completion
After getting the results, it is recommended to check them one by one according to the following list.
| Check items | How to see | What to do if there is a problem |
|---|---|---|
| Is the source text adjacent to the translation? | Randomly check more than ten lines to see if the translation is close to the original. | If you mislocate, go back to the original table to check the merged cells, clean them up and retranslate them. |
| Number, date and number | Compare column by column against the original table | If it is changed, change it back to the original value and keep the original format |
| Formula and calculation results | Click on the key cell to see the formula and check whether the result is reasonable. | If the formula or result is not correct, reapply the formula with the original table, do not deliver the translation table directly. |
| Is the terminology consistent? | Look at the translation of the same word in different lines | Unify the use of words in the translation, or unify the writing of the original text before translation |
| Text referenced across tables | Switch the worksheet to see if the referenced text still corresponds. | Manual correction where the reference is broken |
| Accuracy of translation | Confirm the amount, terms and model one by one | The important contents should be reviewed by knowledgeable colleagues or translators. Machine translation is not a substitute for professional judgment. |
# Core comparison
There are three common ways to make bilingual forms, each with its own choice.
| Mode | Suitable for the scene | Main cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bilingual control output | It needs to be reviewed and checked quickly. | As the number of table columns increases, you need to check whether the typesetting is clear. |
| Translation output only | Only give each other a foreign language version | The original text is not in the table, so you need to open the original table when checking. |
| Manual juxtaposition | The table is small, with only a few rows. | Copying and pasting line by line takes time and is easy to miss or misplace. |
When the table exceeds dozens of rows, the error probability of manual juxtaposition increases significantly, so it is recommended to give priority to the use of bilingual control output, and then manual spot check.
# frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Will bilingual control mess up the typesetting of the form?
The translation of OmniDoc will retain tables, typesetting, formulas and so on. However, tables with more merged cells may still be misplaced, so you still need to spot-check several places after download, especially the table boundary and header.
2. Just want to translate a few columns, can you do it?
It is safe to copy the areas that need to be translated into a new Excel file before uploading. In this way, irrelevant columns will not enter the translation, and the scope of verification will be smaller.
3. Looking for a free Excel translation tool, what should I see?
Focus on several aspects: whether there is a limit on the size and number of pages of the file, whether the result is watermarked, how to handle the uploaded table data, whether the translation retains the table structure and formula, and whether it can be exported to .xlsx for editing. These indicators are more valuable than just looking at the word "free".
4. Can the translation table be directly used for formal delivery?
It is recommended to check before delivery. Once there is an error in the number, amount, terms and model, the impact will be greater, which should be reviewed by people who know the trade, and the results of machine translation should not be sent directly without checking.
# Summary
To do Excel bilingual comparison, the key is to first select the output mode according to the purpose, then clean up the structural problems such as merging cells, and finally check the numbers, formulas and adjacent positions one by one. In this order, the question of how to use excel translation can basically be put into practice, and it is easier to review the translation side by side.
