Use this checklist to self-verify a translated manual, whether from manual translation, technical document translation, or a user manual translation project, before it goes into DTP. It targets the defects that automated CAT tool QA misses in AI, MT, and vendor output: text inside images, hidden layers, corrupted glyphs, lost emphasis, mistranslated product names, non-standard safety statements, and broken links and variables. Run it in two stages, a self-check followed by an independent reviewer cross-check.
- Who this is for Technical writers, manual owners, localization and quality reviewers, DTP staff, and manufacturers producing manuals with AI tools in house.
- When to use it On receipt of translated files, before DTP starts, and before AI or MT output is turned into a multilingual deliverable.
- Use with The companion Translation Integrity Guide explains the rationale and application of each check.
These are the general, industry-neutral checks selected from the standards Hansem Global has built across 36 years of localization programs for global manufacturers. They do not replace a customer glossary, a brand guideline, a published standard, or a regulation.
Document and sign-off record
| Product / model | Document version | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source language | Target languages | ||
| Translation source | Files received on | ||
| Self-check by / date | Reviewer check by / date | ||
| DTP release decision | ☐ Approved: all Grade A items closed at zero ☐ Rejected: return for correction and re-verification | ||
Severity grades
- A Critical / mandatory A miss can stop DTP, delay launch, force re-translation or re-layout, or create legal exposure. Must be at zero before DTP begins.
- B Major / recommended A miss leads to customer claims, rework, and erosion of brand trust. Target zero wherever possible.
- C Minor / supporting Low impact on its own. Accumulated across languages and releases, it drives quality variance and operating cost.
- Work the items in grade order: A first, then B, then C.
- Run two stages: a self-check, then a cross-check by someone who did not work on the translation.
- Mark any item that does not apply as N/A and record the reason in Notes.
The 15 checks
| Category A · Translation completeness and integrity | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Check and acceptance criterion | Grade | Self | Rev. | Notes |
| 1 | Is text inside images and charts translated? Check images, screen captures, callouts, charts, and labels. Zero untranslated strings, apart from approved source-language exceptions. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 2 | Are indexes, locked layers, hidden text layers, and text boxes translated? Check content that CAT export can skip or that the source file can hide. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 3 | Are there any corrupted characters or missing glyphs? Verify font coverage and encoding for CJK, Arabic, Indic scripts, Thai, Vietnamese, and other complex scripts. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 4 | Is in-line emphasis such as bold and color preserved correctly? Compare the position of emphasis on UI labels, warnings, and critical steps against the source. | B | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 5 | Are italics and underline applied per target-language convention? Adjust or remove where the target language avoids italics and underline or where they reduce legibility. | B | ☐ | ☐ | |
| Category B · Terminology and UI consistency | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Check and acceptance criterion | Grade | Self | Rev. | Notes |
| 6 | Are product names, model numbers, and brand names preserved per standard? Reconcile against the approved product name list, the glossary, and the customer style guide. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 7 | Is molded, engraved, and nameplate text handled per standard? Confirm whether text on the product surface, labels, and nameplates is translated or retained, per the approved rule. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 8 | Do safety signal words and safety statements follow the approved standard? Reconcile DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, and NOTICE against ANSI Z535.4 and Z535.6, ISO 3864-2, or the customer’s approved warning library. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 9 | Are trademark symbols applied per the marking standard? Verify retention, position, and software-specific handling of ™, ®, and © against the source and the brand standard. | B | ☐ | ☐ | |
| Category C · Numbers, punctuation, capitalization | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Check and acceptance criterion | Grade | Self | Rev. | Notes |
| 10 | Do punctuation, quotation marks, signs, and units follow target-language rules? Check quotation style, decimal and thousands separators, plus and minus signs, unit spacing, and word spacing. | B | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 11 | Does capitalization follow target-language and customer style? Check title case, sentence case, UI string casing, and per-language capitalization conventions. | B | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 12 | Are native numerals applied consistently where required? Confirm the customer and market standard for Arabic, Persian, and other markets that use native numeral forms. | C | ☐ | ☐ | |
| Category D · Cross-references, links, variables | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Check and acceptance criterion | Grade | Self | Rev. | Notes |
| 13 | Are cross-references, hyperlinks, and TOC links valid? Confirm section references, page references, bookmarks, and TOC links resolve without breaking or surfacing error codes. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 14 | Are URLs valid and regional URLs correctly mapped? Test live links, country domains, local support pages, QR destinations, and region-specific URLs. | A | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 15 | Are header, footer, language bar, and version variables preserved? Confirm variables are not translated, not overwritten, and not out of step with the source and release record. | B | ☐ | ☐ | |
Findings summary
| Grade | Open findings | Closed | N/A | Sign-off rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Critical | Must be 0 to start DTP | |||
| B Major | Target 0. Log impact and fix plan | |||
| C Minor | Track and resolve in the next release |
Frequently asked questions
- Is CAT tool QA enough on its own? No. CAT QA is good at untranslated segments, tag errors, number mismatches, and terminology violations. It misses production defects such as text inside images, hidden layers, changed emphasis, regional URLs, variables, and product name handling.
- Why does this matter more when we use AI or machine translation? AI and MT produce natural sentences without guaranteeing that product names, variables, safety statements, and hidden content survive intact. This check is the gate that stops those defects before they reach DTP and publishing.
- Do we have to run all 15 checks in every language? Run every Grade A item in every launch language. Grade B and C items can be sampled on low-risk releases, but a new product, a regulated product, a new vendor, or an AI and MT workflow all warrant the full pass.
- How long does one pass take? For a typical operator manual of 60 to 120 pages, a trained reviewer completes the self-check in roughly two to four hours per language, and the independent cross-check in about half that. Text inside images and hidden layers absorb most of the time on the first pass and far less once the do-not-translate list and the image text inventory exist.
- What evidence should we keep? Keep the completed checklist with the sign-off record, the exception log for anything closed as N/A, and the link test results. These become the evidence trail for the regulatory, accessibility, print, and data management stages later in the series.
Pre-Launch QA Series for Multilingual Manuals (8 parts)
The series follows a multilingual manual from translation intake to market release, one gate at a time. Each part pairs a guide with a self-check checklist.
- Part 1 · Translation integrity Catching defects in translated files before editing (this checklist)
- Part 2 · DTP Multilingual typesetting and layout integrity
- Part 3 · Regulatory Market-specific regulatory and standards marking
- Part 4 · UI matching Synchronizing product screens with the document
- Part 5 · Accessibility EAA, WCAG, PDF/UA, and Section 508 conformance
- Part 6 · Multi-channel output Consistency across PDF, HTML, and mobile
- Part 7 · Print Bleed, CMYK, font embedding, and print readiness
- Part 8 · Data management Turning source files and TM into reusable assets