3 Jun 2025

Take care of this summer's translation needs – without the stress

Guide from Språkbolaget on how to plan translations. Two employees from Språkbolaget are looking at a catalogue. Behind them is a blue board and a bookshelf.

Summer is fast approaching, a welcome opportunity for rest, but also a challenging time for many companies. Just as holidays begin to get going, the need for translations also picks up: there’s campaign material to launch, annual reports and financial statements to finalise, and technical or legal documents that must reach international markets.

This often means an intensive time for anyone in marketing communications, HR, finance or technology. But what if you could meet your translation needs without any stress? In this post, we share our best tips for handling translations efficiently while avoiding stress and making sure everything is delivered on time, even as the summer holidays approach.

Plan your translation projects well in advance

When it comes to translation projects, forward planning is the name of the game. Organising the texts that need translating over the summer before the summer begins will help you work more strategically. Review all the upcoming campaigns, product updates and internal documents to see which of them must be ready before the holidays, and those that can wait until August or maybe even September.

A well-thought-out overview will make it easier to request quotations in good time, book personnel and make sure important projects do not clash or get set aside over the holiday period.

Checklist: Create a strategic overview

List texts that must be translated before the holiday (e.g. annual report, marketing texts)
Identity internal deadlines – printing, launch, publishing, amongst others.
Divide the material into batches for a better flow.
Make sure partners and agencies are aware of the timetable
Book translation resources with your translation agency well in advance

Four useful writing tools. Writing tips from Språkbolaget. Woman in white blouse writing on computer. — If you plan your translations well in advance, you’ll avoid stress and make sure everything gets finished on time.

Set realistic deadlines

Having taken stock of needs, it’s time to draw up a practical schedule. When must you have the proofread texts in your possession? Do you need time for graphic production, web adaptation or internal approvals after translation? This must all be factored into your plan.

It’s not unusual for different departments to work on overlapping projects, so be sure to sync both in-house and with the agency. Clarity and forward planning will unlock the best possible results.

Checklist: Set realistic deadlines

Add a time buffer (or several!) for feedback, proofreading and changes
Anticipate bottlenecks such as print deadlines or campaign dates
Keep track of holidays, both in-house and with your external suppliers
Make sure everyone involved is clearly informed about delivery times
Schedule times for progress update meetings

Submit polished, fully finalised texts

It can be tempting to send material off for translation as soon as possible, but half-finished texts often cost more in the end. Changes after submission increase the risk of misunderstandings, terminology errors or repeated reviews.

Språkbolaget works in accordance with ISO 17100 to ensure quality at every stage, but we achieve our best results when the source material is thoroughly prepared.

Checklist: Prepare your texts before submitting them for translation

Provide context: target audience, purpose, area of application
Include context: target audience, purpose, area of application
Include any terminology or glossaries
Check that the layout has enough room, as translation often takes up more space

Man with green shirt and beard. Sitting in front of a laptop. A stone wall behind and a window with green plants. — Establish a clear schedule with margins; it will save both time and money and eliminate worry over the summer.

Choose the right translation partner – and build in flexibility

An experienced translation agency knows how to work with industry-specific terminology even with tight deadlines during the summer months. Be sure to choose a partner who can offer both capacity and quality –one you can trust even while you’re away on holiday yourself.
Ask for project management, proofreading and proper file management. A reliable partner will help you prevent problems before they arise, and deliver reliably even when others take time off.

Checklist: Choose the right translation partner and create flexibility

Make sure the translation agency has the capacity in the correct languages during the summer
Check that the agency can handle your file formats and systems
Ask for project management and quality control procedures
Have a contact person available – even when you’re away
Build in a few days of flexibility for changes and contingencies

Let Språkbolaget help you with your translations this summer

Språkbolaget has over 20 years' experience in professional translations for companies across a range of industries. We’re here to serve as your reliable partner, with the capacity and expertise to handle everything from marketing and technical documents to legal and medical texts. We also work with annual reports, public information, proofreading and translation into Easy-read Swedish.

Our team consists of experienced translators, project managers and proofreaders who follow well-established procedures. We deliver high-quality translations thanks to our seamless workflow and dedicated project managers, even when you’re away on holiday.

Looking to avoid stress this summer? Contact us and we'll make sure everything is ready on time.