00:32 Aug 17, 2011 

These are definitions that are used throughout a 500-page text. To make matters worse, sometimes they have to stay in German because they are used as software variables and sometimes they have to be translated to make the English text legible. It is all highly abstract and quite a mess...

00:20 Aug 17, 2011 

I agree that this company seems to make things very difficult. Usually I would translate' Vertriebskanal' with 'distribution channel' and would consider co-ops and branches part of these channels. However, they've got co-ops and branches under 'Vertriebsweg'.

I'm wondering if one could simply use Distribution Channel 1, Distribution Channel 2 and Distribution Channel 3? I assume there will still be the explanations in brackets for the reader of the text.

22:55 Aug 16, 2011 

Many thanks. "Path" is the one I was missing here (It is late at night and I need to finish.) "Sales Line" seems to be established in their jargon.

"Vertrieb" here clearly means "sales".

Scepticism and sarcasm unfortunately do not have a place in this document. It is a highly technical text for IT specialists. (But you are right: The company seems to have a talent for making simple things difficult. Cannot mention any names, of course...)

22:46 Aug 16, 2011 

...that your client has invented. Best translated as ‘channel’/‘path’/‘line’. Those single apostrophes are known as inverted commas in British English. They signify scepticism/incredulity/distance. If your target audience is in the UdotSdotAdot, you will need to use double quotes (“channel”/”path”/”line”), as the Americans do not distinguish between scepticism and direct speech.
Incidentally, how are you intending to translate ‘Vertrieb’? Sales or distribution?