ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | yes

Kay Denney — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 15:18:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Kay Denney
Post title: yes

Of course I keep records. Otherwise I would forget to bill!
And then I have to declare my earnings, so I have a record of that too.

I do like to keep previous translations for reference if I neglect to put a term in the glossary. The other day I found a term in a translation I did back in 2003!

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | No

Gitte Hoveds (X) — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 07:41:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Gitte Hoveds (X)
Post title: No

Well, I guess that depends on what is meant by 'keep records'...

I'm a tidy freak, bordering on being a minimalist in many respects, so I only save/keep what I need (order overview) or have to (accounts, for tax purposes), or what I think might come in useful at some stage (client glossaries, for instance).

Other than that, I routinely delete all work files generated by my CAT tool as soon as I have delivered a translation. Why would I keep those? All relevant data are stored in the TMs. I keep translations and emails for a calendar year in separate client folders, but have a big clear-out in early January to be ready to start afresh in a new year. The only reason I keep the files for that long is that I have a quick look at it all when I prepare my annual report for tax purposes and my own amusement.

The only 'records' I keep are two Excel spreadsheets, one for my accounts, and one that keeps track of my orders in a very basic format: order date, client, task details, price, delivery date, invoice no. + date, payment received, and very basic statistics of the amount invoiced to each client. Each new year, I just add another tab to each of the two spreadsheets.

I still believe in the old Keep It Simple, Stupid. :D

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Oh sure!

Ehsan Kiani — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 07:17:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Ehsan Kiani
Post title: Oh sure!

I keep each of them in separate folders, every folder containing all the main materials - source text(s), translated text(s) - and the secondary materials - sources that have helped me through the project. Keeping track of the work you've done helps to see where've you been from the start, and what has been your route all along the way. It gives you a general idea of your progress in work. And you're sometimes amazed by earlier works - was it really me? Did I really choose to do that? And sometimes you're proud: yeah, it WAS me! Anyway, it's a good mirror for your career, no matter how you're keeping that record.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | I have cummulative translation memories and invoicing information

Hege Jakobsen Lepri — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 05:00:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Hege Jakobsen Lepri
Post title: I have cummulative translation memories and invoicing information

But I try to get rid of the actual translations after 5-10 years (usually closer to 10 than 5 because I have no real routine for deleting files)

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes, in detail since 2010

Mario Freitas — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 04:35:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Mario Freitas
Post title: Yes, in detail since 2010

I have detailed records, files and TM of all my projects since 2010.
Before that, I didn't have much work, translation was a sporadical "extra", and didn't make a lot of difference in my routine or income, so I had a very small deal of control over the jobs.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes

Rebecca Garber — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 23:43:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Rebecca Garber
Post title: Yes

Those would be my accounting and tax records.

In addition: I keep the original file, the txml, and the finished file, sorted by client. The computer tags the dates.

If you're asking whether I keep additional notes about my projects, the answer is no.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | What is meant by "keeping a record"?

Maxi Schwarz — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 20:33:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Maxi Schwarz
Post title: What is meant by "keeping a record"?

Is this like some kind of external list? We have e-mail correspondence, the actual work we did, and then paid and unpaid invoices.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes

Claudia Aguero — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 17:50:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Claudia Aguero
Post title: Yes

I have all my translations since 2000 and some before that time. I also have them in three external hard disks and in two email accounts. Since my computers and external backups have been stolen twice, I learned to keep backups in different parts of my house.
My invoices go back to 2002, when I began to deliver printed invoices. (In Costa Rica, we have to print invoices.) This help me remember how much I charged for several projects I have to do every year.
As for my accounting records and tax returns, I have all of them (since 1996) somewhere in my warehouse. I must keep them for some years, but don't remember how many.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | What a strange question

Ivana UK — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 17:45:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Ivana UK
Post title: What a strange question

Of course we keep records!

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes, everything

Tina Vonhof (X) — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 15:46:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Tina Vonhof (X)
Post title: Yes, everything

I have all my past translations and invoices backed up on a USB. I keep only the current year and the previous one on my PC. On more than one occasion I have been able to help a client by sending a copy of their translation or an updated certification declaration.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes

Elena Mordenti — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:48:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Elena Mordenti
Post title: Yes

I keep all files or a part of them relating to a project. Sometimes it's useful remind me the 9 years of work.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | It's all in my emails

Alexandra Villeminey — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 11:39:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Alexandra Villeminey
Post title: It's all in my emails

No, I delete all files and if it happens that I have to access them again I can find the final files in my outgoing emails.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Well obviously not

The Shredder — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 10:56:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: The Shredder
Post title: Well obviously not

Why would I do that? Do I really want to help the Revenue sniff out all my offshore accounts?

Bad tax planning, innit.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes

Muriel Vasconcellos (X) — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 10:08:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Post title: Yes

I keep an Excel file each year with detailed information about each assignment. They go back to when I first started to use Excel about 16 years ago.

I also keep the translations unless the client asks me to destroy them.

Back in 2002-2003 I translated three large volumes that contained detailed descriptions of several hundred diseases. Those translations have been valuable references because the information is well organized--and of course, searchable.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Yes

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 09:52:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: Yes

My earlier work is kept on CDs and on my external memory (I suppose I still have a stash of floppy disks hidden around somewhere). For the last 10 years, I’ve also been keeping a very basic diary (hard copy) with date, my reference number, my client project number, title of the document, language pair, number of words, deadline, invoice number, date of payment…

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Same here

Christine Andersen — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 09:30:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: Same here

[quote]neilmac wrote:

Rather than "keeping a record", I simply take ages to remember to delete anything or tidy up my files, so most of my stuff is probably lying around somewhere. [/quote]

It depends what you mean by records.
I keep a worksheet and note the progress of each job, when it is ordered, delivered and invoiced, and I have worksheets going back to when I started translating! These proved invaluable when I applied to become a Chartered Linguist, and the CIoL wanted records of my work for three years back. I'm not sure they ask for so much detail now, but it was convincing.

I also record rates on the worksheets, and I have a list of invoices going back more than ten years. My husband keeps printouts of all my invoices for at least five years, and until he runs out of space after that - and he records my accounts and tax returns. So there are quite a lot of records of formalities.

I also archive many of my translations for future reference, although of course, I delete files if asked to, or if they are particularly confidential.

I do not keep statistics about how many (thousand/million) words I have translated, as I regard them as fairly meaningless, on the level of 'how long is a piece of string?'

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on? | Other

neilmac — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 08:55:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: neilmac
Post title: Other

Rather than "keeping a record", I simply take ages to remember to delete anything or tidy up my files, so most of my stuff is probably lying around somewhere.

Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?

ProZ.com Staff — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 08:10:02 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you keep record of all the projects you've worked on?".

This poll was originally submitted by Carla Lopes. View the poll results »