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Machine Translation in the Translation Memory

 

Machine Translation (MT) can be configured as a translation provider in a workflow, or as a language resource for linguists in the CAT Tool. Machine Translation also includes "copy-source-to-target", as this is performed as its own MT profile.

Quick Overview

Here is a quick summary of the expected behavior of machine translation in the Translation Memory:

  1. MT + Review (translation edited in the Review step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is saved in the Review step and/or submitted to the next workflow step.
  2. MT + Review (translation not edited in the Review step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is published or pre-published.*
  3. MT + Edit (translation edited in the Edit step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is saved in the Edit step and/or submitted to the next workflow step.
  4. MT + Edit (translation not edited in the Edit step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is published or pre-published.*
  5. (AIHT workflow by Smartling Language Services) AI Translation + Human Review (translation edited in the AI Review step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is saved in the AI Review step and/or submitted to the next workflow step.
  6. (AIHT workflow by Smartling Language Services) AI Translation + Human Review (translation not edited in the AI Review step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is published or pre-published.*
  7. AI Translation (AIT workflow by Smartling Language Services) without Light Post-Edit = The translation is not saved to the Translation Memory.
  8. AI Translation (AIT workflow by Smartling Language Services) + Light Post-Edit (translation edited in the Light Post-Edit step) = The translation is not saved to the Translation Memory.
  9. AI Translation (AIT workflow by Smartling Language Services) + Light Post-Edit (translation not edited in the Light Post-Edit step) = The translation is not saved to the Translation Memory.
  10. AI Translation (AIT workflow by Smartling Language Services), with or without Light Post-Edit + Review (translation edited in the Review step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is saved in the Review step and/or submitted to the next workflow step.
  11. AI Translation (AIT workflow by Smartling Language Services), with or without Light Post-Edit + Review (translation not edited in the Review step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is published or pre-published.*
  12. (NON-SLS) MT + Post-Edit (translation edited in the Post-Edit step) = The translation is saved to the Translation Memory when the string is saved in the Post-Edit step and/or submitted to the next workflow step.
  13. (NON-SLS) MT + Post-Edit (translation not edited in the Post-Edit step) = The translation is not saved to the Translation Memory.
  14. MT (raw) = The translation is not saved to the Translation Memory.

* In order for the unedited translation to be saved to the TM, it needs to be submitted from the CAT Tool, or by using the option "Submit to Next Step" in the Strings View, or via an Idle string rule that automatically moves the translation to the Published step. If the option "Change Workflow" is used in the Strings View to move the unedited translation to the Published step, it is not saved to the TM.

Detailed Overview

Machine translations that are inserted or auto-populated in the CAT Tool are stored in the Translation Memory and are counted as Processed Words because the action of submitting the translations is executed by a human.

Machine Translations that are processed through an initial MT workflow step are not saved to the Translation Memory (TM). Saves to the TM could happen if there are additional human steps after the initial MT step, or if there are any edits made to the MT.

If Machine Translation proceeds to an Edit or Review step type, this will lead to Machine Translation saving to the Translation Memory. This is because any content submitted or saved in an Edit or Review step type is considered "human" translated content. So, even if Machine Translated content was unchanged in any of those step types, it will be saved to the Translation Memory.

If you want Machine Translations to be processed through an edit step after the initial MT step, your workflow should include a Post-Machine Revision step type as the "edit" step to avoid having any unedited Machine Translated content save to your TM. However, any edits to an MT on this step will result in saves to the TM.

If a Machine Translation was edited and saved by a user in the CAT Tool (outside an MTPE / AI Review step type), in the TMM itself, or in the Strings View, the edited Machine Translation will be saved to the Translation Memory.

If you want all Machine Translations (edited and unedited) to be saved to the Translation Memory, consult your Customer Success Manager to unblock external translations from your TM.

 

Important exception

If a string is published or pre-published before a linguist works on it, any edits made by the linguist will not be saved to the TM until the string is published or pre-published again. This can happen, for example, if a string is published and then moved back into an active workflow step.

Example scenario: 

  • A string moves through a (non-SLS) MT + Post-Edit + Internal Review workflow. A linguist edits the translation in the Post-Edit step, and that edited translation is saved to the TM when the string is submitted to the Internal Review step. The internal reviewer then submits the string to the Published step.

  • Later, the string is moved from Published back to the Post-Edit step. A linguist edits the translation again. This second edit will not be saved to the TM immediately. It will only be saved once the string reaches the Published step again.

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