In this guide 6 sections
A job, batch, proof and certificate mean different things in each trade. A job is one unit of paid work. A batch is a group handled together. A proof is a draft sent for approval. A certificate is a signed result. Give each its own record, naming who looks after it and when it was made.
What counts as a job?
A job is one piece of paid work with a client, a due date and an owner. In translation it is a document pair in two languages. In publishing it is a title moving towards print. In a lab it is a client’s sample set.
The record holds the client, scope, deadline, assigned person and current stage. Add a reference that appears on every file and email.
Jobs break into steps. A translation has a first pass, a review and a layout check. Track those under the job.
- Client and contact
- Scope in pages, words or parameters
- Deadline and owner
- Current stage and last update
What is a batch, and why does it matter?
A batch is a group handled together. A publisher prints one run of a title, a lab tests a lot of samples in one session, and an agency sends a bundle of files to one linguist.
The record must say what is inside and when the group was formed. If one item fails, you need to find its neighbours quickly.
Mixed batches are the usual fault. Label each with a number and note which instrument, press or linguist handled it. Then a recall or a re-read starts from a list, not a guess.
What is a proof, and who signs it?
Think of a proof as a draft that somebody must approve before the next step. Publishers send page proofs to authors, translators send a formatted draft to the client, and a lab may send a draft report before issue.
Record the version, the date sent, the recipient and every correction requested. Comments scattered across three email threads make a dispute waiting to happen.
Approval needs a name and a date. Write down a phone approval the same day.
- Version number and date sent
- Reviewer and date returned
- List of corrections
- Final approval with name
What is a certificate, and how is it controlled?
A certificate is a signed document stating a result. A lab issues a test certificate, a translator may issue a certified translation with a signed declaration, and a publisher may hold a permission letter for a quoted extract.
Give each a unique number, the issue date, the signatory and the job it belongs to. Keep the issued copy unchanged. If a correction is needed, issue a new numbered one and mark the old as replaced.
Check who may sign. A wrong signatory makes the paper nearly worthless.
Which terms still confuse people?
Quote and order get mixed up. A quote is an offer and an order is acceptance. Likewise a draft is not a proof, and a report is not a certificate. Write the difference on one page and pin it up.
Sample, specimen and lot are another trio. Agree one word per object. Use it on every form, chain of custody slip and invoice line.
Start with the terms your clients quote back to you. Fix those first, then add the rest.
Trade terms and record card
A glossary table of one page with four rows for job, batch, proof and certificate. Three columns give the plain definition, the fields the record must hold, and the person who owns it. A blank second table takes your own local terms.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Why does a glossary matter for software?
Software stores fields, and a field needs one meaning. If job means different things to two teams, reports will disagree.
Is a proof the same as a draft?
No. A draft is work in progress. A proof goes to someone for approval and returns with comments or a sign-off.
Who should issue a certificate?
Only the person authorised to sign for that kind of result. Name that person on the template.
How many terms should we define first?
Four to six. Pick the words that appear in client emails and on your invoices.