How-to

How to keep a document and its translation together and clearly labelled

Why some people keep the pair together

A document in another language and its translation can easily drift apart: the original in one folder, the translation in an email attachment, a certification page in a drawer. Some people find it easier to treat the two as a single pair so that neither is hard to find.

• One pair means fewer places to look.
• Seeing both together makes it simple to confirm they belong to each other.
• A consistent pattern makes it clear which items have a translation and which do not.

This guide does not cover what a translation must contain, who may produce one, or any certification rules. For that, check GOV.UK or speak to an IAA-registered adviser or SRA-regulated solicitor.

Original first, translation straight after

One approach is to place the two items next to each other in a fixed order, and to use that order every time.

1. Original first. The document in its original language comes first.
2. Translation straight after. The translation follows immediately, with nothing else in between.
3. Same order everywhere. Using one pattern for every pair means the section reads the same way from start to finish.

Paper and digital sets can follow the same order, so a pair looks alike in both places.

Use one label pattern to link the two

A shared number or name is a simple way to show that two files belong together. For example, a document might be numbered 14, with the files called 14-original and 14-translation, followed by a short description such as the document type and date.

• Keep the number identical on both files.
• Add the same short word, such as "original" or "translation", every time.
• Keep the date or period in both names so they sort together.

The guide on naming and numbering scanned files explains how to build a pattern like this and carry it through a whole set.

Keep every page, and note translations on the contents list

Both the original and the translation can run to several pages, and a translation may come with extra pages, such as a page with the translator's details or a certification page. One approach is to keep all of these.

• Scan every page of the original and every page of the translation, including any translator's details or certification pages.
• Keep the pages of each as one file, in order, rather than as loose images.
• On the contents list, add a short note against each item that has a translation, such as "translation: 14-translation".

The guide on building a contents page shows the wider idea, and the guide on scanning documents clearly on a phone helps with readable scans.

Check the two copies match, and keep the originals safe

After scanning, some people run a quick matching check on each pair. It is a check that the files line up, not a view on the content.

• Does the translation refer to the same document, with the same date shown?
• Do the page counts of the files match the paper copies?
• Are the original and translation filed under the same number?

Paper originals are often kept somewhere safe and flat, apart from the working set. The guide on keeping paper and digital copies covers matching the two sets.

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