When reviewing translated versions of a course, it’s important to use a process that is accurate, consistent and efficient. While on‑screen commenting works well when reviewing English‑language courses, it is not suitable for multi‑language translation workflows. This article explains why we use Excel or Word for translation reviews, the limitations of on‑screen comments, and how our recommended approach ensures a high‑quality outcome for you and your learners.
Why English reviews can use on‑screen comments
Most clients reviewing an English‑language course use Tracked Changes and comments on a Word export. Others use the on‑screen comment feature in the course editor. For English content, this can be practical and easy because the reviewer and Skillcast can clearly see and interpret the changes.
However, once a course is translated into multiple languages, the workflow becomes far more complex and requires a different approach.
Why on‑screen comments do not work for translations
The on‑screen commenting tool is not designed to support multiple languages. Using it for translation reviews introduces several challenges:
The system does not distinguish between languages, so comments for all languages appear together. Without fluency in those languages, Skillcast is unable to reliably interpret or action the feedback.
When several reviewers work in the same language, the on‑screen tool cannot separate their comments. This makes managing feedback difficult.
Reviewers cannot view the English version and the translated version side by side, which slows the review process and increases the risk of inaccuracies.
To overcome these issues, we would need to duplicate the course for each language and each review round. This would result in a large number of course copies, no visibility between feedback rounds, and a time‑consuming merging process prone to human error.
Using the on‑screen tool in this way ultimately results in lower‑quality outcomes and increased review time for clients.
Why Excel is required for translation reviews
Because Skillcast employees do not speak all the languages used in client courses, we need a system that allows changes to be understood and applied without relying on language knowledge.
Using our Excel translation review file ensures that:
All changes provided by the reviewer can be imported directly back into the course with minimal manual handling.
The margin of error is significantly reduced because data is uploaded rather than manually re‑typed.
Large volumes of content across multiple languages can be managed consistently and accurately.
This method is designed to be both robust and efficient, particularly when handling multiple languages and multiple review rounds.
Using Word as an alternative
We understand that some reviewers find Excel difficult to work with, especially if they are unfamiliar with translation spreadsheets. To support clients, we can also accept translation reviews in Word.
Working with a Word document offers reviewers a more intuitive way to:
Compare the translated version alongside the course
Suggest edits using Tracked Changes
Provide comments in a format they are comfortable with
Our team can then copy the reviewed content from Word into the Excel file required for upload. This approach maintains accuracy while improving the reviewer experience.
Conclusion
By using Excel or Word for translation reviews, we can ensure accuracy, reduce human error and deliver consistent, high‑quality results across all languages. We are confident that this process provides the most reliable and efficient workflow for your translation needs. If you need guidance on how to complete your translation review, we are always happy to assist.
If you require any help, contact your Customer Success Manager by selecting Send us a message via the help icon on your portal, or by emailing [email protected].