Monday, 1 October 2007

Importing a glossary from Excel to Trados Multiterm via MultiTerm Convert

Applicable to MultiTerm versions 2007 or earlier. A slightly different procedure is required with MultiTerm 2009 at the point when one imports the entries - Read here the modified procedure, slideshow included.


Trados instructions appear overwhelming to you with the multitude of options? You have tried to import your favourite, two-column dictionary and failed? Read on, it is easier than it seems; although not half as easy as in other CAT tools like DVX, Wordfast or MetaTexis.

Preparing the glossary in Excel

Use headers, i.e. the first cell in the first column could be English and the first cell in the second column Greek:

English Greek
file αρχείο
folder φάκελος

Importing via MultiTerm Convert

Open MultiTerm Convert. You will see the following screens:

1. Welcome.
2. Conversion Session. Select New Conversion session.
3. Conversion Options. Select Microsoft Excel format.
4. Specify excel file. Input file. Select your Excel file. The other file options will be populated automatically. The location of the xml file will be the same as the location of the xls file. Note it as you will need it later.

5. Specify Column Header.
For English select Index field: English (e.g. US)
For Greek select Index field: Greek
6. Create Entry Structure. Leave as is. Next.
7. Conversion Summary. Leave as is. Next.
8. Converting. Wait.
9. Conversion Complete. Finish.

Creating and Importing to MultiTerm termbase

Open MultiTerm. File/Create termbase:

1. Termbase definition. Use a predefined termbase template: Bilingual glossary
2. Termbase Name. Enter name.
3. Index fields. Remove German. Add Greek.
4. Descriptive fields. Leave as is. Next.
5. Entry structure. Leave as is. Next.
6. Wizard Complete. Finish.

Importing entries

Termbase/Import entries: Termbase Catalogue. Select default import definition. Press Process.
1. General settings. Import file: the xml file you have created. Select Fast import (skip to screen 7).
7. Import definition summary. Next.
8. Processing the import. Next. Wizard Complete. Finish. Close Termbase Catalogue.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you so much, you were a great help. Although a long-time user of MultiTerm 5, I'm still trying to find my feet with the SDL version and your brief tutorial helped a lot (I hadn't chosen the "bilingual" option and could not import a single term). By the way, the program seems to need quite a long time to process medium-sized termbases, doesn't it? Cheers.

Spiros said...

Yes, speed is not its middle name :)
I hear they are preparing a brand new version, let us hope it will be more intuitive ;)

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

You should be the one writing trados user guides! Thank you so much!
GAP.

Spiros said...

Thank you very much for your kind words :)

There are, however, many other people whose knowledge of the software as well as of technical writing is much better than mine :)