21 Free Tools For Translators

Alessandra Martelli
21 FREE TOOLS FOR

TRANSLATORS
21 Free Tools for Translators
2nd edition (revised & updated)
Alessandra Martelli
Creative Commons license:

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 international
Published September 29th, 2016
Your communication alchemist
www.mtmtranslations.com
Table of Contents
Preface ...............................................................................................................2
About the author ...............................................................................................4
About the eBook ................................................................................................ 5
Copyright notice ............................................................................................... 8
Disclaimer .........................................................................................................9
Shout-outs ....................................................................................................... 10
Section 1: Admin & Management .....................................................................11
Count Anything ............................................................................................ 12

EssentialPIM Free ....................................................................................... 15
IFTTT .......................................................................................................... 20
GnuCash ...................................................................................................... 25
PNotes.NET .................................................................................................29
RescueTime Lite ..........................................................................................34
SlimTimer ................................................................................................... 38
ToDoist ........................................................................................................ 41
Unroll.me .....................................................................................................45
Section 2: Terminology & TMs ........................................................................49
Glossary Converter ..................................................................................... 50

IATE Search .................................................................................................54
LF Aligner .................................................................................................... 57
MagicSearch ............................................................................................... 60
Olifant ..........................................................................................................63
21 Free Tools for Translators | Alessandra Martelli
Section 3: The Grab Bag .................................................................................. 67
AutoUnbreak .............................................................................................. 68
CamScanner ................................................................................................. 71
ConvertAll .................................................................................................... 74
Inoreader ..................................................................................................... 77
LightShot ..................................................................................................... 81
LockHunter ................................................................................................. 84
TransTools .................................................................................................. 86
Photo credits .................................................................................................. 90
1
Preface
Is THAT all of your luggage?
I lost count of the times I received an awkward look, and the shameful tone,
from a friend on the eve of a road trip.
You see, Ive always been a fan of travelling light.
I simply hate the idea of being yet another damsel in distress who cant
handle her own luggage. You know, the perfectly dressed high-heeled lady
who packs 2 trolleys and one jumbo jet for a 5-day trip.
To me, travelling alone is the quintessence of freedom.

You need to be comfortable, and keep your hands and mind free for all the
beautiful things you will see, taste, and experience.
If youre busy with luggage, you cannot even reach for the camera.
I believe the same applies to freelancing.

A compact backpack (or toolbox) is key to manage your daily work easily, and
also free some mental space to welcome the nice things that will come along.
In the daily struggle for productivity, I always choose functionality over
design and, honestly, I dont see the point of using 75 different apps when a
smaller set of multifunctional tools would do.
Ultimately, 21 Free Tools for Translators is an eBook about freedom.

The programs and apps presented within will help you manage common tasks
and everyday riddles more efficiently, and streamline your workflow.
Increasing your productivity will give you more wiggle room to plan for bigger
results, set more ambitious goals, invest in professional development,
2
or simply enjoy the ride, spend more time with your family and friends,
switch off the computer early and catch up with your favourite TV series,
books or else.
Travel light. Be happy.
Alessandra Martelli
12.06.2016
P.S.
When I launched the first edition of the eBook in 2014, I couldnt imagine the
reach it would have had.
Two years later, it has been downloaded by over 16,200 translators across five
continents. It even got featured in translation courses by several university
professors in Europe and the Americas!
I didnt expect such an enthusiastic response from the translation community,
and Ill be forever grateful to all the people who took the time to send
feedback, thank you notes, and thoughtful messages. Best reward ever.
3
About the author

Alessandra Martelli is a translator and
copywriter based in Turin, Italy.
Trading as MTM Translations, she helps

small businesses and big brands
communicate effectively across their
Italian and English-speaking audiences.
She focuses on writing and translating

marketing copy and sales collaterals,
medicine and medical technology
content, and materials for the travel and
tourism industry.
Alessandra is also a professional trainer with an educational background in

teaching. Shes an Associate of ITI, and a member of ACTA and Rete al
Femminile.
She manages her solo business from a home-based office overlooking a

park. A night owl by nature, she needs an awful amount of coffee in the
mornings and music to keep her up and running throughout the day.
In 2016, she celebrates her first 15 years of solopreneurship.
Dont be a stranger!
4
About the eBook

1. Content
The eBook includes 21 reviews from free tools and web services, divided into
three sections:
Admin & Management: 9 tools & apps to manage business-related tasks,

monitor your productivity, declutter your desk and inbox, count words in
files for translation, and organise key contacts and info.
Terminology & TMs: 5 tools to speed up terminology search, create CAT-

friendly glossaries, and optimise your translation memories.
The Grab Bag: 7 smart utilities for a variety of tasks you might need to
perform from time to time. Prepare files for translation, take screenshots,
convert units, and more.
The tools have been selected from an initial pool of 75 candidates.

They have been tested extensively, and assessed against three key criteria:
1. Usability and long-term benefits;
2. Completeness of features available for free;
3. Accessibility and integrations.
2. Whats missing (and why)
The selection focuses on tools that will help you manage translation-related
tasks and administration activities. Thats why you wont find software or
apps specifically designed for social media accounts, newsletters etc.
If youre looking for social media management tools, check out this
list of 33 free resources by Social Media Today.
5
In a recent survey, several colleagues mentioned they would have been

interested in terminology extraction tools. Unfortunately, most free
terminology extractors support a limited number of languages, and their
effectiveness also depends on many other factors.
If youre interested in such tools, browse this list of free online term
extractors by translator and terminologist Maria Pia Montoro.
Another hot topic of interest was project management. In this eBook,

you will find software designed for solo professionals or small teams (e.g. a
translator/proofreader tandem).
For more information about tools for outsourcing freelancers or PMs

working for agencies, have a look at Beginning, Middle and End, an
eBook (paid) by freelance professionals Lusa Matos, Rui Sousa, and Teresa
Sousa.
3. Design & additional resources

The design of the eBook has been completely reimagined, and optimised for
smartphones and tablets. The categories are colour-coded for easier
orientation with miniature views, and fonts have been selected to maximise
readability across different screens.
Throughout the eBook, you will also find info boxes with tips and tricks,
links to video tutorials or useful articles, etcetera.
Oh and keep an eye on these symbols:
Click or tap to visit a tools website or download page
Click or tap to download an additional resource (e.g. a tutorial

or a cheat sheet)
6
Additional resources for the eBook are stored in a private Google Drive folder.
To download a file:
1. Click on the mouse icon to go to the document;
2. In Google Drive, click on the download icon (top right).
Google Drive: Click to download your free resource!
4. Software testing details

Most of the tools presented in the eBook are available for different operating
systems and platforms. The reviews are based on testing done with the
following devices and operating systems:
PC: Windows 10 Pro, 64bit
Tablet: iPad Air 2, iOS 9.3.4
iOS devices: iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.3
Android devices: Samsung Galaxy J3, Android 5.1
7
Copyright notice
21 Free Tools for Translators is distributed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
international license, which also protects the additional materials authored
for this eBook.
Bringing 21 Free Tools for Translators from idea to your desktop (or tablet,
smartphone, e-Reader) took around 160 hours.
When you comply with the terms of the license, you are respecting my work
and intellectual rights. Thank you.
8
Disclaimer
All the information included within this eBook are based on the authors
own experiences, and are provided in good faith.
The author is not affiliated with any of the tools and services presented in
this publication. The eBook does not include sponsored reviews.
For web services or apps offering free and paid services, the review always
refers to the free version or plan.
All the trademarks, brands, and software cited in this eBook are the
propriety of their respective owners. Screenshots and product images are
provided for information purposes only.
As of August 31, 2016 all the websites and download links cited and
provided in this eBook are fully functional and virus-free. However,
the author cannot guarantee that such websites or download links will be
functional, and virus-free at any point in the future.
As of August 31, 2016 all the tools and services presented in the eBook are
available free of charge. However, the author cannot guarantee that
such tools and services will still be available for free at any point in the
future.
The author cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss caused by the
download, use or misuse of the tools presented in the eBook.
Before downloading a software programme or signing up for a web service,

please check the relevant system requirements, privacy policies, and the
small print. Also, dont forget to use an antivirus programme to protect
your computers and mobile devices.
The author does not provide any free nor paid support for the tools and
services reviewed in the eBook.
9
Shout-outs
To Russell - for being a cherished friend, my brother-in-music, and the
proofreader any translator or copywriter would love to work with.
To Alice - for being much more than a colleague, and for her precious support
throughout the making of the eBook.
To Ferruccio - for being one of my brothers of choice, a tireless dungeon
master and for DTP support.
To the creators of non-proprietary additional resources featured in the eBook,

for being so generous with their knowledge.
To all the friends, colleagues, and mentors that made these first 15 years in
translation much easier, nurturing, and fun.
To Efrem - my partner in crime, and fellow lightweight-traveller.

Looking forward to the next leg of our journey.
10
Section 1:
Admin & Management
11
Count Anything
________________________________________________
A user-friendly & fast word counting tool
Get word & character count for files in 18

different formats. Count words in
embedded elements. Save reports easily.
Quoting on projects is easier

Quick facts
Count Anything is a CAT-independent word

Quick word count tool counting tool.
Supports Asian and non-Asian Compared to similar tools, Count Anything
characters offers increased accuracy and speed. It also
provides extensive coverage for a variety of file
Save results as text or HTML
types (MS Word, OpenOffice, HTML, ).
files
The interface is tidy, and self-explanatory.
Available in English, Japanese
To get a word count, you simply need to drag n
For Windows drop the file(s) you want to check, and click on
Count.
At the end of the analysis, the tool generates an
on-screen report.
For analysis of multiple files, the report generates a multi-line report. Clicking
on a file name will open a report for the individual file, which includes the
same information you get in the global report, with a different layout.
12
Count Anything: Report for single file analysis
Reports can be printed or saved as txt or HTML.
Count Anything: Report for multiple analysis
Unlike other tools, the tool also counts words in embedded objects (such
as tables, boxes, graphs and charts).
This feature is especially useful for PDFs but the accuracy in the word count
might vary based on the complexity of the formatting.
Get word counts for web pages
With Count Anything, you can also get word counts for online pages.
Please note that Count Anything does not retrieve multiple URLs
from e.g. a homepage URL. If you need the word count for a
whole website, you need to manually add all related URLs.
13
In this scenario, however, the accuracy depends on the coding of the web
page, and the number of embedded objects, plugins etcetera.
Considering this, the analysis is not a benchmark I would use to provide a
binding quote. Yet, the web count feature comes in handy when a customer
asks for a rough quote for the translation of their website.
To get a word count for web page(s):
1. Open Count Anything, click on Add URL;
2. Type the URL in the input box, click on OK.
Count Anything: Add URL Input window
The tool will then retrieve the page, and display it in the main window (just
like any other file). If you want to add more URLs, just click on Add URL
again. You can do this for any number of pages.
3. Click on Count.
Done.
14
EssentialPIM Free
________________________________________________
Keep important data & info under one roof
Manage your calendar, email, to-do lists,

and more, via PC or smartphone.
Synch, import, and export data across
devices and software tools.
An essential information manager

Quick facts
EssentialPIM Free brings together several

Print-friendly, customisable personal information management utilities
calendar views
under a single, user-friendly interface:
Strong encryption for passwords
database The Calendar and To Do modules help
you manage your schedule easily;
Built-in spell checker for Notes
and Mail modules
The Notes module makes it easy to track
ideas and project details;
Available in over 25 languages The Contacts and Mail modules cater for
flexible communications and network
For Windows, iOS & Android management;
The Passwords module helps you keep
your login information for services and apps
safe.
With EssentialPIM, information is updated as you type it. For extra peace of
mind, users can also setup and adjust autosave options to taste (Tools >
Options > Autosave).
15
All data files are protected with strong encryption. Users can also protect each
master file with a password for increased privacy on shared devices.
Data files can be synchronised amongst any number of computers and mobile
devices (iOS and Android). Also, EssentialPIM Free offers versatile import
and export options for increased convenience and quick centralisation of
all the important information.
Stay organised with calendar & to do lists

The Calendar module allows you to add, edit, and delete appointments of
any kind. These could be e.g. deadlines for translation projects, your editorial
calendar entries, meetings with customers or other important events.
Users can switch between four print-friendly view modes: day, week,
month, and year. There is also a Table view featuring useful search functions,
which gives you a list-style view of the appointments you have entered.
EssentialPIM Free: New appointment window
With EssentialPIM Free, you can schedule recurrent events with one
simple action. Plus, you can add personal notes to each appointment which
is especially useful when scheduling activities that require preparation or
specific materials.
16
You can also assign a category (e.g. Business, Personal, Phone Call) and/or a
priority level to the individual appointments. Categories are colour-coded,
to provide you with a quick visual summary within the calendar views.
With the To Do module, you can create print-friendly to-do lists in a
breeze. As for appointments, you can set priority levels and categorise
activities but you cant set recurrent tasks.
With EssentialPIM Free you can also set custom reminders for
appointments and tasks. You can even instruct the tool to run a
specific software programme when the reminders up!
EssentialPIM Free: Reminder settings window
Manage your emails & contacts

Unlike other free tools, EssentialPIM Free allows you to manage as many
email accounts as you need. This is definitely a plus, as you dont need to
upgrade to premium plans as your business grows.
Another highlight of the tool is the completeness of the Contacts module.
Here, you can record a variety of data (like birthdays or social networking
IDs) for an unlimited number of contacts. In the Notes field, you can also
track important information about your relationship with the company or
person (e.g. referrals, collaboration history, notes on non-payment issues).
17
EssentialPIM Free: New Contact window
Protect important passwords

Want to avoid the nuisance of retrieving passwords every 2 sessions?
Within the Passwords module, you can create records with your passwords
for websites, platforms, software tools, eBooks, you name it. The default
AES 256 encryption ensures that your passwords and all other sensitive data
are kept secure.
The module also features a smart password generator (Add new entry >
Generate). In the dialogue, you can adjust the parameters according to the
specific requirements of the website/tool you need to create a password for.
EssentialPIM Free also features an extensive list of customisable

pre-set shortcuts.
To see and edit, go to Tools > Options > Shortcuts.
18
About the apps
Working on the go? EssentialPIM Free is

also available for iOS and Android devices.
Both apps do their work, but differ in

slight details. Most notably, the interface
for the Android app is more similar to the
desktop version, and more intuitive.
The iOS app, on the other hand, caters for

easier synchronisation on multiple
devices.
If you want to synchronise your data

across different Android devices, you can
only use the wi-fi PC synch (which
sometimes happens to be on the slow
side).
Get the IOS app on iTunes store

Get the Android app on Google Play
EssentialPIM: Contacts Android app
19
IFTTT
________________________________________________
Boost your productivity with smart automation
Reduce the burden of repetitive tasks.

Synchronise activities, document backup,
contacts, and more. Over 300 channels
supported.
Task automation made easy

Quick facts
IFTTT stands for If this, then that a formula

Create or customise recipes in all flow chart lovers will nod at.
under 1 minute
Its a task automation manager which allows you
Two recipe types: IF and DO to create as many recipes as you need, choosing
amongst over 330 input and output
330+ channels available
channels.
For desktop, iOS & Android The process is simple: when a specific event
occurs on the input channel, your recipe triggers
Available in English
a subsequent action involving the output
channel.
With so many options to choose from, this tool is
a productivity Disneyland for freelancers
and small business owners.
Channels cover a wide range of categories, including e.g.:

Blogging & social networks
Business tools
Emails, calendars & scheduling
20
Cloud storage
Finances & payments
Task management & to-dos
Time management & tracking.
With IFTTT you can create two type of recipes: IF & DO.
IF recipes run automatically in the background; DO recipes are
triggered with 1 tap from any iOS or Android devices.
This review focuses on IF recipes only. To learn more about DO

recipes, check out this guide on GuidingTech.
Setting up a new recipe (or customising recipes you might find online)
requires less than 1 minute. The tools GUI will guide you through the process
step-by-step. To get started, select Create from your account menu.
IFTTT: Create a new recipe
When you use a channel for the first time, you need to connect it to IFTTT.
The tool automatically recognises new channels, and embeds the channel
authorisation steps into the recipe creation workflow.
Potential triggers i.e. IF events - vary based on the individual channel, and
on whether you select it as input or output element.
21
IFTTT will automatically present you with all available options.
IFTTT: Triggers available for Gmail as input channel
Using IFTTT with social networks

Remember: IFTTT recipes are rules with no exceptions.
If you decide to e.g. post a Facebook update when you upload a new picture
on Instagram, this will happen every time you post a new selfie on Instagram.
Thats why I do not recommend using IFTTT for social media automation.
However, the tool is a great option to create archives from social media data,
track specific hashtags, and more. In the free cheat sheet, you will find a
few IF recipes for social media and networking
Find & manage recipes

IFTTT has been around for a few years now, and also offers a huge
repository of recipes you can browse to get inspiration for your own.
22
From the Browse tab you can access theme-based recipe collections, and a
selection of popular recipes. To explore channel-specific recipes, use the
search box instead.
IFTTT: Search results for Gmail as a channel
When you see a recipe that suits your needs, click on it to expand the view.
Before you click the big friendly Add button, always review and customise
parameters.
IFTTT: Open the Advanced settings view
To manage your recipes, click on the My recipes menu. Here, you can:
Turn recipes on/off: this is especially useful when your recipes involve
live alerts via smartphone, Skype, voicemail etcetera. You dont want your
phone to buzz every 5 minutes while youre on holiday, right?
Trigger recipes manually to double-check whether they work as
expected.
Edit and delete recipes.
23
About the app
The apps design is a bit confusing at a first glance. By default, the interface
shows the Browse view, which appears a bit cluttered on smaller screens.
IFTTT, iOS app: Slide button to access the Manage view
To create or manage your recipes, you need to switch to the Manage view.
In the Manage view, tap on the + button to create a new recipe.
The recipe creation workflow is just as in the web version. To edit or pause a
recipe, select it from the recipe list to open the actions dialogue.
IFTTT, iOS app: Manage view
Want to get started with IFTTT quickly?

Get your free cheat sheet:
21 IF recipes for small biz productivity
24
GnuCash
________________________________________________
A versatile finances manager for your small biz
Manage your business finances like a

pro. Create invoice, credit notes, customer
databases, and more. Generate reports &
track your cash flow.
Stress-free accounting
Quick facts
GnuCash is an accounting software based on

Double entry-based accounting double entry bookkeeping.
software
It is a versatile solution both for personal
Specific functionalities for small finances management and small business
business accounting accounting, and can be easily scaled as your
business grows.
Extensive documentation
As it often happens with more structured tools,
Available in 11 languages it can be a bit intimidating at first especially if
youre not familiar with double entry
For Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
bookkeeping.
Dont panic! GnuCash is complemented with
extensive documentation (available in several
languages) specifically designed for newbies.
More specifically, the Tutorials and Concepts Guide provides basic

information on how accounting & double entry bookkeeping work. It also
shows examples on how to tailor your usage of GnuCash to your needs.
25
The Help manual, on the other hand, provides step-by-step instructions on

how to perform specific tasks with GnuCash.
A word of warning about setting languages in GnuCash.

By default, the installer will set your language (based on IP
address) if available. If it isnt, English will be the default option.
To change the language at installation, use the drop-down menu.
Please note that you cannot change the language from the GUI.
To modify the language, follow the instructions in the Help Manual
(Customising GnuCash > Changing the language).
The user interface is vintage but functional. The menu items are self-
explanatory, and the action categories are intuitive. It doesnt add much in
terms of design, but that shouldnt be the main concern with business tools
anyway.
GnuCash: New invoice panel (Italian)
The real plus of GnuCash is that it is much more than an invoicing tool.
You can use it e.g. to:
Manage contact information for customers and help-for-hire;
Monitor your bank accounts (with reconciliation) and investments;
Define your budget, and generates reports for sales, cash flow etc.;
Create, edit, and monitor invoices;
Set recurring payments;
Make internet banking transactions.
26
Plus, it is not country-specific. This means that you wont need to change
your accounting software if you move to the other side of the world.
Everything is set according to your preferences, and theres really a way to
make GnuCash work for all business settings - from solo translators to
LSPs. As your business grows, you can adjust your books settings, create
new books for a spinoff project, etcetera.
The tool also offers versatile import and export functions. If your
accountant also uses GnuCash, you can send him/her your master files for
ongoing maintenance, tax returns etcetera.
On the down side, you will have to play around a bit, and manually set your
preferred options - payment terms, tax rates, invoice formats and all that jazz.
Getting started with GnuCash: your account structure

This mini-tutorial will show you how create a standard structure for
business accounts in 7 easy steps.
1. Go to Files > New to open the account wizard;
2. Select your currency (the proposed option depends on your GUI language);
3. In the next window, fill in the Company and Counters tab. These will apply
to all documents you create with GnuCash.
GnuCash: Wizard Company tab (Italian)
27
4. In the Choose accounts to create window, uncheck Common Accounts and

check Business Accounts.
5. In the Setup selected accounts window, you can modify the account
hierarchy to align to your actual needs. Instructions on how to change
hierarchy are provided within the window.
From this window, you can also personalise account names. As an example,
you can modify the account names under Expenses to Subscriptions, CPD,
Dictionaries,
To do so, click on the account you want to modify.

When the row turns blue, double click on the account name to change it.
GnuCash: Change account names (Italian)
6. Click on Forward, then confirm with Apply;

7. Save your books.
Want more help with GnuCash for small business accounting?

On IT EBOOKS you can find a free 300+ pages workbook by Ashok
Ramachandran, packed with step by step instructions and tips.
The guide refers to GnuCash 2.4 (current version in 2016 is 2.6)

but the program really hasnt changed much. The only flaw of the
workbook is the file format (scanned PDF).
28
PNotes.NET
________________________________________________
Better than your usual sticky notes
Create feature-rich notes, and keep them

organised all the time. Synchronise with
popular cloud services. Post and save
social media updates.
Your notes, from desk to desktop

Quick facts
Post-it notes are great until your desk drowns

Feature-rich notes editor in yellow bits of paper, and you cant find what
you frantically tried to save from oblivion.
Versatile reminder options
Trust me, I know.
Smart social media support tool
With PNotes.NET, you can manage notes right
Built-in spell checker, supports from your desktop. The tool can be as invisible
several languages or imposing as you see fit, and it caters for
more than quick shopping lists.
For Windows
In fact, PNotes is a smart and feature-rich notes
manager that combines the look and feel of old-
style post-it notes with superior sorting,
searching, and synchronisation
capabilities.
The notes editor window offers quick access to popular formatting options,
with more available when you right-click anywhere in the editor window.
29
PNotes.NET: Sample note
Amongst top formatting and editing features unparalleled by other free notes
management tools:
Paragraph-level options (indent, line spacing, );
Uppercase/lowercase conversion, subscripts, superscripts;
Insert images, tables, special symbols, and more;
Automatic recognition for web links (click-enabled);
Multiple options for bulleted and numbered lists.
PNotes.NET also features a built-in spell checker. The installation package
only includes an English dictionary, but you can download more for free
from the OpenOffice extensions archive.
Keep it organised (and customised)
The control panel is your cockpit for smart notes management.

From here, you can e.g.:
Create, manage, and edit notes groups;
Schedule reminders and alerts for important events;
Protect individual notes (or groups) with passwords & data encryption;
Pin notes to specific windows, and adjust docking for individual notes
or groups;
Share your notes via e-mail, or synchronise with your local network;
Categorise notes with tags, and search your database (with handy filter
options).
30
PNotes.NET: Control panel Options for notes groups
Compared to other notes managers, PNotes.NET also offers superior cross-

notes referencing capabilities. This makes it an ideal companion for the
notes-addicted translator who also wants to track changes to projects or the
development steps of a core idea/activity.
PNotes.NET is complemented with extensive documentation and

thorough step-by-step instructions to unleash its full potential,
and get the most out of it for your individual needs.
Want to get started with PNotes.NET quickly? Browse the

excellent online Help or download the PDF guide.
The Preferences menu gives you access to over 100 customisation

options. These cover all the features of the tool: from startup and update
options to automatic backups, from themes and skins to text-to-speech
settings. Full instructions and further details are available in the support
documentation.
Please note that skins might occasionally trigger minor bugs (e.g. problems
with image drag&drop in the editor window), or cause unexpected freezing.
31
To avoid such minor nuisances, I recommend sticking to the classic view.
PNotes.NET: Preferences menu, Behavior tab
Synchronisation & Social plugins

Want to get more from PNotes.NET? In the Plugins library, you can find
useful add-ons for synchronisation and social networking.
Synchronisation plugins help you extending the capabilities of the built-in
backup and sharing options. With the plugins, you can synchronise your notes
with popular cloud services (e.g. DropBox, GoogleDrive) or via FTP or SFTP
protocols.
With social networking plugins, you can publish notes content as posts
on popular social media, or load posts and tweets into notes. Plugins are
available for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and VKontakte.
With the social networking plugins, you can easily create an archive for
your social updates, using the feature-rich notes editor to add details
about e.g. response to the individual post/Tweet, or interesting conversation
triggered by the update.
32
You can also keep keyword-based or industry-based records of

interesting posts and tweets you liked.
This makes it easier e.g. to select evergreen content you might want to share
with your audience at a later stage, or to keep track of content you want to
link to in future blog posts or articles.
PNotes.NET requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0, and

around 32 MB of RAM. The classic PNotes tools (also free)
requires only 6 MB of RAM, and offers many of the functionalities
provided by the .NET version.
To select the version that suits your needs best, have a look at this
comparison table.
33
RescueTime Lite
________________________________________________
Want to know how productive your day is?
Monitor your working hours. Set

productivity goals to boost motivation.
See how you progress over time.
Keep a close eye on productivity

Quick facts
RescueTime is a powerful productivity tool, that

Monitor activities on computer monitors how you spend your time on
and mobile devices
computers and mobile devices.
Customise settings to refine The free plan, RescueTime Lite, comes with the
your results right amount of options to manage your daily
and overall productivity at ease.
Daily, weekly, monthly, and
yearly dashboard views How? Easy: with RescueTime, you can
categorise tools and websites based on how
Track your activities 24x7 or at
productive or distracting they are for you.
specific days/times
The configuration process requires around 2
For Windows, Mac, Linux, minutes, and comes with step-by-step
Android
instructions and tips to help you get started in
no time.
Once activated, RescueTime starts tracking your activities. The client runs in
the background of all devices you connect to your account, and automatically
turns ON/OFF according to your preferred logging schedule.
34
RescueTime: Configuration Setting productivity levels for categories
Results are shown in the web-based Dashboard, your gateway to

productivity intelligence. Here, you can see quick charts that help you
understand how you are doing during the day.
The colour scheme (blue for productive, red for unproductive, aubergine for
neutral) makes it easy to understand the productivity pulse and the other
charts easily.
When you hover the mouse on the bars on the right of the productivity
pulse, you can expand the relevant category and get further insights on the
usage of individual applications and websites.
RescueTime: Daily dashboard view Productivity pulse & activities breakdowns
35
From the Dashboard, you can also:

Adjust dashboard view (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly);
Access reports and historical data;
Set goals, and see how youre keeping up with them;
Manage your account settings;
Categorise activities.
RescueTime Lite also offers a free weekly summary, delivered to your
inbox. This report features information on total time logged, what apps and
websites you used the most, your productivity score, and goals.
Connect multiple devices
Working on more than a computer, or on the

go? With RescueTime, you can connect any
number of devices to a single account.
You can connect Windows, Mac, Linux

(Ubuntu and Fedora) computers and laptops,
as well as Android smartphones and tablets.
To connect a new device, visit the Get

RescueTime page from that device,
download the relevant client and activate it.
The Dashboard charts (including the

Productivity Pulse) and the weekly summary
will then show merged data from all the
devices you connected.
RescueTime: Android app
Set productivity goals

With RescueTime, you can set productivity goals to help you keep
motivation up, and gain momentum. Goals are expressed as
more/less than X hours per day on Y
36
where Y can be general, category-specific (e.g. Communication &

Scheduling), or sub-category specific (e.g. Design & Composition Video
Editing). Your productivity goals will appear on the dashboard.
In the Goals & Alerts menu, you can also expand info for individual goals, and
review goal-specific reports.
RescueTime: Setting a new goal
How to get the Get focused feature for free

One of the most valued features of RescueTime Premium is Get focused,
which lets you block distracting sites for specific time slots. If this is
something youd like to try, there are several free apps and add-ons designed
to do just that.
For Windows, you can try Strict Workflow or StayFocusd for Chrome, or
LeechBlock for Firefox. Working on a Mac? Try SelfControl.
Want to get better results with RescueTime?

Get your free tutorial:
How to fine-tune your RescueTime settings
37
SlimTimer
________________________________________________
Time-track projects billed by the hour
A simple, web-based tool to track the

time you spend on individual projects.
Create tags to categorise activities.
Generate and export reports.
Effortless task-based tracking

Quick facts
With SlimTimer you can track how much time

Great for projects charged by you actually spend on a specific project. This is
the hour
great for projects you bill by the hour, and
Fit for use by small teams
also to get a pulse of your own productivity
levels for individual activities.
Works in all browsers
Getting started is easy. Create a free account
Accurate filtering for reports
with your email and a password, login to your
account, and youre ready to roll.
Available in English
To start tracking:
1. Go to Home > Open Timer;
2. In the popup windows, click on Add task;
3. Enter the task name, confirm with Enter;
4. Click on the task to activate it.
When youre done, click on the task again to stop the timer. If the project is
completed, tick the box next to the task name to close it. Alternatively, just
close the popup window: the task will be there for you at the next session.
38
SlimTimer is a safe tool. However, data breach can always happen.

To protect your customers privacy (and yours), I recommend you
make your task names as neutral as possible.
You can e.g. assign a progressive number to your projects, and use
the relevant ID as a task name. Or identify tasks by date and
service type (e.g. EN-IT #xl8 25/05/2016). Your choice just make
sure to play it safe.
Remember: when you close the popup window, the time tracking function
stops. To resume tracking, open the popup again and click on the task to
activate it.
Categorise and share tasks

With SlimTimer, you can assign tags to each task you create. This is useful
to understand how much time you spend on broader activity categories e.g.
on translation, administration, professional networking etcetera.
SlimTimer: Create new task (with sharing options)
39
You can assign tags when you first create the tool, or via the Manage Tasks
tab in the web dashboard.
You can also share tasks with coworkers (which is great for small teams or
translator/proofreader tandems) or with reporters (e.g. a project manager).
Generate and export reports

Despite its relative simplicity, SlimTimer offers excellent reporting
features, including:
Three report types: Pivot, Invoice, Timesheet
One-click date range selection (or set custom time period)
Generate reports by user
Filter for tasks or tags
Customise rounding parameters.
Reports can be exported as .csv file or printed.
Want to see SlimTimer in action? Watch this quick tutorial by Tina

Hay, which includes a detailed overview of the reports feature.
40
ToDoist
________________________________________________
A globally accessible task manager
Create, manage, and share projects

and task from any computer or
mobile device. Prioritise tasks and
set deadline easily.
A clean, simple task manager

Quick facts
Todoist is a simple task manager with superior

Accessible from 13 different accessibility: it is available for 13 different
platforms
platforms including mobile devices, browsers,
17 languages supported
email managers,
To connect multiple devices, you will need to
Smart deadlines management
download the relevant apps or plugins which
Set recurring to-do items
only takes a few seconds.
Getting started is easy. After you sign up, the
Clean design
wizard asks you to select your preferred theme, a
task you want to complete today, and a task you
want to tackle every day.
When youre done, you can start creating other
tasks or projects.
The user interface is minimal, with the same design for both web and mobile
apps. By default, Todoist suggests a list of popular projects i.e. collections of
tasks, but you can always create new projects at any time.
41
Adding new tasks is easy. Click on the + icon in the menu bar and start typing.
Within the new activity dialogue, you can set deadlines, add the new task to
a project, and set task priority (on 4-level scale).
ToDoist: New task Scheduling for Tuesday afternoon (Italian)
To set deadlines and assign tasks to projects, you can either click on the
relevant icons or type in your preferences straight in the task name box. The
tool features smart language recognition, so you can use a variety of
notations, e.g.
Monday afternoon;
mar 21 (for March 21st)
every Saturday at 3 pm.
To add your new task to an existing project, type the project name as a
hashtag e.g. #Business.
Smart language processing for deadlines and sorting only works if

you type your tasks in the language you selected for the GUI.
When you confirm, the task will be accessible from the dashboard.
To mark a task as completed, navigate to the task, click (or tap) to activate it,
and check the circle you find on the right of the task.
ToDoist: Listed task (on Mac)
42
With the free account, completed tasks are gone for good.
To keep track of your completed tasks, you can:

1. Save your daily to-do as a PDF before ticking tasks off;
2. Connect ToDoist to IFTTT, and create a recipe. You can find
some ready-to-use options in the free cheat sheet for IFTTT
(21 IF recipes for small business productivity).
With the free plan, you can also share projects with up to 5 people each.
For professionals who need some extra motivation, Todoist also offers an
objectives planner called Karma, where you can set daily and weekly
productivity goals and see how you perform over time.
Is ToDoist for you?

ToDoist has become a very popular tool lately. Its main strength lies the
extensive coverage for all devices and access platform, both for free and paid
plans.
On the down side, the free plan lacks many features that I consider
essential for effective task management, such as:
Comments and attachments for tasks;
Custom filtering options;
Labels;
Reminders.
Still, it is a good option for digital nomads, translators working on the go, and
professionals who want a basic and minimalist task manager.
Translators who want more control over their to-do lists and activity history
should consider tools with increased functionality, such as EssentialPIM Free.
43
About the app (iOS)

To use Todoists app, you need to sign up via email or Google.
In a nutshell, the app offers all the functionalities of the web version via a very
similar interface. The only notable difference is that the quick add button (+)
is located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
The only plus of the app is that you can add quick comments to a task.
Not that much, if you ask me.
ToDoist: Quick comment for task
44
Unroll.me
________________________________________________
Declutter your inbox, in a few clicks
A user-friendly subscriptions manager

for emails. Get all of your newsletters in
a daily rollup or unsubscribe, easily.
Stop newsletter flooding

Quick facts
According to research, email is probably the

Manage newsletter most time consuming business activity
subscriptions easily
and newsletters are one of worst IT plagues of
Keep in inbox, add to rollup or
the century.
unsubscribe Sometimes, you dont even know you subscribed
for that newsletter. Your email might end up in
Declutter your inbox
an email list for different reasons.
Free, intuitive swipe-and-go At times, you downloaded a whitepaper but
iOS app
forgot to uncheck the sign me up box (where
Available in English available ).
In other cases, you met someone at a trade show
and the next thing you know is they are sending
unsolicited emails 3 times a week.
With Unroll.me, you can retake control of your newsletter subscriptions, and
reduce the amount of emails you receive on a daily basis. Once activated,
the system will also automatically detect new subscriptions, and ask you
what you want to do with them.
45
Getting started with Unroll.me is a no-brainer. After signing up with your

email, the web-based app will ask you what email provider you are using, and
ask for access authorisation.
Unroll.me: Email provider selection
When you grant authorisation, Unroll.me will automatically scan your

email account to find subscriptions. That usually takes under 1 minute.
When the scanning is over, you will see the result on screen. To start sorting
your subscription, click on Continue.
Unroll.me: Subscriptions found in account
46
On the next page, you will see all subscriptions in alphabetical order.
For each, you can unsubscribe, move to rollup or keep in your inbox.
Unroll.me: Subscriptions list with commands
When youre done, a confirmation screen will recap your preferences.

From now on, you can manage your subscriptions (as well as changing your
preferences) via the Edit subscriptions menu item from your dashboard.
The system will also ask you whether you want to receive your daily rollup in
the morning, afternoon or evening.
With Unroll.me, you can unsubscribe from up to 5 newsletters a

day. If you want more, the tool will ask you to pay with a tweet,
a Facebook update or LinkedIn post.
Inside the daily rollup

The daily rollup comes in the form of a single email summarising all the
newsletter messages you received since the last rollup. When you click on a
message within the rollup, the corresponding email will open in your web
dashboard.
On top of each article, you will also find an action bar with two options: stop
rolling up or unsubscribe. If you opt for unrolling, the next messages for
that individually newsletter will reach your inbox as before.
47
In the dashboard, you will see that rollup messages are automatically grouped
in message categories for easier navigation.
In the settings menu, you can select one of two rollup layouts: list and grid.
Unroll.me: Rollup dashboard
About the app
In 2015, Unroll.me launched an iOS app with an

intuitive swipe-and-go sorting system.
How does it work? Easily!
Want to keep that newsletter in your inbox?

Swipe right.
Want to unsubscribe? Swipe left.
Want to add the newsletter to your rollup?
Swipe up.
The app also gives you quick access to the web

dashboard. Decluttering your inbox couldnt be
any easier.
Unroll.me: iOS app
Still struggling with emails?

Grab your free article:
7 techniques to manage emails efficiently
48
Section 2:
Terminology & TMs
49
Glossary Converter
________________________________________________
Create CAT-friendly termbases in a flash
Tired of bilingual Excel word lists?

Make good use of approved
terminology by creating CAT tool-
friendly termbases in a few clicks.
Easy & versatile file conversion

Quick facts
Glossary Converter is a charm of a tool.

Supports multilingual files
It was designed to cater for quick conversion of
Quick and easy, activate with word lists and glossaries between Excel
simple drag n drop spreadsheets and SDL MultiTerm termbases.
However, you can also use it to create glossaries
Versatile output file options
which are compatible with most free and
Localised in 9 languages
commercial CAT tools.
For a standard conversion of a bilingual (or
For Windows
multilingual) term list from Excel to SDL
Multiterm, you dont even need to open Glossary
Converter: drag n drop your file on the tools
icon. Just make sure that your term list is in the
format shown below.
Glossary Converter: Document formatting for standard conversion

50
The first row of each column must include the relevant language name (or
ISO language code).
Make sure to spell language names and ISO codes right, otherwise
Glossary Converter wont work. If you opened the tool, the frame
will turn red to warn you about it.
Please note that the spelling of codes and names differs slightly
for different versions of SDL Studio. Reference lists are available in
the online Help (Program settings > Fields > Supported languages
or > Supported languages for Studio 2015)
If dont use SDL Studio, you can generate files in tbx format (TermBase
eXchange), and use them with your CAT tool of choice.
To do so:
1. Open Glossary Converter, click on Settings;
2. In the General tab, select TBX (Term Base eXchange) from the Output
formats list;
3. Click on OK to save.
Glossary Converter: Output format selection
51
Your preferred file format will then appear in the Out box on the GUI.
Please note that by default, MultiTerm termbase is always active. If you select
a different file format, Glossary Converter will generate e.g. a tbx file AND a
sdltb file.
Glossary Converter: Active output formats
To deactivate the default format:

1. Go to Settings;
2. From the General tab, select your preferred output format;
3. Check Use the selected output format for any input format;
4. Click on OK to save.
Then, drag n drop your source file on the In box. By default, output files are
saved in the folder where your source file is.
Create structured termbases in no time

At times, your terminology resources will be a bit more complicated than a
bilingual word list. With Glossary Converter, you can generate structured
termbases with term definitions, context information, and more. Easily.
When you create a termbase in SDL MultiTerm, one of the steps is to define
what fields will be shown at different database levels.
52
SDL MultiTerm 2015: Sample entry structure
If you want to generate a structured termbase from an Excel spreadsheet, you

can use header tags to define the entry level of each item.
Source term and target term, and grammatical notes (e.g. noun, feminine,
plural, ) are usually placed at Language level. Elements such as definitions,
context info, and term status (e.g. approved, rare, ) belong to Term level.
To be processed correctly, your column headers should look like this:
Glossary Converter: Headers with tags for structure definition
Wonder what tags you can use?

>>E<< for Entry level
>>L<< for Language level
>>I<< for Index level
>>T<< for Term level.
Couldnt be any easier.
With Glossary Converter you can also merge glossaries and

termbases. Want to know more? Watch this quick video tutorial by
Paul Filkin.
53
IATE Search
________________________________________________
Quick access to official EU terminology
Access EU terminology, in all European

languages. Extract domain or language-
specific termbases.
Fast track to EU official terminology

Quick facts
IATE Search is a web-based terminology lookup

Over 1.3 million entries (8 tool for IATE (InterActive Terminology for
million terms)
Europe), the cross-institutional terminology
Filter results by domain and
database of the European Union.
search type The database covers all official EU
languages, and currently consists of over 1.3
Search for multiple target
languages at once
million entries (more than 8 million terms in
total).
Web-based, works in all
With IATE, you can search for multiple
browsers
target languages at once. This is especially
Android app available useful when you need to create glossaries for a
multilingual project, or multilingual terminology
resources for a customer.
To perform a search:
1. Enter your query in the Search item field;
2. Select your source language, and target language(s);
3. Hit search.
54
With such an extensive database, getting many results on the hit list is
common. To refine your search, you can use wildcards (as detailed in the
online Help), filter your search by domain (or even sub-domain) or filter by
search type, i.e. whether youre searching for a term or an abbreviation.
IATE Search: Hit list for sample EN-IT search
The hit list is neat, and provides users with all the information they might
need at a glance:
A reliability value (1 to 4 stars);
Reference information (for all entries);
Definition, notes, and context (where available).
To view additional information within the hit list, hover your mouse on the
relevant symbol. Clicking on a result will open the expanded view.
IATE: Definition popup
Save your preferences

Frequent users can save their search preferences for quick access to source
and target language selection. To save your preferences:
55
From the Search Screen, click on My preferences;

Select the source and target languages you search for more often;
Click on Save.
From now on, your favourite source languages will appear on top of the
relevant drop-down menu.
Also, your favourite target languages will be preselected but you can always
exclude some from the search by unticking the relevant box.
Did you know? You can download the IATE database to create your
own domain or language-specific database subsets in CAT-friendly
tbx format.
You can find step-by-step instructions (and all the tools you need)
on the Download IATE page.
About the app
Earlier in 2016, DG Trad released TermCoord

Search, an Android app you can use to search
within IATE from your mobile device.
The app gives you access to a condensed version

of IATE, i.e. you dont get reference information,
comments, definitions, On the bright side,
you can filter results by reliability, and
restrict your search to one domain.
Since the app is designed for quick reference, it

doesnt support multiple target search.
To get results in more languages, run a search
for Any.
Download TermCoord Search
TermCoord app: Results
56
LF Aligner
________________________________________________
A powerful, user-friendly alignment tool
Generate translation memories from

any texts available in two or more
languages. Supports 32 languages
and 800+ language combinations.
Quick alignment & TM generation

Quick facts
LF Aligner is a powerful alignment tool for

Fast and accurate, Hunalign- Windows, Mac, and Linux and simply the best
based
you can get for free. It was developed by
8 input file formats supported
Hungarian translator Andrs Farkas, and is
distributed under GPL GNU v3.
Built-in alignment editor
With LF Aligner you can easily create
For Windows, Mac, Linux
translation memories (TMs) from any texts
available in two or more languages, be it your
Interface in English own pre-CAT translations or else (including web
pages).
The tool supports several input formats, and can
align up to 100 languages simultaneously.
To align locally stored documents:

1. Select the input file type from the options list;
2. Select the number of languages you want to process (usually 2), and the
source/target combination;
3. Select the source and target files from your hard drive, and confirm.
57
Processing time depends on the individual document volumes. After LF

Aligner has worked its magic, you can either accept or refuse the
sentence segmentation, based on the results shown in the relevant
dialogue.
LF Aligner: Post-alignment dialogue
The tool then asks you whether you want to check and correct the pairings
before generating your translation memory (as tmx, tabbed txt, or xls).
With LF Aligner you can also create translation memories from EU

legislation. Want to know more? Check out this step-by-step
tutorial by medical translator Emma Goldsmith.
Accurate results, extensive documentation

Even though the accuracy of the alignment depends on the layout and
formatting of the individual source documents, LF Aligner usually provides
very good results.
58
I have used it with almost any kind of supported file types, and with
documents ranging from 200 to 120,000 words and more, and have been
impressed with its superior alignment capabilities, and convenience.
LF Aligner: Alignment wizard, step 1
Another plus of LF Aligner is that it comes with extensive documentation

covering all aspects of the tool (and more!). In the general Readme file, you
can find instructions and tips about e.g.
Preparing files for alignment;
Using the tool with PDF files;
OS compatibility;
Troubleshooting.
LF Aligner can also be customised to fit the requirements of your project. The
tools grab bag also includes conversion and filtering tools you can use at
your convenience. Each of these tools comes with a dedicated Readme file.
Want to get better results from your alignment? There are other
tools in this eBook that will help you prepare files for alignment,
and polish your new TM.
Use TransTools to reduce formatting-based clutter in source files,

and Olifant to polish your TM after generation.
59
MagicSearch
________________________________________________
A quick multi-lookup tool
Search multiple terminology resources at

once. Include or exclude dictionaries,
corpora, MT engines etc. to taste.
Integrate with SDL Studio, Word, or any
browser.
A quick multi-search tool

Quick facts
MagicSearch is a metasearch engine designed to

Web-based metasearch engine speed up terminology search across
multiple sources.
Supports over 10,000 language
combinations Overall, MagicSearch currently supports over
10,000 language combinations. However, the
One-page results mode (can be
number of sources available obviously depends
turned on/off)
on the individual language combination.
Integrates with SDL Studio The interface is neat and tidy, similar to any
other dictionary lookup tool.
Extensive coverage of all
European languages When you first select source and target language
for your query, the tool automatically loads a list
of matching sources.
To include or exclude sources, click on the gear icon in the sources bar.
All you need after that is a little drag n drop, and a click on Close.
60
Next time you visit, MagicSearch will remember your preferences for that
language combination.
MagicSearch: Suggested sources for EN-IT
Want to revert to the full list of sources prompted by the tool? No problem:
click on the gear icon again, and select Reset.
By default, the one-page results option is set as ON.
This means that MagicSearch opens all matching pages in one page. You can
scroll through, or browse by clicking on the relevant source in the grey bar.
When you set the option OFF, only click-through is enabled.
Feedback from colleagues confirms that MagicSearch provides

extensive coverage for all EU languages, and good coverage for
other popular languages such as Hindi, Chinese, Arabic,
MagicSearch & SDL Trados Studio

Did you know? You can add MagicSearch as a source in the Web Lookup!
plugin for SDL Trados Studio 2014 & 2015.
For those of you who dont know Web Lookup: its a smart (and free!) app
that lets you run an internet search from Studio via a simple shortcut.
To learn more about adding MagicSearch to Web Lookup! watch this
excellent video tutorial by Paul Filkin.
For more information about Web Lookup! itself, this article (also by Paul
Filkin) can help.
61
Other integrations
Want to integrate custom language pair-specific links to your browser, or run
a quick search right from within Microsoft Word? MagicSearch has it covered.
For Chrome, you can install a dedicated plugin. For Microsoft Word, you
can generate specific macros.
MagicSearch: Custom-generated MS-Word macro for EN-IT
To get a macro for your preferred language combination(s):

1. Select your source and target language combination;
2. Select Word from the Add to menu.
3. Copy the macro, and follow the instructions in the online Help.
From the Add to menu, you can also generate language-pair specific links to
add MagicSearch to other browsers or to your website.
62
Olifant
________________________________________________
A versatile, open source translation memory editor
Create and manage translation

memories with an intuitive, versatile
tool. Declutter your TMs and
improve their usability with few,
easy steps.
Effortless TM maintenance
Quick facts
Olifant is a CAT tool-independent translation
Powerful find & replace memory editor developed within the Okapi
supporting regular expressions Framework.
Rich preset filter options

You can use it to create or manage TMs in txt or
tmx format. This means that you can use it for
Shrink the size of your TMs, all CAT tools (free and commercial) supporting
keep them usable TM import and export in such formats.
For Windows (Requires With Olifant you can e.g. create new translation
Microsoft .NET Framework v 2.0 memories or manually add translation units to
or higher) existing TMs.
Available in English However, its true strength lies in the ability to
perform several TM maintenance tasks just
by taking advantage of pre-set commands and
TU flagging options.
You see, translation memories can get extremely messy over time.
Tags and inline code, duplicated entries, segments with numbers only, TUs
with empty source or target, All of these unnecessary elements:
63
1. Reduce performance of your CAT tool. A translation memory is

essentially a database. When your CAT tool searches for matches and
concordance, it queries the database. More segments = longer response
times.
2. Reduce the value (and quantity) of TM matches. Unnecessary
codes and tags in translation units make it more difficult to get valuable
100% or fuzzy matches.
Decluttering your translation memories regularly once a quarter or more
often, depending on how much you used the relevant TM will help you work
smarter, and get the most out of your preferred CAT tool(s).
Olifant: GUI
Olifants interface is a bit old fashioned yet functional. It includes:

A menu bar;
A quick selection bar for popular actions;
An edit area where you can modify individual segments;
A grid with the complete list of translation units in the TM you opened.
For added versatility, users can customise the layout of the main window
(View > Layout), as well as colours and fonts for the edit area (File > User
preferences > Display).
64
For TM maintenance purposes, the Flag entries panel is your best friend.
You can access it via Entries > Flag entries or using the Ctrl+E shortcut.
Olifant: Flag entries window
This is basically a list of pre-set filters you can select to find unnecessary or
flawed translation units. To flag entries:
1. Access the Flag entries panel;
2. Check the filters you want to use (e.g. Source is the same as Target);
3. Click on OK.
Olifant will search your TM, and retrieve the segments corresponding to your
selected criteria.
Olifant: Results from Flag entries operation

65
To view flagged entries only in the grid, click on the icon shown in the
screenshot below.
Olifant: Set filter quick selection icon
To batch-delete flagged entries:

1. Use Ctrl+A to select all flagged entries;
2. Press Delete to kiss em goodbye.
With ongoing maintenance, you can also shrink the size of your TMs
consistently.
The first time I used Olifant to clean up my EN-IT general TM (around
900,000 TUs strong at that time), I reduced its size by almost 60% - just
making good use of the Flag entries panel.
When cleaning up your TM, do not flag all filters for unwanted
items at once. Batch searches e.g. by flaw type - avoid query
overload, and keep maintenance activities quick and smooth.
Olifant also offers other useful features, such as its powerful, Reg-ex enable
find and replace function. In the excellent online help you can find a
detailed overview of the tools interface and complete functionalities.
Want to know more about Olifant?

Download your free how-to guide:
4 typical TM problems solved with Olifant
66
Section 3:
The Grab Bag
67
AutoUnbreak
________________________________________________
Improve text segmentation in a few clicks
Remove unnecessary line breaks and get

better TM matches. Process up to 65,500
characters at once.
Better input, better output
Quick facts AutoUnbreak is designed to remove unnecessary

line breaks from a text.
Quick and easy to use
Its a simple utility, but a true life-saver when
Get high quality TM matches you receive a Word document with text that was
pasted from a PDF or PPT file.
Customise settings for individual
projects
Optimising formatting before translation
enhances the quality of context and fuzzy
Available in English, French, matches you get, and the usability of
Spanish translation memories over time.
For Windows Also, it helps saving time and efforts during
post-translation editing and proofreading.
Not bad for a tiny utility, huh?
Using AutoUnbreak is easy. The interface is minimal, and the tool can process
up to 65,500 characters at once. This means you can comfortably optimise
formatting for most smaller projects in one batch.
68
AutoUnbreak: Before
To remove unnecessary breaks from your text:

1. Copy the source text from your source file;
2. Open AutoUnbreak, and click on Paste;
3. Click on UnBreak!
4. Click on Copy results;
5. Paste the text in a new text file.
AutoUnbreak: After
Please note that AutoUnbreak retains all formatting information (fonts

type, size, bold, italics, ). However, these do not show in the editor window
but will be carried through in the new file.
For this reason, its best to polish the formatting in your preferred word
processor rather than in the tools editor window. It takes out much of the
guesswork and its also quicker.
AutoUnbreak isnt only fast, but also precise. I have used it for several years,
and output text usually only needs a couple small adjustments to be perfected.
69
If youre using Microsoft Office 2016, do not use the Ctrl+C and
Ctrl+V shortcuts to import/export text. They might cause loss of
formatting information.
Set project-specific rules

In most cases, AutoUnbreaks default merge settings work just fine. However,
specific projects might require special care to be handled properly.
On such occasions, you can customise merge settings by modifying the
merge.set and exceptions.set files.
To edit those files, just open them in a plain text editor (or Notepad++), and
follow the instructions recapped on top of the file.
To confirm changes to the settings, merge.set and exceptions.set

have to be saved with their original name and extension.
To avoid any nuisances, I suggest you create a backup copy of the

files right after installation. To make it easier, save a copy of the
original files in a Backup subfolder within the AutoUnbreak folder.
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CamScanner
________________________________________________
Quickly scan documents with your smartphone
Scan documents on the go. Edit image to

optimise. Save as pdf or jpg. Share with
up 10 people.
No scanner? No problem!
Quick facts
CamScanner is a smart utility for iPhone, iPad,

Scan and edit documents Android devices, and Windows Phone.
Share scans easily
200 MB of cloud space
Auto OCR
For iOS, Android, Windows
Camscanner: OCR (iPhone, detail)
In a nutshell, it transforms your mobile device in a portable scanner you

can use on the fly. The tool also features OCR capabilities, so you can
extract text from your scanned documents for further editing or use.
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You can scan any text or graphics

document, and enhance them before
creating the output PDF.
To scan a document:
1. Open CamScanner, tap on the camera

icon to activate;
2. Place the document under your device
(must be parallel). All the edges of
your document must be within the
frame;
3. Tap on the camera icon to grab;
4. Adjust the scan area (i.e. adjust the
green frame to fit the document
precisely);
5. Hit the check icon to grab.
Then, you can adjust brightness,

contrast, and colours to improve the
quality of the scan. The app offers a few
popular pre-set options (e.g. black and
CamScanner: Colour adjusting (iPhone) white), but you can also use the manual
adjustment feature for more control.
To improve the quality of your scans, place your document on a

dark surface. This helps with margins definition and resizing.
To save your adjustments and finalise the scan, tap on the check icon again.
With CamScanner, you can also create a single document from

multiple pages. To scan any additional pages, tap on the add icon,
and repeat steps 2 to 5.
When your file is ready, you can fax it, upload it in your free cloud space
(200 MB), invite people to collaborate on the task (up to 10 per document
with the free plan), email the document to yourself, add comments,
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CamScanner: Adjustments (iPad)
You can also synch your scans archives across all of your devices.
Please note that the user interface varies slightly for different devices - but the
intuitive menus and icons really help you get along well with any version.
73
ConvertAll
________________________________________________
Complex unit conversions made easy
A powerful unit converter supporting

over 500 scale units, and complex
operations. A must-have for translators
specialising in the sciences.
Unit conversion at your fingertips

Quick facts
ConvertAll is a smart unit converter with a
Versatile unit converter with an clean, intuitive two-column interface and an
extensive database extensive database supporting over 500 scale
units.
Supports expressions, unit
combinations, exponents To perform a basic unit conversion:
Automatic unit compatibility 1. Select the source unit from the drop-down
check menu on the left (From Unit);
2. Select the target unit from the drop-down
For Windows (XP or higher) and menu on the right (To Unit);
Linux
3. Type the source value in the field below the
Available in English, French, From Unit column.
German, Spanish
The result will appear in the value box below the
To Unit column.
To select your source and target units, you can also type the unit name in the
boxes located on top of the relevant columns (auto-completion enabled).
To confirm, click on the unit name in the window or press Enter.
74
ConvertAll: Basic conversion (Kelvin to Celsius)
ConvertAll supports two-way conversion.
If you inverted source and target unit by mistake, just type the
source value in the box under the To Unit column. The result will
then appear on the left.
Advanced conversion options
Besides being great for occasional use, ConvertAll also suits the needs of
translators specialising in the sciences, who might have more sophisticated
conversion needs.
In fact, the tool combines an extensive database with unparalleled
calculus capabilities and also comes with all the versatility you need to
handle complex or non-linear conversions.
75
With ConvertAll, you can convert:

Basic mathematical expressions;
Combinations of units (e.g. m/s);
Numbers with positive or negative exponents;
Plain numbers from/to non-linear scales.
Rules for notation are recapped in a welcome pop-up, and in the built-in
Help guide (also available online).
ConvertAll: Notation tips
Customisation
In the Options menu, you can customise different default settings, such as:
Number of decimals shown;
Results display options;
UI options and colours.
Your preferences will be saved automatically, and used as default until you
change them again.
Changes to text colour also apply to text you type in the edit
boxes. If you select a dark/light contrast, this might result in poor
readability.
76
Inoreader
________________________________________________
Stay on top of industry news
Keep an eye on interesting blogs and

news feeds. Categorise articles with tags
and folders. Read from any device.
A no-fuss feed reader

Quick facts
Inoreader is a smart feed reader combining a

Subscribe to blogs, news feeds, neat interface with usability, and versatility.
podcasts, social media accounts,
and more Besides being a charm for content marketing
purposes, you can use it to:
Automatic tagging and sorting
with rules See what your customers are up to by
subscribing to their blogs and news feeds;
Collections and catalogue Check on news about the translation
features for content discovery industry, including conferences and CPD
opportunities;
Available in 18 languages
Follow news about your specialisation
For Windows, iOS & Android fields to expand your knowledge, keep up with
terminology, and be up-to-date with the current
developments and trends of the industries you
work with.
You can subscribe to feeds for blogs, podcasts, social media accounts, and
more. You can also organise your feeds in folders (e.g. subject-based) for
quick referencing and improved usability.
77
InoReader: Desktop dashboard (web)
With the free plan, you can subscribe to unlimited feeds for websites (e.g.
blogs, online journals, news platforms, ), and save any number of web
pages. There are, however, strict limitations on the number of social
accounts you can subscribe to.
Want to extend the capacity of your free Inoreader plan?

Activate the Inoreader channel to IFTTT and see what you can do.
Check out popular recipes for Inoreader for inspiration.
Subscribing to your favourite feeds is easy.

If you already retrieved the RSS feed for your favourite website, paste it in the
search box. If you dont, type the name of the website you want to follow.
InoReader: Searching a feed (web)
78
InoReader will retrieve a list of all feeds found for the website. To subscribe,
open the feed (single click), and click on the Subscribe icon in the menu.
When you subscribe, the new feed is added to your Dashboard. To add the
feed to a folder, drag n drop the feeds icon in the relevant folder.
InoReader: New feed in dashboard (Android)
To manage feeds and folders from the dashboard, right-click on the relevant
item to access the options menu. To learn how to organise your feeds with
stars and folders, check out Inoreaders how to guide.
The reliability of the automatic feed retrieval function depends on

the individual websites responsiveness, and other factors.
The safest way to add a feed is to retrieve the address from the
relevant website/blog, and paste it in the search box.
By default, the dashboard opens in grid view mode, i.e. with the dashboard
on the left, and articles shows as cards on the right.
To read an article within Inoreader, click (or tap) on the card. To visit the
article on the original website, click (or tap) on the title in the built-in reader.
79
InoReader: Share & Save options (iPad)
The tools interface differs slightly based on the individual apps. Nevertheless,
the layout and main interface features are consistent across all versions and
this results in increased usability compared to similar tools.
Discover interesting content
With Inoreader, you can also discover

content by browsing popular content
categories, and feed bundles.
Besides Inoreader-generated bundles,

you can also explore user-generated
bundles or create your own to share.
If you find an interesting feed in a

bundle, but dont want to subscribe to
the whole collection, you can do this by
opening the individual feeds, and
confirming with the Subscribe button as
explained earlier.
Inoreader: Content categories (iPad, detail)
80
LightShot
________________________________________________
A quick and feature-rich screenshot tool
Create and edit perfect screenshots in a

couple clicks. Save images to your hard
drive or in the cloud, share them on
social media, and more.
Screenshots? No problem
Quick facts
With LightShot, you can create customised

User-friendly interface screenshots on the fly.
Versatile saving & sharing The built-in quick editor is extremely
options convenient. You can add shapes, text, and other
visual features without having to paste your
Powerful online editor
screenshot in an image editor.
For Windows and Mac and for advanced image editing, the online
editor is just a shortcut away.
Video tutorials to get started
quickly When you install LightShot, it quietly runs in the
background. To take a screenshot, you just need
to press the PrintScreen keyboard key.
When you select the desired area, the quick
editor opens.
The quick editor provides all the basic options you need to create
simple screenshots for e.g. troubleshooting, quick consultation or
feedback purposes.
81
LightShot: Quick editor
From the vertical menu, you can:

Add shapes, arrows, and lines;
Highlight (marker style) and add text;
Use the freehand drawing tool.
From the horizontal menu, you can save your screenshot, search for
similar images on Google, share your image on social networks, print, copy,
and delete your screenshot.
To use the cloud storage and gallery features, you will need to
sign up via Facebook or Google+ (its free).
The only limitation of the quick editor is that you cannot change shapes,
fonts, and sizes only the elements colours. Want more control over the
graphic elements of your screenshot?
Select the screenshot area, and use the Ctrl+E hotkey. Lightshot will open
your image in Pixlr, the online editor.
82
A powerful online editor
Pixlrs interface is also neat and tidy, with a handy MS-Paint style quick
selection bar on the left with common editing options.
The online editor features many options offered by commercial image editing
tools. In Pixlr, you can:
Rotate and resize images;
Play around with filters, colours, and distortion;
Customise text features (font, size, colours, );
Create composite design with layers;
Correct red eyes, and much more.
The only notable flaw is poor localisation. If you switch to another
language, the interface often mixes up strings with the new and old language
with unpredictable patterns. To avoid any nuisances, always use English.
LightShot: Pixlr online editor Text options window
83
LockHunter
________________________________________________
Get rid of that locked file you cant delete
Want to move, rename or delete a file

that appears to be locked by another
program? Theres a tool for that.
Unlock files, fast

Quick facts
Weve all been there. You want to delete a file,

move it to another folder or rename it but your
chosen document is still open in another
Unlock files easily program.
Perform your preferred action LockHunter helps you fix that quickly. When
within the tool you get the pesky error message, right-click on
the file to open the quick actions menu, and
For Windows left-click on What is locking this file?
This will open the tools main window, where you can see what program is
giving you headaches. If you check the More details box, the tool will show
additional information on the locking process (or processes).
84
From the main window, you can then select your favourite action.
Wondering what makes LockHunter worth picking amongst the dozens of
free unlocker tools available?
LockHunter: Main window, with expanded actions list
Unlike similar tools, LockHunter actually lets you perform your favourite
action within the tool (e.g. unlock and rename).
No more hopping on and off folders and windows.
85
TransTools
________________________________________________
Optimise your translation workflow
Prepare files for translation, and polish

your translated documents before
delivery, with easy to use add-ons.
Optimise source and target files

Quick facts
TransTools is a set of add-ons designed to

Productivity modules for perform useful checks and edits to files you need
Microsoft (Word, Excel,
to translate, and your translated files.
PowerPoint, Visio) and Autocad
The tool includes modules for MS Word, MS
Seamless integration Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Visio, and Autocad.
Intuitive menus The distribution also includes a tiny program
called TransTools Utilities, with useful
Available in 8 languages commands available for a wide range of
Windows programs.
For Windows
The easiest way to get only the modules you
need is to download the automatic
installation package, and deselect the
modules you dont want within the wizard.
The download page also features a manual installation package (with

instructions), but the process is more time-consuming, and only useful if you
have troubles with the automatic installation package.
86
Once installed, the modules load as add-ons of the relevant programme, so

commands can be accessed directly from Word, Excel etcetera.
TransTools for Word: toolbar (detail)
For MS Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), the add on is listed in the
menu. Clicking on the tab opens the relevant toolbar.
TransTools for Excel: Add-on tab in menu
Each productivity module is designed to speed up typical pre-translation

and QA tasks, with a strong focus on functionality.
With the PowerPoint module being limited (in the free version) to a single
function i.e. changing the language of the file -, you can probably leave it
behind.
Add-ons for MS Word and MS Excel are quite comprehensive instead, and
include a variety of useful commands including e.g.:
Check (and correct) non-breaking spaces (Word);

Remove excessive spaces (Word & Excel);
Hide/unhide text from CAT tools (Word);
Merge cell contents (Excel);
Remove duplicate entries from glossary files (Excel);
Check your files against a correction list (Word);
Configure glossaries (Excel).
87
For a complete list of the functions available with each module,

check out this workflow scheme. Click on the individual function
names for further information and step-by-step instructions.
Another key feature worth mentioning is the Document cleaner (for

Word), which supports an extensive number of pre-set formatting checks.
With Document Cleaner, you can easily optimise your source texts before
translation and get more (and better) TM matches.
TransTools for Word: Document cleaner Other Tools window
88
Photo credits
Front cover:
Alessandra Martelli. All rights reserved.
Section 1:
AllAnd via Pixabay (CC0)
Section 2:
Small White Kleiner Kohlweissling, Aah-Yeah via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Section 3:
WenPhotos via Pixabay (CC0)
90
Your communication alchemist
www.mtmtranslations.com

21 Free Tools For Translators

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Published September 29th, 2016

Your communication alchemist

Section 1: Admin & Management .....................................................................11

Count Anything ............................................................................................ 12

Section 2: Terminology & TMs ........................................................................49

Glossary Converter ..................................................................................... 50

Section 3: The Grab Bag .................................................................................. 67

To me, travelling alone is the quintessence of freedom.

I believe the same applies to freelancing.

Ultimately, 21 Free Tools for Translators is an eBook about freedom.

About the author

Trading as MTM Translations, she helps

She focuses on writing and translating

Alessandra is also a professional trainer with an educational background in

She manages her solo business from a home-based office overlooking a

In 2016, she celebrates her first 15 years of solopreneurship.

About the eBook

Admin & Management: 9 tools & apps to manage business-related tasks,

Terminology & TMs: 5 tools to speed up terminology search, create CAT-

The tools have been selected from an initial pool of 75 candidates.

2. Whats missing (and why)

In a recent survey, several colleagues mentioned they would have been

Another hot topic of interest was project management. In this eBook,

For more information about tools for outsourcing freelancers or PMs

3. Design & additional resources

Click or tap to visit a tools website or download page

Click or tap to download an additional resource (e.g. a tutorial

Google Drive: Click to download your free resource!

4. Software testing details

Before downloading a software programme or signing up for a web service,

To the creators of non-proprietary additional resources featured in the eBook,

To Efrem - my partner in crime, and fellow lightweight-traveller.

A user-friendly & fast word counting tool

Get word & character count for files in 18

Quoting on projects is easier

Count Anything is a CAT-independent word

Count Anything: Report for single file analysis

Reports can be printed or saved as txt or HTML.

Count Anything: Report for multiple analysis

Get word counts for web pages

Count Anything: Add URL Input window

Keep important data & info under one roof

Manage your calendar, email, to-do lists,

An essential information manager

EssentialPIM Free brings together several

Stay organised with calendar & to do lists

EssentialPIM Free: New appointment window

EssentialPIM Free: Reminder settings window

Manage your emails & contacts

EssentialPIM Free: New Contact window

Protect important passwords

EssentialPIM Free also features an extensive list of customisable

To see and edit, go to Tools > Options > Shortcuts.

About the apps

Working on the go? EssentialPIM Free is

Both apps do their work, but differ in

The iOS app, on the other hand, caters for

If you want to synchronise your data

Get the IOS app on iTunes store

Boost your productivity with smart automation