Which Paratext Tool to use when, as you move through the consulting process.
 
This guide was compiled by John Nystrom, but is open for additions and corrections.
Commands in Paratext are formatted in blue.

Beginning

On being assigned to the project to consult for a certain portion, book or books, the Consultant and Team should Agree on standards/objectives:
  • How is the translation drafted?
  • What stages will there be in the project?
  • Which stages must be completed and how before the consultant check.
  • What type of back translation is required? Interlinear? BT Project? Both?
  • At what point will the consultant begin reviewing the work?
  • At what point will the translation be ready to publish?

Project Progress Settings

Define the stages and establish what they mean.

Before telling consultant “it’s ready for you.”
Team (whoever is Administrator in Paratext for these projects)

Add the consultant to both the project and the back translation project, giving ability to view and make notes in the text.

Users, Roles and Permissions

Project > Users, Roles and Permissions

Add consultant’s Paratext user name as a “Consultant” on the translation and the back translation.

Look at parallel passages to ensure consistency.

Parallel Passages

Tools > Parallel Passages

Write back translation, mark each verse as complete

Back Translation tracking boxes

Make Biblical Terms consistent, include back translations for renderings.

File > Biblical Terms Renderings,

Tools > Biblical Terms

Use Biblical Terms Renderings as team translates, use Biblical Terms Tool to ensure consistency.

Standardize spelling

Tools > Wordlist

4-step process (See document from UBS)

Clean up Standard Format

Checking > Run Basic Checks OR

Project > Tasks and Checks

Periodically run checks to ensure text is clean. “Tasks and Checks” ("Required Tasks and Checks" in Paratext 7.5) is the easiest way.

Communicate with each other and consultant about the translation and BT.

Project Notes

Insert > Note

Assign notes as desired

Interlinearize a few chapters to help consultant understand the vernacular text.

Project Interlinearizer

File > Open Project Interlinearizer

Approve glosses.

Maybe export to another text, maybe not.

Ensure BT has all the same elements as the translation.

Tools > Checklists

Compare both projects side by side for section headings, markers, book titles, footnotes, etc.

Team, then Consultant

Send updates to consultant

Send/receive

File > send/receive projects

Pre-face-to-face check

This is what a consultant does when he’s at his own office and is preparing for the face-to-face check, when he is looking closely at the translation, looking for opportunities for improvement.

Consultant

Set up screen to maximal advantage.

Saved Text Combinations

Windows > Save Text Combinations

A saved text combination can easily be recalled. Overlapping windows may be required. 

Set electronic bookmark so that later, all can see what changed as a result of consulting session.

Project > Mark Point in Project History

Mark the point in the project history with a note you will understand later: “Before consultant begins checking Luke.” 

Make notes about problems in the translation.

Project Notes

Insert > Note 

Review Biblical Terms

File > Open Biblical Terms Renderings

Tools > Biblical Terms

Project > Project Health Report

Biblical Terms Renderings verse-by-verse.

Biblical Terms to see all occurrences of a term.

Biblical Terms to see if all occurrences are accounted for using “count” column.

In Health Report, Total rendered terms and % of rendered occurrences should go up. 

Review team’s spelling status

Tools > Project Health report

% of words marked as correctly spelled should go up. 

Check condition of SFMs

Checking > Run Basic Checks, OR

Project > Tasks and Checks

Run checks on the book consultant is checking. 

Ensure BT has all the same elements as the translation.

Tools > Checklists

Compare both projects side by side for section headings, markers, book titles, footnotes, etc.

After finishing pre-face-to-face check

When consultant has finished the above check.

Consultant

Send the translation and back translation back to the team

Send/receive

File > Send/receive projects

Team

Respond to notes from consultant

Project Notes, Notes List Window

File > Open Notes, then filter for “Unresolved” notes. 

Send/receive the translation and back translation 

Consultant

Respond to team’s responses, resolve notes

Notes List Window

Filter for “unresolved notes assigned to me.” 

Face-to-face check

Consultant

See beyond the BT to the translation itself

Project Interlinearizer

File > Open Project Interlinearizer

Use glosses to find vernacular expressions. Ask questions about the vernacular expressions, not about the BT.

After face-to-face check

Team

Make corrections to translation.

Edit translation. Re-assign notes to consultant for to review and hopefully to “resolve.” 

Consultant

See what has changed in the translation

Compare Texts

Tools > Compare Texts

Compare with point in project history previously marked. 

See changes to BT

Compare Texts

Compare with point in project history previously marked.

See changes resulting from notes

Compare tool in Notes Editing Window

Open note, click the compare icon.

Resolve outstanding issues

Notes List Window

File > Open Notes

Resolve notes where corrections are acceptable.

Send text back to team

Send/receive

Team

Update BT

BT tracking

Find all the question marks and update the BT accordingly. 

Remove consultant from project.

Project > Users, Roles and Permissions

If the relationship will not continue, this is appropriate.