Poll: Have you taken business or accounting courses to help improve in those areas? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you taken business or accounting courses to help improve in those areas?".
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| | | | EvaVer (X) 
Local time: 22:17
Czech to French
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| Taken some, translated more | Nov 13, 2018 |
I mainly learned accounting by interpreting accounting courses and translating manuals. The one course I remember taking was about VAT, when it was about to be first introduced in the country.
| | | | | It depends on what you consider 'taken' | Nov 13, 2018 |
On accounting, at first I used my late father's accountant for years, and afterwards I merely automated what he did in those days with computers, keeping up-to-date with tax procedures, as published by the relevant authorities.
Regarding business courses, as my main specialty for a few decades was the localization of extremely diversified training courseware, often multimedia, I have crawled through several hundred, maybe close to a thousand complete courses on specific business sub... See more On accounting, at first I used my late father's accountant for years, and afterwards I merely automated what he did in those days with computers, keeping up-to-date with tax procedures, as published by the relevant authorities.
Regarding business courses, as my main specialty for a few decades was the localization of extremely diversified training courseware, often multimedia, I have crawled through several hundred, maybe close to a thousand complete courses on specific business subjects.
I'd highlight the main areas that have been most helpful for freelance translation work
Time Management - This has probably helped me to achieve zero translations delivered late over the past 45 years.
Yes, ONE exception to prove the rule... on my very first attempt using Memsource online, it took me a while to discover that it embodies some programming flaw, causing its ONLINE process to get exponentially slower as the translation job progresses. After half of a translation is done, its speed goes down to a snail's pace with the hand brake ON! I've been using Memsource OFFLINE ever since.
Customer Service - I've learned set the bar very high on this.
Now and then past clients from the translation industry seek me for guidance, even when they know I won't be able to help them with a specific request. They know my customer service won't let them go away without at least a clue to possible solutions. When it's within the services I provide, it's an order on a silver platter, they don't care about other options.
Outsiders, i.e. occasional translation clients, return (or refer other people) to me years after I've done work for them. My customer service causes a lasting good impression.
Sales & Marketing - These courses were not so effective.
One peculiarity of the translation industry is that selling benefits does NOT work with the ever-growing population of clients whose selection criteria are limited to a) "must have Trados" and b) absurdly low rates, and they couldn't care less about anything else, ever! ▲ Collapse
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I did once do a basic business training, enough to convince me that it is best if I leave that side of the business to others. However, my husband is an economist, and does my accounts, tax returns and so on.
I can understand the results, but I have no head for figures!
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 22:17
Member (2006)
German to English
I do the translating and my accountant does the rest.
I used to do it mayself, but the money that I invest in my accountant is worth every penny! (or cent☺)
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I actually have a business degree including accounting training, and I worked in a consulting company for several years that consulted small and medium enterprises and startups. While this was 25 years ago and my work was mostly IT related, it gave me enough confidence to go freelance last year. But on the other hand, accounting for a freelance translating business is rather simple, compared to, say, a painter contractor or an internet startup. You only have a handful of outgoing and ingoing inv... See more I actually have a business degree including accounting training, and I worked in a consulting company for several years that consulted small and medium enterprises and startups. While this was 25 years ago and my work was mostly IT related, it gave me enough confidence to go freelance last year. But on the other hand, accounting for a freelance translating business is rather simple, compared to, say, a painter contractor or an internet startup. You only have a handful of outgoing and ingoing invoices every month, so no big deal.
For a successful small business as well as solid private finances, there is once central secret formula that covers all: Spend less than you earn.
(This leads to two more rules: Know what you earn, and know what you spend, which is essentially basic accounting for a small business. Accounting starts to get complicated when you begin to deal with credit, equity, receivables, and payables, but a small one person shop does not need that normally) ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 22:17
English to German
Before going freelance, I met my neighbour's tax accountant when he came to pick up the monthly shoebox of receipts from her tiny tailor shop. He spent about an hour teaching me what I need to know, and he does the rest. Either accounting is not that complicated, or he is a very good teacher.
And I agree, I am learning some things about business from my translations - although IT experts are traditionally deeply suspicious of economists ... See more Before going freelance, I met my neighbour's tax accountant when he came to pick up the monthly shoebox of receipts from her tiny tailor shop. He spent about an hour teaching me what I need to know, and he does the rest. Either accounting is not that complicated, or he is a very good teacher.
And I agree, I am learning some things about business from my translations - although IT experts are traditionally deeply suspicious of economists ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 16:17
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
| I took an accounting course in college... | Nov 13, 2018 |
But my current accounting methods have little to do with that.
I use the accrual method in an Excel worksheet, with specific color markers to indicate the status of different invoices.
And the tax situation for my work isn't that hard: gross minus expenses times tax rate.
It's the family's taxes that get tricky.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 17:17
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Yes, but not thinking of translation | Nov 13, 2018 |
I have a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Business Administration. When I went to college, translation was an "extra". I worked for 20 years in several companies as business manager, and until 2012 I worked on translations in my spare time, as an extra income source.
However, my experience and knowledge in these areas have been very valuable to manage my business as a translator, of course. I never did and never will pay for accountancy or any other business-related services. My busines... See more I have a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Business Administration. When I went to college, translation was an "extra". I worked for 20 years in several companies as business manager, and until 2012 I worked on translations in my spare time, as an extra income source.
However, my experience and knowledge in these areas have been very valuable to manage my business as a translator, of course. I never did and never will pay for accountancy or any other business-related services. My business is very well organized, to the last cent, and all my legal obligations are and have always been absolutely up to date. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Have a degree in commerce. | Nov 14, 2018 |
Well, at the university I studied commerce with the title of B.Com (Hons) and studied accounting and business under the said curriculum.
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