Understanding and Resolving TM Matches Not Auto-Filling in Bureau Works

Translation Memory (TM) is a powerful feature designed to streamline the translation process by reusing existing translations. However, users may occasionally encounter situations where high-percentage matches from the TM do not automatically populate target segments. Below, we explain common causes for this issue and steps to resolve them.

Common Issues with TM Matches

1. TM Matches Not Auto-Filling Target Segments

By default, TM matches appear as suggestions in the translation editor but do not auto-fill into target segments. This behavior is determined by the way the project is configured. Matches are only auto-inserted when a Pre-translate action is performed.

Pre-translate Configuration: The system adheres to the pre-translation threshold specified in the project settings. For example, if your threshold is set to 75%, only matches with a similarity of 75% or higher will be auto-filled, while lower matches remain suggestions.

2. TM Matches Showing as Warnings

Sometimes, TM matches that include certain formatting tags may cause warnings and prevent auto-filling. This typically happens when the tags in the TM entry do not perfectly match those in the current source segment.

Tag Mismatch Issue: Discrepancies in tags between the TM and the current source can block auto-fill during the pre-translate process.

How to Resolve TM Match Issues

Step 1: Run a Pre-translate Action

To auto-populate high-percentage matches, ensure that a Pre-translate action is run on your project.

Open the project configuration panel.
Set the TM match threshold according to your preferences (e.g., 75%).
Execute Pre-translate to populate segments with matches that meet or exceed the set threshold while leaving others as suggestions.

Step 2: Enable Translation Memory with Fixed Tags

If tag mismatches are preventing matches from auto-filling, follow these steps:

Temporarily enable the Translation Memory with Fixed Tags option.
Re-run the Pre-translate action on the project. - This setting applies best-effort corrections to resolve tag mismatches, allowing valid TM matches to populate automatically.
Review segments to ensure tag integrity has been maintained.

Best Practices for Configuring TM Matches

Set Realistic TM Thresholds: Define a TM match percentage threshold that aligns with the quality and consistency of your translation memory. Lower thresholds may yield more suggestions but could increase the need for manual editing.
Monitor and Correct Tags: Keep your TM entries consistent with source formatting tags to minimize tag-related warnings.
Regularly Run Pre-translate: Utilize Pre-translate periodic runs to ensure the latest TM entries are incorporated into your workflows effectively.

By understanding and addressing these common issues, you can optimize the performance of TM functionality within Bureau Works and significantly improve translation efficiency.

Why do TM matches sometimes not auto-fill segments, and how can I resolve these issues?