𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦: 2 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴🕒
When expanding into international markets, translation is only one part of the process. What often gets overlooked is how your documents are formatted and presented in each language, and that’s where Multilingual Desktop Publishing (DTP) plays a vital role.
Multilingual DTP ensures your translated content is professionally laid out, visually accurate and ready for global use.
What Is multilingual DTP?
Desktop Publishing (DTP) refers to the process of formatting text and images into a final, publishable layout.
Multilingual DTP takes this a step further by adapting those layouts across different languages, scripts and design conventions.
This service is particularly important when working with:
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Right-to-left (RTL) languages, like Arabic or Hebrew
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Languages with expanded text, such as German or Finnish
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Complex character sets, like Chinese, Korean or Japanese
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Specific file formats, such as InDesign, Illustrator or FrameMaker
Why formatting matters in translation and localisation
Translation often changes sentence length, character direction and line spacing in assets.
If your layout isn’t adapted accordingly, the final output may:
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Cut off key information
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Misalign text boxes or graphics
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Break accessibility or localisation rules
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Reduce readability or credibility
These issues can cause misunderstandings, delay regulatory approvals or even compromise brand reputation. That’s why multilingual DTP is a critical step in the localisation process.
According to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation, poor formatting is one of the most common barriers to cross-border communication. Ensuring your documents are visually correct in all languages is essential for global engagement.
Industries that rely on multilingual DTP
Multilingual DTP is especially important in sectors where documentation is both technical and regulated.
For example:
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Life Sciences: Patient leaflets, clinical trial forms and medical device manuals often require translated layouts that match EU and UK regulations.
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Manufacturing: Product guides and safety instructions
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Education & eLearning: Courses and training modules
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Marketing & Branding: Brochures, banners and pitch decks
In each of these cases, multilingual DTP helps preserve meaning, reduce localisation errors, and ensure the end result is fit for purpose.
Example: Formatting and compliance
Imagine translating an InDesign user manual from English into Arabic. Without multilingual DTP, text would run in the wrong direction, and font substitution might result in character corruption.
By contrast, a multilingual DTP workflow ensures the Arabic version looks and reads exactly as intended, with correct alignment, structure and formatting.
As the European Medicines Agency (EMA) points out, documentation used for healthcare must not only be accurate in meaning but also presented clearly and accessibly to users in each region.
Can multilingual formatting be handled in-house, using a design tool like Canva?
For basic content, it's possible.
But for technical documents or regulatory content, it’s important to use native design tools and language-aware formatting. Our team works directly in files like InDesign, FrameMaker and XML.
If your translation process ends at the words, you’re only halfway there. Multilingual desktop publishing is what ensures your message is delivered clearly, accurately and professionally across every market.
At Wolfestone, our in-house specialists combine linguistic expertise with layout precision, supporting your global communication goals from start to finish.
Get in touch for a free DTP quote.
𝘒𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 2021 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘨𝘰 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴.
