The technology behind our interpreting and translation
Three systems run our work: a remote interpreting app for telephone and video interpreting on demand, a booking system for pre-booked interpreters, and a translation management system that takes your documents from upload to download.
Each system was built around one task. When you need an interpreter now, the SILA Linguists app connects you by telephone or video, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When you know the date in advance, the booking system takes your request for a face-to-face, telephone, video, remote simultaneous or conference interpreter, then matches an interpreter and confirms the booking. When you have a document to translate, the translation management system handles the upload, the translator, the quality checks and the delivery.
People do the language work. Our interpreters and translators are professional linguists, and the software around them is there to make requests faster, keep records accurate and protect the information you share with us.
Each page below includes an interactive demo of the system, so you can see every step before you use it.
Choose the system for the job
Remote interpreting app
Telephone (OPI) and video remote interpreting (VRI) on demand, in 350+ languages and dialects, 24/7. Connect through the SILA Linguists app or by dialling our interpreting line.
Interpreter booking system
Book face-to-face, telephone, video, remote simultaneous (RSI) or conference interpreters in one form, with email confirmation and a matched interpreter.
Translation management system
Upload a document, follow it through translation and a second-linguist check, then download the finished file. Translation memory and terminology databases keep your wording consistent.
Connect to an interpreter in seconds
Follow a video interpreting call from log-in to feedback. The full walkthroughs for booking an interpreter and translating a document are on their own pages.
Welcome back
See a call from start to finish
Demo only. The interpreter, conversation and timings are illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
Which system should I use?
Use the app or the interpreting line when you need an interpreter straight away. Use the booking system when the appointment, hearing or event has a fixed date and time. Use the translation management system for written documents.
Do I need to install anything?
For on-demand interpreting you can either install the SILA Linguists app from Google Play or the App Store, or dial our interpreting line from any phone. The booking and translation systems run in your web browser.
Is the work done by people or by software?
By people. Every interpreting session is handled by a professional interpreter and every translation by a human translator. Machine translation with post-editing is offered only where it suits the content, and never for certified, legal or medical translation.
How is my information protected?
App calls run over end-to-end encrypted channels, and our linguists treat everything they hear or read as confidential. Personal data is handled in line with UK GDPR, as set out in our privacy policy.
Tell us the language, the format and the date
Our bookings team will confirm the details with you and arrange the right linguist. Have the language (and dialect, if you know it), the type of assignment and the date ready.