Translation Management System (TMS): What It Is and How It Works?
Translation Management System is a type of software for automating tasks within the translation process and aims to automate repetitive tasks resulting in the delivery of quality content.
Today’s translation management platforms are primarily web-based therefore they do not require software installation. Everything is done in the cloud.
Some companies use Excel sheets to manage the localization of their products, leading to constant a constant back and forth between developers, project managers and translators.
Translation management systems (TMS) come to solve this dilemma.
What does a Translation Management System (TMS) include?
- Built-in CAT tool functions (terminology and translation memory management, integrated machine translation functions. Some also include out-of-the-box compatibility with CMS Connectors like HubSpot or Magento)
- Automation tools (Repository integration like Github)
- Project management tools (For tracking the translations, as well as tasks assigned to the translators)
How can a TMS help?
- The different actors in the translation process work collaboratively with each other.
- The quality of the translation is guaranteed through the use of translation memories and terminology databases.
- It reduces localization costs by allowing reuse of already translated content that is stored in translation memories. Integration with machine translation engines is also a plus when you need a quick translation.
How does a TMS work?
- Upload files for translation: The localization process begins when the files are uploaded to TMS and prepared for translation. Not all TMS support the same filetypes so in those cases, you better ask your nearest Localization Engineer.
- Invite the team: Translators and proofreaders are invited to start collaborating!
- Translation and publication: The content is translated and reviewed into the desired languages and then published in its target format.
Where are my translations?
A Translation Management System (TMS) can help all parties to collaborate online on the same centralized platform. This is an advantage since translators do not need to use any other tool than their web browser.
However, saving the information in the cloud can also be a disadvantage since some companies work with very confidential information. Different data leaks have affected the industry in recent years even when the corresponding security measures were applied.
Therefore, careful consideration should be given to whether a web-based TMS is the best choice.
