{"id":8660,"date":"2016-10-10T07:48:53","date_gmt":"2016-10-10T05:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phraseapp.com\/blog\/?p=1543"},"modified":"2024-02-19T16:06:05","modified_gmt":"2024-02-19T15:06:05","slug":"translation-management-system-how-it-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Translation Management System, and How to Choose the Right One for Your Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_6f939f3789bff1f56ac832e370cd36bf\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text alignfull spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing business globally requires brands to speak the language of the buyer. To understand and engage with a product, customers across the globe expect quality content that considers their cultural context at every stage of the buying cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most effective ways to deliver it is by using a translation management system (TMS). Designed to help businesses automate, translate, and manage content for international markets at scale, <\/span><b>a TMS is an important resource for global growth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve put together this guide to help you choose the right TMS for your business. It addresses key features and benefits, requirements, and best practices for integrating a future-proof solution for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/solutions\/translation-management\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into your global strategy. Let\u2019s dive in.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_6411e3a19cf73\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta bg--green image--orientation-landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image image--align-middle\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1260\" height=\"1159\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531.png\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"Phrase TMS | Phrase\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531.png 1260w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531-300x276.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531-1024x942.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531-768x706.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"subhead\">Phrase TMS<\/p>\n<p class=\"secondary h6\">The enterprise-ready translation management system<\/p>\n<p class=\"small\">Work with the leading TMS to automate translation workflows with cost control and quality checks.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/tms\/\">Explore Phrase TMS<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_56f864bc6b79fc8c7d0e26d2dd5f86d8\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text alignfull spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Overview<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#what-is-a-translation-management-system\" title=\"What is a translation management system?\">What is a translation management system?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#the-difference-between-translation-and-localization\" title=\"The difference between translation and localization\">The difference between translation and localization<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#what-are-some-common-features-of-translation-management-systems\" title=\"What are some common features of translation management systems?\">What are some common features of translation management systems?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#benefits-of-using-a-tms\" title=\"Benefits of using a TMS\">Benefits of using a TMS<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#reduce-the-risk-of-error-through-automation\" title=\"Reduce the risk of error through automation\">Reduce the risk of error through automation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#increase-productivity-with-real-time-team-collaboration\" title=\"Increase productivity with real-time team collaboration\">Increase productivity with real-time team collaboration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#enhance-interoperability-and-scalability-through-seamless-integration\" title=\"Enhance interoperability and scalability through seamless integration\">Enhance interoperability and scalability through seamless integration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#ensure-consistency-accuracy-and-quality\" title=\"Ensure consistency, accuracy, and quality\">Ensure consistency, accuracy, and quality<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#save-time-reduce-costs-and-free-up-resources\" title=\"Save time, reduce costs, and free up resources\">Save time, reduce costs, and free up resources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#the-value-of-a-tms-for-global-organizations\" title=\"The value of a TMS for global organizations\">The value of a TMS for global organizations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#a-tms-speeds-up-time-to-market\" title=\"A TMS speeds up time to market\">A TMS speeds up time to market<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#a-tms-strengthens-global-brand-reputation\" title=\"A TMS strengthens global brand reputation\">A TMS strengthens global brand reputation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#a-tms-contributes-to-global-revenue-growth\" title=\"A TMS contributes to global revenue growth\">A TMS contributes to global revenue growth<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#creating-effective-translation-workflows-with-a-tms\" title=\"Creating effective translation workflows with a TMS\">Creating effective translation workflows with a TMS<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#preparing-assets-and-extracting-content-for-translation\" title=\"Preparing assets and extracting content for translation\">Preparing assets and extracting content for translation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#setting-up-the-localization-environment\" title=\"Setting up the localization environment\">Setting up the localization environment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#content-translation\" title=\"Content translation\">Content translation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#reviewing-and-approving-translated-content\" title=\"Reviewing and approving translated content\">Reviewing and approving translated content<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#re-importing-translated-content-for-publishing-back-to-the-source\" title=\"Re-importing translated content for publishing back to the source\">Re-importing translated content for publishing back to the source<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#choosing-the-best-translation-management-system-for-your-needs\" title=\"Choosing the best translation management system for your needs\">Choosing the best translation management system for your needs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/#supercharge-your-translation-management-with-phrase-tms\" title=\"Supercharge your translation management with Phrase TMS\">Supercharge your translation management with Phrase TMS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-a-translation-management-system\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a translation management system?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>A translation management system is software that automates repetitive or manual tasks to make the translation process as efficient as possible<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine you want to offer your product in Spain and need to launch both your website and a marketing campaign in Spanish. To achieve that, you&#8217;d need to work with translators, designers, developers, marketers, copywriters, local market specialists, etc. Add a dozen more steps for them to follow, and you may realize how large the margin for error and misunderstanding could be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, if there are unexpected changes to the source content, your existing translations need to be updated immediately. This makes it necessary to start the entire translation process from scratch: extract source content, have the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> done, review the updated website source files, and ask a developer to update the web pages\u2014all of which costs time and money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a translation management system, handling repetitive or manual tasks becomes a thing of the past. From uploading and translating to publishing content in multiple languages, a <\/span><b>TMS uses automation to improve efficiency and scalability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for growing companies that use content to connect with customers across markets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45290\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-global-content.png\" alt=\"A TMS is at the heart of continuous multilingual content delivery worldwide | Phrase\" width=\"1948\" height=\"1032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-global-content.png 1948w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-global-content-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-global-content-1024x542.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-global-content-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-global-content-1536x814.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1948px) 100vw, 1948px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"utility\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS is at the heart of continuous multilingual content delivery worldwide<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-difference-between-translation-and-localization\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The difference between translation and localization<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you have a website, web\/mobile app, legal\/technical documentation, or marketing materials, it&#8217;s crucial to remember that <\/span><b>translation is only one step in the overall process of localization<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014which ensures the all-around readiness of a product or service for a target market beyond just the written word.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The moving parts of localization require a high degree of organization and control to successfully launch products across languages and cultures. By combining traditional computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and machine translation capabilities with project management and business intelligence features, a TMS can serve as the central hub for adapting a product to a specific culture and language.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To better understand what makes a TMS, it helps to differentiate between <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-isnt-just-about-translation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation and localization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Both terms often tend to be used interchangeably, but they have different definitions.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_c9063ef465309ad9b47bd4854d120a7e\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta alignfull bg--grey image--orientation-square\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"small\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation and localization differ in the following ways:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: left;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<p class=\"small\"><b>Translation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is the transfer of text from one language (the source) to another (the target). The goal is to accurately reflect the meaning and purpose of the original.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<p class=\"small\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Localization <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is the process of adapting that translation to the culture of the target market so that it looks and feels as native as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_ae04319d194216918732e44756524052\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text alignfull spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, there are multiple versions of Spanish based on the country or region\u2014European, Mexican, Argentinian Spanish, and so on. Delivering the same translation to all of them can cause different issues: Certain terms may have different meanings, currency symbols will vary, formats for telephone numbers and postal addresses will be different, and the behavior of consumers won\u2019t be the same.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-45295\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/globalization-process-layers.png\" alt=\"Business globalization process layers | Phrase\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/globalization-process-layers.png 1081w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/globalization-process-layers-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/globalization-process-layers-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/globalization-process-layers-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/globalization-process-layers-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"utility\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation is one of the key components of global business expansion<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-some-common-features-of-translation-management-systems\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are some common features of translation management systems?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cutting-edge translation management systems utilize cloud technology to offer global businesses <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/\">online translation software<\/a> that is easy to implement, access, and integrate. There are many different TMS solutions on the market, but they typically share a core set of functions.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-style: none;\">\n<td style=\"width: 100%; border-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team management<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workflow management<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time management<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation vendor management<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project progress tracking and reporting<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Billing and invoicing<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automated file processing<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation memory (TM), the heart of a TMS, for storing previously translated content that can be reused<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation glossary (term base) for managing approved translations for specific terminology<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quality assurance (QA) checks for accurate, error-free translations<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Screenshots and in-context editors for visual support during translation<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Out-of-the-box integrations with popular commercial software such as content management systems (CMSs)<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Application programming interface (API) for integrating a TMS with any preferred software<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Machine translation (MT) capabilities<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><b>Common TMS features to look for<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By seamlessly integrating all of the above capabilities, a TMS provides globally distributed teams of any size with a centralized collaboration platform. From product, marketing, and localization managers to translators, developers, and designers\u2014everyone involved can rely on the TMS as the source of truth for all multilingual content used to connect with customers across markets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"benefits-of-using-a-tms\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Benefits of using a TMS<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process of translating a website or mobile app may not be as structured as translating a book. With customer preferences evolving and content changes occurring daily, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/multilingual-content-management\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">managing multilingual content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can quickly become a complex and time-consuming endeavor\u2014particularly if handled manually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/cat-tools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in your digital ecosystem, translators need to coordinate via spreadsheets, emails, or disparate chat tools. Relying on freestanding, special-purpose tools like translation memories and machine translation engines may be helpful, but using them in isolation also adds to the complexity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soon as translation requirements get more complex, manual processes can considerably slow things. What\u2019s even more concerning is that when content moves from format to format and person to person, the probability of errors and omissions can increase exponentially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation management systems address all these issues by giving an organization a dedicated workspace for end-to-end translation project management. Let\u2019s look at how a TMS can help growing businesses streamline the process to reach new markets faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-45300\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-benefits.png\" alt=\"Benefits of translation-management systems | Phrase\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-benefits.png 1096w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-benefits-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-benefits-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-benefits-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-benefits-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"reduce-the-risk-of-error-through-automation\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce the risk of error through automation<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For decades, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/why-spreadsheets-suck-for-software-localization\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spreadsheets used to be the norm for translation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They might have worked for small-scale translation projects, but localization needs have evolved so fast in the ever-growing global marketplace that translation processes can quickly spiral out of control.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a process where you need to constantly monitor, update, and modify a spreadsheet, it&#8217;s easy to make mistakes that lead to copy-and-paste errors, missing data, or incorrect versioning\u2014all of which can translate into a degraded customer experience, loss of potential buyers, and fewer sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-technology\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation technology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eliminates all those risks and provides a workflow-centric environment for teams to stay on the same page. Since it\u2019s a centralized platform, all users across roles, teams, time zones, or locations can access the same data, update it without hesitation, and see any changes occuring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a cloud-based TMS, everyone can be sure they work from a single user interface (UI) with the latest version at all times. Managers know what everyone is doing, what tasks are complete, and where the project stands, and other users can work with greater confidence than they ever did with a spreadsheet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"increase-productivity-with-real-time-team-collaboration\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increase productivity with real-time team collaboration<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation is a highly collaborative process involving a dozen of in-house roles as well as contractors scattered around the world. Designed with the whole team in mind, a modern TMS shines with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/top-5-ways-product-managers-can-encourage-team-collaboration\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">team collaboration functionalities<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that help you work more effectively as a team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, the ability to leave comments and notes for other team members, send automated notifications to other tools used within the company, and deliver real-time status updates can dramatically boost productivity across the board.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is equally beneficial when you outsource translation to a language service provider (LSP). A TMS makes it easy to keep full visibility of the work done across projects, no matter if you work with one translation agency or assign multiple vendors to a translation job\u2014eliminating endless email follow-ups.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"enhance-interoperability-and-scalability-through-seamless-integration\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhance interoperability and scalability through seamless integration<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS doesn\u2019t operate in a vacuum. Content is usually published on platforms like a CMS or product information management (PIM) software. When translated content is ready, it needs to move into these systems in the correct language. A TMS allows just that by integrating with your existing systems\u2014either out of the box or by letting you use its API to build a custom integration with your preferred tool.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, the ability to quickly retrieve materials in the language you need can speed up information sharing in sales. If the TMS is able to integrate natively with your customer relationship management (CRM) system, then it will automatically deliver translated content for the sales team to forward to prospects or customers in a target market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the TMS doesn&#8217;t offer the native integration you need, it should at least have a robust, well-documented API. Your developers can use the API to create a custom integration with any tool in your tech stack. Still, you should be aware that a custom integration usually comes with costs and maintenance overhead. Therefore, it\u2019s advisable to check if a TMS provider may plan on releasing your desired integration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45307\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-integration.png\" alt=\"A strong TMS connects with any software either out of the box or through an API | Phrase\" width=\"1948\" height=\"658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-integration.png 1948w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-integration-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-integration-1024x346.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-integration-768x259.png 768w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-management-system-integration-1536x519.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1948px) 100vw, 1948px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"utility\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A strong TMS connects with your preferred software either out of the box or through an API<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ensure-consistency-accuracy-and-quality\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure consistency, accuracy, and quality<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translated content represents your organization in a global transaction. Poor quality or inconsistent style would reflect poorly on your products or services. Maintaining quality is a key reason to invest in a TMS\u2014it helps ensure that each piece of content remains consistent and accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS incorporates 3 core <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/cat-tools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">computer-assisted translation tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that help maintain quality and consistency across languages:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-memory\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation memory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: This CAT tool is the heart of a TMS\u2014it saves earlier translations in a database and compares word-for-word matches to determine if the previously translated content can be reused\u2014adding to consistency.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/term-base\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Term bases<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: These glossaries give translators and reviewers guidelines on the meaning and usage of key terms that appear frequently in your content\u2014contributing to accuracy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-why-you-should-work-with-a-style-guide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation style guides<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A TMS may support the creation of native language style guides that are automatically included in a translation package\u2014ensuring brand alignment across languages.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another useful feature for maintaining translation quality is adding comments or attaching screenshots to provide translators with visual context\u2014quite handy when translating software UI elements or working with multimedia content (e.g., videos).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS should also have automatic quality assurance checks to help translators fix typos, formatting issues, incorrect markup, terminology inconsistencies, etc. before completing a translation job.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"save-time-reduce-costs-and-free-up-resources\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save time, reduce costs, and free up resources<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-software\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is all about automation, all capabilities mentioned above serve an important function of reducing time and costs. With many manual tasks eliminated, teams are able to work more efficiently and process large volumes of text in multiple formats and languages more quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, when all parts of the workflow converge in one system, companies have a better understanding of where costs are coming from and can start taking measures to reduce them. They can identify content that requires fewer edits or can be reused\u2014or find other ways to automate translation management.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, more and more companies see machine translation (MT) as a productivity tool to enter new markets more quickly while keeping costs down. By embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, they can automatically generate translations that can be post-edited by professional linguists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saving time and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/reduce-translation-costs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reducing translation costs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a translation management system frees up valuable resources for growing organizations to invest even more in innovating their product, building their brand, and other strategic initiatives for wider global reach.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_6411ee37524d1\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta bg--outline image--orientation-square\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"subhead\" style=\"text-align: center;\">On-demand webinar<\/p>\n<p class=\"h4\" style=\"text-align: center;\">The benefits of using a translation management system<\/p>\n<p class=\"small\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Learn how a translation management system can help you open the door to global business by automating, managing, and translating all your content into the languages your audiences speak.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn--primary\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/resources\/webinars\/translation-management-system-benefits\/\">Watch webinar<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_6fd9d26e0ae2d9c0feb2a973e08894cb\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text alignfull spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-value-of-a-tms-for-global-organizations\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The value of a TMS for global organizations<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a translation management system supporting your global strategy from the start, the improved ability to manage multiple languages across a product or service line can lead to 3 key results in the long run:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faster time to market<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater global brand reputation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stronger global revenue growth<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-tms-speeds-up-time-to-market\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS speeds up time to market<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation can be time-consuming, especially when the volume of product and service information keeps growing. Any tool that makes the translation and localization processes faster than manual management directly impacts the time to market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, it\u2019s been common for products to sit in warehouses ready for shipping but waiting for translated documentation. As supply chains move faster, a more <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/effective-translation-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">effective translation process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, made possible through an integrated TMS, becomes critical to moving faster when entering new markets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-tms-strengthens-global-brand-reputation\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS strengthens global brand reputation<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reputation is based on the perceived quality, purchase experience, and user experience that customers have when using the product or service. A highly respected international brand can remove cost objections and assure new buyers that the overall experience will be beneficial.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/content-translation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translated content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is often the global buyer\u2019s first exposure to a company\u2019s culture and values. The quality of that translation, how well it respects the buyer\u2019s culture, and the responsiveness of the company when entering new markets are all important. A TMS, with its quality control and review processes, can make a big difference in brand perception and acceptance from day one.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-tms-contributes-to-global-revenue-growth\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS contributes to global revenue growth<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Revenue is directly related to time and reputation. When you\u2019re able to move faster and are perceived as a quality brand, revenue follows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the one hand, the faster you can bring a product to new markets, the faster you can start selling it and see <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/get-your-money-back-optimizing-localization-roi\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">localization ROI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (return on investment). On the other hand, maintaining a strong brand perception\u2014to which a TMS\u2019s built-in QA processes contribute significantly\u2014results in a positive customer experience across markets that holds buyers and keeps them coming back for more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"creating-effective-translation-workflows-with-a-tms\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating effective translation workflows with a TMS<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The basic building block of any translation management system is a defined <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-software-localization-and-translation-workflow\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation workflow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This workflow can vary from project to project and from company to company, but it typically follows a standard pattern:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preparing assets and extracting content for translation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting up the localization environment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Content translation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reviewing and approving translated content<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Re-importing translated content back to the source<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The TMS automates and streamlines each of these steps while <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-localization-manager\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">localization managers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can keep a helicopter view of the entire process on one platform. It also helps ensure that all parts of the process are completed properly and on time\u2014with no bottlenecks\u2014to keep projects running smoothly. Let\u2019s explore how a TMS can simplify each step in the translation workflow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-45312\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-workflow-stages.png\" alt=\"Key translation workflow stages | Phrase\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-workflow-stages.png 1096w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-workflow-stages-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-workflow-stages-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-workflow-stages-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/translation-workflow-stages-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"preparing-assets-and-extracting-content-for-translation\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preparing assets and extracting content for translation<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The translation workflow begins with the preparation and extraction of content, i.e., making all assets available and suitable for localization. Developers will name and store each file appropriately for each language in a content repository, into which they will later import the translated content as an updated version of the same file.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS simplifies this part by providing easy synchronization with repositories hosted on platforms like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. This allows translation project managers and developers to pull content from the repository and push translated versions back while keeping track of changes made.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"setting-up-the-localization-environment\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting up the localization environment<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the files are ready for translation, project managers need to assign a translator to a particular job. Whether an in-house team of translators or an external partner, a TMS makes it easy to manage their assignments and tasks in one place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automatic notifications, for example, help keep everybody informed about changes in project status, deadlines, added tasks, and other important updates. Some TMS solutions will even let you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/solutions\/pro-translation-services\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">order professional translations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from within the platform, eliminating the need to contact and onboard external vendors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"content-translation\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Content translation<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the project involves only human translation or combines MT and human work, the TMS provides an interface to facilitate transferring content between languages. Linguists can easily access their tasks, work in an easy-to-use editor that\u2019s context-rich (automatically captured UI screenshots, term bases, feedback from stakeholders, etc.), and quickly submit their work for review.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same goes for reviewers and editors\u2014the platform allows them to get automated notifications when a project is ready for review, easily find the assigned tasks, review them, add notes or comments where appropriate, and flag any issues with the <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-quality\/\">translation quality<\/a>. If automated QA is enabled, the TMS can also flag consistency or quality issues automatically.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"reviewing-and-approving-translated-content\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reviewing and approving translated content<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The translation workflow normally involves an internal review and approval step to ensure the accuracy and suitability of all translations. The TMS allows multiple stakeholders, such as project managers, designers, developers, marketing specialists, or other domain experts to review the content from a central location.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The system also lets project managers provide feedback on the translations quickly and easily\u2014whether it\u2019s a simple comment about stylistic preferences or more detailed instructions on how to fix an issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, if a text line overflows a call-to-action button in a particular language, project managers can easily flag it so translators can provide alternative translations that fit the space better.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"re-importing-translated-content-for-publishing-back-to-the-source\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Re-importing translated content for publishing back to the source<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reintegrating the content from translated text to the final format is the last step of the workflow. Deploying the translated content into a project, or pushing it to a production environment is done automatically in the TMS platform.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All stakeholders get notifications when the process is complete, and developers can easily check that all translations are in place and ready for launch.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"choosing-the-best-translation-management-system-for-your-needs\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing the best translation management system for your needs<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the nature of your product or service, type of content you have, and desired language combinations, choosing the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/tms\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best translation management system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> requires a set of factors to consider. Let\u2019s have a look at the most important ones so you go for the TMS provider that best suits your business needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 650px;\">\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"height: 50px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 99.909%; height: 50px;\" colspan=\"2\">Evaluation factors for translation management systems<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Automation<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automating repetitive or manual tasks saves time and effort for both project managers and linguists. A good TMS will include features such as automated notifications, QA checks, and more.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Usability<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The TMS should be user-friendly, easy to learn and navigate, and provide a rich context experience that enables linguists to quickly find what they need.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Flexibility<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A flexible TMS should allow you to set up and customize workflows, review processes, roles, user rights, and access levels to best meet the needs of different teams and stakeholders.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Scalability<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Content-heavy companies shouldn\u2019t have to worry about how many words, languages, or projects the TMS can manage. A robust solution should be able to easily scale up to meet your organization\u2019s growing requirements.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Quality assurance<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides including traditional CAT tools such as translation memories and term bases, a modern TMS should be able to automate QA checks to help translators fix typos, formatting issues, incorrect tagging, inconsistencies in terminology, etc.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Support for different file formats<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS should offer support for multiple file types, such as DOC, DOCX, CSV, XLSX, and more.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Integration<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A TMS should provide native integrations with popular platforms and services\u2014content management systems, project management solutions, etc.\u2014with no need for middleware. Otherwise, make sure it has a strong API that can help you build your own integrations.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Predictable pricing<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To measure ROI, you need to understand the total cost of ownership, as well as identify any hidden costs that might arise in the long run. The best TMS will offer flexible and predictable pricing structures\u2014with no hidden fees for implementation, integration, training, maintenance, etc.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Machine translation capabilities<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you plan to use MT for a faster turnaround time, the TMS should offer a wide range of fully managed MT engines and automatically select the best engine for your content type and language pairs.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Access to data and customizable reporting<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to be able to easily track the progress of your projects, measure translation efficiency, and monitor performance. The system should provide informative metrics that will allow you to quickly identify trends, spot areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Technical and customer support<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reliable customer service should be available at any time you may need help setting up or using the system. The TMS vendor should also provide regular updates, training sessions, and other resources that will help you maximize your productivity.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Robust security<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The platform you select must guarantee secure data storage and transmission. Strict adherence to established regulations, two-factor authentication, on-premise hosting behind your firewall, and regular security audits are essential for protecting your data.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%; background-color: #f4f4f4;\"><b>Free trial period<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 49.9545%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to be able to try out the platform before committing. The best TMS will offer a free trial period, allowing you to test the system and make sure it fits your business needs.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"supercharge-your-translation-management-with-phrase-tms\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supercharge your translation management with Phrase TMS<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s possible to get all of the above\u2014and more\u2014from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/tms\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phrase TMS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the enterprise-ready translation management system within the Phrase Localization Platform. Companies worldwide rely on Phase TMS to reach global markets more quickly by efficiently translating their website, product documentation, sales presentations, marketing content, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With Phrase TMS, you get:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A fully-featured CAT tool with advanced features such as automated QA checks and a visual editor with real-time previews of translated content<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Powerful automation capabilities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/support.phrase.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/5709688865692-Translation-Memories-Overview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation memory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep you from translating the same work twice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/support.phrase.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/5709733372188-Term-Bases-Overview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Term base<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to help translators stick to your preferred terminology<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automated <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/solutions\/translation-quality-assurance\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation quality assurance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep translations accurate and consistent<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30+ integrations, from content management systems and marketing automation platforms to source code repositories and other 3rd-party systems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The choice to utilize add-ons for what matters most to your organization:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/orchestrator\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phrase Orchestrator<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for building automated workflows<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/analytics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phrase Analytics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for creating detailed custom reports<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/ai\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phrase Language AI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for leveraging machine translation technology<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The possibility to order <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/solutions\/pro-translation-services\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">professional translation services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in one click and manage them from within a single platform<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Robust security features to ensure secure data storage and transmission<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comprehensive technical support and customer service<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A predictable and flexible pricing model<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A free trial period to test the platform before committing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phrase TMS is the best choice for enterprises looking to speed up their translation process and expand their global reach in the native language of their customers. Try it out today, and see why it\u2019s the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">top-ranked translation translation<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> management system on the market.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_6411e3a19cf73\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta bg--green image--orientation-landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image image--align-middle\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1260\" height=\"1159\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531.png\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"Phrase TMS | Phrase\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531.png 1260w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531-300x276.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531-1024x942.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/TMS_Hero-e1678895852531-768x706.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"subhead\">Phrase TMS<\/p>\n<p class=\"secondary h6\">The enterprise-ready translation management system<\/p>\n<p class=\"small\">Work with the leading TMS to automate translation workflows with cost control and quality checks.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/tms\/\">Explore Phrase TMS<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Businesses expanding globally use a translation management system to translate content efficiently. Learn what makes a TMS and how to choose the right one for your needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":45611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"class_list":["post-8660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-translation-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8660"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8660"}],"version-history":[{"count":136,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88829,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8660\/revisions\/88829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}