What is a Translation Management System? 10 Best TMS in 2024

Are you a global translation and localisation service provider who needs help managing the workflow efficiently? Then, why not opt for Translation management systems? Managing a web-based global business is challenging but possible. With TMS coming into play, workflow management has significantly enhanced efficiency. But what is a translation management system? How beneficial are they? How do you choose the right one for your business? This comprehensive guide discusses translation management systems, commonly known as translation management software (TMS). Let’s begin!

What Is A Translation Management System?

A translation management system (TMS), also referred to as a globalization management system (GMS), is a software tool designed to streamline the human translation process. Most importantly, its primary goal is to facilitate efficient working practices for human translators by automating routine administrative tasks and non-critical functions involved in the translation process. Furthermore, it enables human translators to concentrate exclusively on the more creative aspects of translation, editing, and review. Translation management systems vary in scope, from localized tools installed on individual computers to web-based solutions integrated into the customer’s existing systems.

What Is Localization?

Adapting a product, service, advertising, or any other content to a specific market is known as localization. Often mistaken for translation, localization involves more than just translating text or content from one language to another. It also entails adapting to various factors defining a particular group, such as time zones, gender roles, national holidays, product beliefs, and cultural references. The ultimate objective of localization is to give your content the appearance and sensation of being specifically tailored for each target market you are trying to reach.

Are Localization And Translation Different?

Feature	Localization	Translation
Scope	Adapting a product or content for a specific target market	Converting text from one language to another
Focus	Culturally sensitive content adaptation, linguistic nuances, user experience	Linguistic accuracy and precision
Process	Involves translation but also includes cultural sensitivity, formatting adjustments, and technical considerations	A certified or non-certified translator translates content from one language to another
Team	Translators, cultural experts, project managers, engineers, designers	Primarily translators and language experts
Examples	Adapting software interfaces, marketing materials, websites, and user manuals to local markets	Converting product descriptions, legal documents, and articles from one language to another
Goal	To create a seamless user experience in the target market	To convey the original meaning accurately in the target language

Functions Of Translation Management System (TMS)

Managing Memory

One of TMS’s best features is its extensive database, which records and saves previously translated content, as well as its source and target languages. This is also known as Translation Memory.
Therefore, when working on a similar translation and localization project, translation software reduces translation costs and time to market.
Finally, the entire process becomes smooth and consistent, notably decreasing localization efforts and potential errors.

Managing Reporting

Most businesses leverage business management tools to get real-time project status, manage deadlines, and allocate resources appropriately.
Furthermore, TMS provides timely reports on productivity, quality metrics, and costing. Modern translation management platforms help you create a collaborative working environment as they pinpoint areas of improvement.

Managing Terminology

Online Translation Management Systems have an extensive database of terms catering to different languages, which not only helps maintain accuracy but also helps in precise translation across various languages.
Furthermore, it helps the translation editors with a reliable reference for terminologies, thereby improving translation quality.

Managing Translation Workflow

Most businesses fail because of unorganized workflows. However, using a TMS can make your translation workflow efficient. It can handle large project setups and multiple assignments while tracking them from start to finish.
Furthermore, good communication will positively impact the entire business. Process automation facilitates better communication among stakeholders, project managers, translators, and editors.

Managing Integrated Machine Translation (MT)

TMS minimises manual tasks by automating the initial translation process. It is important that your TMS also integrates with code repositories like GitHub.
Furthermore, if you leverage the power of a human translator to review and edit the translated work, you will be able to reach a better impact of localization effort.

How To Choose The Best Translation Management System For The Localization Process?

Identify and define your specific translation needs and budget.
TMS should also focus on your business growth in the long term, not just the short term.
Check that the TMS vendor offers the necessary integration tools as well as is compatible with your existing system.
Always request free trials before deciding on a TMS to ensure they align with your requirements.
The TMS should be reviewed, and the necessary case studies should be read to understand the user’s experience.

Important Features Of Translation Management Systems

Data Security

First and foremost, we have the data security feature. TMS stores information in the cloud. Therefore, it is important to check for end-to-end translation data security policies and ensure that your data is safe, secure, and encrypted. Make sure to choose the right TMS service provider because transparency, confidentiality, and security are of primary importance in translation.

Sufficient Language Pairs

Next, we have language support. Choose the right one by checking the list of languages it supports. TMS should allow different languages and dialects because TMS should help make your language translation smooth and effortless. For instance, if you are a translation service provider mainly catering to German to English, Spanish to Malay, Urdu to English, etc., you must have an enterprise Translation Management System to manage content in all these languages.

Project Management Tools

If you prioritise effective business management, then enable the use of friendly translation tools because these tools help your project managers keep track of the ongoing work without switching between multiple platforms, and they reduce the need to maintain multiple spreadsheets. Also, it helps monitor translation progress, organise files and projects, and manage permissions for various projects and databases effectively.

Timely and Reliable Support

A good Translation Management System (TMS) includes an API or Application Program Interface that connects to machine translation engines. Therefore, they sometimes require maintenance and troubleshooting. Therefore, while choosing a TMS, it is important to check for timely and reliable support along with a subscription because glitches may appear at any time, and they should be immediately addressed.

Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) Tools

The best TMS should provide a good CAT tool. This software helps translators with complex translations by significantly enhancing translation efficiency, consistency, and overall quality. Translation Memory helps improve efficiency and consistency; Machine Translation, with the help of AI translation tools, can improve translation processes, and Automatic File Formatting handles large and various file types.

Benefits Of Using Translation Management Software

While people mostly believe that the Translation Management System benefits businesses in localization workflow management, in reality, TMS enhances project visibility, increases efficiency and productivity, improves the quality of translation, reduces translation cost, and, above all, smoothly handles scalability. Below, we explained this in detail:

Enhanced Project Visibility and Control:

Real-time Tracking: Firstly, TMS helps monitor project progress, maintain deadlines, and budget with real-time data.
Improved Collaboration: Secondly, it enhances effective communication between stakeholders because they can easily access project information.
Risk Mitigation: Lastly, it ensures quality assurance as one can proactively identify and address potential issues in translation projects.

Increased Efficiency and Productivity:

Automation: In fact, TMS integration saves time by automating repetitive tasks such as file transfer, format conversion, and terminology management. For instance, if you use TMS for Audiovisual translations, you can streamline the process.
Centralised Platform: Furthermore, it effectively stores all translation project-related information in one place, thereby improving organisation and collaboration.
Faster Turnaround Times: Moreover, you can streamline your localization workflows, leading to quicker project completion and saving you time.

Improved Translation Quality:

Consistency: Computer-assisted translation ensures consistency throughout the translated text, terminology, as well as style through translation memories and glossaries.
QA Checks: TMS can help maintain the quality of translation because it has built-in quality assurance features that help identify errors and inconsistencies.

Cost Reduction:

Optimised Resource Allocation: Additionally, TMS can help you identify cost-saving opportunities because it has features like translation memory (TM) and machine translation (MT).
Reduced Errors: Likewise, it smoothens the content management system by finding errors in translated content beforehand, saving you time spent on revisions and corrections.

Scalability:

Flexible Platform: TMS can handle not only projects of any size but also the complexity of any type of content.
Easy Expansion: As your business grows, the TMS can accommodate increased translation needs.
Global Reach: Most TMS platforms support content in multiple languages and regions.

10 Most Popular Translation Management Systems In 2024 To Localize Your Content

Memoq:

Memoq easily integrates with various machine translation engines, business management tools, and external translation memory (TM) databases.
The QA check modules also allow companies and businesses to check translations and measure the quality of their vendors.

Lokalise:

Lokalise enables its users to use automated translation workflows as it has API/CLI. Furthermore, it can be integrated with GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket.
It not only allows users to localise designs faster by connecting to Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD but also allows them to share visual content with translators for better management.
The most striking feature is that users can collaborate with project managers, team members, or stakeholders via chat. The built-in chat option, Slack, Jira, e-mail, and Asana enhance productivity.

Crowdin:

Crowdin is integrated with GitLab, GitHub, Google Play, Bitbucket, JIRA, etc.
Furthermore, one can even order certified translations as they work with professional human translations.
The community platform also lets managers, volunteers, in-house proofreaders and editors engage in casual communication.

Transifex:

Transifex can efficiently manage language files such as Yaml, Gettext, and XLIFF.
Developers prefer Transifex because of its command-line feature and polished translation storage engine for managing translated content.

Wordbee:

Wordbee functions include project management, business analytics, portal reporting, invoicing, as well as an user-friendly translation editor.
It completely automates tasks such as translation projects and workflow setup and further streamlines tedious tasks such as job assignments, multiple-phase kick-offs, deadline calculation, and cost management.

Smartling:

Smartling prioritises business management; therefore, it has a robust process automation measure.
It also allows collaboration with various marketing automation, content management systems, code repository, eCommerce platforms, and customer support platforms.
The most use cases include Spotify, British Airways, and WeWork.

Consoltec:

Consoltec is one of the fully personalised web portals that is widely used by translation providers, clients, and project management teams.
Also, one can easily connect Consoltec to CAT tools like SDL Studio, memoQ, and LogiTerm.

XTM Cloud:

XTM Cloud is an online CAT tool and translation management system (TMS). It can be installed on your server or used as a pay-as-you-go SaaS.
Pros: You do not need installation, hardware, or maintenance costs.
Moreover, it offers templates to create new projects from common file types.

SDL Trados GroupShare:

SDL Trados’s functions include process automation, advanced linguistic technology, business management services, content integration, and flexible customisation.
Furthermore, when aligned with SDL Trados Studio, it provides consistent reports and analysis of translation projects.

Phrase (Formerly Memsource):

One of Phrase‘s primary features is that its users can review translations and leave comments for the translators.
It is best suited for developers because it features command-line tools integrated with a translation storage engine for managing translated content.

Why Do Small Businesses Still Do Not Use A Translation Management System?

Time Constraints

Though translation management tools can help run the business smoothly in the long run, most small business owners are consumed by day-to-day activities, leaving them with no time to implement new tools.

Reluctant To Change

Furthermore, most small businesses are reluctant to change or new ideas. This might be because they are not only comfortable with the old operations but also not confident about the risks included with new ideas.

Lack Of Enough Budget

Implementing TMS comes with a cost. Furthermore, integrations with GitHub and similar code repositories incur extra costs and training expenses. However, small businesses operate on a tight budget, making this an expensive option.

Lack Of Technical Expertise

Tools like Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch must be learned properly to ensure the smooth running of TMS. However, most small businesses lack the technical expertise to understand these, which hinders adoption.

How Much Does A Translation Management System Cost?

The cost of TMS depends on variables like the organisation’s size, number of users, language pair required, features and functionalities, and deployment model. To elaborate, small businesses can opt for a cheaper basic plan starting at $29 per month, whereas mid-size companies can opt for TMS plans ranging from $100 to $500. As for large enterprises, TMS plans may cost thousands of dollars.

Furthermore, if your organisation has many users and offers translations in multiple languages, you must subscribe to a plan that caters to numerous users and supports various languages. Likewise, API access and MT integration will incur more. Lastly, cloud-based TMS are costlier as they have upfront and maintenance costs.