A translation job does not consist of text alone: the request, the quote, the file, the team, the memory, the delivery and the invoice are also parts of the same job. A translation management system gathers these in one place. It is confused with a translation tool, but it works at a different layer.
Definition
The system is the environment in which jobs and resources are managed. It does not translate the text, it manages the process. The layer is different.
How it differs from a translation tool
A translation tool is the environment in which the text is worked on. A management system manages the job itself. The two can be used together.
Job record management
Every job is opened as a record and its status is tracked. Dependence on personal notes disappears. Continuity is ensured.
File management
Source, working and delivery files are kept in one place. Scattered files get lost. Order is established.
Resource management
Memories and termbases are managed centrally. Everyone uses the same version. Consistency increases.
Team assignment
Jobs are assigned to people through the system. Capacity becomes visible. Clashes are prevented.
Workflow definition
The order of the steps is defined in the system. Skipping a step becomes harder. The process is secured.
Automatic transitions
When a step is completed, the next step opens automatically. Waiting times shorten. Coordination decreases.
Notifications
The people concerned are informed automatically. The burden of manual reminders falls. The flow speeds up.
Client portal
Some systems allow the client to open a job directly. This puts the flow of requests in order. It requires setting up.
Analysis and quote generation
The system can generate the analysis report and the quote automatically. The calculation becomes consistent. Human error decreases.
Reporting
Volume, turnaround and utilisation reports are taken from the system. Measuring the process becomes easier. Data accumulates.
Link to invoicing
Commercial records are linked to the job record. No item is left open. The close-out is completed.
Access authorisation
Who has access to what is defined. Confidentiality is enforced technically. The restriction is monitored.
Audit trail
Who did what and when is recorded in the system. This trail is used in an audit. Responsibility is attributed.
The set-up burden
Setting up and learning the system takes time. At a small scale the burden may exceed the gain. The decision is taken according to scale.
Data location
In cloud-based systems the data sits with the provider. It is assessed in terms of confidentiality. The terms are read.
Tool lock-in
The data must be exportable. A closed system creates dependency. The exit route is asked about.
The need for process discipline
The system is useful only if it is used regularly. An incomplete record produces a wrong picture. Discipline is supported.
Phased migration
The system is not brought into use for all processes at once; the start is made with the job record and file management. A phased migration both makes learning easier and reduces the risk of interruption. The next phase begins once each phase has settled in.
The parallel period
During the migration the old and the new arrangement may run side by side for a time. In this period, keeping records in two places produces confusion. The cut-off date is set at the outset.
What it is confused with
A translation management system is often taken to be the same thing as a translation tool. One works on the text, the other around the job; an organisation uses both at once, and the two solve different problems.