Translation management
Description
In the early days of localization, translation management was a manual task dominated by spreadsheets, email attachments and disconnected files. Today, it is a sophisticated operational function that sits at the heart of global business strategy. Effective translation management is about orchestration: aligning the flow of content from creation (in a CMS or code repository) to translation (by linguists or AI) and back to publication.
At the core of this discipline is the Translation Management System (TMS). This technology centralizes linguistic assets – such as translation memory (TM) and terminology databases – and automates administrative tasks. Instead of a project manager manually emailing files to five different translators, the system automatically routes content based on Language pair, availability and expertise. However, translation management is more than just software; it is a methodology. It involves defining quality standards, selecting the right mix of Human + AI workflows (such as machine translation post-editing (MTPE / post-editing) versus transcreation) and analyzing performance data. Modern translation managers use analytics to track cost-per-word, turnaround times and vendor performance, allowing them to continuously refine their operations.
Example use cases
- Orchestration: Building automated pipelines that route content from authoring tools to linguists.
- Coordination: Managing relationships, assignments and invoicing for multiple LSPs.
- Tracking: Monitoring spend across departments and languages to ensure budgets are used effectively.
- Governance: Implementing mandatory QA checks and review steps to ensure compliance.
- Agility: Synchronizing translation workflows with software development sprints.
Key benefits
RWS perspective
At RWS, we define the standard for translation management. Through Trados, we provide the technology that underpins the world’s global supply chain of content.
We believe that successful translation management requires a seamless integration of Human + Technology. It is not about replacing project managers; it is about giving them "superpowers" through Smart Insights and automation. Our platforms connect content repositories directly to linguistic AI (Language Weaver) and human experts, creating a unified ecosystem. This allows organizations to move from reactive "translation handling" to proactive "global content orchestration," ensuring that every message is delivered with precision and impact.