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Translation management software (a TMS) is the tool teams use to organize, automate and control translation work: it stores your source content and translations, connects to the tools where that content resides, and gives translators, reviewers and managers one place to work. The right TMS saves time, reduces errors, and keeps translations consistent. Below you’ll learn about the features to check before you choose one.
User-friendly interface
A TMS should let both technical and non-technical users work without hassle. An easy-to-use system shortens the learning curve, so teams adopt it quickly and focus on translation. Look for quick access to the essentials: creating projects, assigning languages, translating, and tracking progress.
Workflow automation
Also important is workflow automation, the cornerstone of modern TMS platforms. It includes features like automated file handling, notifications, and task assignments. These help save time and reduce manual errors. Thanks to workflow automation, you ensure that translation tasks move smoothly through the pipeline, from initial submission to final approval. If you’re a business operating on tight schedules, the integration of automated workflows is a must-have translation management software feature.
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You also need to be able to integrate your TMS with existing tools. A good system should connect with development tools, content management systems, design software, and other tools your organization uses regularly. Integrations keep content updates and translations in sync. TMSs should also offer an API and webhooks for custom integrations, which matters for businesses with specialized needs.
AI translation with your own models
Large language models are now part of everyday localization. A TMS should let you choose the AI provider and model you trust, use your own account with that provider, and control the prompt and terminology the model uses. That way you have the costs and data under your control, and the AI follows your style instead of a generic one.
Support for many file formats
Products store text in many formats, from JSON, XML and XLIFF to PO files and Android/iOS strings. Choose a TMS that imports and exports all of the formats you use without manual conversion, and that keeps keys, placeholders and plurals intact.
Translation memory (TM)
Translation memory is indispensable for maintaining consistency in multilingual content. A TMS that comes with TM stores previously translated content and automatically reuses it when similar text appears in new projects. It’s a great way to speed up the translation process. It also ensures uniformity across your documents.
Statistics show that incorporating TM in your localization workflow can result in productivity gains ranging from 10% to 70%, cutting down delivery time by an average of 50%.
Glossary management
Glossary management, on the other hand, gives a centralized repository for brand-specific terms, industry jargon, and preferred phrasing. Translators, machine translation, and AI translation can all follow it, which keeps your brand voice consistent in every language. It’s very important that the output resonates with the target audience.
Machine translation integration
Machine translation is such a valuable tool in modern localization, and countless businesses rely on it to handle large volumes of content. A TMS that integrates machine translation offers a significant advantage, because users can quickly generate initial drafts and accelerate the translation process.
According to statistics, more than 70% of independent language professionals are utilizing machine translation to varying extents. Marketing professionals are using this technology too; about nearly 40% of the them embrace machine translation, and more than 80% are satisfied with the quality of the output.
Automated quality checks
Automated quality help you figure out if the translations meet predefined standards of accuracy, consistency, and completeness before they are finalized. Look for a TMS with built-in quality assurance tools that can detect issues such as spelling errors, grammatical inconsistencies, untranslated segments, and formatting discrepancies. Newer systems also score AI and machine translations, so reviewers know which strings need attention and which are ready to publish.
Scalability
In time, you might expand into other markets, and the number of languages, strings and people will grow too. A scalable TMS handles bigger projects and more contributors without slowing down, and its pricing grows predictably with your usage.
Security and compliance
Your TMS holds unreleased product text and sometimes customer content. Ask where the data is stored, which certifications the vendor holds (such as ISO 27001), whether it’s GDPR compliant, and whether it supports single sign-on and two-factor authentication.
Good customer support
When you set up a TMS, having reliable customer support can make all the difference. From initial setup and onboarding to troubleshooting and ongoing maintenance, proper customer support enables your team to resolve any issue quickly and get the most out of the platform. A responsive support team can guide users through technical challenges and provide best practices to optimize usage. This is a key translation management software feature for ensuring smooth operation and maximizing ROI from the software.
Your little checklist for choosing a TMS
| Feature | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Interface | Can a translator start working without training? |
| Workflow automation | Which steps can run automatically, and from which plan? |
| Integrations | Does it connect to our repository, design tool and team chat? Is there an API? |
| AI translation | Which AI providers can we use, with our own account? Can we edit the prompt? |
| File formats | Does it support every format we use, including plurals and placeholders? |
| Translation memory | Is TM shared across projects? Can we manage and clean it up? |
| Glossary | Do machine and AI translation follow the glossary? |
| Machine translation | Which engines are available, and can we use our own keys? |
| Quality checks | Which errors are caught automatically? Is AI output scored? |
| Scalability | How do price and limits change as we add languages and strings? |
| Security | Where is data hosted? Which certifications does the vendor hold? Is SSO available? |
| Support | How fast does support answer, and is onboarding help included? |
How translation management software is priced
Pricing models differ, so compare them on your real usage. The most common drivers are the number of strings or words you translate, the number of users or seats, and access to advanced features. POEditor, for example, prices plans by the number of strings and the features they include, with unlimited contributors on every paid plan.
Why choose POEditor as your TMS
We designed POEditor with flexibility and collaboration in mind, so that it caters to businesses of all sizes. It’s the ideal tool for developers, project managers, and localization experts. And the reason for that is that our platform offers the translation management software features you need.
And it does cover the features above:
- Formats and integrations: a wide range of file formats, including JSON, XML, PO and XLIFF, on every plan, plus integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure Repos, Figma, Slack and Microsoft Teams.
- AI and machine translation: use your own OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini), Azure AI or Amazon Bedrock account, with custom prompts, or machine translation engines such as Google Translate, DeepL and Azure AI Translator.
- Consistency and quality: translation memory, glossaries, QA checks and AI Translation Quality Evaluation.
- Automation: workflows that translate, tag or flag strings automatically, plus the API and webhooks.
- Security: ISO 27001 certified, GDPR compliant, hosted in the EU.
Whether you’re a startup or a large enterprise, POEditor’s scalable pricing plans make it accessible to businesses with varying localization needs.
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Subscribe to the POEditor platform today!Frequently asked questions
What is translation management software?
It’s software that stores your source content and translations, automates the translation workflow and gives your team one place to translate, review and track progress.
Is a TMS only for large companies?
No. Small teams use a TMS as soon as they support a few languages or release often, because they don’t have to manage files manually. Many, including POEditor, have free or low-cost plans.
What is the difference between a TMS and a CAT tool?
A CAT tool helps one translator work faster on a document. A TMS manages the whole process: projects, people, integrations and automation.
Can a TMS translate with AI?
Yes. TMSs like POEditor integrate large language models and machine translation engines, and the best ones let you choose the model and review the output.
Does translation management software actually speed up time to market?
Yes, mainly by removing manual hand-offs. Strings sync automatically with your code repository, translation memory and AI translation shorten translation time, and QA checks catch errors before release. The gain is biggest for teams that release often.