Mirela
When you’re looking to deliver content in multiple languages, you want to do it as quickly, accurately, and consistently as possible. There are plenty of tools that streamline the translation process, but one stands out from the rest as it offers so many advantages to localization teams. Learn about the benefits of translation memory (TM) , from speeding up project timelines to reducing costs.
Increased efficiency and speed
This is probably the main advantage mentioned by everyone working with a TM feature: the speed it brings to the translation process. It’s simple; each time a translator encounters a phrase that has been translated before, TM retrieves that phrase from the database. Naturally, you end up saving time that would otherwise be spent on re-translation.
The State of the Art in Translation Memory Technology research paper indicates that using translation memory can reduce translation delivery time by an average of 50% and decrease translation updates by 20–30%.
This feature is especially valuable in projects with repetitive or standardized text (e.g.,technical manuals or legal documents), where TM can reduce translation time significantly. By using TM, translators can thus focus their energy on translating new content rather than just re-translating the same phrases over and over again.
Improved consistency
Consistency is essential in professional translation, especially in industries where specific terminology is key, such as medicine, technology, and finance. Translation memory helps maintain consistency by suggesting identical or similar translations for repeated terms and phrases.
The result is that it’s less likely to end up with minor variations or misunderstandings in the translated text. This, in turn, leads to a more polished and cohesive final product. Same goes for brand-related or corporate language, where consistency in terminology and tone can be just as important as grammatical accuracy.
When surveyed on their perceptions around TM use, the leading reasons translators gave for using TM were time savings (cited by 86%), maintaining consistency in terminology (83%), and enhancing translation quality (70%).
Enhanced quality and accuracy
There’s also a lesser risk of human error when using TM. When translators work with TM, they have a record of approved phrases and terminology at their fingertips, so it’s less likely that they’ll accidentally introduce inaccuracies, miss important terms, or be inconsistent in their translations.
We could also argue that TM minimizes the cognitive load on translators, who can focus more on challenging new content rather than rechecking repeated phrases. Hence, with more time to focus on other terms, the quality of the translations is more likely to increase.
TM also provides context for previous translations, and you’ll see how this is helpful for phrases that have multiple meanings. TM systems often include information about where a term or phrase was used. Thanks to this, translators will understand the nuances and choose the most contextually appropriate option.
Cost savings
Translation memory also offers substantial cost savings over time. When working with TM, translation providers often offer discounts on “repeated” or “100% matched” phrases because these segments require minimal review. This means that the more an organization uses TM, the more they can save, as the database accumulates and allows for reuse. This long-term cost-effectiveness is particularly appealing for organizations with ongoing, large-scale translation needs.
Bernhard Beumer Maschinenfabrik KG, a global manufacturer of intralogistics systems, reported a 30% reduction in translation costs after implementing translation memory (TM), according to a research paper by the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
An asset for future projects
Once built, a TM becomes something which you can use as a resource for future projects. The more you use it, the more useful it becomes. If you’re a business that frequently releases new product updates, marketing campaigns, or documents, TM truly becomes a strategic asset. You can even adapt and expand it over time, enhancing its value as more content is translated and stored.
Use POEditor’s translation memory
Now that you understand the benefits of translation memory, it’s time to put this feature to the test. POEditor’s TM feature is a powerful asset for teams looking to streamline and enhance the localization process. With a paid POEditor subscription, TM is enabled by default, allowing you and your team to access previously translated terms and phrases effortlessly.
One of the unique aspects of POEditor’s TM is that it stores translations per user, allowing for more refined, user-specific TM records. Each time a user revises a term, the translation memory updates accordingly, keeping track of each contributor’s latest choices. If multiple users have translated the same term in different ways, the TM offers a list of options, ranked by usage frequency, so you can quickly select the preferred translation.
Our TM feature is also designed to work intelligently with a Default Reference Language. If an exact term match isn’t available, the TM will check for translations in your chosen reference language, offering suggestions based on close similarities. This is particularly helpful when dealing with projects that include terms with slight variations across contexts.
For teams working on large projects, POEditor’s bulk translation loading feature is invaluable. With just a few clicks, you can auto-populate empty translation boxes in a chosen language by scanning through the TM database. This allows your team to focus their efforts on new content while ensuring existing, high-quality translations are applied consistently across projects.