Overview
- Is this the right guide for you?
- What is a translation management system?
- Translation management system vs. CAT tool: what's the difference?
- Why do businesses use a translation management system?
- What to look for in a translation management system
- How to choose the right one for your situation
- How do you know if you're using the wrong TMS?
- Frequently asked questions
- One project or ongoing translation? Start here
Is this the right guide for you?
Translation management systems aren't all built for the same job. Many of the best-known platforms are designed for software, app, or website localisation — teams with developers, code repositories, and strings of text pulled from a codebase.
This guide is written for a different situation: translating documents — product catalogues, technical datasheets, brochures, InDesign files, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations — usually managed by one or two people in a marketing team, without a dedicated localisation department or an engineering team involved. If that's your situation, keep reading. If you're localising software strings or a codebase, you'll want a developer-focused platform instead.
What is a translation management system?
A translation management system, or TMS, is a platform for managing document translation from a single place — instead of spreading it across email threads, agency quotes, and copy-pasted text.
At its core, a TMS does three things: it stores your Translation Memory (every segment you've translated before, ready to reuse), it enforces a Glossary (so "control panel" doesn't become three different phrases across three translators), and it hands translated documents back in their original file format — InDesign, Word, PowerPoint, Excel — with the layout intact.
Not every TMS is built the same way. Some are designed for software and app localisation — developers pulling strings from a codebase. Others are built for enterprise localisation teams with vendor management and API workflows. Redokun is built specifically for marketing teams at manufacturing companies who translate documents — catalogues, datasheets, brochures — and don't have a dedicated localisation department.
Translation management system vs. CAT tool: what's the difference?
The two terms get used interchangeably, but they're not the same thing.
A CAT tool (Computer-Assisted Translation tool) is what an individual translator uses to translate — the editor where they work segment by segment, often with Translation Memory suggestions built in.
A translation management system is the platform around that work: it manages the whole project — files, translators, Glossary, revisions, and delivery — not just the act of translating one document. Most modern translation management systems, including Redokun, include a CAT-style editor as one part of a larger workflow.
If you're a freelance translator working on your own, a CAT tool alone may be enough. If you're managing translation for a team, across multiple translators and multiple documents, you need the management layer a TMS provides.
Why do businesses use a translation management system?
Most teams start looking for a TMS after hitting the same wall: a catalogue update that used to take a few days now takes three weeks, because every translator is starting from a blank page and every file needs manual reformatting afterwards.
Your translators stop starting from scratch. Translation Memory stores every confirmed translation and resurfaces it when the same or similar text appears again. A revised 60-page catalogue doesn't mean 60 pages of new translation — most of it is already filled in before anyone opens the file.
Terminology stays consistent without manual checking. A Glossary means every translator, on every document, uses the same approved terms. Nobody has to remember that this product line's name is never translated, or that "the technical datasheet" always says "datasheet," never "spec sheet."
Files come back in the format you sent them. No exporting to Word, sending to a designer, and waiting for the layout to be rebuilt. An InDesign file goes in as InDesign and comes back as InDesign.
Fewer emails, less version confusion. Translators, reviewers, and project owners work in one shared place instead of a scattered thread of attachments and "which version is this" messages.
Revisions don't mean starting over. When a source document changes, Quick Revisions identifies only the new or edited segments. Translators see what changed, not the whole document again.
These aren't abstract benefits. Rockfon cut production time by 70% on multi-market catalogue translation. EMS increased campaign output by 300% across its markets. Carlisle Fluid Technologies saved $200,000 by moving translation in-house onto a managed platform instead of paying per-project agency rates.
What to look for in a translation management system
Not all of these matter equally to every team — but these are the categories worth checking before you commit to one.
1. Translation Memory
This is the feature that makes your second project faster than your first. Look for a TMS where Translation Memory builds automatically as you translate and applies across future projects, not just within a single document. Ask whether existing translation memories can be imported if you're switching from another tool or an agency relationship.
2. Glossary
A shared, enforced Glossary is what keeps terminology consistent when multiple translators are working across multiple markets. Check how many entries are included per language pair, and whether the Glossary applies automatically during translation or has to be checked manually.
3. AI pre-translation
Most modern platforms offer AI translation (DeepL, Google Translate, ChatGPT, or similar) to pre-fill segments before a human translator reviews them. The AI should work alongside Translation Memory and Glossary, not instead of them — AI translation on its own doesn't guarantee consistent terminology or brand tone. It's a starting point for translators to review and confirm, not a replacement for them.
4. File format support and layout preservation
Check the specific formats you actually work with — InDesign, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, XLIFF, JSON, SRT — rather than a vague "supports multiple formats" claim. If InDesign is part of your workflow, confirm the platform handles paragraph styles, linked files, and text variables correctly, not just plain text.
5. Project and progress management
You should be able to see, at a glance, which documents are translated, which are in review, and which translator is working on what — without chasing status updates over email.
6. Ease of use for non-specialists
If nobody on your team has a localisation background, the platform needs to be usable without training. Test this directly during a trial: how long does it take to upload a file, invite a translator, and see a first translated segment?
7. Support and data security
Confirm how translation data is stored and protected, particularly if you're translating confidential or pre-launch product information. And check how responsive support actually is — a support page that hasn't been updated recently is a signal worth noting.
How to choose the right one for your situation
You don't need to evaluate every TMS on the market — you need the one that matches your project.
Start with what you're actually trying to get done. Are you translating one specific document for one deadline, or is this an ongoing part of how your team works? The two situations need different tools, and being clear on which one you're in narrows your options immediately.
Check what your team actually needs, not what the market offers. A platform's full feature list matters less than whether it covers your language pairs, your document types, and your volume. If you translate one catalogue a year, you don't need enterprise vendor management. If you translate every month across eight markets, you need Translation Memory and Glossary working hard for you.
Try it on a real project before committing. The only way to know if a tool fits is to use it on something real — not a sandbox file. Most platforms offer a trial. Use it to upload an actual document, invite an actual translator, and see how the file comes back.
How do you know if you're using the wrong TMS?
If you're already using a TMS and something feels off, these are the most common signs it isn't the right fit:
You spend more time in the help documentation than in the platform. A tool that requires a lot of learning before it's useful is working against you, not for you.
You keep manually fixing what the software produces. If translated files consistently need reformatting after export, either the platform doesn't handle your file type properly, or your source files aren't set up in a way the tool can work with.
Routine updates cause chaos. If updating a document means re-uploading it as a new project and re-inviting every translator — even for a small change — the platform isn't built for revisions. A proper Quick Revisions feature should flag only what changed and leave the rest untouched.
Frequently asked questions
Is a translation management system the same as a translation agency?
No. A translation agency provides human translators as a service, usually per project. A TMS is software your team (or your agency, or a mix of both) works within. Many teams use a TMS alongside an existing agency or freelance relationship, rather than instead of one.
Do I need a TMS if I only translate once or twice a year?
Not necessarily as an ongoing subscription. If translation is occasional rather than regular, a one-off workspace built for a single project — such as Project Pass — usually makes more sense than a recurring subscription you won't use for months at a time.
Can a translation management system handle InDesign files?
Not all of them. InDesign translation is one of the more technically demanding parts of document translation — paragraph styles, linked files, and layout all need to survive the process. Confirm this specifically before choosing a tool if InDesign is part of your workflow.
Does AI translation replace the need for a TMS?
No. AI translation engines (DeepL, Google Translate, ChatGPT, and others) translate text, but they don't manage projects, maintain a Glossary and Translation Memory across translators, or preserve document layout. A TMS uses AI as one part of a larger, managed workflow.
How much does a translation management system cost?
Pricing varies widely by provider and model — one-off project pricing, monthly subscriptions, and per-word or per-seat pricing are all common. Compare based on your actual volume and team size rather than a single headline price.
One project or ongoing translation? Start here
Once you know what to look for, the next decision is how you want to start.
If you have one project right now — a catalogue launch, a regulatory document, a datasheet update — and no ongoing translation need, Project Pass is built for exactly that. One price, no subscription, and everything carries over if you decide to continue afterwards.
If translation is a regular part of how your team works, a free 14-day trial of the Workspace Plan lets you evaluate the full platform — Translation Memory, Glossary, AI pre-translation, and Quick Revisions — before committing to a subscription.
Either way, you don't need to guess. Upload a real file and see how it comes back.
