It is a category of software that helps translation companies manages their project interactions with their clients. It tremendously simplifies task of corporate and freelance workflow management, data and files sharing within company and provides multiple benefits for each team member. In our industry the TPMS is beneficial to both a large enterprise and a small enterprise having respective employees working in the designation of System Administrators, General Management, Sales Representatives, Project Managers, Human Resources Managers and Accountants.
Whatsoever software company you choose, be sure you have the following basic modules enabled in your TPMS:
For System Administrators
To meet the specific needs of the translation agency there should be a module for system administrators with reliable database platform where in the administrators can login to the database over the LAN or the Internet and manage access to every area in the database and the work stations where it is installed.
For General Management
The module should cater to the account management system with file storage system and of course reports generation for analyzing the accounts i.e. you should clearly see which jobs are done, due today and overdue by navigating in the folders of job assignments.
For Sales Representatives
Lead management becomes easy as there are follow-up reminders for the would be customers. The quotations and other marketing notes can be referred from time to time.
Project Managers
This module should show the project structure of corporate jobs and freelance jobs, which correspond to each client job.
Human Resources Managers
It should have an ability to create and continuously enhance the database of the recruited freelance experts and it should also cater to the recruitment process of your company.
For Account Managers
This module will help the accounts people to make the invoices of the clients, approve the costs given to the translators and clients, issue PO to the translators, numbering of quotes, jobs, invoices and payments, maintain the currency exchange rates for accounting purpose and maintain payment details.
By using the translation management system with the above features, you can double productivity of your project managers. And there are many other benefits for System Administrator, General Management, Sales Representatives, Project Managers, Human Resources Managers, Corporate Experts, and Accountants.
As for translation project management software, there are a few pieces you can choose from:
1. Projetex : best suited for small to middle-size agencies; server-client architecture; Firebird database. Very good low-cost solution I have been using for over two years.
2. QuaHill: web-based project management solution for middle-size to large translation agencies; sold in sets including different modules. Never had chances to try it but the testimonials I get are very positive. The highest version costs around € 3,000.
3. Project Translation