ULG’s Language Solutions Blog

What is a TMS Connector and Do You Need One?

 

 

 

Does your language service partner (LSP) offer a TMS connector along with their translation management system? If you’re not sure, or you have no idea what a TMS connector is, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading for everything you need to know about TMS connectors in a nutshell: what they are, what they do and why you probably need one.

 

What is a tms connector, anyway?

 

A TMS connector connects an LSP’s translation management system to their client’s existing content management system. A content management system (CMS) is the software that your organization uses to manage digital content. Wordpress is probably the most well-known example for websites, blogs, and online content. Content management tools are also used for other situations, like eCommerce, customer relationship management and eDiscovery.

Meanwhile, a translation management system (TMS) helps you manage translation requests with your language services provider. For example, at United Language Group, we use Octave to allow clients to submit projects, approve estimates, place change orders and check project status as needed.

If your organization does business in multiple languages, most of the content you manage in your CMS will need to be translated into those languages. So, how much more efficient would it be if your CMS and your TMS could “talk” to each other? That’s the power of a TMS connector!

 

what does a tms connector do? 

 

A TMS connector makes it possible to transfer content from your CMS to the TMS easily. There, it can be translated, whether by machine translation, professional translators, or both. Then, the connector can upload the translated files back into the CMS so the client can easily access them.

 

who needs a tms connector? 

 

Any organization that works with high volumes of content in multiple languages could benefit from a TMS connector. For example, a company with a multilingual website and a blog that requires frequent updates can benefit from a TMS connector that connects their website CMS to their LSP’s TMS.

TMS connectors can also be used for:

  • Marketing content and marketing automation.
  • E-commerce.
  • Customer relationship management and sales.
  • Customer service.
  • Code repositories.

 

tms connectors for ediscovery

 

Cross-border eDiscovery often involves sifting through staggering amounts of multilingual data, trying to find documents and communication records related to the case at hand. Often, this data must be translated well enough for reviewers to get the gist of what it’s about and whether it might be relevant.

A TMS connector makes this task much less burdensome. For example, our OctaveAPI connects the popular eDiscovery engine Relativity with our Octave TMS. Working within Relativity, users can do all of the following, and more:

  • Decipher the top 3 languages in an individual file.
  • Send documents off for translation, either by MT or by human linguists.
  • Receive translated documents back automatically.

By making the eDiscovery process more efficient, our clients save both time and translation costs, while still meeting their obligations and remaining compliant.

 

Want to learn more about how our solutions can make it easier for your business to manage multilingual content? Take a look at the industries we serve and the services we offer, and then contact us today!