Your translation center, powered by ProZ.com
Are you looking for a tool to enable you to more efficiently route work to translators?
Do you want to be able to manage all of your jobs from one place, keeping track of files, deadlines, communications, etc.?
Basic Structure
Work order
A work order is made up of one or more jobs and specifies source files, field(s) of expertise required, special instructions, and more.
Job
A job is the application of a work order to a target language. A job might consist of one or more tasks.
Task
A task is the unit of work to be assigned to a single service provider, such as an individual source file that needs to be translated to a target language. Several task types are possible, such as translation, revision and QA.
Workflow
1. Job(s) posted
A work order is created and broken down into jobs based on the target languages needed.
2. Purchase order
A purchase order for the service provider is generated, associated with each task, including volume, unit, rate and payment terms.
3. Tasks assigned
The tasks can be assigned to translators either manually or automatically. In the second case, translators are notified in batches until someone accepts the task.
4. Translations delivered
The files are translated and uploaded by the translators in charge of the corresponding tasks.
5. Editors
Editors can easily be assigned to review already translated files.
6. Feedback
Feedback for each translator can then be left and is visible to all of your project managers.
Built for efficiency
- Everyone communicates on one platform
- Send jobs to your network of providers
- Route based on job details
- Receive deliverables and track projects
Customized for your business
- Brand the platform with your logo and colors
- Use only the features you need
- Source to your own trusted translators.
What other companies are saying
Translation center history
In 2011, with their volumes of work increasing in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, the non-profit “Translators without Borders” came to ProZ.com and requested that the company build a platform that they could use to recruit and screen translators, and to manage their projects efficiently from one central location. ProZ.com responded by creating a “translation center” that met their needs.
Translators without Borders soon began to use the platform to manage their volunteer recruitment and screening, as well as all of their translation work. To date, the platform has been used to recruit thousands of translators, and to coordinate the delivery of over 26 million words in more than a hundred language pairs.
Remarkably, as a testament to the efficiency of the platform, the entire volume of work -- delivered to over a hundred humanitarian clients -- has been overseen by a single project manager (assisted by several volunteers.)
Realizing that the platform might be valuable not only to Translators without Borders, but to small- and mid-sized translation companies as well, ProZ.com began making use of the “translation center” software available to others. Now, any translation company that is a corporate member of ProZ.com can get its own “instance” of the translation center platform, with its own logo and company name displayed, at no extra charge above the corporate membership fee.
Several companies are now using the platform, and improvements are being made on an ongoing basis based on their feedback and requests.
Frequently asked questions
What is the translation center?
The translation center (“Powered by ProZ.com”) is a tool that enables companies to efficiently route work to their translators, to keep track of their projects, and to keep track of project-related communications and payment information in one convenient location.
Is the translation center a TMS (translation management system)?
No, it is simpler and easier to use than most TMS systems. Basically, it is a notification/invitation system, and a one-stop shop to keep track of your projects and related communications and invoices.
Why do companies use the translation center?
To be more organized and to manage more projects with less effort. It replaces email.
Can I customize it with my logo and colors?
Yes.
How much does it cost?
It is included in your ProZ.com corporate membership fee.
What about privacy and data security?
ProZ.com is TRUSTe certified to comply with worldwide standards for handling of private data, including standards of the US, EU and other locations. See the ProZ.com privacy policy for more information.
What if my company requires additional protections?
Please ask!
What translators will work on my projects?
Translators who you invite.
Can I use the platform to recruit?
Not yet. But this is a requested feature and we plan to add it soon.
Can translators use their ProZ.com login details?
Yes. They can also port their profile data over to your instance of the platform. As a result, it may be easier to keep the data you have on each translator “fresher” over time.
Can I have translators on the platform that are not ProZ.com users?
Yes.
Can I manage agreements I have with my translators using the platform?
Yes. You can store administrative notes in profiles, with attached files. These notes will let you, for instance, store any agreement reached with the translator, upload a signed NDA and record any exceptional instance of good or objectionable performance.
I group my translators in teams working on the same subjects. Can I do that?
Yes. You can assemble as many teams as you want with the translators in your pools. When you create a work order that can include several jobs (different target languages), you can include, independently for each job:
- All eligible translators (for instance all translators in the appropriate language pair)
- All the members of a team
- Only eligible team members (belonging to the team and also matching language pair)
How are tasks assigned to translators?
No matter if you associated a job with the whole pool or with a team, you have two ways of assigning the tasks to your translators: automatic and manual.
- With manual assignment the PM will edit a task to manually assign it to one of the valid translators.
- With automatic assignment, the valid translators will receive notifications inviting them to accept your tasks. Once all tasks have been accepted, no further notifications are sent and the job is blocked, avoiding the risk of having two translators working on the same file. You can remove translators from the queue, add suitable translators to the queue or send a direct message to a translator.
Is there an option to allow clients to access my ProZ.com-powered translation center?
Yes. It is up to you whether or not you give your clients access..
Can a large file be split and assigned to different translators?
A large file can be posted as source in a work order and then split into smaller sections, associating each section to a separate task that can be assigned to a different translator. In case of a multi-language work order, splitting the source file in one of the jobs will be enough to have the same splitting done in all the other jobs in the work order. An advantage of this operation is that all the translators and the PM will be sharing a same working page, and they will be able to exchange text and files by means of the in-page messages, for instance to coordinate terminology. Once the translations are done, the sections can be externally assembled and then a new task can be created and an editor assigned to it for consistency and quality.
How can I manage reference files?
Reference files can be uploaded when a work order is created, and they will be displayed in all related jobs and job posting pages. It is also possible to post reference files specific for each job of a multi-languages work order. You can also upload client files, that will be presented as reference information in all jobs posted on behalf of this client.
Can I associate my work codes (and the client’s) with a work order?
A new work order has an internal number that is displayed at the end of its URL, but there are other two important order numbers:
- An internal order number that can be automatically indexed and formatted in a flexible combination of month, year and a numerical field.
- A customer order number where the number assigned to the order by the client can be manually entered
- Both numbers can be used as search criteria for orders and jobs. All jobs in a work order will share the same order numbers
Recent news
Improved messaging and invitations in the translation center powered by ProZ.com
New features and tools have been added to the translation center powered by ProZ.com and made available to ProZ.com Business members, including
* new messaging options,
several improvements to the pages used for inviting and assigning translators to accept a posted job,
* The ability to assign a team to a given client
* File upload size expanded to 25 MB
* A tutorial on the financial tools provided with the translation center has been posted at http://proz.me/TC
* A link to documents on privacy and security have been included at the bottom of each TC page
* Operation with junior translators is now possible, see http://proz.me/JT
The translation center is made available free or charge to ProZ.com Corporate members but it can be tested by non-members as well. To learn more about this platform or to access it, please submit a support request.
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