How To Manage Translation Projects On Crowdin

A comprehensive and reliable translation management software undoubtedly plays a key role in the successful localization strategy of businesses. It can streamline localization processes, automate repetitive tasks, and facilitate efficient collaboration. 

Crowdin is one of the software options that can do just that. It is a cloud-based localization management solution that helps efficiently create and manage all your multilingual content in one place. It is ranked as the 4th easiest to use out of the 79 translation management software options listed on G2. 

In this article, we’ll explore the top benefits of using Crowdin to manage translation projects and walk you through a step-by-step guide to ensure a smooth project management process.

Top benefits of using Crowdin to manage translation projects 

Whether it’s a website, an app, marketing materials, or technical documents, translation plays a vital role in reaching and engaging with diverse audiences. However, managing translation projects can be a daunting task, involving multiple languages, collaborators, and complex workflows. This is where Crowdin comes to the rescue. Here are the top advantages of using Crowdin to manage translation projects.

1. Save Time and Costs

First things first, let’s briefly discuss what Crowdin has to offer. Time is money, and Crowdin helps your business save both. 

Cloud-based automation features are one of the significant benefits that this platform brings. The tool seamlessly automates many time-consuming aspects of managing multilingual translation projects, including content synchronization, translation memory management, glossary management, and quality assurance. This saves time and costs by minimizing manual work and maintaining consistency and overall quality across all localized content. Additionally, efficient project management on Crowdin reduces the risk of costly errors that can occur during translations.

For example, before using Crowdin, our team spent countless hours manually managing translation projects, coordinating with translators, and ensuring consistency across languages. With Crowdin’s automation features, we have significantly reduced the time spent on these tasks, allowing us to allocate resources to more strategic activities.

2. Smooth Workflow

Furthermore, Crowdin supports a vast array of file formats when managing translation projects, from basic document formats such as DOCX, and XLSX to mobile/software formats such as Android XML, iOS Strings, XML, JSON, etc. Whether you need to localize your marketing/technical documents, websites, mobile applications, or any other customer-facing content, Crowdin has the solutions. 

The platform even goes beyond that by offering built-in integrations with many popular content management systems (e.g. WordPress, Contentful, Drupal, etc.) and development tools (e.g. GitHub, GitLab, Azure Repos, etc.) as well as collaboration tools (e.g. Google Drive, Slack, Trello, etc.). This overall makes integrating localization into your existing workflow much simpler, for example by enabling instant synchronization of content (pulling source text and retrieving target translation) between localization projects and the applications your team uses. 

3. Better Collaboration and Communication

Another advantage of Crowdin is its collaboration capabilities. The tool enables you to work with multiple linguists/vendors and stakeholders at the same time, making it easy to manage translation projects involving a large number of members. All members within the project can also interact on the platform by raising questions, discussing translations, requesting more context, and staying up-to-date on the project updates and progress using Crowdin’s built-in communication feature, including comments and notifications. 

An example of real-time communication on Crowdin

Moreover, Crowdin places a strong emphasis on data security. Translated content is stored securely, and you can control access permissions for team members. If your business needs to translate and localize content into multiple languages, Crowdin simplifies the management of various language versions, making it easier to keep track of translations for different markets. 

A step-by-step guide to managing translation projects on Crowdin

Now that you have looked at what Crowdin can do, let’s go through the detailed steps to create and manage translation projects on Crowdin.

1. Create a translation project

First thing first, you need to log in to your Crowdin account or sign up to create one. Then, create a project to kick-start the localization process. When you fill in the project name, a customized URL will be automatically generated, but you can adjust it to your preference. You can then set the project to have either Public (searchable via search engines and Crowdin search) or Private (accessible only to the invited project members) visibility. Next, select the source and target language(s) of your project.

To help you understand better the translation management process, we have created a demo project with private access and 3 language pairs as follows.

2. Upload Source Content for Localization

Now that the translation project is created, we will proceed to upload the source content that needs localization. We can choose from a few following options:

• Upload files/documents manually via the platform interface
• Integrate the Crowdin project with the tools you already use (examples mentioned in the previous section). All available integrations can be explored on the Crowdin Store. Detailed tutorials on a number of common integrations can also be found on the Crowdin Knowledge Base page.
• Use API or console client (CLI).

Developers are often in charge of this step and can be invited into the project as a project manager to carry out the task. We will talk more about inviting project members later on.

In this example, we will demonstrate adding the source files following the first option. Please open the project and go to Sources > Files. Then you can drag and drop files from your local folder, or click Add File. You can upload ZIP archives if you want to add a set of folders and files. Note that some file formats, such as XML, XLSX, and HTML might require additional configuration. Here we have added a . DOCX file. After you have added the source content, you have the option to upload existing translations if you already have some.

By going to the tab Strings, you will be able to see all strings that have been segmented automatically by Crowdin from the source content you added earlier. You can choose to delete strings or hide those that are not supposed to be translated (e.g. placeholders or other technical attributes), or assign specific labels to them to easily add context or organize them by certain topics. Strings with labels can be added when you create a translation or proofreading task or can be searched for in the Editor with an Advanced filter. 

Furthermore, by clicking on Edit next to each string, you can add context to the string and set the maximum character limit of the translation. This function is particularly helpful if you are localizing user interface text that is length-constrained such as for your mobile application or website.

3. Adding relevant linguistic resources: Translation Memory, Glossary

With the source content ready, the next step when managing translation projects is to upload linguistic resources like Translation Memory and Glossary.

Translation Memory (TM) is a database storing the source strings and their corresponding target translations. It plays an indispensable role in an efficient translation process, ensuring consistency and enhancing the speed and quality of translation jobs while saving costs at the same time. On Crowdin, a project TM is created automatically for each project. Other than that, you can also create separate TMs and import your existing TMs in TMX, XLSX, or CSV format, and then assign these TMs to the relevant projects. To do this, open your profile home page and go to Resources > Translation Memory and click on Create TM.

In the pop-up dialog, set a name for your TM and select a default language that is displayed first in the table of TM records (often the source language). You can either choose to assign the TM to specific projects or skip this step for later. Finally, click Create. Crowdin then allows you to upload/download TMs and edit/delete TM records. You can also set priority for each TM in projects with multiple TMs so that TM matches from the TM with the higher priority will be suggested at the top when linguists work in the Editor interface.

The next localization resource that you would want to utilize is the glossary, also called term base. It is a bilingual or multilingual database consisting of single words or terms related to a specific subject, along with their translations and associated metadata such as definitions or rules of usage. Glossaries ensure important terms are translated properly and consistently throughout various projects, especially those that involve multiple linguists, which can incur unwanted inconsistency. On Crowdin, a project glossary is created automatically for each project. Other than that, you can also create separate glossaries and import your existing glossaries in TBX, XLSX, or CSV format, and then assign these glossaries to the relevant projects. To do this, open your profile home page and go to Resources (the same page where you manage Translation Memory) > Glossaries and click on Create Glossary.

In the pop-up dialog, set a name for your glossary and select a default language that is displayed first in the table of glossary records (often the source language). You can either choose to assign the glossary to specific projects or skip this step for later. Finally, click Create. Same with TMs, you can upload/download glossaries, and add/edit/delete glossary terms and their corresponding data (e.g. definition, part of speech, note, etc.). Crowdin also allows you to translate your project’s glossary directly on the platform by creating a separate file in the project containing all existing terms and later synchronizing the completed translation back to the glossary.

4. Upload Screenshots and Add Context

One very useful feature of Crowdin is that the platform provides an option to upload screenshots to provide additional context, so translators can have a better grasp of how they should translate the source strings. This is particularly helpful when translating those short user interface strings on websites or mobile apps. To upload screenshots, go to the Screenshots tab under your project. Then you can drag images from your local folder or click Upload. 

After the image is uploaded, you can tag the relevant source strings on the screenshots. As a result, screenshots associated with tagged strings will appear in the Editor’s Context section of each string.

5. Invite Project Members into the Project

Now that the project is pretty much set up, you need to add linguists to help with localizing your content and other relevant members. If you have not had your own team of translators yet, Crowdin offers recommendations for professional translation agencies on their online store to manage translation projects for your business.

Otherwise, you can invite your linguists/vendors by opening your project, going to the Members tab, and clicking on Invite. You can invite people to your project either by their Crowdin username/email address or via an invitation link, and assign them a corresponding role: Manager, Developer, Translator, Proofreader, and Language Coordinator. This assigned role can be modified at any time.

6. Keep Track of Translation Project Progress, Volume, and Cost

Under the Reports tab when managing translation projects, you can find four main types of reports to provide you with an overview of all the important data regarding your project.

Project Status: 

This report helps you track the progress of your project and review key activities based on time periods. You will find statistics on the total amount of text/translated text/proofread text in the project, the number of target languages and project members, and so on.

Costs Estimate: 

This is where you can analyze the volume of the project and calculate the approximate cost of translations. Here are the steps to generate a cost estimate report.

1. Select the currency and the reporting unit (word (most common), string, character, or characters (including spaces)).
2. Set the rates for translation and proofreading. You can add specific rates for each language pair.
3. Establish the net rate schemes (percentage paid of full translation rate) for each TM match range. The match ranges in the example screenshot below are commonly applied in the localization industry, while the price percentage varies.
4. Select either General Filter or Task Filter to generate a report based on work to be done within a specific task.
5. Click Generate.

Translation Cost:

This report is used to calculate the actual translation cost based on the completed translation. The steps that need to be followed to generate a translation cost report are mostly similar to those for cost estimates.

Top Members:

Here you can check who contributed the most to your project’s translation and generate a list of top members. The list contains information such as the linguist’s username, language, amount of translated content, and others.

7. Stay On Top of Project Activities

You can keep track of all main activities that happen in the project by checking the tab Activity. The tab displays activity records for all activity types, project languages, users, and time by default, but you have the option to filter records for your particular purpose. Crowdin also allows you to undo a project activity in case an unwanted action happens, or view the comparison between updated project files.

8. Download/Publish translations

After the translation has been completed and necessary quality assurance has been performed, it is time to export or publish the target translation. You can do so by downloading the translations manually using the platform, using integrations (e.g. GitHub, GitLab, etc.), applying API, or using a console client (CLI) to automate the translation download. For the purpose of this guide, we will demonstrate the steps for manual download. First, go to the Translations tab under your project. Then, click on Download as ZIP to expand the corresponding section. After that, either keep the All Languages option or select the specific language that you want to download. Finally, click on Build & Download.

Work with the Professional Translation Agency

For any business seeking success in new markets, effective translation project management is essential. By streamlining the translation process, you can enhance customer satisfaction, increase profits, and elevate your business to new heights. Crowdin could be the perfect tool to help you accomplish these objectives. This platform is conducive to seamless communication and accurate translations while helping you maintain brand consistency, saving valuable time and resources for your team. Learning to leverage Crowdin to help you achieve these and manage translation projects efficiently is of paramount importance. 

What’s more, choosing to collaborate with a language agency that excels in Crowdin and translation project management guarantees that your objectives are met in every project, from meticulous planning and selecting the right language experts for your specific needs to ensuring smooth progress throughout the project’s duration. 

At GTE Localize, we take pride in delivering high-quality translation and localization services in over 100 languages for various content types. Here are some of the exceptional values we provide to our business clients:

• Native linguists with more than 5 years of experience in translation and localization, ensuring linguistic excellence and cultural accuracy.
• Cutting-edge technologies are employed in all projects, including CAT Tools, Localization Management Platforms, QA Tools, and our Self-built ERP system, guaranteeing efficiency and precision.
• A budget-saving rate with a lifetime warranty, providing you with the best value.
• Here is an example of Effective Translation Process with GTE Localize and Crowdin

If you require assistance with your translation projects, feel free to get in touch with our localization experts. We’ll be thrilled to discuss your strategy and specific project needs in detail.