TMS stands for translation management system. Essentially, these products help organizations manage and monitor their translation processes. When the first software products in the category appeared, it was not obvious at first why they should be considered a separate category from CMS, or content management systems. Fast forward to today, and the features and functions of TMS are quite distinct from the more commonly known solutions in the content category. So who uses a TMS and what does the system do for them?

There are three different types of users who purchase a TMS or use a SaaS-type solution:  

1. Enterprise departments that consume translation services. This could be marketing or product development or both. Occasionally we see corporate-wide adoption but this is still rare, especially outside the IT sector. These buyers often select a solution with a strong translation memory capability.  

2. Companies that sell translation services.