Job routing for translation agencies
that matches a file to the right translator, automatically
A quoted job still has to find the right translator by language pair and specialty, get scheduled against a deadline, and stay tracked through delivery. Most agencies do that matching from a PM's memory of who is free and good at what. We automate the matching and the deadline tracking, so a job's path from confirmation to delivery stops depending on one person's recall.
Why a confirmed job still depends on one person’s memory
Matching a confirmed job to the right translator usually depends on a project manager’s memory. Who speaks which language pair, who specializes in legal or medical content, who currently has room in their schedule. That memory works until the PM is out sick, the agency grows past a dozen regular translators, or two large jobs land in the same week. Once that happens, the mental model of who is free stops being reliable.
A second cost is deadline risk discovered too late. A job running behind schedule is often only noticed when the delivery date arrives. Days earlier, there was still time to add a second translator or negotiate a short extension with the client.
A third is status opacity. A client asking “how is my job going” forces a PM to manually check with the translator. A job’s actual stage, in translation, in review, delivered, could be visible without that interruption if it were tracked consistently from the start.
How the matching and tracking work
A system matches a confirmed job to a translator by language pair, specialty and current open workload. Assignment no longer depends on one person’s memory of who is free and qualified. Deadline tracking flags a job falling behind schedule days before the delivery date, giving a PM time to act instead of discovering the problem at the deadline.
A status dashboard shows every active job, its assigned translator and its current stage, so a PM can answer a client’s status question in seconds. Handoffs between translation and review stages log automatically with a timestamp. That closes the gap where a job’s actual progress was otherwise only known by asking someone directly.
What a PM still decides
The actual translation, quality review and final translator assignment decision stay entirely with your team. The system surfaces who is available and qualified. A PM still makes the final call and handles any client-facing scheduling conversation.
What it costs and how long it takes
| Package | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Agency runs it | from $1,800 | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Full control, handover-ready | from $2,800 | 3 to 5 weeks |
Related
Pair this with the AI agent for translation agencies so a quoted job flows straight into this routing system. Or add Google Ads for translation agencies to see which acquisition channel actually produces jobs delivered on time. See the full package breakdown on the automation service page, or get a written plan with a fixed price for your agency.
FAQ
What does workflow automation for a translation agency cost?
A job routing and deadline tracking system starts at $1,800, live in 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how many translators and specialties need to be modeled.
How does it know which translator fits a job?
You build a profile once per translator: language pairs, specialties and a rough capacity. We check that against each job's requirements and the translator's current open workload, so a job never lands with someone already at capacity.
Does it replace our project managers?
No. It removes the manual lookup of who is free and qualified for a given job. A PM still makes the final call on assignment and handles any client-facing issue.
Can it track a job through multiple stages, like translation then review?
Yes, each stage logs a handoff with a timestamp. A job's actual position, not just translated or not, is visible without asking anyone directly.
Does it integrate with our TMS or do we need to switch systems?
We build against your existing TMS where the API supports it, commonly Smartcat or memoQ. If you are not on dedicated TMS software yet, a lighter tracking sheet does the job.