
Phrase and beyond
Localization strategy
The thrill is real: Companies that implement localization technology are overjoyed with the improved visibility into their translation pipeline, the time and cost savings derived from automation, and the ability to speed up the localization process. If only they would have done it earlier.
Nevertheless, as time goes by, their chosen solution may stop being fit-for-purpose, and concerns start creeping in. This is usually the point where organizations start thinking about migrating to translation software that can better cater to their needs. Until the prospect of migration is met with a few other worries, that is:
Feeling overwhelmed by concerns like these is perfectly understandable, given that any migration is often a big undertaking. However, these challenges are usually not an issue when you rely on the right technology partner who can guide you through the process from start to finish.
Phrase is a fully integrated suite of translation automation technology that makes the migration process a truly seamless experience. To help you get started down this path yourself, we’ve put together this roadmap to assessing, planning, and preparing the migration to the Phrase Localization Suite.
For many growing companies, the appeal of migrating to a different localization platform begins to grow when the existing solution starts showing signs of aging. They might need to scale beyond what their tool is able to handle, or they may simply want more resources and capabilities.
Some common reasons for considering the migration to another localization solution include:
The common theme is that migration is normally the best way to obtain access to new functionalities that the current technology vendor doesn’t offer.
Phrase is a fully integrated suite of translation automation technology that helps growing businesses connect, automate, and manage any and all localization activity across their organizations.
Based in the cloud, the Phrase Localization Suite combines:
Phrase TMS | Phrase Strings |
Advanced linguistic features | Advanced software localization features |
Highly customizable translation memories, term bases, and QA process | String-based (not file-based) setup for easy content updates across platforms |
Fully-featured CAT editor for professional translators | ICU message format support |
Over-the-air content updates for mobile apps | |
File format conversion for 40+ file types (e.g., upload an XLS file and download a JSON file) | |
Branching support | |
API access and CLI tool | |
Advanced translation management features | Syncs with code repositories (GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab) |
Project templates and automated project creation for 100% hands-off translation workflows | Developers pushe source files to Phrase Strings using the CLI, the content is translated in the strings editor or via machine translation, developera pulls the translated files, and the code is ready to be deployed. |
Analytics dashboards for data-based decisions on translation processes | Powerful design integrations with Figma and Sketch |
Vendor management features to easily coordinate translation providers (e.g. financials, first-come-first serve job assignment, etc.) | Designers send content for translation without leaving their preferred design tool, screenshots from design boards are automatically attached to provide context for translators, and character limits can be added to avoid design breaks. |
Advanced machine translation features | |
MT autoselect ensures the optimal MT engine is used for every translation job | |
MT glossaries customizes MT engines with your preferred terminology | |
MT quality estimation allows linguists to focus on segments needing post-editing | |
Rely on the first TMS-ready machine translation engine, Phrase NextMT |
In a nutshell, the Phrase Localization Suite boasts a whole range of features to cover all aspects of localization across an enterprise and includes all the must-have features for a localization solution to streamline translation workflows for a growing business end to end:
To top it all off, dedicated solution architects and customer success managers can help with custom configuration, personalized consulting, and extensive support for the migration from a different platform, which goes as far as helping with the migration of legacy content—more on that later.
Your familiar file formats
Discover which file formats are supported by Phrase TMS and which work with Phrase Strings.
The Phrase Localization Suite offers out-of-the-box integrations with dozens of other systems, from large players to small vendors, to cover your localization needs and completely automate processes within your digital ecosystem.
The list of Phrase integrations includes among others:
Unlock global business with the Phrase Localization Suite
Expand into new markets with all the tools you need in one technology suite for high-quality, fast, and scalable localization.
The simplicity of migrating from a different localization tool to Phrase will always depend on factors such as:
Based on these factors, migration can be from relatively simple to significantly involved. We always recommend that migration be done with the guidance of architects who’ll work with your designated team to assess all components and prepare a comprehensive migration plan.
Phrase is an incredibly modern solution and has extensive experience in migration projects. We work closely with our customers to ensure a smooth transition, so no matter what migration scenario you have, we have a solution for it.
The whole point of migrating to a new solution is to take advantage of new functionalities that will allow you to simplify processes, resulting in higher efficiency.
That’s what makes migration the perfect opportunity to identify ways to optimize your overall localization process and update your workflows accordingly.
In this sense, Phrase gives you the flexibility you need to transform your localization process from the ground up—all the way from simple manual project creation, to automation via third-party integrations. Full automation becomes an easily achievable goal, even for the most complex projects, without a need for deep technical knowledge.
Normally, migration is possible and smooth from most translation and localization technology systems.
There can be exceptions to that rule, but these typically involve complex scenarios, like the below:
In both cases, however, migration is still possible—it’ll just likely take significantly more time and effort (that always pays off in the long run, of course).
For context-concealing systems, in some cases, it’s possible to identify and reverse a hash or to demand a clean export with non-hashed references. There may even be an option to allow you to export readable context.
Another way to retain context is by bypassing the exported translation memory and resorting, instead, to bilingual resources that can be parsed and captured in translation memories, such as Microsoft Excel, CSV, XML, or XLIFF documents.
When it comes to migrating from a proprietary system to Phrase, it’s important to mention, first, that the Phrase Localization Suite, while full of advanced features, won’t be an identical copy of your current solution (we’ve addressed why this will actually help you optimize your processes).
However, if a proprietary system is still something you feel you need for full flexibility, the Phrase API—one of the best on the market—makes it possible to exchange data between the two systems. You’ll still need to migrate your content, but that is a necessary step in any type of migration. Moreover, the team of experts at Phrase includes a dedicated data migration unit that will ensure a streamlined migration of your content.
Whether consulting on data migration, API use cases, machine translation, or data analytics, Phrase is able to meet you where you are with the level of support you’d like to receive. Depending on your needs, Success Plan subscriptions are available that can include migration support from basic consultation to full-on migration assistance, like helping with the migration of legacy content or automating the migration of large amounts of content.
Success Plan | Suitable for those who | Available to |
Basic Success Plan | Use Phrase TMS on a Team Start or Team plan | Everyone at no extra cost |
Use Phrase Strings on a Basic plan | ||
Have standard workflows to cover their translation needs | ||
Haven’t used a TMS before Phrase | ||
Standard Success Plan | Used a different TMS before Phrase | Included in the Enterprise plan, available as add-on (extra cost) for other plans |
Have a pretty straightforward setup | ||
Prefer to be trained and handle things themselves at their own pace | ||
Premium Success Plan | Have a complex setup requiring custom workflows, integrations and need data migration at scale | Available as add-on (extra cost) for the Enterprise plan |
Prefer Slack over emails | ||
Want to have a data-oriented operation | ||
Need help in automating tasks in workflows | ||
Plan to integrate heavily via API and are looking to optimize your design | ||
Want their team to grow its knowledge on localization related topics | ||
Want to stay up to date with the latest trends in the industry |
Regardless of the level of support you may need in terms of migration, you’ll typically be asked to get involved in the process throughout, as a way for your team to learn about migration techniques and best practices—and get familiar with the new platform.
If you need additional assistance to adjust your workflow or optimize your new solution for even greater efficiency, the specialists at Phrase will always be at your disposal during the migration process and after its completion.
Before the migration can start and to ensure successful completion, it’s crucial to document your existing processes and assets, including but not limited to:
Phrase’s onboarding process focuses on migration training and support. This makes the experience warm, personal, and smooth for your team. From the very beginning, you’ll have access to our certification program, webinars, and monthly training.
Higher-tier subscribers can rely on a dedicated customer success manager for onboarding-related queries, personalized training on our platform, regular check-in meetings, and quarterly or monthly business reviews.
Top-of-the-line package subscribers also receive exclusive access to events, help with scripting support, exclusive efficiency tools, dedicated API training and consultancy, as well as regular quarterly training sessions as a refresher or to focus on new features and functionalities.
Don’t hesitate to ask for a full list of available options.
Phrase is a language-independent platform—it supports practically any standard language with various writing scripts.
This includes bidirectional text, i.e. texts that use a mix of right-to-left (RTL) and left-to-right (LTR) directionality.
The Phrase Localization Suite supports 50+ file formats |
.doc, .docx, .dot, .dotx, .docm, .dotm, .rtf, .ppt, .pptx, .pot, .potx, .pptm, .potm, .xls, .xlsx, .xlt, .xltx, .xlsm, .xltm |
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides imported via Google Drive Connector are converted to MS Office format. |
OpenOffice or LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, or .odp) are supported, but it’s recommended to save them in MS Office formats before importing. |
.htm, .html |
.idml, .icml, .mif (version 8 and above only), .psd, .svg |
.ttx (pre-segmented), .sdlxliff |
.xml, .xhtm, .xhtml, Android .xml |
.xliff (1.2),.xliff (2.0), .xliff for Drupal/WordPress, mqxliff (MemoQ xliff), tmx |
.dita, .ditamap |
.md, .markdown |
.catkeys, .csv, (Magento).csv, DocBook (.dbk), .desktop, (Mozilla).DTD, .epub, (Joomla).ini, .json, .arb (import as JSON), .lang, .Plist, .po, .properties, (Java).properties, .rc, .resx, .srt (Windows-1252), .strings, .sbv, .sub (SubViewer only), .ts, .txt, .vtt, .wiki, .yaml |
.tag, .xtg |
.zip |
Moreover, you can define custom file types based on XML, HTML or JSON by filename and extension for Phrase to automatically detect and import them (including batch import of the defined file type when creating a job).
Your preferred tools
Check out the full list of integrations with Phrase and learn how to customize localization workflows to your business needs.
If you need to create your own integration, Phrase’s powerful APIs (Phrase TMS API and Phrase Strings API) will enable you to do so in no time.
To ensure that our integration options are compatible with our customers’ use cases, we’re constantly releasing new integrations with the leading software providers across industries.
Within Phrase TMS, you can rely on the Phrase Translate add-on as your go-to place for all things machine translation. With a single click, you can either enable fully-managed engines or add any supported engine via an API key to take full advantage of features like MT autoselect, MT glossaries, MT quality estimation, and MT customization.
Phrase TMS includes MT engines from leading providers and can auto-select the optimal one for your content
Among others, Phrase Translate supports the following fully managed, third-party MT engines:
Phrase Translate also includes Phrase NextMT, a generic neural MT engine developed internally by Phrase. It’s available as one of the fully managed engines and comes with features such as advanced translation memory integration, advanced glossary support, automated tag placement, and advanced security.
Keeping your data safe during and after migration is a top concern for every business. Phrase ensures that your data is safe at all times by following the ISO 27001 standard for information security management and guaranteeing full compliance with governmental regulations on personal data protection (including GDPR and CCPA).
Additionally, security awareness training is mandatory for all employees at the start of their employment and at regular intervals.
This helps them familiarize themselves with information security management system, information security best practices, and their responsibilities in upholding Phrase’s strict data protection policies, such as:
In terms of security audits, Phrase undergoes frequent security assessments by an external auditor to ensure that processes and tools are always up to date with current threats. Moreover, a monthly third-party-hosted vulnerability disclosure program allows Phrase to scan its software stack to ensure they are free from known vulnerabilities.
Speak with an expert
Want to learn how our solutions can help you unlock global opportunity? We’d be happy to show you around the Phrase Localization Suite and answer any questions you may have.
Last updated on May 25, 2023.