CRM for Translation Agencies

• The problem

  A client emails a contract for a quote and waits half a day while someone counts the words and finds the rate.

  In Kompot.ai

  Keep your rates in the price list: per word or per page for each language pair, plus surcharges for rush and certified work. Build the estimate from it, send it, and see when the client viewed and approved it. The approved estimate converts into an invoice.

• The problem

  A rare language pair comes in, and you scroll through old chats to remember who translates it.

  In Kompot.ai

  Every freelance translator is a supplier contact with custom fields for language pairs, subject areas, rate per word and whether they certify. Filter the contacts by pair and subject; the translator's past orders, emails and files are on the same page.

• The problem

  The date promised to the client and the date agreed with the translator are tracked in different places.

  In Kompot.ai

  Each order is a job with the client's delivery date, plus tasks for translation, editing and proofreading with their own due dates and assignees. The board shows which orders are with the translator, with the editor or ready to deliver, and overdue tasks stand out.

• The problem

  A regular client's glossary and style notes get lost between orders, and the terminology drifts.

  In Kompot.ai

  Attach the glossary, reference texts and style notes to the client's record once. Whoever opens the next order finds them on the client's page beside earlier orders and correspondence, and sends them to the translator together with the source file.

• The problem

  You invoice the client and pay the translator from separate spreadsheets and cannot see what an order earned.

  In Kompot.ai

  The client's invoice goes out with a payment link; on a large order the advance and the balance are two invoices, each with its own link. The translator's fee is recorded as an expense with the order noted on it, so what came in and what went out for an order are in one system and not in two spreadsheets.

What you keep on record

Translators as suppliers

Language pairs, subject areas, rate per word and certification as custom fields on the supplier contact.

Rates by language pair

Per-word and per-page rates and surcharges for rush and certified work in the price list used for estimates.

Orders and deadlines

A job per order with its type, delivery date and stage, and the source and target files attached.

Client glossaries

Glossaries, style notes and earlier translations kept as files on the client's record.

Questions owners ask

Can I quote by word count and language pair?

Yes. Enter your rates in the price list as items: a rate per word or per page for each pair, and surcharges for rush and certified work. The estimate is built from those items, and the quantity is the size of the file. Kompot.ai does not count the words; your manager enters the count.

How do I keep a database of freelance translators?

Translators are contacts marked as suppliers. Add custom fields for language pairs, subject areas, rates and availability, import your current list from a spreadsheet, and keep each translator's signed confidentiality agreement on their record as a document.

Does it replace a translation memory or a CAT tool?

No. Kompot.ai handles the business side of an order: the request, the estimate, the deadline, the people involved, the files and the invoice. The translation itself is done in the tools your translators already use, and the result is attached to the order.

Can a client pay for a translation online before we start?

Yes. The client receives an invoice with a link and pays by card through Stripe or PayPal. On a large order, send the advance as its own invoice before work starts and the balance as a second invoice on delivery. Invoices that are past due are flagged.