Translation Terminology Approval Workflow Template: Fields, Statuses, and Rules

The most useful translation terminology approval workflow template is a small operating record. It should answer what is happening, who owns it, what evidence exists, and when the next decision occurs. This structure works in a spreadsheet, database, or focused application.

Recommended record fields

| Field | Why it exists | Update point | |---|---|---| | Client, project, and language pair | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Open the source term with context | | Source term and context | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Propose target terms and rationale | | Screenshot or segment reference | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Route to the authorized reviewer | | Proposed target terms | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Record the approved or rejected decision | | Owner and authorized approver | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Update language assets and notify affected work | | Needed-by date and work impact | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Open the source term with context | | Approved decision and rationale | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Propose target terms and rationale | | Glossary version and affected-job update | Prevents the record from depending on memory or an inbox search | Route to the authorized reviewer |

Suggested statuses

Use workflow statuses that describe reality: Open The Source Term With Context → Propose Target Terms And Rationale → Route To The Authorized Reviewer → Record The Approved Or Rejected Decision → Update Language Assets And Notify Affected Work. Add Waiting only when you also capture a waiting reason and review date. Add Closed—Not Completed when an item legitimately ends without the desired outcome.

Follow-up rules

• When a term blocks active translation near its needed-by time, assign a next action and review date.
• When reviewers provide conflicting answers, assign a next action and review date.
• When an approved term changes after work has already used it, assign a next action and review date.

Avoid reminders with no stop condition. A rule should say when it starts, who receives it, what counts as a response, and when a person should take over.

Example records

• A product feature name has no approved German equivalent
• Two client reviewers choose different French terms
• A legal term changes after three files are translated

For each example, write the current status, next action, owner, and supporting evidence. This makes the template testable with real work rather than idealized sample data.

Quality-control rules

• Every open terminology decision needs one owner and a next review time
• Completion requires recorded evidence that every terminology question receives an authoritative decision that is applied to the glossary and affected translation work
• Automated reminders stop after verified completion or a documented closed reason
• Keep TMS, translation memory, glossary, and approved source files as the system of record; only necessary coordination data belongs here

Before adding automation, run the template manually for a week. Remove ambiguous fields and confirm that two different users classify the same situation the same way. Consistency matters more than having a long form.

Next step

Explore the Terminology Approval Queue workflow concept and record whether this is painful enough to justify a focused tool.

For the adjacent workflow, see Reviewer Handoff Tracker.