Translation memory: definition and role in PIM

In PIM practice, product content repeats heavily across a range, so translation memory reduces cost and keeps terminology consistent. Translation management systems or PIM translation modules match new text against the memory, and translators or AI only handle new segments.

Illustrative example: a manufacturer translates 2,000 product descriptions into French and German. Repeated phrases about materials and installation match the memory, so translators focus on the new content.

In a selection, buyers should check how the PIM connects to translation services and memories. Points include sending only changed attributes, returning translations into the right locale and flagging outdated translations when the source changes. AI translation can draft new segments, with terminology controlled by the memory and a glossary. Ownership of the memory and the glossary should be clear, because both outlive any single translation vendor.