WORKFLOW AUTOMATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FEATURES

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1 Last modified: October 2005

2 INTRODUCTION Beetext Flow is a complete workflow management solution for translation environments. Designed for maximum flexibility, this Web-based application optimizes productivity while reducing operational costs. It can be customized to fit virtually any workflow, even outside the translation industry. Project managers are the hubs of any translation team. In order for them to quickly perform key tasks such as scheduling work and meeting client deadlines, they need solutions that free up their workload by removing smaller, less crucial tasks. Beetext Flow Small Business and Enterprise do just that, enabling project managers to focus on efficiency and work quality. Beetext Flow is the #1 solution for translation project management. To see how Beetext Flow can help streamline your workflow, please read carefully the following pages. This white paper covers the following translation workflow automation and project management topics: - Intelligent distribution of translation requests - Automated and evolving processes - Real-time workload monitoring - On-demand reports, billing, and statistics - Automatic document archiving - Integration with Beetext Find - Integration with third party software Beetext Flow is modular in design, which means you can pick and choose the functionality you need Freelance, Small Business, Enterprise, within or outside the translation industry, etc. Its various features and modules are described in the next section. Beetext Flow gathers together all information vital to your firm s operation ongoing projects, client data, billing and supplier information, completed work and automatically integrates it into a seamless whole. All information is available online within a secure environment, for round-the-clock versatility. This project management solution boasts enhanced features that accelerate routine operations and boost production capacity. It makes powerful tools available on a need-to-use basis so that every resource in the translation or localization environment translators, editors, outside suppliers, project managers, accounting staff, clients have timely access to the exact information they need. 2

3 WORKFLOW AUTOMATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FEATURES Intelligent Distribution of Translation Requests Once it receives a translation request through its online request form, Beetext Flow can help your project managers determine which translators are best suited to the request. Flow analyzes their workload in light of the deadline and suggests an available team to the project manager. Beetext Flow takes into account each translator production speed, current workload and unassigned tasks. With minimal input, the system presents your best choice to meet the client s deadline, and helps maximize your teams productivity. Automated and Evolving Processes Beetext Flow grows with you and can help automate certain tasks. For example, through Beetext Flow, project managers can analyze client histories to create templates that distribute work according to previous assignments. Flow can also give project managers a clear idea of production capacities by analyzing statistics, such as average words per hour per translator. Real-Time Workload Monitoring Beetext Flow provides a real-time picture of current workload. Who is available? Who is overbooked? Who is away on vacation? Is the work in progress on schedule? With Beetext Flow, a quick glance suffices to answer questions such as these, giving project managers the ability to set accurate deadlines for client requests, or to answer the following question: can we accept this request of 50,000 words and meet the clients deadline? On-Demand Reports, Billing, and Statistics Since Beetext Flow covers virtually every aspect of a translation request, it can produce any reports or statistics you require. Want to know when your rush periods are or evaluate whether a client s requests are increasing or decreasing? Flow can produce this information on demand. Need statistics such as how many words each translator produced last month or how many requests were received last year? Flow can provide the answers. There are virtually no limits to the reports or statistics Flow can produce, which helps project managers and administrators answer any questions they may have. Billing is just as versatile bill for time, per word, per document, or per any other unit you choose. Beetext Flow even allows you to create separate billing structures for different clients. Automatic Document Archiving Beetext Flow automatically manages archives and document versions the moment they are produced by creating project folders within client folders. This saves project managers from having to search through countless folders to find documents or browse manually through complex file structures to decide where to save a document. Documents are archived automatically based on your preferences. In addition, when integrated with Beetext Find, Flow lets you quickly search for documents by date, client, translator, and even by document keywords. Integration with Beetext Find When used in conjunction, Beetext Find and Beetext Flow combine to form a uniquely powerful solution. To improve efficiency, Beetext Flow automatically provides a total word count of each new document. As well, Beetext Find supports a wide array of document formats, including PDF, Word, HTML, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, Frame Maker, Visio and many more. It supports 250 file formats in all (see Beetext Find search engines - specification sheet). Beetext Find also provides keyword searching within Beetext Flow that allows you to search your folders for a specific document using plain text. Beetext Flow can then associate this document with the translator who worked on it, the date it was requested, how much was invoiced and such. Beetext Flow will also automatically feed Beetext Find indexes, constantly increasing their reference potential. 3

4 Integration with Third Party Software Beetext Flow blends seamlessly with other programs to maximize their efficiency. For example, if a translation memory is integrated into Beetext Flow, you can automatically pre-translate client requests prior to sending them to your translation team. Incorporating your accounting software will enable you to process all billing and invoicing information directly in Flow. And incorporating a CRM or address book will allow you to maintain better and up-to-date contact with your clients. The Beetext development team is always open to suggestions on how to increase the power of Beetext Flow. We are also open to requests regarding third party software integration. Integration inquiries should be directed to our Sales Department at sales@beetext.com or Beetext. 4

5 DETAILED FEATURES Request Management Module The heart of Beetext Flow is the Request Management Module, which compiles relevant information from other Flow modules into a work request. Use this module to enter requests into the workflow, upload documents and reference material to the server, and attach relevant client information and instructions. You can also form and notify translation teams and arrange schedules to meet client deadlines. Project Management Module Similar to the Request Management Module, the Project Management Module offers a more project-focused set of features. It is ideal for longer, more involved projects, such as a 200 page website with fifty graphics that need translation. Using this module, you can combine separate translation requests into a single project. It also lets you centralize same-project requests, documents, reference material, client information and deadlines, and translation teams under one project name. The module is also flexible enough to accommodate additional requests made at a later date. Integrated Document Management Beetext Flow provides seamless file transfer technology when uploading and downloading files from the server, allowing you to drag and drop documents directly into Flow. Gone are the days of sending files via . To keep you at peak productivity, for large files Flow lets you continue working while the file uploads in the background. In addition, Flow automatically archives all client-related documents and work requests and provides tight version control. Shared Access to Data Translation team members can access all documents and reference material entered into Beetext Flow from anywhere with an Internet connection. User names and passwords specific to the function of each member control access to this information. Only request related users can access documents. Integrating Beetext Find search engines into your workflow can simplify document access. See Beetext Find Search Engines - Series Description to find out how. Automatic Notification To reduce workload, Beetext Flow sends automatic notifications for recurring tasks such as acknowledging and accepting work requests, notifying revisers when translations are complete, billing, and more. The administrator or project manager can customize these notifications for use on an as-needed basis. You can even notify clients when their document is completed. Online Request Form Module Like all Flow modules, the Online Request Form module is Web-based to allow your clients to enter translation requests directly into Beetext Flow. This reduces your workload and helps standardize requests by informing clients which information they need to provide when requesting a translation. This module also allows clients to create reports on the number and type of requests they have made. They can also access their previous translations and manage their translation budget. Since the Online Request Form is connected to Flow, requests made using it are automatically sent to project managers and entered in the Request Management Module. This saves valuable time by eliminating file manipulation and data entry. Reporting Module This module can create a range of statistical and graphical reports. These reports can be displayed as text or bar and pie charts and exported in standard data formats compatible with most software programs. The Reporting Module also lets you easily create custom reports and save them as templates, which can be reused as often as you like. Examples of available reports include productivity, profits, sales period, service provider statistics, and more. 5

6 Accounts Receivable Tracking Beetext Flow project management software allows you to review accounts receivable at a glance, export a list of overdue invoices, keep track of due and paid invoices, and quickly send reminders to clients on overdue accounts. Invoice and Quote Module You can use this module to quote on client requests based on previous billing information in the Beetext Flow Client Management Module. The Invoice and Quote Module lets you assign the necessary resources, determine how much time each production step will take, gauge availability, and more. Once the client approves the quote, the module can automatically create requests and invoices. Client Management Module This module streamlines client management by giving you fast and easy access to client contact information, source and target languages, billing rates, special procedures, and standards. Service Provider Module This module streamlines service provider management by giving you fast and easy access to provider contact information, translated languages, areas of expertise, rates, availability, vacation time, and more. In-house employees and freelancers can also manage their schedule and availability within this module. You can also export contact lists or address books to Excel format in order to generate a phone directory or mailing list. Real Time Workload Monitoring Knowing the workload of in-house staff and freelancers is key to efficient workflow. That s why Beetext Flow lets you scan the availability of team members in real time. Find out how much work they have, how much work they produce, and when their vacation time is scheduled, all at a glance. Service providers can also create their own schedule or use your default schedule previously added to Flow. Intelligent Work Distribution Once it receives a translation request through its online request form, Beetext Flow can help your project managers determine which translators are best suited to the request. Flow analyzes their workload in light of the deadline and suggests an available team to the project manager. Beetext Flow takes into account each translator production speed, current workload and unassigned tasks. With minimal input, the system presents your best choice to meet the client s deadline, and helps maximize your teams productivity. Sales Management Module You need to manage your sales effectively for your business to thrive. The Sales Management Module lets you do just that with prospect management, sales funneling, and forecasting features. Using this module, sales managers can now monitor whether translation demand is increasing or decreasing per client and react accordingly. What s more, the Sales Management Module can be linked to the Customer Management Module to share client contact info. It can also be linked to the Reporting Module to help you determine the sales each of your staff generated. HR Management Module Working hand in hand with the Sales Management Module, Beetext Flow can help predict hiring requirements based on incoming work. What training do your service providers need? What qualifications should future service providers have to round out your team? Who are your top performers and how are you grooming them for greater responsibility? The Beetext Flow HR Management Module can help answer these questions. 6

7 Control Panel This is the control center of Beetext Flow project management software. Add users and passwords, adjust security levels, set language preferences for each user, set default settings, and much more. Using the Control Panel, you can adjust virtually any setting in Flow to tailor it perfectly to your organization and reap maximum benefit. Remote Access Beetext Flow is Web-based, which means users can access it from any Internet connection through secure user names and passwords. Customization Module This module allows you to define default values for money, languages, countries, and more. You can also customize forms by adding fields, drop-down menus, check boxes, and more to tailor the application to your exact needs. Please contact the Beetext Sales Team for more in-depth customization options. Customizable Workflow Templates Wondering if Beetext Flow project management software is the workflow solution for you? Simply reproduce your current workflow or workflows within Flow using our unique and user-friendly workflow builder. This tool lets you create workflow templates and define production steps by assigning one or several service providers to each. Once created, workflow templates can be reused to save your project managers a great deal of time. TM Integration Using and maintaining a translation memory (TM) is time consuming. But Beetext Flow can query your TM for word matches and automatically update your TM every time you complete a translation, making your TM a more useful and user-friendly tool. Please contact your sales representative for this option. Database Compatibility Beetext Flow project management software runs on an SQL Server database. However, you can integrate other databases such as My SQL, Oracle, DB2, Sybase, and Firebird to reduce IT overhead. CRM Integration Manually transferring client information into your CRM software? Ask your sales representative how Beetext Flow can help speed up the process. Accounting Software Integration Manually transferring accounting information into your accounting software? Ask your sales representative how Beetext Flow can help speed up the process. Corporate Look and Feel Integration Your company s name and design scheme can be integrated into Beetext Flow to blend it seamlessly with your corporate image. This service is included in the Enterprise versions of Flow and is optional in the Small Business versions. Advanced Customization by Beetext The Beetext Development Team can tailor our products to suit your unique company procedures or leverage your software. By automating workflow and business processes, you can reduce overhead and allow your team members to focus on more important tasks. Beetext can conduct an in-depth analysis of your organization s procedures to pinpoint ways to improve your business and reduce production costs. Please contact your sales representative for details. 7

8 Integrated Beetext Find Search Engines Beetext Find search engines are powerful search tools right at your fingertips. Use them to locate legacy translation requests, documents, reference materials, word matches, and much more. Search by keyword and phrase, or use advanced search functions to narrow your query. See Beetext Find Search Engines - Series Description for details. Automatic Word Count By integrating Beetext Find search engines, you can do an automatic word count when creating a request. You can also find virtually any file format, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Adobe PDF, Frame Maker, HTML, and hundreds more. Beetext Find is included with Bi-Text Advantage versions of Flow and can be added to some Flow Complete versions. Multilingual Interface Beetext Flow accepts all languages, and its multilingual interface allows you to work from any language to any language, according to user preferences. Universal File Format Support From video and voice recordings to text documents, Beetext Flow is compatible with virtually all file formats. Mac Compatible Mac users can now enjoy the power and convenience of Beetext Flow project management software. Self Support The Beetext website has FAQs and online forums to help users learn more about Beetext products. Multiple Support Plans Beetext offers a variety of support plans. These plans range from various levels of software support to complete on-site network and equipment support. User Guides Interactive user guides are available for all Beetext products to help you harness their full potential and benefit your business. Update Plans Stay up to date with the annual update plan as Beetext Flow features expand and evolve. Keep pace with the latest versions of key software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe PDF. Upgrades Upgrades are available if you do not opt for update plans. Upgrade costs are based on a percentage of the initial purchase price, with costs increasing over time. Contact your Beetext sales representative for more details. Training Training sessions are available on request and consist of one day of training for project managers and one to three hours of training for service providers. A one-day follow-up session to answer any questions is also included. Because Beetext Flow is so well designed and easy to use, one day is all it takes to get your team trained and up and running. Onsite Training We can provide onsite training. Should your staff grow over time, you can request additional training sessions from Beetext trainers. 8

9 Multiple Hosting (Beetext Hosting) Beetext offers several hosting options ranging from budget hosting to high security hosting with 100% guaranteed availability. See the Beetext Flow Project Management Software - Specification Sheet in the Downloads section of our website. Internal Hosting (Client Side) You can choose to host Enterprise versions (excluding Trial version) of Beetext Flow project management software internally, enabling your organization s IT department to apply their own security rules. Security (Beetext Hosting) Beetext Flow offers comprehensive security features, from simple username and password protection to encrypted data and Secure ID cards. Please see Beetext Flow Project Management Software- Specification Sheet for details. Available Leasing Plans Leasing plans are available. We stand by our product and are sure it will save you time. That s why you can try the power of Flow for six months and then choose to purchase, with fees being credited to the purchase price. You can also maintain a leasing plan for as long as you like. 9

10 CONTACT INFORMATION For more information about our products and services, please do not hesitate to contact us: North America: Toll free: Beetext Europe: Website: Business hours: Monday Friday 9am 5pm Eastern Time 10