Free Localization Checklist Template
A localization checklist covers intake, preparation, translation, review and QA, DTP checks, and handover steps for a localisation project.
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A localisation project moves fast, and the risk isn’t the translation itself, it’s the small misses that make a UI feel off in-market or break a constraint nobody spotted until after launch. The Localization Checklist holds the work in one place, from Intake and scope through Handover and close, so the team can see what’s next without relying on memory.
The columns track the job in order, starting with target languages, files, access details, and deposit, then moving into glossary and style notes, string prep, and tool setup. Translation and localisation covers UI strings, web pages, app store copy, marketing transcreation, and subtitling, before review runs consistency checks, functional QA, and character-limit validation. The board sits under Raleway headings with Roboto body text, with plum panels and a green‑teal accent that keeps actions clear without shouting.
- Intake and scope Captures target languages, constraints, source files, access details, and the deposit step before any strings get touched.
- Preparation and setup Builds the glossary and style notes, formats source strings, and sets up the CAT tool, TM, and project files.
- Translate and localise Tracks localisation across UI strings, website pages, app store listings, marketing copy, and subtitles or captions.
- Review and QA Runs bilingual review, terminology checks, functional QA, and validation for character limits and UI constraints.
- Handover and close Delivers final files, sends the final invoice, archives TM and project files, and closes out with feedback.
In Plutio, the template runs as a project board with 21 cards, so you add your own dates and assign the cards to whoever’s doing the work. The flow stays focused on order, not a calendar, which means the board still works when priorities shift mid-stream.
We went from spending hours on every proposal to creating fully customized ones in under 5 minutes. That's not an exaggeration - we timed it.
What is on this board
6 columns carrying 21 cards. Adding it builds the whole thing as a project in your workspace, with every column and card in place.
| Column | What is in it |
|---|---|
Intake and scope | Collects the target languages, constraints, source files, and access details, then includes the step to send a 50% deposit invoice before production starts.
|
Preparation and setup | Covers glossary and style notes, string extraction and formatting, and setup for the CAT tool, translation memory, and working files.
|
Translate and localise | Holds the production work across UI string files, website pages, app store listings, marketing transcreation, and subtitles and captions.
|
Review and QA | Lists bilingual review and editing, terminology and consistency checks, functional QA in the product, and checks for character limits and other UI constraints.
|
DTP and final layout | Keeps the multilingual DTP review and layout fixes together, ending with exports of the final assets.
|
Handover and close | Ends the project with delivery and handover notes, the final invoice, archiving TM and project files, and confirming close and feedback.
|
What happens when you install it
- A project is created with its board, 6 columns and 21 cards already there.
- Nothing carries a due date, because a board holds the order the work runs in rather than a calendar. The dates go on once you know when the job starts.
- Every card opens as a task with its own description, assignee, dates, subtasks and files, and columns are renamed, reordered or deleted like any other.
Who it is for
Localization teams, translation & localisation vendors, and product teams running software localisation or document translation work across multiple languages and formats.
Questions about this project template
What should a localization checklist include?
A localization checklist usually covers intake and scope, prep and tool setup, translation and localisation tasks, review and QA checks, layout checks, and handover steps. This board follows that flow from scope through final delivery and closeout.
How do you keep terminology consistent across an app and website?
Terminology consistency normally comes from a glossary, style notes, and checks during review. The board includes a glossary and style-notes step up front and terminology and consistency checks in the review phase.
Can localization handle character limits and variables in UI strings?
Localization can handle limits and string constraints, but the work needs a dedicated check so issues don’t show up after release. The review column includes validation for character limits and UI constraints.
What do you need from a client to start translation and localisation work?
Projects usually need confirmed scope, target languages, constraints, and access to the source files or string exports. The intake column calls out those items before the preparation and translation steps begin.
What’s the difference between translation and localisation?
Translation focuses on converting text between languages, while localisation also accounts for product context like UI constraints, tone, and in-app behaviour. The board includes both production tasks and functional QA to catch the in-product issues that aren’t visible in text alone.
What steps come after translation in a software localisation workflow?
Most workflows move into review and QA, then layout checks where relevant, then handover and archiving. The board follows that sequence with review and QA, DTP and final layout, and handover and close columns.
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