Translating content using external services

You can automate or outsource the translation of website content using translation services. The system automatically ensures the transfer of data between the website’s documents and translation providers. Translation data is exported and imported via files using the standard XML-based XLIFF format.

There are two general categories of translation services:

• Machine services - use translation software to programmatically convert source text from one language to another. By default, Kentico supports Microsoft Translator (Bing) and Google Translator.
• Standard services (human translation) - provide an automated interface between the system and external human translators. By default, Kentico supports Translations.com, E-mail translation and Manual translation.

The main purpose of translation services is to create language versions of the website’s documents based on the content in another language. There are several different ways to submit documents for translation.

Requirements

• The Enable translation services setting must be enabled in Settings -> Content -> Translation services.
• The chosen type of translation service must be configured in Settings -> Content -> Translation services. See Configuring translation services.
• Your website needs to be configured for multiple content cultures, including all languages that you plan to use.

Translating documents to other languages

You can create new language versions of documents using a translation service in:

• The Pages application
• The Translations application - use this if you want to submit document translations and view the status of ongoing translation submissions in the same interface. Applies to standard services (Manual translation, E-mail translation, Translations.com) only.
• Document listing - allows you to submit multiple documents for translation in a single operation.

Translating documents in the Pages application

1. Open the Pages application.

2. Select the document that you wish to translate in the content tree.

3. Switch to the target language using the selector below the content tree.

4. Select Translate using translation service.

5. Choose one of the available translation services.

   • If you do not see any options, then the services are not configured in Settings -> Content -> Translation services. See Configuring translation services for more details.

6. Fill in the details for the translation (some of the options may not be supported by the selected service):

   Translate from language	If the document already exists in more than one language, you can choose which one the service uses as the source for the translation.
   Human translation parameters
   Translate attached files	Enable this option to submit the document’s file attachments for translation along with the main content. The system adds file attachments directly into the XLIFF translation source as binary data encoded in Base64 format.
   Priority	Sets the priority of the translation (low, normal or high).
   Translation requested due	Specifies a deadline date for the translation.
   Instructions for translators	Here you can enter additional instructions for human translators.

   

7. Click Submit for translation.

The system adds the new language version of the document.

• Machine services immediately insert the translated content into the new document version.
• When using standard (human) translation services, the system initially creates the new document version as a copy of the source language. The content tree shows the Waiting for translation status icon () next to documents in this state. You can manage the translation through a submission ticket in the Translations application. Once the service completes the translation, you can process the submission to transfer the new content into the appropriate language version of the document.

Creating submissions in the Translations application

1. Open the Translations application.

2. Click Create new submission.

3. Select the document that you want to translate. You can also type the path directly in the field.

4. Choose one of the available translation services.

   • If you do not see any options, then the services are not configured in Settings -> Content -> Translation services. See Configuring translation services for more details.

5. Fill in the details for the translation (some of the options may not be supported by the selected service):

   Translate from language	If the document already exists in more than one language, you can choose which one the service uses as the source for the translation.
   Translate to language	Select the target language of the translation.
   Human translation parameters
   Translate attached files	Enable this option to submit the document’s file attachments for translation along with the main content. The system adds file attachments directly into the XLIFF translation source as binary data encoded in Base64 format.
   Priority	Sets the priority of the translation (low, normal or high).
   Translation requested due	Specifies a deadline date for the translation.
   Instructions for translators	Here you can enter additional instructions for human translators.

6. Click Translate.

The system adds the new language version of the document. The system initially creates the new document version as a copy of the source language. Once the service completes the translation, you can process the submission to transfer the new content into the appropriate language version of the document. The content tree shows the Waiting for translation status icon () next to documents in this state.

Translating multiple documents

To translate more than one document using a single action:

1. Open the Pages application.

2. Switch to Listing mode.

3. Select the parent of the documents that you wish to translate in the content tree.

4. Switch to the target language using the selector below the content tree.

5. Mark documents for translation using the check boxes next to the listed items.

6. Select the Translate action below the document list.

7. Click OK.

8. Choose a service and specify the parameters of the translation. When submitting multiple documents for translation, you can also enable or disable the following options:

   Skip already translated documents	If checked, documents that already exist in the target language are not submitted for translation. Disable this option to overwrite the current content of the documents with the text returned by the translation service.
   Send all documents within one submission	If enabled, the system includes all listed documents in a single translation submission. Otherwise, separate submissions are created for individual documents. Only applicable when using a human translation service.

   

9. Click Translate.

The translation process works the same way as for single items, but the system performs it for all selected documents.

Resubmitting documents sent for translation

The system allows you to resubmit documents already sent for translation (for example, if you edited the document and want to translate the modified version instead).

You can resubmit documents for translation in:

• The Pages application
• The Translations application (standard translation services only)

Resubmitting translations in the Pages application

1. Open the Pages application.
2. Select the modified document in the content tree.
3. Open the Properties -> Languages tab.
4. Click the Translate document () action for the language version that you wish to re-submit.
5. Choose a service and specify the parameters of the translation.
6. Click Translate.

The system submits the document for translation just like when creating a new language version. The text returned by the translation service overwrites the original content of the document in the selected language.

Resubmitting translations in the Translations application

1. Open the Translations application.
2. (Optional) If you want to edit the submission before resubmitting it, click Edit () and change the details.
3. If you edited the submission, click Save and Resubmit. Otherwise click Resubmit () in the list of translation submissions.

The system submits the edited document for translation. The new submission replaces the previous one in the submissions list.

Re-translating existing document versions

You can submit documents for translation even if they already exist in the target language. This allows you to use translation services to update the language versions of a document after making changes to its main content.

1. In the Pages application, select the document in the content tree.
2. Open the Properties -> Languages tab.
3. Click the Translate document () action for the language version that you wish to re-translate.
4. Choose a service and specify the parameters of the translation.
5. Click Translate.

The system submits the document for translation just like when creating a new language version. The text returned by the translation service overwrites the original content of the document in the selected language.