Understand the translation process

In Inspire, the translation process is basically the same no matter where the translation work is being done.

In Inspire, you create the component(s) you want to send to translation.

You create the translation job. You must select the languages and how you want to export the files for translation. You can access the Translate option in the following places:

An administrator can limit a translation coordinator to selecting only approved components to include in a translation job. Restrict translation to approved components.

You can choose what to do with your translation job; either start to Translate or Queue the job.

You can queue jobs for all types of Translation Projects.

  • First, Inspire prepares the job.
    • Inspire creates a folder for each language you select. The folder's location is based on the component you select for translation. For example:
      • If you select a component in the following folder and want to translate it to French: My Components / Chapter 1
      • Then Inspire creates a sub folder here: My Components / Chapter 1 / fr-FR
    • Inspire creates a copy of the component you want translated and puts it into the new language folder. A new copy, also known as the target translation component, is created for each language you selected.
      • For example, the My Components / Chapter 1 / fr-FR folder now has a copy of the Introduction component you selected: My Components / Chapter 1 / fr-FR / introduction_fr-FR.xml

        Inspire may set the Reading property when creating target components for translation.

        Inspire sets the Reading property in these cases:
        • If it doesn't exist yet
        • Only if the language Reading property is rtl (Right-to-Left)
        • For example: <concept id="concept_guid" xml:lang="ar-Ar" dir="rtl">
        • Inspire makes no changes if the language Reading property is ltr (Left-to-Right)
    • Inspire locks the source files being sent to translation. By default, source components are locked, however, you may see something different from the default behavior.

      An administrator can allow files that are in translation to be unlocked:

  • If you select Translate:
    • If you're using an integrated vendor, Inspire contacts them and delivers the files and job settings. The integrated vendor provides Inspire with an ID that allows Inspire to track the job's progress.
    • If you're using a manual process, you receive a notification with a link. The translation job content can be downloaded from that link. Then you must send the target files to the vendor for translation and provide them with the job details.
    • In the Translations module, on the Translation Management screen, the State is set to In Progress.

    Send one component to translation

  • If you select Queue:
    • In the Translations module, on the Translation Management screen, the State is set to Queued Submission.
    • You must select this job and choose to Submit it to start the translation work with the vendor.

    Create a queued translation job

While content is being translated, you can monitor the job's progress:

  • If you're using an integrated vendor, go to the Translations module, on the Translation Management screen. Inspire uses the following States:
    • In Progress — you successfully submitted the job in Inspire (previously in a State of Queued and Submitted)
    • At Vendor — you successfully submitted the job to an external application for translation
    • Exporting — Inspire is sending the job files to an external application
    • Translating — the job is with the vendor
    • Partially Completed — the vendor completes and returns some but not all of the work
    • Completed - the vendor returned the translated files and they've been imported back into Inspire
    • Cancelled - the translation coordinator stopped the translation process before it was complete
    • Failed Sending - Inspire could not communicate with the external application to send the translation files and parameters
    • Failed Retrieving — Inspire could not communicate with the external application to get the vendor's translated files and store them in Inspire

      Monitor file transmission to an external application

  • If you're using a manual process, you must contact your vendor outside of Inspire.

As the translation work is being done, issues may arise that you need to manage. Inspire allows to update translation jobs in the following ways:

  • Update translation details. You can only change some of the translation job properties.
    • If a job is in the Translation state, you can change:
      • On the Details tab: Name (of the job), Description, and (Translation) Coordinator
      • On the Languages tab: Cancel (a language)
      • On the Components tab: Cancel (a component translation)
      • On the Integration tab: nothing
      • On the Reference only tab: nothing

    Update translation details

  • Force a translation job to be Completed. If a job contains a mix of cancelled and completed components, an Administrator can force the entire job to have a State of Completed. This also unlocks all files in translation.

    Force a translation job to be Completed

  • Resend corrected files using GlobalLink Portal. If a vendor finds an issue, you can correct and resend files that are still being translated or that are completed.
  • Cancel part or all of a translation. If a translation job is active you can only remove components and languages, or cancel an entire translation job. If you need to add new components or languages or change any other details such as the vendor, you must cancel the job and either create a new one or reset the job.

    Cancel part or all of a translation

  • Reset a translation job in Inspire. If a job is cancelled in Inspire, you can now reset it to get the translated files back into Inspire. Resetting a job in Inspire has no impact on the job in GlobalLink Enterprise. A user in GlobalLink Enterprise must reset the workflow there.

    Reset a translation job

When the vendor completes the translation work, the files need to be imported back into Inspire for the job to marked as Completed.

  • If you're using an integrated vendor:
    • Inspire is notified that the work is done
    • Inspire accepts the translated files as target files.
    • Inspire saves the target files in the translation folders.
    • Inspire marks the job as Completed.
  • If you're using a manual process, you must manually import translated files.
    • Open the Translations module. On the Translation Management screen, select the job and then use the Import translation option.
    • When you import the translated files, you'll overwrite the original copies in the language folders. Inspire created these files as placeholders when you started the translation job. You aren't losing any information when you overwrite the files because the content you sent for translation still exists in the ZIP file Inspire sent you.
    • Inspire marks the job as Completed.
  • Inspire sends email to you, the translation coordinator, letting you know you can review the work. The email notification contains the following information:
    • The translation job ID. (For GlobalLink Enterprise and TransPerfect jobs.)
    • The translation job Name.
    • A list of target Languages used in the translation job.
    • If the job was successfully Completed or Cancelled in GlobalLink Vasont Inspire.
    • User Name of the account that completed or cancelled the translation job.
  • After a vendor completes the translation work or you've cancelled a job, you may want to remove it from the list on the Translations Management tab to keep the list short. Clean up cancelled or completed jobs