Documentation Center

Translation Manager functionality introduced in SDL Web 8

This section describes what is new and what has changed in Translation Manager between versions 2013 SP1 and 8.1.

Support for Metadata when sending items for translation
It is now possible to provide extra information about the components being sent for translation. This information is sent as an additional file with the rest of the components in a translation job.
Translate item options configuration available at Folder, Structure Group and Category level
Previously, the Translated item options could only be specified at Publication level. This functionality has been extended and is now available for the following organizational items:
  • Folders
  • Structure groups
  • Categories
The functionality to manage and monitor Translation Jobs has changed
The slide-out navigation pane has a new Translations option, which opens the Translation Jobs screen. Use this screen to manage your Translation Jobs, for example, you can:
  • Open, delete, and copy Translation Jobs
  • Send items to translation
  • Retry sending jobs that have failed due to errors
  • Retry retrieving jobs that have failed due to errors
  • Check the status of Translation Jobs
  • Monitor the progress of Translation Jobs
Translation Manager has upgraded ITS (Internationalization Tag Set) from version 1.0 to version 2.0
The two main enhancements of ITS 2.0 relate to files sent for translation, they are:
  1. Storage Size

    Maximum field length can be specified in Schemas or system fields (Item titles, Page file names, Structure Group directories).

    For system fields, Administrators can configure the storage size in the bin\cm_xml_usr.xsd file.

    The storage size configured in Schemas will only affect those components using that Schema, whereas the storage size in the bin\cm_xml_usr.xsd file will affect all fields it has been set up for. The specified storage value is passed to the Translation system when files are sent for translation.

  2. Allowed Characters

    ITS 2.0 supports the specification of allowed characters for system fields (Item titles, Page file numbers, Structure Group directories) in the bin\cm_xml_usr.xsd file. This is known as an expression rule. The expression is passed to the Translation system when files are sent for translation.

Impact of core product promotion and demotion functionality
SDL Web 8 introduces support for promoting/demoting an Item in the BluePrint. This impacts Translation Manager in two situations:
  • When an organizational item configured for translation is promoted or demoted, its translation configuration does not move along with the item. Instead, the user interface displays a warning that the translation configuration remains on the shared item (if promoting) or will be lost (if demoting).
  • When an item that is (or was) the source of a translation is promoted or demoted, SDL Web 8 checks all items that are BluePrint descendants of the promoted or demoted item. If a descendant contains translation information, it will start considering the promoted or demoted item as its new source. Specifically, this means the following:
    • If the translation information referred to the latest version of the original source item, it now refers to version 1 of the promoted or demoted source item (and the original source item's last modified date is updated to the promoted item's last modified date).
    • Alternatively, if the translation information referred to an earlier version of the original source item, it now refers to no version at all (and the original source item's last modified date remains the same. The Info tab of the Item now cannot show any version, and shows the last modified date instead, as if the referenced item were a non-versioned item.
Translation Manager introduces a new optional Review step

The Review step is optional and allows SDL Web users to review translated content that is sent from the translation system before they accept it. The reviewer can change the content and add comments, and either reject or accept the translated content. If the content is rejected, it is automatically sent back to the translation system.

While the content is in the Review step it remains in the same Workflow. This means it is not necessary to create a new translation job or copy the existing one.