By Cathy Dew
Understanding the necessary approval points between translation types ensures a smooth and successful translation process.
Overview of Translation Options
There are several workflow paths that you need to decide on for your content translation tasks. The first decision is to use machine translation or human translation. The second decision, with human translation, is to identify whether your translation service supports workflow automation with Kentico (e.g. Translation.com), or will you have to send the translation files via email & import them back in to Kentico. The final translation option is to have someone translating the content directly via Kentico’s editing tools.
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Integrating Workflow with the primary Translation Options
Machine Translation
Kentico comes out-of-the-box with connections to Google and Microsoft translation services. Once you have enabled the target translation service, the option will be available via the “Translate using translation service” option. (Make sure you have enabled which fields will be translated via the Page Type Fields tab.)
It’s important to understand that when the page is submitted for machine translation, Kentico creates a new page under the target culture and immediately places the newly translated content into the appropriate fields. Because the machine translation doesn’t have any delay in the returned result, the best practice is to ensure review of the translation by someone that knows the language. Copy and update the predefined workflow “Translation – Default language version” so that the page is not immediately published – but must be manually approved before it appears on the site to the average visitor.
If you don’t want a review of the machine translation (not recommended), at minimum setup the workflow to send a notification to a senior editor that a new translated page was created.
Human Translation – Service
When you are looking at human translation options, Kentico provides submission and collection integration with Translation.com. (There are other translations services that have integration options, but you’ll need to custom code the connections.) While the process is similar to machine translation, the results are not immediate, and therefore we need to activate a second workflow to pick up the available translations: Translation – Import to other language versions.
Like machine translation, Kentico will build a new page in the target culture keeping the default language / text until the translated content is available. Additionally, the page is flagged as “waiting for translation”. The submission check workflow will run periodically to look for new translation packages and update the target pages when the packages made available.
If you are not using an integrated human translation service, the process is pretty much the same except for auto-pickup and processing. When the translated files are provided, you’ll need to upload the translation files to the appropriate translation tasks.
Once the page is updated, you can auto-publish the new page with the workflow. At minimum send the senior editor a notice that the newly translated page has been published.
Human Translation – Manual
If you have employees that can provide translation services for your site, setup a workflow to notify the target translators that new content has been approved for publishing in the default language. The translation editor can then create the new target culture page and translate the content in-line. Kentico provides a “side-by-side” editing interface so the translator can see the default language next to the translated page to assist with live translation editing.
Once the page is translated, you may want a second pair of eyes to review the translation, which you can automate the notification with workflow – passing the page onto the next approver/editor. Or send a notification to the senior editor that the page is translated and published.
Conclusion
Translating your site doesn’t have to be an arduous process. Kentico has built-in connections, and predefined workflows to help smooth the translation process and ensure that the proper editors are kept in the loop as the translation process moves forward to completion. Once you decide on which translation workflow best suits your company and budget, the real work begins.
2Plus2 is a Kentico Gold Partner and would love to help you get the most out of your Kentico system. Go online to schedule a free consultation with our team or call 510-652-7700 today.