The Issues feature allows platform users to communicate about original source content or translations directly in the Smartling platform. Ensure your Global Notification Preferences are enabled to receive Issue notifications.
There are two types of Issues; Source Issues, and Translation Issues. A Translator might create a Source Issue to ask a question about terminology in a particular string. Similarly, a Project Manager might create a Translation Issue to ask a question about translation in a particular string.
Getting answers to questions about content helps the translation process move quickly and effectively. Similarly, providing feedback about translations can ensure consistency. All issue correspondence history is stored in-platform, allowing you to access it at any time.
Finding Jobs With Open Issues
A Job with an open issue with can be identified by the red flag icon under the Job name in your Jobs Dashboard. Simply click the flag to open the thread. You will find all open thread in the Issues Report.
Accessing The Issues Report
The Issues report is a list of all threads associated with you or your team.
In your Jobs Dashboard, click Reports > Issues.
To download the report, select threads > Actions > Export CSV
How to Open an Issue
- Go to your Project Dashboard by clicking the Project name
- In your Project Dashboard, click Translations on the left navigation
- Hover over the string you want to ask a question about and click Add an Issue
- Decide if the issue is related to the source or the translation by selecting an issue type
- Categorize the issue further by selecting a subtype from the dropdown menu
- Choose a severity level for the issue
- In the description box, type the question or feedback for the users assigned or associated with the string to address
- You can mention specific people in the issue by tagging them with @username. Once you type @ a dropdown list of all related users appears for you to select from
- Related users are content owners that have access to the project the string is in, and linguists and Agencies assigned to the translation workflow the string is in
- Click Create Issue / Comment to send the message to users
Markdown format links are supported in Issue text. Place link text in square brackets followed immediately by the URL in parentheses [Link Text](http:/www.link-url.com)
Issue Types
Source
Source issue notifications are sent to the Account Owner and Project Manager users on the account (if preferences are enabled). For questions/comments relating to the source copy, you can open a source issue under the following subtypes;
- Question/Clarification: Question about the source content (e.g. what is a "Smart Inbox").
- Typo/Misspelling: Mistake in the source content (i.e. were vs. where).
Translation
Translation issues are comments, questions or queries relating to the translation submitted to a string. In order for an email notification to be sent to the translation resource user who submitted the string, the user opening the issue must do so by rejecting the translation. However, slack notifications will be sent regardless if the string is rejected. Account Owner and Project Manager users can reject a string in the Strings View Actions or, like Agency Account Owner, Translation Resource Managers and Translation Resource users, by clicking X on a string from within the CAT Tool.
Translation issues are locale-specific, meaning only the Translation Resource user working on a locale for that string, will receive a notification, by default. Any other user may receive a notification on translation issues after they participate in the issue (open an issue /comment on an issue). A translation issue can be opened without moving the string back a step - i.e. a reviewer can open a translation issue on a translation without rejecting the string. However, it is important to note that a notification will not be sent if the string is inaccessible to the user who needs to revise the translation.
If the workflow is configured to allow users to reject content to another step (e.g., the review step), then the translation issue created when rejecting a string will be sent to the user who submitted the string to that specific step (e.g., the reviewer).
- Review Translation: Translation requires revision.
- Doesn't Fit Space: The translation does not fit the space allotted in the asset design. You can then apply a character limit to the string for further guidance.
- Placeholder Issue: Placeholder balancing or ordering is incorrect.
- Poor Translation: Translation does not meet tone, brand, or quality guidelines.
Subtypes can be customized for the account. Your Account Owner or Project Manager can contact a Smartling Customer Success Manager to request custom subtypes. They are specific to either source or translation type.
Severity
To highlight the priority of the issue, you can select a severity level from the dropdown from High, Medium, or Low. The default severity will always be Medium and can be modified at any time, even for "closed" issues. This field is optional.
Following Issues
Any user can subscribe themselves as an issue watcher by clicking "Start watching this issue." They will be notified about future issue updates, including new comments and issue resolution. Once a user has begun watching an issue, they can unsubscribe at any time by clicking "Stop watching this issue" in the same window.
Watchers added in this method can be seen and removed by Account Owners, Project Managers, and Agency Account Owners.
Watchers
Any email address can be added as a watcher by an Account Owner, Project Manager, or Agency Account Owner users. Watchers receive notifications about an issue being opened, commented on, or closed. This field is optional.
A watcher can add comments and add attachments to issues via email. Other aspects of the issue must be managed via the web dashboard.
Account Owner, Project Manager, or Agency Account Owner users can remove any watcher from the list, regardless of which user added the watcher to the list. A watcher can also remove themself by replying to any watcher notification email with "unwatch" or "unsubscribe."
Tagging People in Issues
You can mention people in any issue by tagging them with @username. Once you type @ a dropdown list of all related users appears for you to select from. Once you click save, a notification is triggered to that user, and they are automatically added as a watcher on the thread. The user will automatically receive a notification for any other comments on that thread, regardless if they have been mentioned again.
Reply to a Comment
To ensure you will receive email notification relating to issues, ensure notifications are enabled. You will then receive an email when an issue is opened or commented on. Click the link in the email to go directly to the open issue, where you can add a comment and/or close the issue if your question is answered. Alternatively, you can reply to the issue via email.
To view and respond to an issue:
- Go to Content > Translations. The number of open issues will be displayed in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Click on Translation issues or Source issues to filter on strings with open issues.
- Hover over a string and click View Issue.
- Click on the Issue text to expose the comment field.
- Enter your comment and click Comment to reply or Comment & Close to reply and close the ticket in one action.
You can also reply to issues in the CAT Tool and Transcreation Tool by clicking on Issues in the side panel.
Strings that are flagged with issues will have a red vertical bar on the left side of the string
Close an Issue
Though all issue participants can close an issue, we recommend that the user who opened an issue is the one to close the issue once their question has been answered.
Issue Assignment
By default, the user who opens the issue is the user assigned. The Account Owner or Project Manager can re-assign issues.
Open Issue Quality Checks
Account Owner and Project Manager users can enable quality checks for open issues. This checks if a string has an open source and/or translation issue, and depending on the severity, will flag strings with open issues to you when you submit the strings to the next step. If this setting is set to a high severity, you won't be able to submit the translations to the next step until all open issues are closed.
Issue Visibility and Notifications
Notifications are sent depending on the notification type, the condition, and whether the user has opted to receive that kind of notification.
- All Source Issues are sent to Account Owners and Project Managers (from the project that the Job is in).
- All Translation Issues are sent to the translator who translated the string.
- Any user who opens or comments on any Issue will be notified of subsequent comments and when the issue is closed, even if the translations are published.
| Smartling User | Source Issue | Translation Issue |
| Account Owner / Project Manager |
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| Requester |
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| Agency Account Owner |
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| Translation Resource / Translation Resource Manager |
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| Watcher |
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