Troubleshooting Untranslated Content

This article explains the possible reasons why some content in your file or on your website has not been translated.

Finding untranslated content in your file or website can indeed be frustrating.

To resolve this issue, it's a matter of locating the string in Smartling. Finding the string means that it has indeed been ingested for translation, and we can action it within the platform. If we cannot locate the string, it means that it has not been ingested for translation.

Find the untranslated content in Smartling

1. Use the global content search to locate the string in Smartling
   
   • If you know which Smartling Project the string is in, go to that Project's Strings View instead
2. Insert the untranslated text into the source keyword filter
3. The Key/Variant and File/URL filter can also be used to further refine your search

If you found the string, check the Status column for any one of the following:

• Awaiting Authorization: content must be authorized for translation.
  • Click the Job name to enter the Job Details and authorize the translation.
  • If there is no Job name, you must create a Job:
    1. Go to the Project (named under the status column)
    2. Use the same filters to find the strings in the Project Strings View
    3. Select them and click Actions > Request Translation
    4. Ensure to authorize the translation
• In progress: translations are available as soon as the status is published. If the content is in any post-translation step, you can pre-published it to make it available in its current form.
• Excluded: excluded strings can be restored and await authorization:
  1. Go to the Project (named under the status column)
  2. Use the Status filter and select Excluded
  3. Select them and click Actions > Restore Excluded
  4. Use the Status filter and select Awaiting Authorization
  5. Use the File/URL filter to find the strings
  6. Select them and click Actions > Request Translation
  7. Ensure to authorize the translation

Reasons why content is not translated

If a string is in the Published step, but the translation uses the source text, this could be because the translators entered text in the source language and/or the string SmartMatched the translation. If this is an undesired translation, you can reject the translation back to the translators for revision. You also may need to consider cleaning your translation memory, so strings like this do not SmartMatch again.

What to do if you can't find the strings

If none of the above steps return the untranslated content, it means that the strings have not yet been ingested to Smartling for translation.

Reasons why content is not ingested for translation

Here are the possible reasons why content is not ingested for translation, and how to solve each:

1. File directives are incorrect: check the directives against the file documentation.
2. If you are using business files:
   • Check if a NOTRANSLATE formatting style has been applied to some of the content in your Word or Excel file.
   • Ensure you have chosen the correct upload method when translating spreadsheets (Microsoft or Smartling excel).
   • If translating PDF files, not all content can be ingested. We recommend using the native file format when possible.
3. Text is embedded in an image file: extract the text to a supported file type.
4. HTML content: ensure the HTML content has not been excluded by tag attributes.
5. If you are using a Connector:
   • Connector configuration or configuration set may need adjusting.
   • Check the "Overview..." documentation to ensure you are translating a supported content type.
   • Is the content a related or child asset? Ensure that this is included when requesting translation.
6. GDN content wasn't captured: certain content, such as JSON and JavaScript, is not ingested by default and requires custom rules.

Tip: For more information, read Troubleshooting Untranslated GDN Content.