Getting Started with Translation Hub
Before you can start sending and receiving translation jobs, you first need to provide some basic information about your translation service, languages, and clients.
- Create an account
- Choose your translation method
- Set up language pairs
- Add clients
- Configure client side
Create a Translation Hub Account
Start by creating an account in the Translation Hub. Fill out your information and information about your translation service.
Choose Your Translation Method
Translation Hub includes an online editor where you can add translations without leaving the Translation Hub. The online editor gives you access to powerful translation tools such as:
- Automatic translation powered by DeepL – we provide 10,000 credits for free, and you can purchase more
- Glossary
- Spell check
- HTML-free formatting
- Translation memory
You can also choose to translate using XLIFF files. This allows you to download files, translate them using your own CAT tool, and upload the completed translations.
Add Language Pairs
WPML needs to know which languages you are able to translate to know which jobs it can send you. Clients will not be able to send jobs that require languages you have not set up in the Translation Hub.
You can add language pairs while going through the setup process, or add them later by going to Languages → Language pairs. Then, click Edit language pairs.
You can add multiple target languages for each source language, and you can add as many languages as you want.
Custom Language Mapping
Custom language mapping makes it possible for XLIFF files submitted as one language code to be downloaded as another. This is useful if the translation software you use requires different language codes than what the client is using.
For example, some translation software options must have a specific language code variation such as en-us instead of simply en. If the client is using the language code en, this will be an issue every time you download a translation job.
Translation Hub can handle the changes seamlessly via custom language mapping. There is no need to ask your clients to change any language settings and no need to manually change the codes each time you download a file.
To set up custom language mapping, go to Languages → ISO language mappings. Choose the language code your client uses from the list on the right, and add the variation you would like it mapped to. Then click Update mappings to apply the changes.
You can enter as many mappings as you would like.
Add Clients
Before a client can start sending jobs to you, you need to add them in the Translation Hub. This generates an API token that the client will enter in WPML to authorize your service.
To add a client, go to Clients, and click the Add New Client button.
On the following screen, enter their information. The client’s API token will be enabled by default, but you can disable it if you don’t want them to be able to send you translation jobs right away.
Clients receive a welcome email with instructions on what to do with the API token.
If they didn’t receive the welcome email, you can also find their API token in their client profile.
Clients enter this token when they authenticate your translation service on their site.
Please note that you cannot delete a client once created. Instead, you can edit their record and mark their API token status as Disabled.
Configure Client Side
Your client needs a WPML Multilingual CMS or Multilingual Agency account to connect with a translation service. If they haven’t purchased WPML yet, you can provide them with a purchase link. This link is available on your Translation Hub Dashboard.
Your client then needs to connect with your translation service from within WPML. How they do this depends on if your service is a Translation Partner or not.
If your client has trouble with this part of the setup, you can direct them to our documentation written specifically for WPML users with more step-by-step instructions.
Translation Partners
Translation Partners appear in the list of available translation services both in the WPML plugin and in WPML’s directory of translation services. Your clients simply need to search for your service and activate it using the API token, as described above.
Not a Translation Partner yet? Read more about how to become one.
Non-Partners
If you are not a partner, clients need to add a code snippet to their wp-config.php file in order to connect with your translation service. You can find the specific configuration snippet for your translation service on the Translation Hub dashboard or in the client profile.
Once they add it to their wp-config.php file, your service will be enabled in WPML → Translation Management → Translators. They can activate your service and enter the API token to start sending translation jobs.
Managing Translations with Translation Hub
Translation Hub allows you to manage translations for a client’s WordPress site from start to finish.
- Receiving translation jobs
- Using WPML’s online editor
- Using XLIFF files
- Canceling a translation job
- Handling resubmitted jobs
Receiving Translation Jobs
When clients send pages or posts to be translated, you’ll be notified via email. Log in to your Translation Hub account and find the jobs on the homepage.
Using the Online Editor
Click on a job to see the details, including when it was created and which language it’s for. To translate the job, click the Translate Online button. This opens the job in the online editor.
The online editor allows you to add translations without worrying about the layout or styling of their site. Simply add the translations for each segment, and click Complete.
When you complete a translation job, Translation Hub automatically sends the translations back to your client and publishes them on their site.
The online editor also includes some additional translation tools to make translating even easier.
Automatic Translation
Automatic translation helps speed up your translating by providing machine-generated translations powered by DeepL. Instead of translating everything from scratch, you only need to review the translations to make sure they sound natural and accurate.
You can automatically translate individual segments or entire pages and posts with just one click.
We provide 10,000 credits for free. If you start to run out of credits, you can request more by going to Account Management and clicking the Request more credit button. A member of our team will be in touch with more information.
Translation Memory
If your client uses a segment that was translated as part of a previous job, the online editor remembers and automatically applies the translations so you don’t have to translate them again.
Spell Check
Spell check helps you catch spelling mistakes and typos.
Glossary
If your client has requests to use specific translations for certain keywords and phrases, you can add them to your glossary.
HTML-Free Formatting
If the content you’re translating uses HTML formatting, you can apply the styling to your translations without needing to learn how to code.
Simply highlight the text that needs to be formatted and click the corresponding styling tag.
Using XLIFF files
If you prefer to use your own CAT tools, you can download XLIFF files and upload the completed translations. To enable this option, go to Account Management and check the box to use XLIFF files. Then click Save changes.
When you go to a translation job, you can download the XLIFF files in any language. Then, once you finish your translations, you can upload a single XLIFF file or a ZIP file containing multiple XLIFFs.
You can see the status of your uploads by going to Translation uploads.
Canceling a Translation Job
To cancel a translation job, go to the Jobs page and click Cancel.
Be sure to let your client know when you cancel a translation job.
Handling Resubmitted Jobs
WPML displays a warning to clients if they edit an element of their website that is already being translated.
If they continue and resubmit the updated translation job, it’s important for you to know which job you should be translating. WPML can only update translations for the most recent version.
Luckily, Translation Hub can save you the time and effort of translating the wrong files. It will recognize if many versions of the same job have been submitted and warn you if there is a newer version.
Troubleshooting Translation Hub
Error message: language pairs not supported
If a client is unable to send you projects for language pairs you support, it may be because of a missing language pair in your setup.
For instance, say you have language pairs set up for English and Spanish set as en to es in Translation Hub. If your client uses language codes with specific localizations such as American English (en-us) and Mexican Spanish (es-mx), they will not be able to send the translation.
To fix this, add the extra language pairs in Translation Hub and then instruct your client to refresh the language pairs in WPML. They can do this by going to Translation Management → Translation Services, and clicking Refresh language pairs.
Once language pairs have been updated and the client has refreshed the language pairs in WPML, they will be able to send the job for translation.
Client Isn’t Receiving Translations
Check Client Translation Pickup Mode
Clients have two options for receiving translations:
- The default is for the client’s website to automatically update with new translations once they’re received.
- Clients can also choose to check the status of the translations manually.
If they choose to check the status of translations manually, they may not immediately see that a translation job has been completed. In this case, they should go to WPML → Translation Management and click the Check status and get translations button.
Clients can change how their site receives translations by visiting WPML → Settings and scrolling down to Translation pickup mode.
Resend Translation Job
If you completed a job and sent it back but your client’s site didn’t receive it, you can resend the translation job.
- Go to the translation job and scroll down to the Troubleshooting section.
- Click the Resend translation button.
- Tell your client to go to WPML → Translation Management and click the Check status and get translations button.
If you still need assistance, please contact our support team.
API Tokens
API tokens are what makes a client able to connect with your service.
Disabling a token
It may become necessary at some point to freeze a client’s account (for instance, if a financial matter must be taken care of). To do this, you can disable a client’s API token. Go to Clients and edit the client’s record. Then, change the status to Disabled.
This prevents the client from being able to create new translation projects until you enable it again.