Translating Texts Offline
The externalization functions in transaction Translation Administration (LXE_MASTER) enable you to export texts for translation. You can then import the translations into the system. It is possible to export all short texts and PDF-based forms for translation.
This is an alternative to setting up a system for translation, where all translation activities take place directly in the system itself.
Your system is Unicode.
You have created at least one object list in the system.
If you create Customizing entries in a language that is not the original language of the table to which they belong, and if you want to export these entries for offline translation, then you must first override the original language of Customizing tables for translation.
To avoid inconsistencies, we recommend that you use this function to translate texts offline only after development has finished.
Export Features
Each export job is assigned its own unique ID for later identification (for example, during import, log display, and object status display).
The main format for export is XLIFF (for both short texts and PDF-based forms) but it is also possible to export short texts using Microsoft Excel. However, we do not recommend this format for large translation projects.
To avoid exporting large, unmanageable files, you can specify the maximum (approximate) number of translation lines in an export file so that one export creates several smaller files. These export files cannot be subdivided. The files produced by one export are assigned a unique ID and must be imported together to avoid data inconsistencies.
For performance reasons, the maximum number of translation lines for each Microsoft Excel file is 5,000. The maximum number of translation lines for each XLIFF file is 10,000.
During an export, the short texts within a single object are cumulated. This means that the same source texts (with exactly the same field length) are only exported once for an object, irrespective of how many times they actually occur.
As a rule, the texts in an export file should be completely translated before they are imported back into the translation system. However, it is possible to import specific languages from an export file, or even individual files in exceptional cases.
Import Features
During an import, the translations of cumulated short texts within an object are distributed to all translation lines in the object with the corresponding source text/field length combination. If an object has changed between export and import in the source system, then the object will not be 100% translated after import. Superfluous translations are not imported into the system if the source text no longer exists.
For short texts, a proposal can be created in the proposal pool automatically when translations are imported. You can choose between a system standard and a domain standard and you can also assign a quality status to the proposals.
By default, PDF-based forms are saved with status Translated. Fingerprints are used to ensure that this status is only set for PDF-based objects whose source version has not changed since the export.
During an import, you can choose to overwrite existing translations in the system or to import the translations in Insert mode.
It is possible to import a translation file more than once, for example, if translation is not complete or if corrections have been made.
After an import, you can use transport recording to transport the translations to downstream systems.
Log Features
In the Text Externalization log you can get an overview of the details relating to each exported object. A log entry is also made when exported texts are imported back into the system or if an export or an import cancels with an exception.
When compared with online translation, you should be aware that there are certain constraints to be taken into consideration when planning to export texts for external translation. The table below outlines the main differences between translating texts online and offline:
|
Online Translation |
Offline Translation |
|
There is a lot to learn when translating texts online: Setting up a system for translation, managing the proposal pool, and worklist evaluations are all relatively complex tasks. Translators must also learn how to use the translation tools, such as the short and long text editors and how to create a worklist in transaction SE63. |
Learning how to export system texts for offline translation is relatively quick and easy. You only have to learn some of the basic concepts of online translation, such as object lists and proposal pools. |
|
You must set up network connections between your system and external translation agencies. |
You do not have to set up network connections between your system and external translation agencies. |
|
You must grant external translators access to your system. |
You do not have to allow external translators to log on to your system. |
|
Online translation supports far more object types than offline translation, such as SAPscript long text objects, SAPscript forms, and Smart Forms. |
You can only use offline translation for short text object types and PDF-based forms. |
|
Translators use the proposal pool, which is a translation memory that was developed specifically for online short text translation. The proposal pool increases translation efficiency and consistency, and reduces translation costs. Translators do not use third-party translation memory software. |
Translators can use third-party translation memory software. They do not use the proposal pool. This means they cannot build up a well-defined proposal pool during short text translation. This can have a negative effect on translation consistency and efficiency. |
|
Translators can research their source texts, and test the accuracy of their translations, by calling up the screens on which they appear. They can do this in the translation system, or in a downstream test system. |
Translators have no access to any of your systems, which means they cannot research their source texts or test the accuracy of their translations by calling up the screens on which they appear. This can have a negative effect on translation quality. |
|
You do not have to wait for a development project to be complete before starting with translation. |
Ideally, development projects should be complete before you export texts for translation, otherwise inconsistencies could arise. |
|
With online translation you can take advantage of various cost-effective and time-saving functions, such as DEMS objects for productivity improvement (top texts), DEMS objects for quality assurance, automatic distribution, and statistics. |
Offline translation enables you to use third-party translation and translation memory software, but does not enable you to use functions such as top texts and automatic distribution. |
|
Online translation can deal with huge translation volumes. |
Offline translation is not suitable for large translation volumes. If you try to export too many objects as an XLIFF file, the transaction may be terminated if the operating system cannot provide enough space. If you try to export too many objects as an Excel file, the program may exceed the maximum permitted runtime and terminate. |
|
If you translate into a target language (such as English) that serves as a source language for another target language (such as Japanese), translation into Japanese can start as soon as the English text is translated in the system, that is, the English translations are immediately available as source texts for translation into Japanese. |
If you translate into a target language (such as English) that serves as a source language for another target language (such as Japanese), translation into Japanese cannot even start until you have imported the English translations into the system, and then exported them for Japanese translation. |
We recommend that you check with your third-party provider that their translation tools support XLIFF 1.2 format.