As we evolve the SDL Language Cloud - Translation Management offering we will be running a series of updates detailing the specific functionality recently released.
As SDL Language Cloud is a modern cloud platform, new functionality and bug fixes are deployed following our Continuous Delivery model meaning there is no longer a need for Cumulative Updates, Service Packs or Major releases. This enables much quicker rates of adoption, shorter feedback cycles and the removal of laborious upgrade processes.

Initially, this series is focused on Mid-Project Update capabilities that we have introduced in early March 2020 as part of our Continuous Localization theme. Additionally, we will cover details on Automated QA Checks, Translation Unit status as an innovative way to work without project/working Translation Memories. Finally, we’ll provide more information about Users and Groups in Folders.

Mid-Project Updates
This feature enables Project Managers to add additional files to a running project, i.e. additional file drops can be added to an existing project.
In order to initiate a Mid-Project Update, click Projects on the main menu bar and select a project in the list to see details for that project. Now click on Files in the sub-menu and click on the Update files button (as per the screenshot below).

This opens the Update files view, which enables you to upload one or more files. Files can be marked as Translatable or Reference (see below).

Once new file(s) have been added to an existing project, a parallel workflow will be initiated called a Batch (as shown in the screenshot below). Subsequent Batches will increase the Batch number, enabling you to track the flow of each Batch through the project.

A new Batch will inherit the same workflow tasks, settings and assignments as the previous Batch unless the project manager changes any settings or assignments after the initiating the project. For example, a project manager may create a project containing PPT files but (while the project is still ‘in flight’) change the file type setting from ‘don’t extract slide notes’ to ‘extract slides notes’- as a result futures Batches will adhere to the latest setting.

The Analysis report (and any Quotes associated with the project) will be updated with the additional volume associated with new Batches. If the workflow includes a Customer Quote Approval task the customer will be asked to re-approve the quote in the Customer Portal.

See the video below for a live demo:

Automated QA Check tasks
We have now introduced an optional automated QA check task following the Translation and Linguistic review in the default Workflow templates - these are normally “excluded” by default.
The tasks will run an automated QA check based on the Project settings defined and, if errors are found, return them back to the Translation workflow step for resolution of the errors.

Translation Unit statuses
Translation Unit statuses are a more modern way to work without the need for traditional project/working Translation Memories, by leveraging the Segment status information that has, until now, only been available as part of SDL Trados Studio.

The segment status information will now travel into the Translation Memory for the first time, allowing each translation unit to include metadata on the quality of the Translation unit.
Based on this additional data, you can now configure TU Status penalties (as well as configure filters on TU Status) to be applied during Pre-translation in the Project Settings (the defaults are set to 0).
In addition, you can configure which TU Statuses you want to be stored in the TM during the Update TM process for non-interactive use-cases.

The available Translation unit statuses are visible in the screenshot above.
The Online Editor will visually indicate and store which of these new penalties will be applied.

In terms of TM Import/Export, we now include the TU Status in the TMX files. During Import of a TMX, statuses are preserved as per the import file.
If the import file does not have status information, for example importing TM data 3rd party tools, we automatically set the status to Approved.

Users and Groups per folder
You can now create Users and Groups in specific locations enabling you to grant permissions to groups on a more granular level. For example, Project Manager and/or Linguist groups where you want to limit access to one or more specific customers.

We hope you found this post was informative so look out for regular additional posts on SDL Language Cloud – Translation Management going forward.

Luis Lopes

Senior Product Manager, SDL Language Cloud