Localization Framework integration with Catalog Builder

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Localization Framework integration with Catalog Builder

    The Localization Framework integration with Catalog Builder in ServiceNow Yokohama release enables customers to manage and translate Service Catalog items efficiently within the Catalog Builder dashboard. This integration provides translation status tracking and supports both manual and machine translation methods directly from the interface, helping global organizations maintain multilingual catalog items with ease.

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    Key Features

    • Translation Status Tab: Available in the Catalog Items tab, it displays the translation status of catalog items and offers options to translate items on the fly.
    • Plugin Requirements: Ensure the Localization Framework Installer plugin for Service Catalog and the Dynamic Translation plugin are installed to enable these capabilities.
    • Translation Modes:
      • Request Translation Mode: Activated by setting the glide.sc.catalogbuilder.localization.enablerequesttranslationmode property to True. This mode supports requesting translations for new or existing catalog items through a guided wizard or translation status tab. It generates localization tasks and tracks their progress.
      • Self-translation (Ad hoc) Mode: The default mode when the property is False, allowing users to manually edit translations side-by-side within the UI for any configured language.
    • Translation States: The system indicates the translation progress with states such as Not Available, Not Translated, Translations Requested, Partially Translated, and Translated, helping users understand translation completeness quickly.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging this integration, customers can seamlessly manage multilingual catalog items, either by requesting professional or machine translations or by manually editing translations. It simplifies global catalog management, ensures translation consistency, and provides clear visibility into translation progress. Customers must configure the appropriate mode and ensure required plugins are installed before use.

    The Translation Status tab in the Catalog items tab on the Catalog Builder dashboard enables you to view the translation status of catalog items, and translate catalog items on the fly using manual or machine translation methods.

    Ensure that the following plugins are installed before you start using Localization Framework in Catalog Builder:

    1. Localization Framework Installer plugin for Service Catalog: The plugin enables the Localization Framework capabilities in Service Catalog and Catalog Builder.
    2. Dynamic Translation plugin: Enables on-the-fly machine translation capabilities.

    Translate catalog items information using one of the following modes:

    • Request Translation mode
    • Self-translation (ad hoc) mode

    Request translation mode for new catalog items

    Set the glide.sc.catalog_builder.localization.enable_request_translation_mode property to True, to enable the Request translations mode.

    When you create a new item, the Request translations step appears in the wizard steps region. Click Browse to view and select the languages you want to translate the catalog item information to.

    Figure 1. Request translations step
    Request translations screen.

    For more information, see Request translations for Service Catalog items.

    Request translation mode for existing items

    Set the glide.sc.catalog_builder.localization.enable_request_translation_mode property to True, to enable the Request translations mode is enabled.

    On the Catalog Items tab, click the existing item that you want translated, then click the Translation status tab on the right pane (next to the Item details tab). You would see the list of languages configured in the system along with the state of that language for the catalog item and a Request translations link to request for a translation.

    Figure 2. Translation status tab
    Translation status tab

    Click the Request translations link below the language you want the translations for. A dialog appears prompting you to confirm the translation request. When you confirm the translation request on the Translation status tab, a localization task gets generated and its corresponding Localization item record ("LRITMXXXXXXX") shows up in place of the Request translations link. The state for that specific language changes to Translations requested.

    When the localization task completes in Localization Framework, the Request translations link comes back which you can use to request for translations again. The state changes to Translated, Partially translated, or Not translated on the Translation status tab, depending on whether the translations occur for all fields, some fields, or no fields in the table.

    For more information, see Request translations for Service Catalog items.

    Self-translation (ad hoc) mode

    Figure 3. Translation status tab with self-translation mode
    Translation status tab with self-translation mode

    Set the glide.sc.catalog_builder.localization.enable_request_translation_mode property to False to enable self-translation mode. The default value for this property is False.

    In the Catalog Items tab, click the existing item you want translated, then click the Translation status tab on the right pane (next to the Item Details tab). The list of languages configured in the system is displayed, along with the state of that language for the catalog item and an Edit translations link to edit the translation.

    Click the Edit translations link to open another tab that contains two comparison UI regions: The left region is the source language, and the right region is the target or translated language. You can compare the language translation side by side in the page, and make changes if required.

    For more information, see Request ad hoc translation for Service Catalog items.

    Figure 4. Self-translation
    Self-translation

    Translation States

    Table 1. Translation states for both modes
    State Mode Description
    Not available Request translation and Self-translation If the Localization Framework Insights record is not available, the translation state displayed by the system is Not Available, and the state appears near the language name.
    Not translated Request translation and Self-translation If there are no translations in the system for that specific catalog item for that language, the state Not Translated appears near the language name.
    Translations requested Request translation If there is an active LRTIM associated with a language for the item, the state Translations requested appears near the language name.
    Partially translated Request translation and Self-translation If there are partial translations in the system for that specific catalog item for that language, the state Partially Translated appears near the language name.
    Translated Request translation and Self-translation If all translations for that specific catalog item for that language exist in the system, the state Translated appears near the language name.