System Localization properties

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of System Localization properties

    System Localization properties in ServiceNow enable configuration of translation, currency, and locale settings to support users from multiple countries. These settings are essential for tailoring the user experience based on language preferences and regional formats. Some properties become available only after activating the I18N: Internationalization plugin. The main localization properties can be managed via the System Localization properties page, while additional specialized properties reside in the System Properties table.

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    Key Features

    • Language Selection on Login: Enable users to choose their preferred language during login by activating the glide.ui.login.language.select property (requires I18N plugin).
    • Text Search Stemming Language: Configure stemming language for better text search matching using glide.ts.stemminglanguage with options including English, German, and French.
    • Translation Prefix Display: Use glide.ui.i18ntest to display translation prefixes on translatable strings, aiding translation debugging.
    • Currency Model: Choose between multi-currency display based on user locale or a single currency model across the instance using glide.i18n.singlecurrency. When enabled, all currencies show in a single code specified by glide.i18n.singlecurrency.code.
    • Default Language and Locale: Set the system default language (e.g., en, fr, es) via glide.sys.language and the locale code (language.country format) with glide.system.locale. The locale setting impacts currency conversion and should not be changed after production.
    • Spell Checker Dictionary: Configure the spell checker dictionary for English users with glide.spell.dictionary.en, supporting multiple language variants and languages.
    • Language Fallbacks: Control fallback language behavior with glidei18n.languagefallbackenabled, allowing a hierarchy of languages before defaulting to English for untranslated UI text.

    Key Outcomes

    • Users can personalize their experience by selecting preferred languages at login.
    • Search functionality improves with language-specific stemming.
    • Administrators gain tools to manage and debug translations effectively.
    • Currency display can be standardized or localized to user preferences, ensuring financial data consistency.
    • The system maintains appropriate locale and language settings critical for accurate currency conversions and UI translations.
    • Spell checking aligns with user language preferences, enhancing input accuracy.
    • Fallback language support ensures smooth user experience even when some translations are missing.

    System Localization properties configure translation, currency, and locale settings on the instance for users from multiple countries.

    Some localization properties only appear after the I18N: Internationalization plugin is activated. Some properties are available on the System Localization properties page, but some lesser-used properties are available only from the System Properties [sys_properties] table.

    Access the following properties by navigating to All > System Properties > System Localization.
    Property Description

    Show the language select box on the login page to allow the user to specify the language they would like to be logged in with.

    glide.ui.login.language.select

    		 Enables language selection upon login.
    • Options: Yes | No
    • Default value: Yes
    • Dependency: The I18N: Internationalization plugin must be active

    Text Search stemming language.

    glide.ts.stemming_language

    		 Selects the language to match derived words in text search.

    Displays translation prefix on translatable strings.

    glide.ui.i18n_test

    		 Adds a translation prefix on translatable fields to indicate where to find the string for translation.

    Use a single currency model. Display all currencies in the same currency code, regardless of a user's locale, country, or language code.

    glide.i18n.single_currency

    		 Enable single currency mode.

    Default language for the system (two character values)

    glide.sys.language
    • Options: en, fr, es, it, de
    • Default value: en

    If using the single currency model, display all currencies using this currency code. Currency codes use the ISO 4217 three letter format.

    glide.i18n.single_currency.code

    Locale code to use for localization.

    glide.system.locale

    		 Determines the system's default currency into which all prices are automatically converted before other sums or conversions are performed. Changing this property after any price or currency fields have been given a value may result in improper conversion or prices that sum incorrectly.
    • Options: [language code].[country code] (for example, en.GB for Britain, fr.FR for France, de.DE for Germany, or ja.JP for Japan)
    • Default value: None
    • Learn more: Locale settings
    Note:
    You have already set a value on this system property, do not change this value once a system has gone into production. If a user's locale must be changed, update the "Country code" field on the user record.

    Spell checker dictionary to use for English users.

    glide.spell.dictionary.en

    		 Sets the spell checker dictionary used in the system for English users.
    • Options: Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, English US, English UK, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai
    • Default value: English US
    • Learn more: Locale settings
    Access the following properties by entering sys_properties.list in the navigation filter to open the System Properties [sys_properties] table.
    Property Description

    glide_i18n.language_fallback_enabled

    Option to allow setting fallback languages for the instance. Setting fallback languages creates a three-level hierarchy in which an intermediate language is used before defaulting to English when user interface text is not translated in the user's preferred language.