Set up Internationalization and Localization

This article contains the following topics:

CSM provides the internationalization support through language catalogs at two different levels. The system level language catalog contains predefined translations of all the menus and screen options for the supported languages. In the application, every system defined communication template comes with a translation in each of the supported languages. Items such as field labels, action links, toolbar names, navigation group names, messages, are available in the supported languages. The names of workflow entities or descriptions, ticket template names or descriptions, task group names, defined search names or descriptions, CCTI values, custom field labels, system defined metric names or description, ticket status, ticket reason code, ticket phase, ticket priority, urgency, impact, and CI status are also available in the language the user selects.

The customized language catalog contains the translations for custom defined entities and records like attributes, attribute values, and workflow actions. The administrator has to add the customized entity and the corresponding translation to the customized language catalog.

The administrator can also override the existing translation for any record of the system level language catalog. For example, you can add the translation for a new custom field. You can also change the translation for the system defined term Support Group in your local language.

Enable Localization

A configuration parameter ENABLE_SHARING_OF_LANGUAGE_TRANSLATIONS must be set to Yes to enable the internationalization and localization. After you enable, the translations for the custom fields in your locale and language are shared with the model slice. Sharing with the model slice improves the quality of translations. As the model slice is used to create new slices, the newly created slices can use more language catalog items.

Select MANAGE, ADMINISTRATION, User Preferences, My Profile and set your language preference. The application replaces the UI text elements with the matching entries in the language of the selected locale. The application also replaces all system defined entities with the matching entries in the language of the selected locale. Examples of  system defined entities are auto routes, workflow actions, and communication templates.

Entities Only Available in English

CSM renders the following entities only in English:

• Login page
• Session Expiration Message
• Number formats
• Abbreviations
• Matching Conditions and the SQL queries
• Data Extract Labels
• Log output
• Email IDs and domain names.
• Licenses.
• Enabling Schedulers and Job Triggers.

Assumptions and Intended Behavior

The assumptions and intended behavior that are related to localization in the application are as follows:

Creating and Modifying Entities and Records

• The administrator is expected to enter primary data in English. The system does all the language lookups using English as the search key.
• Entities in the predefined areas such as workflows, templates, defined searches must be created and modified in English. Once the entity is created, the administrator can add equivalent field translations where the application accepts more language-based values.
• The application looks up the Name and Description for communication templates, ticket templates, reports, defined searches, workflow actions, and task flows or groups against the language catalog. The application localizes these entities on the Self-Service user and analyst interfaces only if the translations are available.
• The application replaces the response text in the feedback forms only if the language catalog includes the translations.
  

  Locale Selection

  The locale of the browser or the external portal does not affect the locale of CSM. The application uses the locale as defined in the User Profile.

  Localization Impact

  Localization has an impact on the following application features:

  Localized Defined Searches

  You can modify the defined searches to display the results in the language of the user locale. To add a prefix i18n_ to the column names, modify the select query. For example, modify the status column to i18n_status in the select query. The application automatically translates the query results for such columns. If the related defined search has i18n_ prefixed columns, the ad-hoc reports display the translated data.

  Bulk Process Data

  You can import language translations into the system by using Bulk Process Data. The Language Catalog sheet enables you to enter the keys and the relevant translations in different languages.

  Localization of Email Configuration

  The administrator configures the communication templates to enable the outgoing communication according to the locale preference of logged in user. You can create the communication templates in English and then add the translations for any supported languages. The system defined communication templates have predefined translations.

  Note: For more information about creating communication templates, see Create and Manage Communication Templates.

  Outgoing Communication

  The following behavior is expected from the automatic outgoing communication through entities. Examples for such entities are workflow actions and the SLA threshold violation:

  
  
  • If the translation for the used communication template is available in the locale of the intended recipient.
    The application generates the communication record in the language of the locale the recipient specifies. If the translation is not available, CSM uses the Default communication record.
  • The application matches the language of the token values with communication record while replacing the token values with actual values. If the communication template uses custom fields, the custom field translation must be available in the locale of the user.

  The following behavior is expected from the manual outgoing communication through SendMail or Worklog Send as Mail:

  
  
  • The analyst can select the communication template to use and the locale to use while composing the message. The application transmits the communication record in the locale the analyst specifies. The application does not consider the locale of the recipient.
  • The application recomposes a message that is based on the action of the analyst. The analyst sends a request to regenerate values when the communication is sent at a specified date and time. In such cases, the application generates the message in the locale of the recipients.

Transmission of Outgoing Emails

The following behavior is expected behavior when the communication records are delivered. The behavior is based on the locale of logged in user and the intended recipient, and the communication records generated.

• CSM matches the locale of the recipient against the locale of the available communication record. If the locale matches, The application sends the localized communication record. If there is a mismatch, the default communication record is sent.
• The application decides the communication record while generating the communication record. The application then sends the communication record in the new locale of the recipient in the following conditions:
  When the locale of recipient changes after the generation of communication record, communication record is available in the new locale. When the communication record is not available in the new locale, the communication record is sent in the older locale.

Processing of Inbound Emails

CSM parses the keywords in subject line to decide the action to take on the incoming email. The application creates a ticket or updates an existing ticket that is based on the keywords in the subject line. When the subject line contains keywords other than English, the translation of keyword is present in the language catalog to enable the keyword parsing.

To facilitate parsing of standard keywords, the application contains the translation of the following keywords in all the support languages. The first keyword match determines the locale of the message. The CSM parses the message only for the identified locale.

• SERVICE REQUEST
• INCIDENT
• PROBLEM
• CHANGE REQUEST
• TASK TICKET
• TICKET
• CASE
• RE:
• FW:
• Out of the Office
• Returned Mail
• auto: cn
• mailer-daemon
• undeliverable:
• Approved
• Rejected

Viewing Communication Records

The following factors determine the language in which a user reads a communication record:

• The locale of the logged in user.
• The original locale of the communication record.
• The availability of the translated communication record in one or more supported languages.
• The locale of the intended recipient.

The expected behavior for how the communication record can be viewed is as follows:

Ticket Board

Older communication records that are generated before the translation for Communication Template is visible to the user in Default language.

• If the locale preference of logged in user is one of the locales in which the communication record was generated.
  The communication is visible to the user in the preferred language. For example, the communication record is generated in Spanish and English and the user has a locale preference as Spanish. The user reads the communication in Spanish.
• If the locale preference of logged in user is different from the locale in which the communication record was generated.
  The communication is visible to the user in the default language. For example, the communication record is generated in English and Japanese and the user has a locale preference as Spanish. The user reads the communication in English.
• If an analyst generates a communication record using the Send Mail or Worklog Send as Mail option.
  The locale that is selected in the Locale to Transmit determines the locale of the communication.

Search Communication History

The Search Communication History lists the communication records with the locale in which the communication record has been sent.

Known Limitations

You have the following limitations when you use a localized version in any of the supported locales other than English:

• The bold or italicized characters are not supported in the Asian languages.
• Table sorting functionality is based on character sorting and has been validated only for English input values. Sorting do not work for other languages.
• If the password is specified in a language other than English, the password strength validations do not work appropriately. For example, number of characters, special characters, and integers.
Passwords do not work for different languages like Chinese or Japanese.
• Any localized calendar with a different start day of the week or local calendars are not supported. For example, start day of the week as Saturday.
• The browser locale controls the status bar messages. If the application makes an AJAX request, the status message gets translated.
• The label captions of the Browse button for File Uploads depend the browser. The application does not control them.
• Confirmation prompt dialogs with buttons such as Ok, Cancel, and Confirm depend on the browser. The application does not control them.
• Web service internationalization has some limitations.
• In the trend reports, when data points are based on months, the names of months appear in English.
• A user with a locale other than default has to specify the search criteria only in English. To get proper results while searching from Home, enter values such as Impact, Urgency, Priority, or Source fields in English.
• For any searches in ticket types, the user can select the input value from the available drop-down list. The system translates the locale language to English and then runs the query to generate correct results.
Alphabetical sorting of the items in lists as in Ticket Templates is based on character sorting.
• SERVICE REQUEST
• INCIDENT
• PROBLEM
• CHANGE REQUEST
• TASK TICKET
• TICKET
• CASE
• RE:
• FW:
• Out of the Office
• Returned Mail
• auto: cn
• mailer-daemon
• undeliverable:
• Approved
• Rejected