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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2023-06-23
Steps: Manage Translations

Steps: Manage Translations

Define your configuration and business data in the base language for the functional areas that you want to translate.
Workday delivers translations of the user interface in many languages. You can also create translations in Workday-supported and other languages. If you’re deploying Workday in multiple languages, you must create and maintain translations specific to your configuration and business data. Most customer-specific translations are set up during implementation; however, you need to create and edit translations when:
  • Your configuration and business data changes.
  • You add a language to your implementation.
  • You increase the functionality that you’re using.
  • An existing translation resets because the base value of the translated item changed.
  1. Access the
    Edit Tenant Setup - Global
     task.
    Verify that the target language is enabled for your tenant.
  2. You can configure worker accounts to enable mixed-language transactions, where workers can access Workday tasks and objects in English when those tasks and objects aren't translated in the workers' preferred languages. To enable mixed-language transactions for:
    • Individual existing workers, access the
      Edit Workday Account
       task, and select the
      Allow Mixed-Language Transactions
       check box.
    • A group of existing workers, access the
      Manage Workday Accounts
       task, and select the
      Allow Mixed-Language Transactions
       option.
    • New workers automatically as they're created, edit the business process definition that contains the
      Create Workday Account
       service step, click
      Configure Create Workday Account
      , and select the
      Allow Mixed-Language Transactions
       check box. See Create Workday Accounts Automatically .
    Workday recommends that you select this check box only for users who need to access administrator tasks that haven't been translated. Displaying a mix of English and preferred language translations might be confusing to general users.
  3. Use the
    Translation Status for User Language
     report to identify translatable attributes. See Reference: Translation Status for User Language Report.
  4. (Optional) Configure the
    Request Translation
     business process and security policy.
    Enable users to request translations and approve translation requests.
  5. (Optional) Access the
    Base Languages
     report to view base languages for translatable instances.
    If you select a snapshot-enabled object, you must enter an
    Effective Moment
    .
    Security:
    Data Translation
     domain in the System functional area.
  6. (Optional) Access the
    Change Base Language
     task to change the base language for translatable objects.
    If translated text already exists for any of the fields, you can also edit the translatable text in the
    Previous Base Value
     field.
    Security:
    Data Translation
     domain in the System functional area.
  7. Create and edit translations.
    • For fields that haven't been translated, Workday saves changes in the base language of the field, not the user's preferred language.
    • For translated fields, Workday saves changes in the language displayed.
  8. Review your translations in the target language.
    1. Access the
      Change Preferences
       task.
    2. Select the
      Preferred Display Language
       of your choice.
    3. Sign out and sign in again to see translated fields and values (Workday-delivered and your business data) in your preferred language.
    When you change the
    Preferred Display Language
     in Workday, only items that have been translated into that language display on an employee self-service or manager self-service view, unless the
    Allow Mixed-Language Transactions
     check box is enabled for your account.
  9. (Optional) Use the
    In-Context Translation
     widget to add translations for translatable fields while remaining on the same task. You can access the widget through the globe icon that displays next to a translatable field. Select the globe icon to open a translation grid and add translations. You can use the
    Hide Translatable Field Indicators
     check box in your
    Account Preferences
     to hide the globe icon.
    Security:
    Data Translation: In-Context Translation
     in the System functional area.
Track changes to the base values of translations to identify translations you need to update:
  • Access the
    Translation Base Value Change Audit
     report.
  • Create a custom report using the
    Translated Data with Base Value Changes
     report data source.