# Translating Document Content

## What is Document Content Translation?

Document content translation in S-Docs lets you generate documents in multiple languages by translating picklist values, field labels, and related list content. This helps customers and stakeholders receive documents in their native language.

## How is Translation Used in S-Docs?

S-Docs provides two main patterns for translating document content:

* **`translate="true"`**: Use Salesforce translations for picklist values and field labels
* **`toLabel()`**: Return translated picklist labels in direct SOQL related lists

Use these patterns together to build translated documents that match your Salesforce language setup.

***

## Translate with Salesforce Translation Workbench

The Translation Workbench method leverages translations already defined in Salesforce, supporting field labels and picklist values.

**Supported translations:**

* All field labels (standard field labels are pre-translated; only custom field labels need translation)
* Picklist field values only (other field types are not supported by Translation Workbench)

**Note:** Translation Workbench does not translate arbitrary free-text field output.

### Step 1: Define translations in Salesforce

From Setup, type "Translation" in the Quick Find bar → click "Translate."

#### Translating Picklist Values

1. Set **Language** to your target language (e.g., German)
2. Set **Setup Component** to "Picklist Value"
3. Set **Object** to your object (e.g., Contact)
4. Scroll down and enter translations for your picklist values

#### Translating Field Labels

1. Set **Setup Component** to "Custom Field"
2. Set **Aspect** to "Field Label"
3. Enter your translations

Standard field labels already have translations in Salesforce, so you only need to translate custom field labels.

### Step 2: Enable translations at the template level

To use Translation Workbench translations in your documents:

1. From Setup → Object Manager → click "SDoc Template" object
2. Go to "Page Layouts" → click "Edit" for your layout
3. Drag the "Language" field into the "SDoc Template Detail" section → click "Save"
4. Go to "Fields & Relationships" → click "Language"
5. Scroll to "Values" → click "New"
6. Add the appropriate Salesforce language code → click "Save"

Now you can set the language directly on any template detail page by selecting the appropriate language code (e.g., 'DE' for German, 'FR' for French, 'ES' for Spanish).

### Step 3: Add the translate attribute to merge fields

Add the `translate="true"` attribute to merge fields and field labels you want translated.

**For picklist field data:**

html

```
{{!Contact.leadsource translate="true"}}
```

**For field labels:**

html

```
{{!Label.Contact.leadsource translate="true"}}
```

**Note:** Once you add the translate attribute to one instance of a merge field, all other instances of that same merge field in the document will also be translated, even without the attribute.

### Step 4: Add the `toLabel()` function to related lists

To translate picklist values in related lists, add the `toLabel()` function to the field in your SOQL query.

**Original related list:**

html

```
<!--{{!
<lineitemssoql>
<class>table873</class>
<soql>SELECT product2.name, color__c FROM opportunitylineitem WHERE opportunityid='{{!Opportunity.id}}'</soql>
<column>rownum</column>
<column>Product2.name</column>
<column>color__c</column>
</lineitemssoql>
}}-->
```

**With translation:**

html

```
<!--{{!
<lineitemssoql>
<class>table873</class>
<soql>SELECT product2.name, tolabel(color__c) FROM opportunitylineitem WHERE opportunityid='{{!Opportunity.id}}'</soql>
<column>rownum</column>
<column>Product2.name</column>
<column>color__c</column>
</lineitemssoql>
}}-->
```

The picklist column will now display translated values.

**For lookup fields or more complex translations**, use direct SOQL queries with the class set to "none":

html

```
<!--{{!
<LineItemsSOQL>
<class>none</class>
<soql>Select tolabel(color__c) From product2 where id='{!ObjectID15}' and toLabel(color__c) ='BLEU'</soql>
<column>color__c</column>
</LineItemsSOQL>
}}-->
```

This returns only the data without table formatting.

***

## Formatting International Characters

If your templates contain international characters (Japanese, Hebrew, Arabic, etc.), additional formatting may be required.

### Template Settings

1. Navigate to your template → go to "Document Options" tab
2. Check the box: **"Template contains international characters (Unicode fonts)"**
3. If characters still don't render correctly, set **Unicode Enforcement Level** to "Strict" to override font settings

### Right-to-Left Languages (RTL)

For languages like Arabic or Hebrew that read right-to-left:

#### Option 1: Use the rtl merge field attribute

html

```
{{!Account.Name rtl="true"}}
```

This transforms merge field data to right-to-left but does not affect static text.

#### Option 2: Use `<rtl>` tags in template source

html

```
<rtl>Your static text and {{!Account.Name}} here</rtl>
```

This transforms both merge field data and static text to right-to-left.

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information, feel free to reference the [RTF section of the Template Attribute Article](file:///8426358/template-authoring/template-attributes/getting-started-with-template-attributes-tutorial/template-attributes-complete-reference.md#rtl-right-to-left)
{% endhint %}

***

## Best Practices

* **Use the right pattern**: Use `translate="true"` for picklists and labels, and `toLabel()` for direct SOQL related lists
* **Test thoroughly**: Generate sample documents for each language to verify translations appear correctly
* **Consider the substitute attribute**: For complex related list translations, explore the substitute column attribute feature for additional flexibility
* **Set language at template level**: Configure the language setting on individual templates to ensure consistent translation behavior

### Related guides

* [Setup Translations](/sdocs/advanced-template-logic/translations.md)
* [How to Translate Merge Fields and Field Labels](/sdocs/advanced-template-logic/translations/translating-document-content-in-s-docs/how-to-translate-merge-fields-and-field-labels.md)
* [Document Content Translation Tutorial](broken://spaces/WKNnJmhJBQwhdk5WBFsi/pages/eDuxlkQ4qy9j6eR5s5js)

***

Translating document content in S-Docs ensures your global customers and stakeholders receive professional, localized documents that enhance their experience and build trust in your brand.

Related: <https://sdoc.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/196609/pages/2717646849/?draftShareId=ab53618e-b56d-4344-be08-02aea512d35c>


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