Working with localization kits

Localization kits are the "bundles" of content that you send to translation LSPs and there are many options for creating and organizing them.

A localization kit can be your single source for all the related objects you submit for translation, which includes the following potential content:

  • The source map

  • Any source submaps

  • All map dependencies

    Note: Images in the map are included in the kit with all formats that are in the image object library such as lowres, highres, and source, with an additional object using the .image file extension
Important: While it is possible to create separate kits for each language from each language manifest, it makes for more overhead on your side and will require more rigor on your part to track. For example, you could create a separate kit for images, but as you do this, your work to manage your localization jobs increases in complexity.

Suppose you are a translation coordinator. You have five technical writers submitting content on multiple projects, and two of them: A-1 and B-2, are both working on content for the new WidgetPro project. The business plan is to initially release WidgetPro to just two European countries: France and Spain. Your business requires you to obtain competitive bids from a minimum of three language service providers (LSPs).

A-1 notifies you that her topics and images have an Authoring:done status and are ready for localization. B-2 tells you that his topics and images are almost all at Authoring:done, but he is still waiting on final design lock for one of his topics. He's marked it as Authoring:done for now, but may need to update it.

Here is what your kit creation looks like:

  1. Create the translation manifest snapshot immediately. See Create a translation manifest and skip the optional steps.
  2. Generate the localization kit with its French and Spanish language manifests after B-2 tells you that there are no changes to the topic in question. See Generate a localization kit standalone.
Note: Had there been updates to the topic, you would create a new translation manifest, since each translation manifest is a snapshot of the map and its dependencies.

Suppose the new WidgetPro project is on the fast-track and the Product Manager has requested you to obtain a bid from an LSP and proceed with immediate translation if it does not exceed a specified amount.

Here is what your kit creation looks like:

  1. Immediately create the translation manifest and generate the localization kit with its French and Spanish language manifests in the same step. See Create a translation manifest and include the optional steps.
  2. Obtain competitive bids from three translation agencies, then submit the localization kits to the approved agency.

Re-generating localization kits

Sometimes you might need to re-generate a localization kit. For example, a colleague might have generated the kit for a Translation Manifest and then unexpectedly become unavailable before sending it to the LSP. Because the kit is not a content object, but more like an output, you cannot search for the kit in CCMS Web. Instead, you can simply re-generate it.

  1. Find the Translation Manifest (which is in Translation:in progress if the kit has already been generated once).
  2. Select Generate Kit.
  3. Select the appropriate languages.
  4. Select Include already managed objects.

    This is a critical step!

  5. Re-generate the kit.