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How to build multi-lingual SharePoint solutions

skybow Support
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The SharePoint multilingual feature allows site content and UI elements to be displayed in different languages based on a user's preferred language settings. In the site language settings you can enable your site to use multilingual features and choose the languages you want to make available. 

skybow provides possibility to localize some of the solution controls. Within skybow Solution Studio you can easily provision language settings of the site, localization of UI site element for alternative language and translation of modern pages and site navigation to the target site as well. Learn more about provisioning of Language settings. 

In this article we will describe how to build multilingual solution within skybow Solution studio.

Configure localization of site elements for SharePoint site include package & publish

skybow Studio supports package and publish the localization of the following site elements:  

  • List name;
  • Column display names (on the list level);
  • List content type name;
  • Site column name on the list level. 

Note: Before localizing any elements, ensure that Multilingual User Interface (MUI) is enabled on your site. Steps:

  • Go to your SharePoint site.
  • Navigate to Site Settings → Language Settings → Show advanced settings
  • Select the alternative languages that the site will support.
  • Save your changes.

Once enabled, SharePoint allows content customization per language, based on the user's browser or Microsoft 365 account language.

How to localize list name for an alternative display language in SharePoint:

  1. Change your browser's display language. This sets SharePoint to show the site in that language.
  2. Navigate to the SharePoint list.

  3. Click the Settings gear icon (top right)⚙️, then select List settings → Under General Settings, click on 'List name, description and navigation'.

    changeColumnNameClassicExp.png
  4. Specify the translated list name and save. 
  5. Save changes

Alternative, you can change the list name on the list view of the list. Click on the list title → change the name and save.

changeListNameModernExp.png

This changes the display name of the list for the selected language only. 

How to localize a SharePoint column display name for a alternative display language:

  1. Change your browser's display language. This sets SharePoint to show the site in that language.
  2. Navigate to the SharePoint list.

  3. Click the gear icon (⚙️) → List settings  → Scroll to the Columns section. → Click on the column name you want to change → In the Column name field, specify the translation for column name. Click OK at the bottom. 

    changeColumnNameClassicExp.png

Alternative, you can change display column name in the list view: Hover over the column header you want to rename. Click the dropdown arrow (˅) next to the column name. Click on Column settings > Edit. Enter the new display name. Click Save.

changeColumnNameModernExp.png

This changes the display name for the selected language only. The internal name stays the same for all languages.

How to localize a list content type name for a alternative display language:

  1. Change your browser's display language. This sets SharePoint to show the site in that language.
  2. Navigate to the SharePoint list.

  3. Click the gear icon (⚙️) → List settings  → Scroll to the Content type section. → Click on the content type name you want to change → Click on the Name and description. Specify translation for content type name. Click OK at the bottom. 

    changeContentName.png

Note: This change only affects users viewing the site in that specific language. SharePoint stores translations separately per language — it doesn't overwrite the default (source language) name. Make sure that the desired language is enabled in the Site Settings → Language settings under Site Administration.

To package and publish localizations of the site elements for alternative display language to the target site you need to include language settings in solution studio. Learn more about provisioning of Language settings. 

Configure localization for skybow controls

skybow enables localization of UI components using expression-enabled properties within the skybow Studio.  You can localize the following controls: 

  • Column name on the form
  • Form buttons
  • Header text in the sublist control  
  • Automation Actions control name 
  • Form title
  • Action display name
  • Tab name
  • Section Display Name (for rows)
  • Process step name

Example of Assignment expression to localize skybow control in solution studio: 

([[@Page.UICultureName]].contains("en")) ? "Send email" : "E-mail senden"

For multiple languages:

Function expression:

var label = "";
switch ([[@Page.UICultureName]]) {
  case 'de-DE':
    label = 'Aktion auf Deutsch';
    break;
  case 'es-ES':
    label = 'Acción en Español';
    break;
  case 'en-US':
    label = 'Action in English';
    break;
  default:
    label = 'Action in English';
    break;
}
 return label;

Assignment expression:

([[@Page.UICultureName]].contains("de")) 
  ? "Aktion auf Deutsch" 
  : ([[@Page.UICultureName]].contains("es")) 
    ? "Acción en Español" 
    : "Action in English";

How to configure a Process step name localization:

  1. Navigate to Solution Studio
  2. Open form (display/new/edit), open the Process steps configuration panel.
ProgressStepsConfiguration.png

  1. Click on three dots (...) in front of step title to open edit dialog

    ProgressStepsEditConfiguration.png

  2. Open expression builder and add expression: 

    ProgressStepsConfigurationExpression.png

  3. Click Ok. Save changes.

    ProgressStepsConfiguration1.png

In result, in the browser with the alternative display language, Process step name will be displayed in translated name for this localization: 

Default display language Alternative display language 
ProgressStepsDefaultLang.png
ProgressStepsConfiguration2.png

 

How to configure a action Button name localization:

  1. Hover on Button with action -> On right command bar click on   to open button configuration

    ButtonNameConfiguration.png

  2. Open expression builder and configure Assignment expression: 

    ButtonActionConfiguration.png
  3. Save changes.

In result, in the browser with alternative display language, action Button name will be displayed in translated name, specified in expression:

ButtonNameConfiguration1.png

How to configure localization for Header text in the Sublist control:

  1. Navigate to the Solution Studio
  2. Open the Sublist control configuration panel. Scroll down to the Header text
SublistHeaderConfiguration.png

  1. Open expression builder -> add expression

    SublistHeaderConfigurationExpression.png
  2. Save changes.

In result, in the browser with alternative display the Sublist control header name will be displayed in name, specified in the expression:

SublistHeader.png

How to configure localization for Automation Actions webpart name:

  1. Navigate to the Solution Studio
  2. Open modern page in Solution Studio. 
  3. Add or navigate to skybow Automation Actions webpart 
  4. You can change the name of the skybow Automation Actions webpart. It does not expose an expression builder UI directly like some other skybow components. However you can click on the webpart header, and when the cursor appears, you're able to manually enter a skybow expression:
  5. Click on Save button and publish the page

In the browser with alternative display language, Automation Action webpart name:

AutomationActionWebpart.png

Configure translation for Modern pages, Navigation and Site information for SharePoint site 

SharePoint supports multilingual sites, and skybow Solution Studio enhances this by allowing package and publish translation of key site elements:

  • Navigation;

  • Modern Pages;

  • Site information (Site name and description).

To begin, you must enable the multilingual feature:

  • Go to Site Settings → Language settings.
  • Turn on 'Enable translation into multiple languages'.
  • Add or remove languages you want available for translation.

How to translate Navigation for SharePoint site:

  1. Navigate to the SharePoint site, list, or site settings where navigation is displayed.
  2. Click "Edit" next to the navigation bar
  3. Click on three dots (...) next to a navigation item -> select Edit

  4. Select Translations under the Display name field

    EditNavigation.png

  5. Enter the translated label for each enabled language

    NavigationLinTranslation.png

  6. Change your browser’s display language to view the translated navigation link.

How to translate Modern pages for SharePoint site:

  1. Navigate to the SharePoint site.
  2. Create page translations:
    - Go to Site Pages (your page library).
    - Open the page you want to translate.
    - Click Translation (on the top command bar).
    - Select the target languages.
    - Click Create.
    SharePoint will create separate copies of the page for each language.
  3. Translate the content manually: 
    - Open the newly created page copy.
    - Edit and translate the content as needed.
    - Publish the page once translation is complete.

How to translate Site information (site name and description) for SharePoint site:

  1. Navigate to the SharePoint site.
  2. Click the gear icon (⚙️) -> Select Site information.
  3. Under Site name click on Translate site name.

  4. Under Site description click on Translate site description.

    site information.png
  5. Enter translations for each enabled language.
  6. Save your changes.

  7. Change your browser’s display language to view the translated site information.

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