Translating workflows

You can translate workflows in any of the supported languages by adding custom strings for those languages and leveraging the workflows Java API translation bean. This enables users with a language preference that matches the translation to see the workflow tasks that are assigned to them in their selected language.

To use custom strings, you must prepare your workflow for translations:

Item Workflow Designer attribute Custom string example
Task name*
  • Field: Name
  • Value: A string that identifies the task name
  • Example: user.task1.name
 user.task1.name=The translated name of the task
Task description*
  • Field: Documentation
  • Value: A string that identifies the task description
  • Example: user.task1.description
 user.task1.description=The translated description of the task
Form fields
  • Field: Form component fields in the General section, such as:
    • Label
    • Label tooltip
    • Default value
    • Description
  • Value: The expression {{translation.getMessage('translation.key')}}
  • Example: {{translation.getMessage('text.area.label')}}
 text.area.label=The translated label of the field
Form buttons
  • Field: Form outcome Label
  • Value: The expression {{translation.getMessage('translation.key')}}
  • Example: {{translation.getMessage('button.name')}}
 button.name=The translated name of the button
Email task
  • Field: Email properties, such as:
    • Subject
    • Body
  • Value: The expression ${translation.getMessage('translation.key')}
  • Example: ${translation.getMessage('email.body')}

Emails are translated into the preferred language of the user who completes the task, not the recipient.

 email.body=The translated body of the email
Custom error message
  • Field: The Script of a script task
  • Value: translation.getMessage('translation.key')
  • Example:
    import com.collibra.dgc.workflow.api.exception.WorkflowException

def customError = new WorkflowException("translation.getMessage('error.description')")
customError.setTitleMessage("translation.getMessage('error.title')")
throw customError;
 error.description=The translated description of the error

* Start forms display the process name instead of the task name and description. You cannot translate the process name.

If you are not yet using the Workflow Designer, you can achieve similar results with the Eclipse plug-in by changing the expression format to ${translation.getMessage('translation.key')}.