Managing multilingual surveys becomes complex when a survey supports many languages, contains a large volume of content, or requires frequent translation updates. Previously, you had to manage translations directly in Translation Manager, which was time-consuming and difficult to scale.

With Import and Export Survey Translations, you can export survey translations to a structured Excel or CSV file, update translations offline, and import the file back into the survey. This lets you use your existing localization process, collaborate with translation teams, and manage large-scale translation updates efficiently.

The feature validates your file during import to maintain translation accuracy and consistency. The system checks the file structure, detects outdated templates, preserves placeholder variables, and confirms that the content matches the latest survey version. The system marks imported translations as Incomplete so your team can review them before publishing.

Benefits

Using Import and Export Survey Translations helps organizations:

• Reduce the effort required to manage translations across multiple languages.
• Update large volumes of translated content through familiar spreadsheet-based workflows.
• Collaborate efficiently with internal and external translation teams.
• Maintain translation quality through built-in validation checks.
• Accelerate survey localization and deployment across global markets.

Before You Begin

Ensure you have the following survey-level permissions under CFM App > Survey:

• View Translation – Allows users to import and export translations.
• Edit Translation – Allows users to add, edit, delete, and update translations.

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Steps to Import Survey Translations

Use this option to upload translated survey content in bulk.

1. Open the survey.
2. Click Translations from the top navigation bar.
   
3. In the upper-right corner, click Import Translations.
4. Click Download Template to download the latest translation template.

Note: Always use the latest exported template to avoid version mismatch errors.

5. Upload the updated file.
6. Review the imported translations in the Translation Manager.
7. Verify the translations and mark them as Complete before publishing.

Validation and Error Handling

During import, the system validates the translation file before processing.

Import may fail if the system detects:

• Changes to the base language content.
• Missing or empty translation values.
• Added or removed rows or columns.
• Modified column headers.
• Version mismatches between the exported file and the current survey version.

Additional considerations:

• Placeholder variables are preserved using system-generated IDs and should not be modified.
• Partial updates are supported. Existing translations that are not updated remain unchanged.

Post-import Behavior

After a successful import:

• Updated translations are automatically marked as Incomplete.
• Users must review the imported content before publishing.
• Existing translation publishing workflows remain unchanged.

To complete the process:

1. Review all translated content.
2. Click Mark All as Complete.
   
3. Publish each translation individually by selecting Publish Survey from the Unpublished menu.
   

Export Survey Translations

Export translations to download survey content for offline translation and bulk updates.

To export translations

1. Navigate to Translations Manager.
2. Click Export Translations.
   
3. Select the languages to include in the export.

4. Choose either:

   • Excel (.xlsx)
   • CSV (.csv)
5. Generate and download the file.

The exported file contains:

• The survey's base language.
• All selected translation languages.

Preview Translated Surveys

Before publishing, preview translations to verify the end-user experience.

1. Open the survey preview.
2. Use the Language Selector to switch between available languages.
3. Review translated questions, responses, and survey content.

Limitations

• New translation languages cannot be created through an import file. Languages must first be added in the Translation Manager.
• Modifying the exported file structure, including rows, columns, or headers, causes the import to fail.

• Supported import file formats are:

  • XLSX
  • XLS
  • CSV

FAQs

Can I reuse the same import file multiple times?

No. If survey content changes after the file is exported, the uploaded file may fail validation because of a version mismatch. Download a new template before making additional translation updates.

How can I preview translations before publishing?

Use the survey Preview option in Translation Manager and select the desired language using the Language Selector to review how the translated survey appears to respondents.