Introduction
By default, XTM Connect – Contentful sends to XTM Cloud whatever is set as localizable, and, unfortunately, the Contentful CMS only allows this to be changed on the level of a individual field for a particular Content model:
What it means is that you need to enter the Field options of each field individually and decide whether or not the content therein shall be sent off for translation in XTM Cloud, by selecting the Enable localization of this field checkbox.
The drawback of such a behavior is that it does not allow for selecting content that is to be localizable within the framework of a specific XTM Cloud project, during the project submission process.
The solution to it is the use of the Manage references feature.
Feature description
The Manage references feature allows you to specify which of the relevant entries' referenced content is to be translated and which are not.
To set up the feature, you first need to make sure to add either Reference or Rich text field type (or both) to your Content model, and make them localizable. These are the two field types in which you will be able to add “references”. Do not forget to save the changes.
Next, create your Content item in the CMS.
In the Reference Field Type, you can either add an existing Content item (here: REF 1) or create a new one, based on an existing Content model.
IMPORTANT!
The Reference Field Type allows for selecting one one Content item only! If you want to include multiple items, you would need to add the corresponding number of Reference Field Types in your Content model.
In the Rich text field, there are three elements which act as References that will later be displayed in the Manage references window:
Entry (from the Embed dropdown) → Embed another Content item in the Text field (here: REF 2).
Inline entry (from the Embed dropdown) → Embed another Content item in the Text field that acts as an inline, that is usually incorporated within the actual text (here: REF 3).
Hyperlink (from the top ribbon) → As the name suggests, this is usually a link to another existing Content item, embedded in the Text field. Once you click on it, name your Hyperlink in the Link text field, and select Entry in the Link type section, which will allow you to attach yet another Content item.
Once you are finished building your Content item, you can commence the project submission process. In the XTM Connect Panel, go to the Manage references option and click on it.
When you do so, the Manage references popup is displayed. In the popup:
Select referenced entries that are to be send for translation in XTM Cloud.
Deselect the reference(s) that are not to be sent for translation in XTM Cloud.
If the same entry has been referenced multiple times, all subsequent occurrences are marked with the
icon. Each occurrence will be selected or deselected for translation.
IMPORTANT!
Contentful limitations to displaying references
If one or more entries that you have selected for translation have over 1000 references, they will not be displayed, in Contentful. This means you also cannot display these entries in the Manage references popup and select the relevant ones for translation. However, you can create a project for such an entry and send all its +1000 references for translation, in XTM Cloud.
If an entry has fewer than 1000 references, but they are nested over 10 levels deep, references below the 10th level are only marked with the ➕ more label, in the Manage references popup. To see them, you need to display their immediate parent entry. If you create a project for an entry with +10 levels of nesting:
without using the Manage references popup to select any references – all references, including the ones below the 10th level, will be sent for translation in XTM Cloud.
using the Manage references popup to select some references – only the references that you have actively selected will be sent for translation in XTM Cloud. If you select the 10th level of nesting, references below that level will NOT be sent for translation.
Remember that you can exclude all hyperlinked entries and their references from the translation project scope for all projects created in your XTM Connect – Contentful instance. To do so, contact XTM Support and request our team to make the necessary setting.