XTM integration for Smart projects

Some of the described features are introduced in XTRF v. 9.9. Please upgrade to get the most from this integration.

Introduction

The XTRF – XTM Cloud integration for Smart projects can work both ways:

The XTM Cloud Integration for Smart projects is still being developed. We encourage you to test it and give us feedback so we can prioritize any critical demand and potentially adjust the strategic approach to further development.


How to enable the XTM Cloud integration for Smart projects

If you want to try the XTM Cloud Smart Project integration, please contact the XTRF Helpdesk. Our administrators will reach out to you with further instructions.

For the time being, the Connector app does not have a graphical interface. All settings are hardcoded in the YAML file, so XTRF staff perform the installation and configuration.

Please prepare the following information:

  • XTRF instance URL.

  • XTRF User used for synchronization.

  • Token of the XTRF User.

  • XTM Cloud instance URL.

  • XTM Cloud Company Name.

  • XTM Cloud User ID used for synchronization.

  • Token of the XTM Cloud User.

  • (Optional) If you only want to set up the XTM Cloud > XTRF integration for a selected client, provide the ID of this XTM Cloud Client.

The XTRF user used for synchronization must belong to a group with rights to:

  • Clients – Browse.

  • System Values: Advanced.

  • Languages – Browse.

  • Projects – Display, Edit.

  • Services – Browse.

  • Notification send.


Architecture

The integration connects a single XTRF Platform with a single XTM Cloud instance through a Connector app hosted in Google Cloud. It handles all the communication between the two systems via their respective REST APIs.


Common mechanisms

Vendor mapping

  • After you assign Vendors in XTRF, the integration looks for corresponding Linguists in XTM Cloud using the vendor ID. If the integration can’t match a vendor by ID, it searches for a corresponding linguist by e-mail. If there is a matching linguist in XTM Cloud, the integration automatically adds their ID in XTRF for future reference.
    Vendor IDs are set in the vendor profile > Main Data tab > System Accounts subtab > username in external system.

  • If there are no linguists that can be matched to an XTRF vendor, the integration will create a new linguist user in XTM Cloud and assign them the necessary user details (required role, source and target languages, and workflow job). This new linguist will be mapped to an XTRF vendor by ID.
    Every linguist created by the integration will have access to all customers in XTM Cloud.

  • If a matching linguist lacks the user details required for the current project, the integration will automatically assign those details to the matching linguist. Access rights to the project’s customer have to be assigned in XTM Cloud manually.

To turn off the automatic linguist creation and user details assignments, perform the following steps:

  1. Go to the Configuration menu > Integration > CAT Tools.

  2. Open your XTM Cloud integration in edit mode.

  3. In the Settings section, uncheck the Update XTM vendors box.


Remote bilingual documents

Bilingual documents are generated for the following files:

  • Source files added while creating a project in XTM Cloud or XTRF.

  • Source files added to the ongoing XTRF projects.

A separate bilingual document is created per each source file, workflow step, and language pair. Bilingual documents are shared with respective jobs and, consequently, with vendors through the XTRF Vendor Portal.

Files card - Bilingual documents.png

As a security measure, XTM Cloud links to documents have a short expiry period, and then new links are generated. However, the links on the XTRF side maintain attachments to documents and do not expire with their XTM Cloud counterparts. XTRF users always have access to actual, valid links to remote documents.

XTRF links to XTM Cloud documents remain safe, though, by being accessible only to the signed-in Home Portal users and signed-in Vendor Contact Persons with access to the job.


Synchronizing statuses

Once the project has been started in XTM, the integration aligns the statuses of XTM Cloud Workflow Steps with linked XTRF Jobs.

Synchronization works both ways. However, for projects created in XTM, a global callback setting for a particular client needs to be configured by the XTM Cloud Helpdesk (read the XTM Cloud documentation for more details). The integration will work without it, but actions on the XTM Cloud side will not be reflected in job statuses in XTRF.

For example, after completing a translation in XTM, a vendor will need to click I Finished the Job in the Vendor Portal to close it. With proper callback configuration in XTM, the job in XTRF will close automatically.

Direction

Cause and effect

XTRF-to-XTM

Integration can start the workflow in XTM Cloud.

XTRF job status Ready ⇒ XTM Cloud job moved to the next workflow step.

XTRF job reopened ⇒ No effect in XTM Cloud (going back to the previous workflow step is only possible from the XTM Cloud side).

XTM-to-XTRF

(with proper callback configuration in place)

Integration can start the process in XTRF.

XTM Cloud job started ⇒ XTRF job status Started.

XTM Cloud job finished ⇒ XTRF job status Ready.

Document returned to the previous XTM Cloud job ⇒ previous XTRF job reopened.


Reflecting XTM Cloud workflow in XTRF

The integration reflects the XTM Cloud workflow on the Process card in the XTRF Smart project. To make sure the XTM Cloud project is reflected accordingly in XTRF we suggest you prepare custom XTM-linked CAT tool steps beforehand using the following guide: . This way, every project imported from XTM Cloud will have the correct job types. Moreover, custom XTM-linked CAT tool steps can be used in XTRF > XTM Cloud integration as well.

Steps.png
  • If there are no XTM-linked CAT tool steps prepared in XTRF, the integration will create them automatically while importing an XTM Cloud project. You can edit their names or assign other job types in the Configuration menu > Projects and Quotes > Process Steps (Smart).

  • You can edit the process only by adding manual steps in XTRF.


Impact on XTRF visual interface

In XTM Cloud-integrated smart projects, the irrelevant elements or forbidden actions will be disabled or hidden.