Manage Translations in Talent Platform

Translations let your organization display Talent Platform content in multiple languages. Each language includes a set of text strings (translation keys) that control labels, messages, and instructions that candidates and recruiters see throughout the application.

Most clients use translations to support candidates whose preferred language is not English.

Common Reasons You Might Update Translations

• You want to change how a label or message appears to candidates.

• A translation is unclear or uses wording your team no longer prefers.

• You support more than one language and need to adjust customer-specific wording.

• You want to check whether a translation already exists before adding a new key.

• You need to troubleshoot a missing or outdated translation on the portal.

Understanding How Translations Work

Translations exist in two layers:

1. Default Translations (Customer 1)

   • These are global defaults provided by Bullhorn.

   • All customers inherit these values unless they override them.

2. Customer-Level Translations

   • These are edits you apply for your specific environment.

   • They take precedence over the default value.

The Translations page includes both values side-by-side.

Open the Translations Page

1. Navigate to Configuration > Settings > Translations.

2. Use the language selector in the top-left corner to choose the language you want to manage.

Update a Translation

Use this when you want to change how a field or message appears for your environment only.

1. Navigate to Configuration > Settings > Translations.

2. Search for the term or key you want to change.

   • Search for key words instead of complex phrases.

3. Update the text in the Customer Translated Value column.

4. Click anywhere outside the field to save automatically.

Find and Review Existing Translation Keys

Before creating a new translation key, search for an existing one that may already provide the text you need.

1. On the Translations page, use the search bar to enter part of the phrase or keyword.

2. Review both the Language Default Value and Customer Translated Value columns.

3. If the text matches what you need, override the customer value instead of creating a new key.

Add a New Translation Key

Use this when a label or message does not exist and no existing key matches your needs.

1. On the Translations page, select Add Translation.

2. Choose the Application area the key applies to, if applicable.

3. Enter a unique Translation Key using snake_case (for example, onboarding_welcome_message).

4. Enter the Default Value that should appear for your customer.

5. Select OK to save.

When a Key Already Exists

If a translation key already exists, consider the following options before creating a new one:

• Use it as-is if the default wording meets your needs.

• Override it at the customer level if you only need to adjust the wording for your environment.

• Create a new key with a different name only if the existing key is used elsewhere and cannot be changed.

Troubleshooting

If you cannot find the translation key

Search by part of the word (for example, search “pay” instead of account_net_pay).

If candidates still see English text

Confirm the customer-level value is populated and the correct language is active.

If translations work in some locations but not others

Check location-specific language availability and defaults.

FAQs

Can I edit default translations?

Yes. Default translations come from Customer 1, but you can override them at the customer level without affecting other clients.

What happens if two customers edit the same key?

Each customer has separate overrides. Your edits affect only your environment.

Do translation updates take effect immediately?

Usually yes, but sometimes you may need to clear cache.

Can I delete a translation key?

No. You can only override or add new keys.

Can I add a completely new language?

Yes. See "Add or Configure Languages in Talent Platform" (Article 3).

Can I use HTML in translations?

Yes, but only basic HTML is supported (e.g., bold, italics). Keep in mind that HTML tags will be visible in the translation field when first entered. After saving, the tags won't be displayed — but the formatting is still applied. If the translation is edited later, the HTML tags will need to be re-added.