This documentation applies to Omni for Umbraco 17 and 18. Both version lines have the same functionality and configuration. Choose the package version for your Umbraco site.
Use Dictionary translation to create missing language values for interface text, labels and other reusable strings. It uses the same approved Umbraco.AI chat profiles as content translation and runs in the background, so you can continue working in the backoffice.
Dictionary translation requires an active paid licence. The free evaluation is limited to single-page draft translation.
Choose the entire Dictionary or a section
You can translate the complete Dictionary tree in one job, or limit the job to a particular branch. The action you use determines the scope before the translation dialog opens.
Translate the entire Dictionary
Open the Dictionary overview in the Translation section and use Translate Dictionary. You can also choose Translate from the Dictionary root’s actions menu. Both include every Dictionary item and its descendants.
Translate a specific section
Choose Translate from a Dictionary item’s actions menu to translate that item and all its descendants. For example, translating the Fruit branch includes Fruit.Apple, Fruit.Banana and Fruit.Strawberry while leaving unrelated branches outside the job.
An item with no children limits the job to that item. Selecting a parent always includes its descendants, so choose the appropriate branch before starting.
The dialog shows the scope name and item count. Check these to confirm whether you are translating the entire Dictionary or the intended section. The item count describes the Dictionary entries in scope; the number of language values translated depends on the missing values and replacement option.
Start a Dictionary translation
- Open the Translation section and select the Dictionary view.
- Choose the whole-Dictionary or branch action described above.
- Select the source language. Omni translates missing values into every other configured language.
- Choose an approved AI profile if profile selection is enabled, or keep the default. See AI profiles & prompts for administrator setup.
- Check the scope name, item count and Replace existing translations option, then start the translation job. Leave replacement off to preserve existing language values.
What is translated
Dictionary values are saved directly and can be used by the live site immediately. Umbraco does not provide a draft or publishing stage for Dictionary items, so test a small selection and review the results carefully.
Omni translates missing values from the selected source language into every other configured language within the chosen scope. Existing values are preserved unless you explicitly enable replacement and have permission to do so. Use the normal Dictionary editor to adjust any value before or after the job.
An item without a saved source-language value is skipped because there is nothing to translate. Save meaningful source text first; Dictionary keys themselves are not translated.
Monitor and review the job
Dictionary work runs as a monitored background job. When it finishes, inspect the summary for completed, skipped and failed values. Open Translation Jobs to search the history and inspect individual errors; a failure for one value does not prevent the rest of the job from completing.
Tips for consistent interface text
- Use Glossary rules for brand names, product terms and wording that must remain consistent.
- Use a tested translation profile and keep an editor’s review step for customer-facing text.
- Translate a small branch first when introducing a new language or model.
- For page content, rich text and structured content, use Translating content.