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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

CMS translation

You can translate CMS sites by activating internationalization plugins and manually translating custom interface strings.

Two tables support the translation of a CMS site into other languages.

  • Translated Name / Field [sys_translated]: Stores strings that are shared or commonly used within a site. These include menu section names, menu item names, site breadcrumb names, link names, and footer menu links. Internationalization plugins typically provide translations for these strings. SeeSystem Localization.
  • Translated Text [sys_translated_text]: Stores unique string translations which you create when you manually translate interface elements. See Export and edit translation records.

Parent Topic:Content Management System

Related topics

Content Management design

Domain separation and the Content Management System

Configure Content Management sites

Content Management integration points

Content Management testing

Global search in Content Management

View a translated CMS site

Activate an internationalization plugin, which provides a quick way to see translated strings for CMS menus, breadcrumbs, and links. For a full translation, you must translate the instance manually.

Before you begin

Role required: content_admin or admin

About this task

This example explains how to view a translated site in Japanese.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > System Definition > Plugins.

  2. In the Go to filter, select Name, enter I18N, and then press the Enter key.

  3. Activate both the I18N - Japanese Translations and the I18N: Knowledge Management Internationalization Plugin v2 plugins.

  4. Refresh the browser.

  5. In the Language picker in System Settings, select Japanese.

  6. Browse the site to see the translated language strings.

  7. Navigate to the ESS Portal at http://Instance Name.service-now.com/ess/.

  8. Browse the site to see the translated language strings in the ESS Portal.

Related topics

Language internationalization support