The Phrase Strings integration (called in Strings interface) connects Phrase TMS and Phrase Strings. The integration supports both job-level and project-level synchronization.
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Job sync
Jobs created and started in Strings with In progress status can be imported to TMS for translation, and sent back to Strings after translation. By default, jobs sent from Strings to TMS are imported as XLIFF 2.0 files.
Recommended for batch-based workflows with granular control.
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Project-level sync
All keys in a selected Strings project are transferred to TMS, without requiring job creation. Newly added or updated keys become available for synchronization automatically.
Recommended for continuous localization workflows.
Prerequisites
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Access to both TMS and Strings applications
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Language codes used in the TMS project must match the locale codes in the Strings job.
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The default language of the Strings project must be the same as the source language defined in the TMS project.
Important
Figma files can be displayed in Strings as a whole live file but is not supported in TMS. The TMS CAT editor can only display translated content in a specific Figma frame in SVG format.
Strings key translation statuses are not supported. Keys which are marked as in Strings prior to the import to TMS can be returned to Strings as in case of unchanged target translations.
The number of segments created in TMS after importing a Strings job can be different from the original number of keys in the following cases:
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Keys are marked as excluded in Strings. Excluded keys are not imported.
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The Segment XLIFF option has been enabled in the File import settings for XLIFF 2.0 when creating the job in TMS. In this case, the number of segments may be higher than the number of keys in Strings.
Strings keys can contain HTML entities. When setting up the connector in TMS, enable the option to preserve HTML entities instead of displaying the corresponding characters in TMS.
Using the connector, multiple projects and files can be monitored in APC. Each project requires individual monitoring within a single APC.
ICU messages and CLDR plural forms
When sending Strings jobs containing ICU messages or plural forms to TMS for translation, enable the option in the XLIFF 2.0 file import settings or in the TMS project templates.
There are a number of use cases for the connector:
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TMS Project managers can add files directly to TMS projects from an online repository.
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Set up the Phrase TMS submitter portal to allow Submitters to add files to requests directly from Phrase Strings.
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Use TMS automated project creation (APC) to have new projects automatically created when a change in the last modified date is detected for monitored files or a folder.
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For both job-level and project-level syncs, the monitored project path must be selected all the way to the jobs folder (e.g. space/project/main/jobs).
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For job syncs, APC is triggered by the following job updates:
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Newly added keys or changes to existing keys
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Modified job's due date in Strings
Note
Reopening jobs does not count as an update for APC.
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For project-level syncs, APC is triggered by:
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Newly added keys
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Changes to existing keys
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If is selected when setting up APC, the remote online repository can be monitored not only for source, but also target updates
If choosing to monitor target updates, any changes made to the target copy in the online repository will automatically update the translation memory in Phrase TMS.
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If is selected, key text changes in the Strings target language are automatically updated in the TMS translation memories used in the relevant APC Project.
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The TMS connector API can be used to automate steps otherwise performed manually through the UI. Webhooks can be used to have 3rd party systems notified about certain events (for example, a job status change).
The page provides a centralized view of all job sync setups (APCs) that use the Phrase Strings connector. It includes both syncs created directly in Strings and those configured in TMS, with relevant information.
From the page, Administrator and Project Manager users in Strings can configure new job syncs, edit existing job syncs (including their active/inactive status) or delete them.
Existing job syncs can be edited or deleted by using the relevant options in the menu. All changes are synced between Strings and TMS. Deleting a job sync removes the corresponding APC in TMS.
The page is accessible both from the and the left-hand navigation menus.
Note
If required custom fields are defined in TMS, setting up a job sync from Strings is not supported.
To set up a new job sync between Strings and TMS with basic configuration, follow these steps in the Strings UI:
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In the page, select Configure next to the integration.
The page is displayed.
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Click + New Job Sync.
The window is displayed.
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Provide a and select the Strings project(s) to connect to TMS from the dropdown.
Only projects with the same language combinations can be included.
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Optionally, select the to use. The selected TMS project template must match the set of languages defined in the assigned Strings project(s).
Synced jobs will be added to the TMS project created from the selected template.
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If is selected, a TMS project template is automatically created based on the selected Strings projects.
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Select the project to create in TMS.
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Default option.
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A new TMS project is created every time changes are detected in the Strings jobs.
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In the section, specify the Strings export settings to control how translations from TMS are exported back into Strings.
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Updates existing target translations in Strings.
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Automatically marks the job as completed in Strings.
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Keys marked as unverified will be automatically verified in Strings in case of unchanged target translations.
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If required, click Advanced options to display additional export options.
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Marks a specific locale as completed once its translations are synced back.
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Ensures new keys from TMS are created in Strings, and existing ones are updated.
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Prevents overwriting translations if the source text has changed in Strings since the export.
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Click Save.
The new job sync configuration is added to the list with inactive status. Use the toggle under the column to enable the job sync.
Tip
For more advanced configurations, set up the connector using Phrase TMS settings.
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From the Settings
page, scroll down to the section.
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Click on Connectors.
The page opens.
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Click New connector.
The page opens.
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Change the Type to and provide a name for the connector.
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Enter the account ID and access token obtained from Strings.
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Click Test connection.
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If successful, a small checkmark appears next to the button.
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Select items to import to TMS.
If target keys are not imported, the XLIFF 2.0 file can be further segmented if Segment XLIFF is selected in the for XLIFF 2.0 files.
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Enable or disable the advanced import options as required:
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The Strings job’s source language is applied if no source language is set for the TMS project.
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Enable this option to prevent creating duplicate TMS jobs for locales already in progress. Recommended for more control for jobs with multiple languages.
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The option ensures HTML entities are wrapped in CDATA to be preserved during the transfer between Strings and TMS.
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The option allows to import content combining ICU syntax and inline HTML elements.
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Select TMS job source locales based on the TMS project's source locale, or fall back to the Strings job's source locale.
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Select an export mode.
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Enable or disable the following export options as required:
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Disable to prevent existing translations from being updated with the file content.
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Disable to prevent the creation of new keys and updates to existing keys.
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Translations that do not align with the latest source content are excluded during synchronization. This helps maintain consistency between source text and translations, avoiding outdated or incorrect translations.
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Keys marked as will be automatically verified in Strings in case of unchanged target translations.
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Marks a specific locale as completed once its translations are synced back.
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If selected, only when the last locale is uploaded will the job be marked as completed.
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If specified, select a default folder (only possible after saving).
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is presented and can be customized if required. Changes in language mapping will not affect existing jobs.
The list paginates five projects at a time with projects being sorted alphabetically; first from A-Z (capitalized) and then a-z (lower case).
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Click Save.
The connector is added to the list on the page.
Supported in the integration:
Transferred from Strings to TMS as a project reference:
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Key names
Transferred from Strings and displayed as the context key in the Context note pane of the TMS CAT editors.
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Key descriptions
Transferred from Strings and displayed as the context note in the Context note pane of the TMS CAT editors.
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Max. key character length
Transferred from Strings and displayed within the Context note pane of the TMS CAT editors.
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Screenshots
To display screenshots from Strings in the pane of the TMS CAT editors:
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Enable the option under the Access and Security section of TMS project settings.
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Select text format in the pane.
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Custom metadata in supported file formats:
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.XLSX
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.CSV
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.XLIFF 2.0
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To monitor target updates made in Strings via APC, follow these steps:
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When setting up a APC, select .
This enables the monitoring of the online repository for target updates made in Strings.
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In the section of the APC setup, select .
Changes made to the target language content in Strings will be automatically saved to the Phrase TMS translation memory when the APC monitoring is triggered.
It is possible to overwrite the translation memory updates by modifying the target segments in Phrase TMS editor. These updates will be exported back to Strings when the Phrase TMS job is completed.
The table below outlines common issues that users may encounter when using the Strings integration. It provides possible causes and solutions for troubleshooting.
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Issue |
Cause(s) |
Solution |
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Warning message related to |
Key names contain undesired characters (e.g. spaces) |
Users can still handle translation content and export it back to Strings, despite the warning message. |
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Keys in TMS are empty |
Job contains keys without source text in the source language |
Either:
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APC is not creating projects/processing new jobs |
Language codes mismatch |
Ensure that language codes in Strings match those in the TMS project. When APC is set as a continuous project, any changes made to the project template after project creation will not be applied to existing projects. Therefore, changes must be made directly to the continuous projects. |
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APC considers the job/locale as processed |
If project template/APC settings are modified after starting the job, it may be considered as processed in the APC history. Therefore, an update to the job may be necessary to qualify it for the next iteration. Either:
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Reduce the number of APCs and lower the monitoring frequency. |
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Existing key in the Strings project is missing in the TMS job |
The specific key was not added to the Strings job |
Add key to the Strings job and reimport job from online repository in TMS |