Multi-language surveys

A single survey can be fielded in multiple languages and the resulting data can be evaluated as one combined data set.

1. Navigate to the Create tab.
2. Click Settings in the sidebar. 
3. Click Languages in the vertical tabs. 

On the Languages page, you'll find two main sections:

• Languages table: Define and import the languages your survey will support.
• Set survey language: Configure how the survey determines the appropriate language for respondents.

The default language for newly-created surveys is English, as displayed in the Language table.

The first language listed in the table is always the default. This language serves as the base for translations and is used for survey text displayed in the builder fields.

If the initial version of your survey is in a language other than English, you can update the "English" label to reflect your desired default language (e.g., "Spanish"). This change can be made at any stage of the authoring process.

To add languages to your survey and provide translations:

1. Click the + Add language button at the bottom of the languages table. This action adds a new row to the table, with the language name input field automatically focused.
2. Enter a name for the new language.

 

Once you defocus the language name input, by clicking outside the field, the language will be saved to the database. This enables the Set survey language settings for that language.

Note: Adding a language to the Languages table does not automatically generate translations for your survey. You must manually import translations for any additional languages you wish to include. For more information, see the Translation template files and Importing translations sections below.

The Pass-in/data value fields are vital to multi-language surveys. The values provided are used as the values that are saved to respondent data records for the Language variable, and for setting the survey language by Pass-in variable (if applicable).

To set the Pass-in/data values, simply provide a unique value for each language in the languages table.

We recommend you set a value that is meaningful and/or intentional for your preference or particular study.

For example, you may prefer short abbreviations for each language (I.e., "en" for English, "sp" for Spanish, etc.) that are easy to decode in the raw data file, or abstract values like numbers to represent each language (I.e., 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, etc.).

You can add the translated text for additional languages by importing Excel translation template files. You can download these files for your translation work by using either of these methods:

1. Clicking the export language icon () on the right side of a language in the table. This downloads a file containing just the fields needed for the language selected. 
2. Clicking the Export text for translation button on the upper right-hand side of the table. This downloads a spreadsheet with all your defined survey languages in one file.  

All template files are formatted in the same way. The first column is a Field IDs column that contains unique identifiers for every piece of content in your survey.  

The second column comprises the text/content from the base (default) language. Any subsequent columns (column 3 and above) make up the remaining languages (translations) you need to provide. 

To import the translations for your survey, click the blue Import Translations button in the upper right-hand corner and then select the translation template file (discussed above) on your local hard drive. Both spreadsheet types, the one containing a single language and the one containing all the languages, are uploaded here.

Once you have done this, the translations (Excel columns) are imported and connected to the languages in your survey by matching the language name in the table and the language column header label in the Excel spreadsheet.

You then see "Import successful!" at the bottom of your screen.

A word of caution: be deliberate and careful with changing Language name labels (in the Language table or Language template file). Any deviation in a Language name label (including case) will result in a new language and its translations being added to the survey.

Also be aware that importing new translations replaces (overrides) any existing text/content that may previously have been imported. The only exception to this is blank cells. If your Excel template file has a blank cell where you previously imported text/content, that text/content is preserved (the blank cell is ignored).

When you add two or more languages to the Languages table, the Set Survey Language settings are enabled. You can then configure the survey language to be set using one of two methods:

1. Respondent choice: A single-select question at the beginning of the survey allows respondents to select their preferred language.
2. Pass-in variable: A variable in the survey URL specifies the respondent's language automatically.

At the top of the Set survey language section, there is an input field for naming the language variable. This name is used in three key places:

• To save each respondent’s language selection in their data record.
• As the name of the single-select Language select question that appears if Respondent choice is enabled.
• As the name of the URL variable for setting the language via Pass-in variable.

If you want to view or manage this variable alongside others, click the Variable Manager link next to the input field.

While setting up multiple languages in Discover, you may encounter Survey audit messages related to your chosen settings. Below are explanations for these messages: