FAQs: Building a Multilingual Help Center | Zoho Desk

FAQs: Building a Multilingual Help Center

Getting Started

What does a multilingual Help Center allow customers to do?
A multilingual Help Center lets customers view Help Center content and Knowledge Base articles in the languages your organization supports. It is designed for organizations serving customers across countries or regions where English is not the preferred language.

For example, a company supporting customers in France, Germany, and Spain can publish equivalent support articles in French, German, and Spanish so customers can find instructions in the language they understand best.
Who can configure multilingual Help Center support?
Users need the Support Channels administrative permission in their profile to configure Help Center languages, select translation methods, and manage multilingual settings.

This permission is required because language settings affect the customer-facing Help Center and the availability of Knowledge Base content.
Does the Help Center automatically use each visitor’s browser language?
No, The Help Center is not displayed automatically based on a customer’s browser-language setting.
Organizations must configure the default language and the additional languages they want to support. Customers should use the Help Center’s language-selection experience to access the intended language version.
Does multilingual support need to be configured separately for each brand?
Yes. In a multi-brand setup, multilingual support must be enabled separately for every brand.
Each brand requires its own:
  1. Default language
  2. Additional-language configuration
  3. Multilingual-support setting
For example, a consumer brand may use English, French, and Spanish, while a regional business brand may need English, German, and Dutch. Configuring languages for one brand does not automatically configure them for another.

Default Language

What is the default Help Center language?
The default language is the primary language shown to first-time Help Center visitors. It is usually the language used by the largest part of the customer base.

All existing Knowledge Base articles are automatically associated with the selected default language. In the language configuration, the default language is identified with a crown icon.
How should the default language be selected?
Choose the language that represents the Help Center’s main source content and is most appropriate for new visitors.

For example, if English is the language in which existing articles are written and most customers use English, select English as the default language. Additional translated versions can then be created for other customer groups.
Can the default Help Center language be changed later?
Yes. The default language can be changed when needed. However, the Knowledge Base articles must already be translated into the new default language before making the change.

If the new default language is French but the articles do not yet have French versions, those articles will not appear in the Knowledge Base after French becomes the default.
What happens to translations in progress when the default language changes?
Translations that are still in progress are removed from the translation queue if the default language is updated, deleted, or disabled.

Before changing the default language, review unfinished translation work and ensure that the intended new default-language articles are complete and available.
How is the default Help Center language configured?
  1. Navigate to Setup > Channels > Help Center.
  2. Select the required Help Center.
  3. Select Languages.
  4. Choose the preferred language from the default-language drop-down.

Enabling Additional Languages

How is multilingual support enabled?
  1. Navigate to Setup > Channels > Help Center.
  2. Select the required Help Center.
  3. Open Languages.
  4. Turn on the MultiLingual option.
  5. Click Add Additional Languages.
  6. Select the required languages.
  7. Click Save.
The added languages can be enabled or disabled later as support requirements change.
Should every supported language be enabled immediately?
No, Enable only the languages for which the organization can provide and maintain accurate Help Center content.
A smaller group of complete, current language versions is generally more useful than a large set of languages with missing or outdated articles. For example, an organization can begin with English, French, and German, then add Spanish after establishing a reliable translation and review process.
What happens if an article is unavailable in a selected Help Center language?
The article will not appear in that language’s Help Center version.
This means enabling a language alone does not make all articles available. Each article must have a published version in that language before customers can access it.

Choosing a Translation Method

What translation methods are available?
Help Center articles can be translated using either:
  1. Manual translation
  2. Automatic translation
Manual translation requires administrators to create and publish translated categories, sections, and articles. Automatic translation translates article content through a selected translation engine.
When is manual translation the better choice?
Manual translation is appropriate when accuracy, terminology, regional wording, or regulatory language needs close editorial control.

For example, a billing article containing contractual or region-specific tax terminology may require a human-reviewed French (Canada) version rather than an automatically generated translation.
When is automatic translation the better choice?
Automatic translation is useful when an organization needs to create article drafts in several languages more quickly.

Automatically translated articles are saved as drafts and must still be reviewed and published manually. This gives administrators an opportunity to verify that the translation is clear and appropriate before customers see it.
Can manual and automatic translation be used in the same Help Center?
Yes. The Help Center can use a selected translation approach, and articles can require different levels of editorial work. However, categories, sections, and subsections must be translated manually even when article auto-translation is enabled.

Manual Translation

What must be translated manually?
When using manual translation, administrators must translate and publish:
  1. Knowledge Base categories
  2. Sections
  3. Articles
Each language requires its own published content version before customers can view that content in the corresponding Help Center language.
What happens if an article is translated but its category or section is not?
The translated article can be published, but an untranslated category or section is displayed in the default language.
For a complete localized navigation experience, translate categories and sections before publishing the articles within them.
How is a Knowledge Base category translated manually?
  1. Go to Knowledge Base > Manage KB > Organize Categories.
  2. Hover over the category.
  3. Click the Edit icon.
  4. Select the required language.
  5. Enter the translated category name and description.
  6. Click Save.

How is a Knowledge Base section translated manually?
  1. Go to Knowledge Base > Manage KB > Organize Categories.
  2. Select the relevant category.
  3. Click the More icon.
  4. Select Edit.
  5. Choose the required language.
  6. Enter the translated section name and description.
  7. Click Save.
How is a translated version of an existing article added manually?
  1. Go to the Knowledge Base module.
  2. On the article-list page, click the Language icon.
  3. Select the target language.
  4. Enter the translated article content.
  5. Add the translated meta title, description, and tags.
  6. Click Publish.
Translating metadata is important because article discoverability depends not only on the visible article body but also on its title, tags, and SEO information.
Can translation be stopped for an individual article?
Yes. Translation for an individual article can be started or stopped at any time. Administrators can also change the languages selected for translation while work is in progress.

When several articles are being translated, in-progress articles can be filtered so that translation work can be reviewed or stopped in bulk.

Automatic Translation

Which translation engines are available for auto-translation?
The available auto-translation engines are:
  1. Google Translate
  2. Unbabel
  3. Zia
Google Translate and Unbabel require authentication details, including the applicable username and API key. Zia does not have this stated credential requirement.
What content is translated automatically?
Auto-translation applies to the following article-level content:
  1. Article title
  2. Article content
  3. Tags
  4. SEO title
  5. Meta description
  6. Meta keywords
Categories, sections, and subsections are not auto-translated. They must be translated manually.
What is the master article in auto-translation?
The article created in the default language is treated as the master article.

When auto-translation is requested, Zoho Desk translates the specific version of the master article that was selected for translation. If translation is requested for version 2.0, only the content in version 2.0 is translated.
Do later edits to the master article automatically update translated articles?
No, Changes made to the master article after an auto-translation request do not automatically update the translated versions.
A new auto-translation request is required after the master article changes. This is important when maintaining technical content: updating the English master article alone does not ensure that German, French, or Spanish versions contain the same revised instructions.
Are auto-translated articles published automatically?
No. Auto-translated articles are stored as drafts after translation is completed. An administrator must review and publish each translated version.

This step helps prevent customers from seeing an untranslated, incomplete, or unsuitable article version.
How is automatic translation configured?
  1. Go to Setup > Channels > Help Center.
  2. Select the required Help Center.
  3. Open Languages.
  4. Set Translation Type to Automatic.
  5. Select Google Translate, Unbabel, or Zia.
  6. If using Google Translate or Unbabel, enter the required API key.
  7. Click the Language icon.
  8. Select the languages for auto-translation.
  9. Click Save.

Why are some configured Help Center languages unavailable for auto-translation?
Only languages supported by the selected translation engine are available for automatic translation.

This means an additional language can be enabled for the Help Center but may not appear as an auto-translation target if the selected engine does not support it. In that situation, create the article translation manually.
Which languages can Zia auto-translate?
Zoho Desk allows users to translate, publish, and update help articles in multiple languages. For more information on supported languages, refer to Supported Languages. 
How is a new article auto-translated?
  1. Go to the Knowledge Base module.
  2. Click Add Article.
  3. Enter the title, content, tags, and SEO details.
  4. Select Publish and translate from the publishing drop-down.
  5. Use the language drop-down to review translation status.
  6. Select a language marked Updated to open its translated draft.
  7. Review the translation.
  8. Click Publish.

Can a new translation request be made while auto-translation is already in progress?
No, A second translation request cannot be made for the same article while its auto-translation is in progress.
However, the master article can still be edited and published during that time. Those edits are not included in the in-progress translation unless translation is requested again after the changes.
How can auto-translation activity be reviewed?
Open the translated article version and select History for the relevant language to view its auto-translation logs.
This is useful when reviewing whether a translation was requested, completed, restarted, or failed for a particular article language.

Translation Failures and Statuses

What does “Auto-translation failed” mean?
This status indicates that automatic translation did not complete for the specified language.
The failure can be addressed by restarting translation for that language.
How is a failed auto-translation restarted?
  1. Open the relevant article.
  2. Click the language drop-down to view translation statuses.
  3. Select the language with the failed status.
  4. Click Restart Translation.

Why should article status be monitored by language?
An article can have a different status in each language. For example, an English master article may be published, the French version may be under review, the German version may remain a draft, and the Spanish version may have failed auto-translation.

Monitoring status by language helps administrators identify which articles are available to customers and which require action.
What article statuses should administrators expect during translation work?
Translation workflows can include statuses such as:
  1. Published
  2. Draft
  3. Review
  4. Auto-translation in progress
  5. Auto-translation failed
  6. Outdated
  7. Expired
The status identifies the current condition of the article version in the selected language and helps determine whether it requires review, publication, translation, or updating.

Keeping Translated Articles Current

What does it mean when a translated article is marked outdated?
An outdated translation indicates that the default-language version has been revised and the translated version may no longer match it.

Marking translations outdated creates a clear maintenance queue, helping teams avoid leaving customers with old procedures, screenshots, or product information.
When should translated articles be marked outdated?
Mark translated versions outdated whenever a material change is published in the default-language article and manual language versions must be updated to reflect it.

For example, if an English article changes from a three-step password-reset process to a five-step process, the French and German versions should be marked outdated until they are revised and republished.
Does the outdated option apply to auto-translated languages?
No, Marking translated versions outdated is not available for articles that have languages with only auto-translation.
How are translations marked outdated?
  1. Go to the Knowledge Base module.
  2. Edit the default-language article.
  3. Make the required changes.
  4. Select Publish or Publish and translate.
  5. In the confirmation box, select Mark as outdated.

How is an outdated article updated from its article page?
  1. Open the outdated language version.
  2. Click Edit.
  3. Update the translated content.
  4. Click Mark as up-to-date in the right panel.
  5. Click Publish.

Can multiple outdated translations be marked up to date from the Knowledge Base list?
Yes.
  1. Go to the Knowledge Base module.
  2. In list view, click Outdated for the relevant article.
  3. Select the languages that have been updated.
  4. Click Mark up to date.
This is useful when a localization team completes several language versions for the same article at once.

Monitoring Language-Specific Content

How can article publishing status be reviewed for one language?
Use the language-selector drop-down in the Knowledge Base and select the language to review.

The Knowledge Base then shows article states—such as drafts, expired articles, and outdated versions—for the selected language. This makes it easier to identify gaps in a particular Help Center language instead of reviewing every article across all languages.
What is a practical workflow for maintaining a multilingual Help Center?
A reliable workflow is:
  1. Define the default language and the initial additional languages.
  2. Translate categories and sections for every supported language.
  3. Create or translate articles in the default language first.
  4. Use manual translation or request auto-translation as appropriate.
  5. Review and publish every language version.
  6. Mark manual translations outdated whenever the master article changes.
  7. Review language-specific article statuses regularly.
  8. Update and publish translated versions before customers depend on outdated instructions.
For example, when a product feature changes, first update the English master article, mark manually maintained translations outdated, request new auto-translations where applicable, and publish each reviewed language version once it is ready.