How to enable the XTM integration for Smart projects

If you want to try the XTM Smart Project integration, please contact the XTRF Helpdesk. Our administrators will reach out to you with further instructions.

For the time being, the Connector app has no graphical interface. All settings are hardcoded in the YAML file, so the installation and configuration are performed by XTRF staff.

Please prepare the following information:

• XTRF instance URL

• XTRF User used for synchronization

• Token of the XTRF User 

• XTM instance URL 

• XTM Company Name

• XTM User ID used for synchronization

• Token of the XTM User

• The ID of an XTM Client you'd like to enable the integration for.

The XTRF user used for synchronization must belong to a group with rights to: Clients - Browse; System Values: Advanced: Languages - Browse; Projects - Display, Edit; Services - Browse; Notification send.

How does the XTM integration for Smart projects work?

Architecture

The integration connects a single XTRF Platform with a single XTM instance through a Connector app. It handles all the communication between the two systems via their respective REST APIs.

Features

The XTM Integration for Smart projects is still being developed. We encourage you to test it and give us feedback so we can prioritize any critical demand and potentially adjust the strategic approach to further development.

In its current state, the integration supports the following features:

Creating Smart projects integrated with XTM

The integration periodically queries XTM for new projects and automatically creates integrated Smart projects in XTRF. An XTRF project will be fully synchronized after the analysis in XTM is finished. 

After the synchronization, the integration sends e-mails to the XTRF administrator and the project manager specified in the client's profile. Those e-mails will notify you about the successful creation of XTM projects in XTRF or inform you about issues with project creation along with the cause of the failure.

The reasons for failure could be:

• Language matching issues. If one or several languages in an XTM project can't be matched to an XTRF language, the XTRF project won't be created.

• Lack of files in the XTM project.

If the system cannot assign the client and, therefore, select a project manager, the e-mails will be sent to the administrator only.

To change those notifications, go to Configuration menu > Templates > Notifications > Templates tab and edit the E-mail/Text message to User: When the project from XTM is created correctly in XTRF and E-mail/Text message to User: When the creation of project from XTM failed in XTRF notifications.

Multiple language combinations within one XTM project are reflected identically in XTRF. Languages are mapped by ISO 639-1 code. Keep in mind that after you select the language, it cannot be changed anymore.

Once the XTM project is synchronized, all you need to do is select the dates and vendors for jobs in XTRF, and the integrated smart project is ready to be processed until completion.

Mapping & synchronizing project details

The integration synchronizes essential project details:

While creating a project (From XTM to XTRF):

• Project name

• Customer > Client name

• Delivery due date > Client deadline

• Workflow steps

• Language pairs.

After the project is created:

• From XTRF to XTM:

  • Project name

  • Client deadline > Delivery due date

  • Vendors > Linguists.

• Both ways:

  • Job statuses.

Reflecting XTM workflow in XTRF

The integration reflects the XTM workflow on the Process card in the XTRF Smart project.

Open

• Steps from XTM are automatically created in XTRF. You can edit their names or assign other job types in the Configuration menu > Projects and Quoets > Process Steps (Smart).

• You can also prepare custom XTM-linked CAT tool steps beforehand using the following guide: Projects and Quotes | Add a CAT tool step.

Linking XTM documents

For the documents uploaded upon creation of an XTM project, the integration creates placeholder links in XTRF and:

• Categorizes them as XTM Document (Link)

• Adds them to the Process card (one link per XTM Task, meaning one per source document and one per workflow step)

• Shares them with respective jobs and, consequently, with vendors through the XTRF Vendor Portal

If the integration cannot map the file language, you can select the language manually:

1. In the Files card, select the file in question.

2.  In the File Actions drop-down menu, select Edit Properties. The Edit Link Properties pop-up window appears.

3. From the Languages drop-down list, select the desired language.

4. Click the Save Link Properties button.

As a security measure, XTM links to documents have a short expiry period, and then new links are generated. However, the placeholder links on the XTRF side maintain attachments to documents and don't expire with their XTM counterparts. Whenever an XTRF user clicks on the placeholder link, the actual, valid link is retrieved every time.

XTRF links to XTM documents remain safe, though, by being accessible only to the signed-in Home Portal users and signed-in Vendor Contact Persons with access to the job.

Downloading translated documents

For XTM-linked projects, you can configure whether you want to download the translated documents to XTRF after each step. To do so, perform the following steps:

1. Go to the project in question.

2. Go to the Process card.
   
   

   Open

   

    

3. Click the Edit Process button. You will be directed to the Process Designer.

4. Click on a step in the Process card.

5. In the side step panel on the right, scroll down to the XTM Integration section and select the desired option.
   
   

Fetching metrics

The integration automatically downloads XTM metrics for all For translation files available at the project creation stage and saves them as .JSON CAT Analysis files in the Smart project. Those files can be used to calculate CAT payables and receivables in XTRF.

Synchronizing statuses

Once the project has been started in XTM, the integration aligns the statuses of XTM Workflow Steps with linked XTRF Jobs.

Synchronization works both ways. However, in the case of XTM-to-XTRF, a global callback setting for a particular client needs to be configured by the XTM Helpdesk (read the XTM documentation for more details). The integration will work without it, but actions on the XTM side will not be reflected in job statuses in XTRF.

For example, after completing a translation in XTM, a vendor will need to click I Finished the Job in the Vendor Portal to close it. With proper callback configuration in XTM, the job in XTRF will get closed automatically.

Impact on XTRF visual interface

In XTM-integrated smart projects, the irrelevant elements or forbidden actions will be disabled or hidden.

How to use the integration?

1. Create a new project in XTM:

   1. Select a client you included in the integration request.

   2. Select the languages and add source files. 

2. When the synchronized project appears in XTRF, select vendors and dates.

3. Start the project either from XTRF or XTM. Your vendors will receive links to XTM jobs on their Vendor Portals.