How to Switch from Another Translation Tool to Mergado Translate Without Losing Existing Translations#
If you want to start using the Mergado Translate extension for feed translation in Mergado but are worried about losing translations you have already done elsewhere, follow the steps below to preserve your existing translations and only translate products that have not yet been translated.
1. Get a CSV with Your Existing Translations#
First, you need to create a CSV file with the translated elements you want to keep and not re-translate. The process depends on where your translated data currently is.
a. The feed with translated data is outside Mergado
If you have translated data outside Mergado and cannot download it as a CSV file, create a new project in Mergado Editor. Use the feed containing the existing translations as the input feed and select the same output format as the project you want to translate using Mergado Translate.
In the created project, go to the Products page, click Download CSV, and select Output elements. This downloads a CSV file with the current output data for the project.
You can delete this helper project after completing the process (Settings → Delete project).
b. The feed with translated data is already a project in Mergado
On the Products page, click Download CSV and select Output elements. This downloads a CSV file with the current output data for the project.
2. Edit the CSV File#
Remove all unnecessary columns from the downloaded file. Keep only:
- The product ID column (
ITEM_ID,G:IDor a similar element) — this column must come first, as it is used for matching products. - Columns with translated elements (e.g.
NAME,DESCRIPTION, etc.).
We recommend editing the CSV file in Google Sheets. Excel may corrupt the file format, which causes errors in Mergado.
3. Import the Existing Translations into the Project#
In the Mergado Editor project you want to translate, create a new rule of type Data file import.
Fill in the following fields:
- Rule name — for your reference only
- Rule type — Data file import
- Queries — All products
- Mapping mode — Key matches exactly
- Data source — Upload file
- Data file — upload the edited CSV file with translated elements and product IDs in the first column
- Field separator — Comma (if you have not changed the settings of the file downloaded from Mergado)
4. Create a Query for Untranslated Products#
You only want to translate products that have not yet been translated. To do this, you need to create a query that identifies these products.
From the CSV file with translated products, copy all product IDs. Then in Mergado Editor on the Products page, create a new query with the following settings:
- element with the product ID (
ITEM_ID,G:IDor similar) - condition: not in list
- values: paste the copied IDs of the translated products
If all products currently in the project have been translated, the query should show 0 products. The query will populate automatically as new products are added to the feed.
5. Set Up the Translation Rule in Mergado Translate#
In the Mergado Translate extension, create a new translation rule and in the Query field select the untranslated products query you created in the previous step. For detailed instructions on creating a translation rule, see the main article about Mergado Translate.
This ensures that Mergado Translate will automatically translate only new products, while the ones that were originally translated will use the data imported via CSV.
FAQ#
Do I Have to Redo All My Translations When Switching to Mergado Translate?#
No. You can keep your existing translations by importing them into Mergado via a Data file import rule and correctly setting up the translation rule. Mergado Translate will then automatically translate only new products that have not yet been translated.
Does This Process Work Regardless of Which Tool I Used to Translate Before?#
Yes, the process is universal. The only requirement is that you can export your existing translations as a CSV file with two columns — product IDs and translated elements.
Where Do I Get the CSV File with Existing Translations If the Data Is Outside Mergado?#
Create a temporary helper project in Mergado Editor, use the translated feed as the input feed, and select the same output format as the project you intend to translate. Then on the Products page, download the CSV with output elements. You can delete the helper project afterwards.
Which Application Should I Use to Edit the CSV File?#
We recommend Google Sheets. Excel may corrupt the CSV file format, which causes errors in Mergado.
What Columns Must the CSV File Contain?#
The file must contain a product ID column (ITEM_ID, G:ID or a similar element) as the first column (used for product matching) and columns with the translated elements you want to keep (e.g. NAME, DESCRIPTION, etc.).
How Does Mergado Translate Know Which Products Are Already Translated and Which Are Not?#
It does not know on its own — you need to tell it using a product query. You create a query whose condition is that the product ID is not in the list of already translated product IDs. You then assign this query to the translation rule in Mergado Translate.
What Happens If the Untranslated Products Query Shows 0 Products?#
It means all current products in the project are already translated. The query will populate automatically as new products are added to the feed, and Mergado Translate will translate them automatically.
Will I Need to Repeat This Process When New Products Are Added?#
No. The untranslated products query works dynamically. New products whose ID is not in the list of translated ones are added to the query automatically, and Mergado Translate will translate them at the next feed generation.