- Article
When it comes to localizing Power BI items, such as semantic models (previously known as datasets) and reports, there are three types of translations.
- Metadata translation
- Report label translation
- Data translation
In this article, learn about these types.
Metadata translation provides localized values for semantic model object properties. The object types that support metadata translation include tables, columns, measures, hierarchies, and hierarchy levels. Metadata translation rarely provides a complete solution by itself.
The following screenshot shows how metadata translations provide German names for the measures displayed in Card visuals.
Metadata translation is also used to display column names and measure names in tables and matrices.
Metadata translations are the easiest to create, manage, and integrate into a Power BI report. By applying the features of Translations Builder to generate machine translations, you can add the metadata translations you need to build and test a Power BI report. Adding metadata translations to your semantic model is an essential first step. For more information, see Create multiple-language reports with Translations Builder.
Power BI support for metadata translation
Metadata translation is the main localization feature in Power BI to build multiple-language reports. In Power BI, metadata translation support is integrated at the semantic model level.
A metadata translation represents the property for a semantic model object that's been translated for a specific language. If your semantic model contains a table with an English name of Products, you can add translations for the Caption property of this table object to provide alternative names. These names appear when the report is rendered in a different language.
In addition to the Caption property, which tracks an object's display name, semantic model objects also support adding metadata translations for two other properties, which are Description and DisplayFolder.
When you begin designing a semantic model that uses metadata translation, you can assume that you always need translations for the Caption property. If you require support for metadata translation for report authors who create and edit reports in the Power BI service, you also need to provide metadata translations for the Description and DisplayFolder properties.
Power BI reports and semantic models that support metadata translation can only run in workspaces that are associated with a dedicated capacity created using Power BI Premium or the Power BI Embedded Service. Multiple-language reports don't load correctly when launched from a workspace in the shared capacity. If you're working in a Power BI workspace that doesn't display a diamond that indicates a Premium workspace, multiple-language reports might not work as expected.
Power BI support for metadata translations only applies to semantic models. Power BI Desktop and the Power BI service don't support storing or loading translations for text values stored as part of the report layout.
If you add a textbox or button to a Power BI report and then add a hard-coded text value for a string displayed to the user, that text value is stored in the report layout. It can't be localized. Avoid using hard-coded text values. Page tabs display names can't be localized. You can design multiple-language reports so that page tabs are hidden and never displayed to the user.
Report label translation
Report label translation provides localized values for text elements on a report that aren't directly associated with a semantic model object. Examples of report labels include the report title, section headings, and button captions. Here are examples of report label translations with the report title and the captions of navigation buttons.
Report label translations are harder to create and manage than metadata translations because Power BI provides no built-in feature to track or integrate them. Translations Builder solves this problem using a Localized Labels table, which is a hidden table in the semantic model of a report. Add measures that track the required translations for each report label.
Data translation
Data translation provides translated values for text-based columns in the underlying data itself. Suppose a Power BI report displays product names imported from the rows of the Products table in an underlying database. Data translation is used to display product names differently for users who speak different languages. For example, some users see products names in English while other users see product names in other languages.
Data translations also appear in the axes of cartesian visuals and in legends.
Data translation is harder to design and implement than the other two types of translation. You must redesign the underlying data source with extra text columns for secondary language translations. Once the underlying data source has been extended with extra text columns, you can then use a powerful feature in Power BI Desktop called Field Parameters. This feature uses filters to control loading the data translations for a specific language.
A multiple-language report typically requires both metadata translations and report label translations. Some multiple-language projects require data translations, but others don't.
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