Translation & Localization

How CAS.org handles multilingual content across six languages, how the Smartling translation workflow operates, and what content editors need to know when working with localized pages and CMS items.

Last Updated: April 3, 2026 | Audience: Everyone

Localization Overview

CAS.org uses Webflow's built-in localization feature to serve content in six languages. English is the primary locale. All content is authored in English first, then translated into secondary locales through an external translation management system called Smartling.

Supported Locales

• English (primary, no URL prefix) — cas.org/solutions/cas-scifinder
• Portuguese (Brazil) — cas.org/pt-br/solutions/cas-scifinder
• Korean — cas.org/ko/solutions/cas-scifinder
• Spanish — cas.org/es-es/solutions/cas-scifinder
• Chinese Simplified — cas.org/zh-hans/solutions/cas-scifinder
• Japanese — cas.org/ja/solutions/cas-scifinder

The locale prefix is inserted between the domain and the page path. The rest of the URL structure mirrors the English version exactly.

What Gets Translated

Not everything on the site is translated. The scope of localization includes:

• Static page content — Text on key marketing pages (homepage, solution pages, industry pages, about pages). These are the highest-priority pages for translation.
• Navigation and footer — The global header and footer components have localized versions so visitors can navigate in their language.
• CMS collection items — Selected CMS items (not all) are translated. High-traffic CAS Insights articles, key webinars, and important gated content may be translated on a case-by-case basis.
• UI strings — Button labels, form field labels, and other interface text.

Content that is not typically translated includes: internal documentation (this docs section), low-traffic blog posts, most training content, event pages for region-specific events, and legal pages (which have their own localized versions managed separately).

How Smartling Works

Smartling is the translation management system (TMS) that handles the CAS translation workflow. It integrates with Webflow's localization API to pull English content out, send it through professional translation, and push the translated content back into Webflow's secondary locales.

The Translation Workflow

1. Content is authored in English. All new pages and CMS items are created and published in the primary English locale first. Never create content directly in a secondary locale.
2. Content is flagged for translation. The web team or content owner identifies which pages or CMS items need translation and submits them to the Smartling workflow.
3. Smartling ingests the English content. The Smartling connector pulls the English text from Webflow via the localization API. This includes page text, CMS field values, and component text.
4. Professional translators work in Smartling. Translators see the English source text alongside their translation workspace. They use translation memory (TM) to maintain consistency across the site — if a phrase has been translated before, Smartling suggests the previous translation.
5. Translated content is pushed back to Webflow. Once approved, Smartling pushes the translations into the appropriate secondary locale in Webflow via the API.
6. The site is published. Translated content goes live when the site is published. Secondary locale pages are available at their locale-prefixed URLs.

Translation Memory (TM)

Smartling maintains a translation memory database that stores every previously translated segment. This means:

• Common phrases like product names, taglines, and standard CTA text are translated consistently across all pages.
• When content is updated with minor changes, only the changed segments need re-translation. Unchanged text is automatically filled from TM.
• New content that is similar to previously translated content gets pre-populated suggestions, reducing translation cost and turnaround time.

Who Manages Smartling

The Smartling workflow is managed by the localization team and web team lead. Content editors do not interact with Smartling directly. If you need content translated, submit a request through the standard localization request process (contact Jimmy or the localization coordinator).

Working with Locales in Webflow

In the CMS Editor

When editing CMS items in the Webflow Editor, you will see a locale switcher in the top bar. This lets you view and edit the item in any locale.

• Always make content changes in the English locale first. English is the source of truth. Changes made directly in a secondary locale will be overwritten the next time Smartling pushes an update.
• The locale switcher shows which locales have content. Locales with translated content will show the translated text. Locales without translations will display the English fallback.
• Don't edit secondary locales directly unless specifically instructed. Manual edits to secondary locales bypass the Smartling workflow and will not be captured in translation memory. This creates drift between the TM and the live site.

In the Designer

The Designer also has a locale switcher in the top-center toolbar. When working in the Designer:

• Static text elements can be overridden per locale. Select the element, switch to the target locale, and edit the text. This is how UI strings and navigation items are localized.
• Layout and styling are shared across all locales. You cannot have a different page layout for Japanese vs. English. Structural changes affect all locales simultaneously.
• Images can be overridden per locale if needed (e.g., a screenshot showing the product UI in Japanese). Select the image element, switch to the locale, and upload the locale-specific image.
• Conditional visibility can be set per locale. You can show or hide elements based on the active locale. This is useful for locale-specific CTAs, region-specific content blocks, or elements that only apply to certain markets.

CMS Items and Locales

CMS collection items support localization at the field level. This means each field in a CMS item can have a different value per locale:

• Name and slug can be localized (translated titles, locale-specific slugs).
• Rich Text fields (like article body content) can be fully translated per locale.
• Reference and MultiReference fields are shared across locales — they point to the same referenced items regardless of locale.
• Image fields can be overridden per locale if a locale-specific image is needed.
• Toggle/Switch fields are shared across locales — a toggle set in English applies to all locales.

Content Guidelines for Translation

When writing English content that will be translated, follow these guidelines to make the translation process smoother and more accurate:

Write for Translation

• Use simple, direct sentence structures. Complex sentences with multiple clauses, parenthetical asides, and nested conditions are harder to translate accurately. Short sentences translate better.
• Avoid idioms and culturally specific references. Phrases like "hit the ground running," "low-hanging fruit," or "move the needle" do not translate well. Use straightforward language instead.
• Be consistent with terminology. Use the same term for the same concept throughout the site. If you call it "CAS SciFinder" in one place, don't call it "the SciFinder platform" in another. Consistency helps translation memory work effectively.
• Don't embed text in images. Text in images cannot be extracted by Smartling for translation. If an image contains text (like a diagram label or chart annotation), the image needs to be recreated for each locale. Use HTML/CSS text overlays instead whenever possible.
• Allow for text expansion. Translated text is often 20–40% longer than English. German and French in particular tend to expand significantly. Don't design layouts that break if button text or headings are slightly longer.

Product Names and Proper Nouns

CAS product names are never translated. They remain in English across all locales:

• CAS SciFinder
• CAS BioFinder
• CAS Newton
• CAS Intelligence Hub
• CAS Formulus
• CAS STNext
• CAS IP Finder
• CAS Anywhere
• FIZ PatMon

"Chemical Abstracts Service" and "American Chemical Society" are also kept in English. Translators are instructed to leave these terms untranslated, and they are locked in Smartling's glossary.

Numbers, Units, and Dates

• Numbers — Use numerals (350M+, not "three hundred fifty million plus"). Numerals are universally readable and don't need translation.
• Units — Use standard scientific notation. Metric units are universal. If using imperial units, include metric equivalents.
• Dates — Webflow handles date formatting per locale automatically in CMS date fields. For hardcoded dates in text, use the ISO format (2026-03-30) or write out the month name to avoid ambiguity between DD/MM and MM/DD conventions.

Locale-Specific Pages

Some content is created specifically for a single market rather than translated from English. The primary example is the CAPES Brazil section, which targets the Brazilian academic market.

For locale-specific content:

• The page is still created in the English locale first (Webflow requires this), but the English version may be minimal or marked as not-for-publication.
• The substantive content is written directly in the target locale (e.g., Portuguese for CAPES).
• These pages may not have translations in all other locales.
• Use conditional visibility to show these pages only in the relevant locale if they should not appear in the English navigation.

Quality Assurance for Translated Content

After translations are pushed back to Webflow and published, check the following:

Visual QA Checklist

• Text overflow. Check that translated text fits within buttons, cards, headings, and navigation items. German and Portuguese are the most likely to overflow.
• Layout integrity. Verify that the page layout holds with longer text. Check that no sections collapse, overlap, or display unexpectedly.
• Image text. Confirm that any images with text overlays have been updated for the locale (or that CSS text overlays are being used instead).
• Links. Verify that internal links point to the correct locale version. A link on the Japanese page should go to the Japanese version of the target page, not the English version.
• Forms. Test that form labels are translated and that form submission works correctly in each locale. HubSpot form behavior should be consistent across locales.
• CMS dynamic content. Check that collection list items display translated content where available and fall back to English gracefully where not.

Common QA Issues

• Untranslated strings. Some UI text may be missed during the translation pass, especially text inside embed elements, custom code blocks, or Webflow interactions. Flag these for the localization team.
• Broken characters. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) characters require proper font support. If you see boxes, question marks, or garbled text, check that the page's fonts support CJK character sets.
• RTL (right-to-left) languages. CAS.org does not currently support RTL languages (Arabic, Hebrew). If RTL support is needed in the future, it requires significant layout changes.

Requesting Translations

For New Pages

1. Create and publish the page in English first.
2. Verify the English content is final — changes after translation is in progress create rework.
3. Submit a localization request to Jimmy or the localization coordinator with the page URL and target locales.
4. Allow 5–10 business days for professional translation, review, and QA.

For Updated Pages

1. Make the update in the English locale and publish.
2. Submit a localization update request noting what changed (specific sections, new paragraphs, updated CTAs).
3. Minor changes (a few words or a sentence) may be handled within 2–3 business days via TM leverage.
4. Major rewrites require a full translation cycle (5–10 business days).

For CMS Items

1. Publish the CMS item in English.
2. Submit a localization request specifying the collection, item name, and target locales.
3. Not all CMS items are translated. Priority is given to high-traffic articles, key solution descriptions, and cornerstone content.

Common Mistakes

• Editing secondary locales directly in Webflow. This bypasses Smartling and creates content that will be overwritten on the next translation push. Always edit English first and let Smartling handle the rest.
• Publishing English content that isn't final before requesting translation. Every change to the English source after translation begins requires re-translation of affected segments. Get sign-off on the English version first.
• Embedding text in images. This creates a separate localization task for every image in every locale. Use HTML/CSS text instead.
• Assuming all content is translated. Only priority pages and items are translated. If you link to a page that isn't translated, visitors in secondary locales will see the English fallback, which can feel jarring mid-navigation.
• Hardcoding dates in text. A date like "3/4/2026" means March 4th in the US and April 3rd everywhere else. Write out the month name or use ISO format.
• Forgetting to test CJK languages. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean have different character widths, line-breaking rules, and font requirements. A layout that works perfectly in English and Spanish can break badly in Japanese.

Quick Reference

• Primary locale: English (no URL prefix)
• Secondary locales: pt-br, ko, es-es, zh-hans, ja
• Translation system: Smartling (external TMS, API integration with Webflow)
• Always edit English first — secondary locales are managed by Smartling
• Product names are never translated — CAS SciFinder, CAS Newton, etc. stay in English
• Text expansion: Allow 20–40% extra space for translated text
• Translation turnaround: 5–10 business days for new content, 2–3 days for minor updates
• Request translations through Jimmy or the localization coordinator