# General Translation Platform: Defining context for translations
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/platform/dashboard/guides/defining-context-for-translations.mdx
---

title: Defining context for translations
description: How to keep terminology, voice and style consistent across translations using Context Groups.
related:
  links:
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/reviewing-translations
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/adding-annotations
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/using-ask-ai
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/managing-billing

---

Create the highest-quality translations for your product, including key terminology, brand voice and style. Use Context Groups to apply shared guidance across your app, website, documentation, slides and every other surface.

## Basic context workflow [#basic-context-workflow]

1. Open your Organization in the **[Dashboard](https://dash.generaltranslation.com)**.
2. Go to the **Context** page.
3. Create a **Context Group**.
4. Add a **Glossary** (for terminology) and **Custom Prompts** (for style and tone).
5. **Assign** your Context Group to relevant Projects.
6. Generate your translations or apply updates to existing translations.

## What are Context Groups? [#context-groups]

**Context Groups** are reusable translation instructions. Assign a group to one or more Projects to ensure consistent terminology and tone across translations. *For example, you can apply the same Context Group across your app, website, documentation and sales presentations.*

a) The **Glossary** defines wording and how key terms should be handled, including product terms, brand names, features and technical terms. *Example: Keep "Locadex" untranslated in every locale.*

b) **Custom Prompts** define how translations should sound, including the audience, formality, tone, conventions and formatting. *Example: Use active voice, avoid jargon and use formal "Sie."*

Context Groups exist at the Organization level. We recommend applying a Context Group across all your Projects, then adding additional project-specific Context Groups if surfaces differ in terminology or style.

## Using key terms in the Glossary [#using-key-terms]

Use the Glossary for words and phrases that require consistent treatment across translations. Glossary terms are useful for:

* Brand names
* Product names
* Feature names
* Technical terms
* Phrases that should remain untranslated

Add terms to the Context Group that should own them. If the same term appears in multiple assigned groups, the higher-priority group takes precedence (see [Set priority when groups overlap](#priority)).

Use **Search terms** to find an existing Glossary entry.

## Using style and tone in Custom Prompts [#using-style-tone]

Use Custom Prompts for translation instructions that are broader than a single term. Custom Prompts are useful for:

* Style and tone
* Target audience
* Formal or informal forms of address
* Locale-specific style rules
* Product- or domain-specific instructions

Each Custom Prompt can apply globally or to one locale. Use a locale-specific Custom Prompt when guidance should apply only to one target language or region.

Use **Search custom prompts** to filter the current Context Group.

## How to create and assign a Context Group [#create-assign-context]

You can create a Context Group from your Organization page or a specific Project page.

*Note: Context Groups apply to new translations but do not automatically update existing translations. See [Apply Glossary translations](#apply-glossary).*

### a) Create a Context Group for multiple Projects

*Use the Organization-level flow when you want to create a shared group first, then assign it to one or more Projects.*

1. Open **Context** in the **[Organization](https://dash.generaltranslation.com)** sidebar.
2. Click the plus sign and **Create new group**.
3. Enter a name and confirm.
4. Use the **Glossary** and **Custom Prompts** tabs to add relevant context.
5. Open each relevant Project.
6. Assign the group from the Project's **Context** tab.
7. Use the **Translate** button to generate AI translations of Glossary terms for each target locale.

Context Groups are applied whenever AI generates translations, including during Locadex processing.

### b) Create a Context Group for your current Project

*Use the Project-level flow if you are already working in a Project and want the group assigned to it immediately.*

1. Open **Context** in the Project sidebar.
2. Click the plus sign and **Create new group**.
3. Enter a name and confirm. Select the checkbox to **Autogenerate context** from your Project files.
4. Use the **Glossary** and **Custom Prompts** tabs to add relevant context.
5. Use the **Translate** button to generate AI translations for Glossary terms in each target locale.

When you create a Context Group from a Project, it is still created at the Organization level. GT automatically assigns it to the current Project.

### c) Import or export an existing Context Group

*Use the import/export flow to manage existing Context Groups.*

In most cases, you should assign or reassign Projects directly to Context Groups.

However, for major changes, you can also use **Export** to download a group's Glossary and Custom Prompts. Then use **Import** to populate an empty group's Glossary and Custom Prompts from a supported file.

Exports label the prompt section `## Custom Prompts`. **Import** also accepts earlier exports that label it `## Directives`.

## Set priority when groups overlap [#priority]

When a Project has multiple assigned groups, context priority determines which guidance takes precedence when groups overlap.

* Reorder groups from **Project > Context** (the top group has the highest priority).
* Newly generated terms are automatically saved to the highest-priority group.

## Generate Glossary translations [#generate-glossary]

Use the **Translate** button on the Project **Context** page to generate AI translations for your Glossary terms in each target locale.

## Apply Glossary translations [#apply-glossary]

*Editing a Context Group applies to all new translations but does not automatically update existing translations.*

Use the **Apply** button on the Project **Context** page to update existing translated content with selected Glossary terms and locales.

To fully retranslate a file instead, use the [CLI](/docs/cli/quickstart) or run a [Locadex](/docs/platform/locadex/quickstart) translation.
## Next steps

- /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/reviewing-translations
- /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/adding-annotations
- /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/using-ask-ai
- /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/managing-billing