# General Translation Platform: Adding translation context
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/platform/dashboard/guides/adding-translation-context.mdx
---

title: Adding translation context
description: How to use Context Groups with Glossary (key terms) and Directives (tone and style) to guide AI translation in the General Translation Dashboard.
related:
  links:
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/reviewing-translations
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/adding-annotations
    - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/managing-billing

---

Define how your product should be translated, including **terminology and style** that should stay consistent across Projects and across your whole Organization. 

General Translation applies reusable translation instructions through Context Groups.

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

1. Open your Organization in the Dashboard.
2. Go to the **Context** page.
3. Create a **Context Group**.
4. Add a **Glossary** (for terminology) and/or **Directives** (for style and tone).
5. **Assign** your Context Group to relevant Project(s).
6. Generate translations or apply updates to existing translations.



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

**Context Groups** define consistent instructions for translation. Each Context Group includes a Glossary and Directives:

a) **Glossary** defines **key terms**: product and brand names, features, and technical terms. *Example: Locadex is the GT agent. This product name should never be translated.*

b) **Directives** define **style and tone**: audience, formality, conventions, and formatting. *Example: Use active voice, avoid jargon, and use formal “sie”*

All Context Groups are stored at the Organization-wide level. They can then be applied to one or more Projects.

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

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

- Brand names
- Product names
- Feature names
- Technical terms
- Phrases that should stay untranslated

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

## Using style and tone in Directives [#using-style-tone]

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

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

Directives can be global or locale-specific. Use locale-specific directives when guidance should apply only to one target language or region.

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

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

*Note that Context Groups apply to new translations but do not automatically rewrite 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 sidebar.
2. Click the plus sign and **Create new group**.
3. Enter name and confirm.
4. Add relevant **Glossary** terms and **Directives**.
5. Open each relevant Project.
6. Assign the group from the Project's **Context** tab.
7. Use the **Translate** button to use AI to generate translations for Glossary terms for each target locale.

Context Groups are applied every time AI generates translations, including Locadex processing.

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

*Use the Project-level flow when you are already working in a Project and want the group assigned there immediately.*

1. Open **Context** in the Project sidebar.
2. Click the plus sign and **Create new group**.
3. Enter name and confirm. Select the checkbox to **Autogenerate context** from your Project files.
4. Add relevant **Glossary** terms and **Directives**.
5. Use the **Translate** button to use AI to generate translations for Glossary terms for 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 existing Context Group

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

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

However, for major changes, you can also use **Export** to download a group's Glossary and Directives. Then use **Import** to fill an empty Glossary and Directive fields from a supported file. 

## Set priority when groups overlap [#priority]

When a Project has multiple assigned groups, context priority determines which guidance wins 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 will apply for 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.

For full retranslation of a file instead, use the [CLI](/docs/cli/quickstart) or run [Locadex](/docs/platform/locadex/quickstart) translation.
## Next steps

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