# General Translation Platform: Defining context for translations URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/platform/dashboard/guides/defining-context-for-translations.mdx Docs index: https://generaltranslation.com/llms.txt Description: How to keep terminology, voice, and style consistent across translations using Context Groups. Define the highest-quality translations of 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 instructions for translation. Assign a group to one or more projects to apply consistent terminology and voice across translations. *For example, the same Context Group can be applied across your app, website, documentation, and sales decks.* 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 audience, formality, voice, conventions, and formatting. *Example: Use active voice, avoid jargon, and use formal "Sie."* Context Groups live at the Organization level. We recommend applying a Context Group across all your projects, and 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 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)). 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 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 from a specific project page. *Note: 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](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 use AI to generate translations for Glossary terms for each target locale. Assigned Context Groups provide guidance for new translations, including translations generated by Locadex. ### 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 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 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 an 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 Custom Prompts. **Import** accepts CSV, TSV, JSON, and text files. Its preview skips existing Custom Prompts, definitions, and translations, but can include missing translations for an existing term. The exported CSV uses two sections: - Custom Prompts, with `name`, `description`, `locale`, and `value` columns. - Glossary, with `term`, `definition`, and one `translation_` column per translated locale. A Glossary with no translation columns is also valid. The importer reads this format exactly, including CSVs with stacked spreadsheet headers. It also accepts earlier exports that label the prompt section Directives. Content outside the recognized format is interpreted by AI. Review the **Import Summary** before confirming. It lists the Custom Prompts, terms, definitions, and translations that will be added. Glossary translations for unsupported locales are skipped and those locales are listed in the preview. ## 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 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. 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/using-ask-ai - /docs/platform/dashboard/guides/managing-billing ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](https://generaltranslation.com/sitemap.md) for all pages.