When your program runs in more than one language, members should see their onboarding questions and profile fields in the language they use every day. Mentorly lets you translate every segment name, question label, and answer option so the experience feels native to each member.
For an overview of how segments work across your program, see Segments and Custom Profile Fields.
How translation works
You build your segments in English first. That is the base layer: the names, question labels, and answer options your program starts with.
Once your segments are set up, you can add translations for every other language your program supports. Mentorly stores one translation per language for each piece of text, and members see whichever version matches the language they have selected.
If a translation has not been filled in for a given language, Mentorly falls back to English automatically. Nothing breaks for the member: they will see the English text rather than a blank field.
The translation workflow
Translations are managed through a downloadable spreadsheet. The steps below walk you through the full cycle.
Step 1: Download the translation file
- In your program dashboard, go to Program in the left navigation and click Translations (or Multilingual depending on your plan).
- Click Download to export the current translation file.
The file opens in Excel or any spreadsheet application. Each row represents one piece of text in your program: a segment name, a question label, or an answer option. The columns are organized by language, with English always present as the reference column.
The rows are grouped by segment, so it is straightforward to find everything that belongs to a particular field. Long lists of answer options can be collapsed in Mentorly's interface to keep things tidy, and the spreadsheet mirrors that same grouping.
Step 2: Fill in the translations
Work through the file column by column for each language you want to add. For each row, enter the translated text in the appropriate language column.
A few things to keep in mind:
- You do not need to translate every row before uploading. Any cell you leave blank will fall back to English.
- If your organization has a translation team or works with a translation service, this is a good file to hand off. The layout is straightforward: one row per text item, one column per language.
- Save the file when you are done.
Step 3: Upload the file
- Return to the Translations page in your program dashboard.
- Click Upload and select the file you just saved.
- Mentorly validates the file and applies the translations immediately.
Members who reload the page or log in after the upload will see the updated text in their selected language.
What gets translated
The translation file covers three categories of text.
Segment names. The label that appears as the field heading on a member's profile and during onboarding.
Question labels. The text that frames a question, such as "What is your department?" or "Which languages do you speak?"
Answer options. The individual choices members select in Single Select and Multi-Select fields. These are usually the most numerous rows in the file, especially for segments with long option lists.
System fields and UI labels (such as button text and navigation items) may also appear in the file depending on your program configuration.
Best practices
Translate answer options, not just labels. Members read both the question and the options. A translated question heading paired with untranslated answer options creates a mixed-language experience. Aim to translate the full set together.
Keep the meaning consistent across languages. A translation should carry the same meaning as the English original, not just be a word-for-word conversion. If you are using an external translation service, share a brief glossary of any program-specific terms so the translator uses consistent wording.
Re-download and re-upload after adding new segments. If you create a new segment after your initial translation pass, download the file again. New rows will appear for the new segment's name, labels, and options. Fill those in and upload again to keep all languages current.
Check fallback behavior before launch. After uploading, switch your own account to each supported language and review a few onboarding fields. Any row that still shows in English is a gap you can fill in a follow-up upload.
Related articles
- Segments and Custom Profile Fields
- Creating a Custom Segment
- Importing and Updating Segment Data by CSV
Need help? Reach out to your program manager or contact the Mentorly support team through the Help tab in your dashboard.