How to Translate SAP Content: Tools & Best Practices

Expanding into new markets is an exciting step for businesses across different industries. But when your teams rely on SAP to manage daily operations, introducing new languages involves more than simply translating a few menus.

From customised interfaces to technical terminology, SAP content translation requires careful planning, the right tools and a clear understanding of what needs to be localised.

So, where should you start? Let's explore the main challenges, tools and best practices for translating SAP content efficiently.

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Why is translating SAP content so complex?

SAP systems are often tailored to a company's specific processes, which makes translation more challenging than it might initially appear.

While SAP provides language packs for standard content, these may not cover texts developed or customised for your business. This can include role menus, forms, table entries, SAP Fiori interfaces and ABAP components.

Without accurate translations, employees in different regions may struggle to navigate the system or follow established workflows.

The first challenge is identifying exactly what needs to be translated. This process, known as SAP project scoping, involves assessing which parts of the system will be used in each target market and selecting the relevant translation objects.

Effective scoping helps avoid unnecessary work, supports more accurate cost estimates and creates a stronger foundation for international SAP rollouts.

For more insight into these challenges, explore our 20-year SAP translation success story!

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How to translate SAP content: tools and best practices

A successful SAP translation project starts well before the first text is translated. Planning the workflow, choosing suitable tools and maintaining linguistic consistency can make a considerable difference to the final result.

Here are five steps to consider:

1. Define the scope: Identify which SAP modules, interfaces and customised texts require translation for each target market;
2. Review existing language resources: Use translation memory (TM) and terminology databases to reuse approved translations, maintain consistency and avoid duplicating work;
3. Select the right translation tools: Assess the capabilities of SAP's native solutions and whether additional tools are needed for your environment;
4. Translate and review the content: Combine suitable automation with professional linguistic review and terminology management to maintain accuracy and consistency across languages;
5. Validate before rollout: Check how translated texts appear and function within the SAP environment before making them available to end users.

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SAP Translation Hub vs SE63: what's the difference?

SAP provides tools that can support different stages of the translation process. Two worth understanding are SAP Translation Hub and transaction SE63.

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Both can contribute to a more efficient workflow, but they serve different purposes and may not cover every requirement of a customised SAP environment.

For this reason, companies may also benefit from specialist tools that facilitate access to translation objects, support integration and simplify project scoping.

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How can you keep SAP translation costs under control?

Translating large volumes of SAP content can be resource-intensive, particularly when multiple languages or customised systems are involved.

However, several practices can help control costs without sacrificing quality:

• Translate only what is needed: Clear scoping prevents unnecessary translation of unused content;
• Reuse existing translations: Consistent terminology and suitable language resources help reduce repetitive work;
• Automate where appropriate: Translation technology can streamline repetitive tasks and improve workflow efficiency;
• Plan early: Defining requirements before an international rollout reduces the risk of unexpected work and delays.

Specialist tools can also make a difference. For example, t’works has developed SAP translation add-ons that support the use of SAP Translation Hub resources, help identify relevant entries in customising tables and simplify aspects of the scoping process.

Combined with connectivity and automation solutions, these capabilities can support more efficient multilingual workflows.

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SAP translation in practice: the d.velop example

What does this approach look like in a real business environment?

d.velop, an IT services and consulting company specialising in the digitalisation of business processes, needed to translate customised SAP content from German into English.

As a long-standing t’works customer, d.velop relied on the company's SAP translation expertise to find a solution tailored to its needs.

The project used specialist tools developed by t’works in collaboration with SAP translation consultancy LUDECKE, making it easier to manage the translation process directly within the SAP environment.

The example illustrates an important point: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to SAP translation. While relatively simple projects may require limited resources, customised environments often benefit from tailored tools and professional language expertise.

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When should you work with an SAP translation specialist?

SAP's built-in tools provide valuable support, but managing complex translation projects often requires more than technology alone.

From identifying translation objects to selecting the right workflow and maintaining terminology consistency, experienced SAP language specialists can help businesses avoid unnecessary complexity.

As an accredited SAP Language Service Partner since 2004, t’works combines technical knowledge, specialist translation tools and linguistic expertise to support multilingual SAP projects.

Whether you're preparing a rollout in a new market or translating customised SAP content, involving the right specialists early can help make the process more efficient and predictable.

‍Planning your next SAP rollout? Explore our SAP translation and language consulting services and discover how t’works can support your project. Request a Quote Today!

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