Best way to handle translations for multiple datasets and reports

[tobny76]

We need to translate a lot of datasets and reports to 15 countries.
- Metadata translation
- Report label translation

I have looked at this video "Building Multi-language reports for Power BI".
It use the external program "Translation builder".

Is this the best way of handling it?
What is your recommandations of how to handle it?

Want to automate as much as possible.

Thanks in advance!
Tobias

[v-kpoloju-msft]

Hi @tobny76,

I wanted to check if you had the opportunity to review the information provided by @rajendraongole1, Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions. If my response has addressed your query, please accept it as a solution and give a 'Kudos' so other members can easily find it.

Thank you.

[tobny76 · Accepted solution]

We have started to use TranslationBuilder.

[rajendraongole1]

Hi @tobny76  - Power BI supports the use of JSON files for managing translations. You can create a JSON file that stores translations for all the metadata and report labels.

Extract the metadata (field names, column names, etc.) into a JSON file.Add translations for each language in the JSON file.
Use Power BI’s DAX and measures to dynamically switch between translations based on user selection.

1. Tabular Editor supports translations for datasets.

2. You can define translations for metadata and labels directly in Tabular Editor.

3. Use the built-in "Perspectives" and "Translations" features to manage multi-language support.

Ref links:

GitHub - PowerBiDevCamp/TranslationsBuilder: An external tool for Power BI Desktop to manage transla...

Create multiple-language reports with Translations Builder - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

[tobny76]

Hi @rajendraongole1 ,
We use Tabular Editor today but we think it takes a lot of time for us to develop. A lot of manual work.
I found this Video that maybe can help speeding up some steps with c# Scripts.

Looks like the best solution for us maybe is to use 
TranslationBuilder + Azure Translation Service.

We work with releases every month.
I guess it is no way of changing the Metadata translation on the fly without saveing the PBIX and publish again?
For "Report Label translation" I guess we maybe can refresh a file with translations to get translations updated without publish the model again.

Best Regard
Tobias

[rajendraongole1]

Hi @tobny76  - Unfortunately, metadata translations (e.g., table/column names) require saving and republishing the Power BI file. This is because metadata resides in the model, and changes to it necessitate a re-upload to the Power BI Service.

For dynamic report labels, yes, you can design a solution where translations update based on a refreshed file or dataset, without needing to republish the model. This is achievable by storing translations in a data source (like an Azure SQL Database, SharePoint list, or even a CSV file) and using DAX measures to fetch them dynamically.

Ref links:

Building Multi-language Reports for Power BI in 2023 | Microsoft Power BI Blog | Microsoft Power BI