Introduction

Localization involves adapting internationalized software to a specific region or language by adding locale-specific components and translating text. Pega Constellation enhances this process, offering improved UI text translation capabilities with reduced effort. However, its generative AI-driven localization introduces some limitations that require careful consideration to align with business application needs.

Background

A new rule type, Localization (Rule-UI-Localization), has been introduced in Constellation. This versioned rule stores labels as key-value pairs in JSON format. It is created automatically in the application ruleset when building views.

Major Elements in a Localization Rule

• Class
• Context
• Locale Name
• Ruleset and Ruleset Version

Types of Localization Rules

When a case type is generated, the following localization rule variants are created:

1. Case Context – Specific to each case type class.
2. Labels Context – Created at the base class level for each case type.
3. Portal Context – Stores portal-level field labels in the UIPages class.
4. Page Context – Stores landing page labels in the UIPages class.

These rules ensure UI elements, portals, and landing pages are localized appropriately.

Implementation

Localization in Constellation requires two key implementations:

1. Using Localization Rules for UI labels in Views, Portals, and Landing Pages.
2. Localizing Backend Content (e.g., emails and integrations) using traditional field values.

This guide focuses on view-based content localization by generating a localization pack for the desired language.

Note: The steps below were executed in Pega Infinity 24.2.1.

Step 1: Generating the Localization Template

• In App Studio, navigate to the localization landing page.

• Create a new localization request to generate assets.

• Select the language and proceed.

• Enable “Re-translate all layers” only if translating built-on applications.

• A work object is created, allowing download of the localization pack as JSON/Excel.

Localization Pack Structure

• Excel File: Contains translation details.
  • Field Key: Unique identifier for the label.
  • Field Value: Default English label.
  • Category: Defines label usage (e.g., case field, portal, landing page).

• Translated String: Column for translated text.
• Context: Specifies label usage (Case/Label/Portal/Page/View).
• Rule Key: Identifies localization rule.
• Application Name: Indicates where the localization pack was generated.

• Paragraph Folder: Contains HTML files for instruction translations.
  • base: Stores original content.
  • translated: Requires manual updates with translated content.

Step 2: Updating Translations

• Edit the Excel file to update translated labels.

• Open the translated HTML files and manually replace <instructionText> content.

• Compress the folder into a new ZIP file for import.

After we update both the excel and html rules, compres the folder into a new zip file for importing the same in Pega App Studio landing page.

For reference purpose, before we uploaded the localization pack, the first screen of the case type looked something like below,

Step 3: Importing the Localization Pack

• Upload the translated ZIP file via App Studio.
• Once imported, the work object is resolved, completing the process.
• Update the operator locale (e.g., Spanish), log out, and log back in to view translations.

Before Import: Default English UI. After Import: Translated UI.

Comparison to Traditional Localization

Unlike traditional Pega localization, where rulesets are manually created and maintained, Constellation automates the process:

• No need to create localization rulesets.
• No manual addition of localization rules.
• Localization rules are auto-referenced at runtime.
• Updates are made via localization packs, eliminating Dev Studio modifications.

For backend localization (e.g., emails), field values in base/localized rulesets must still be manually maintained.

Localization with Generative AI

Starting with Pega Infinity 24.2, Generative AI assists in localization:

• The Excel file in the localization pack is auto-populated with translations.
• Localization architects review and refine AI-generated translations.
• Saves time but does not translate paragraph rules (HTML instructions must be manually updated).

Key Takeaway:

While GenAI accelerates translation, instruction-based translations remain manual. Future Pega versions may address this limitation.

Conclusion

Localization in Pega Constellation introduces a structured and efficient approach to UI translation. The automated rule creation, localization packs, and GenAI support significantly reduce manual effort. By following this guide, businesses can streamline localization workflows and improve global user experiences.