Termbase

What a termbase controls

A termbase (TB) groups source concepts and their language-specific terms. Use it to define preferred or forbidden terminology, keep names consistent, and give translators and translation runs structured guidance that is separate from sentence-level Translation Memory.

Choose active and default resources

All lists each termbase once with its available languages, concept count, and timestamps. Target-language tabs filter the same project termbases and expose priority, Active, and Project Default controls. These three settings are saved for the project as a whole, not separately per language, even though you edit them from a language tab.

Active

Includes this TB in project terminology lookup. Turning it off keeps all concepts but removes the TB from translation and Editor term matching until re-enabled.

Project Default

Selects the writable TB proposed first when Add Term opens in the Editor. Only one editable TB can be the default; a System or otherwise protected TB cannot be selected.

Priority

Orders active TBs when the same source surface appears in more than one resource. Dragging a row changes the project-wide order immediately.

All and language tabs

All is the catalog overview. Language tabs are filters for checking applicability; switching tabs does not create a separate configuration.

Create or import a termbase

Add a termbase

1. Choose Add TB. Use New for an empty editable termbase, From Project for an independent copy, or System for an available read-only project copy.
2. For New, enter a name that identifies the client, product, or policy. For an import, compare the source project or source label, languages, concept count, and updated time.
3. Choose Create or Import. After the dialog closes, verify the TB under All, then set Active, Project Default, and priority from any language tab where it appears.

After completion: New creates an empty active TB but does not automatically make it Project Default. From Project creates a copy owned by the current project with no ongoing link. System adds a read-only copy that can be activated and reordered but not made default or edited.

Maintain terms and exchange data

Open a termbase to browse entries by language. Editable entries can be opened and revised; selected target-language terms may be deleted without deleting the whole concept, while deleting the entire entry removes all of its language terms. Writable termbases accept TBX or CSV imports and can export TBX or CSV.

Preferred

The standard form that translation and Editor terminology suggestions should favor.

Allowed

An acceptable variant or spelling. It is accepted by terminology and spelling checks but is not required as the preferred translation.

Forbidden

A form that should be avoided in the target. Active applicable entries can flag or constrain this wording during translation.

Draft / Approved

Both remain available for normal terminology use; use Draft for work still being authored and Approved for reviewed entries.

Needs Review / Deprecated

These statuses keep the entry for review or history but exclude it from normal term matching until its status changes.

Add a term from the Editor

1. In the Editor, select source or target text and choose Add Term from the work controls.
2. Check the prefilled text and current row category. Select a writable TB; Project Default is proposed first when available.
3. Add language terms, choose Preferred, Allowed, or Forbidden for each, set the entry status, and save.

After completion: The saved concept becomes visible in the selected TB detail. If its status is Draft or Approved and the TB is Active, it becomes available to matching for applicable project languages and categories.

Know which terms affect translation

Translation uses preferred and forbidden terms from applicable active termbases. Allowed terms and spelling-check-only termbases do not become translation requirements. Automatically prepared terminology may appear as a separate resource; open its detail to check whether it is read-only and how it is intended to be used.