FAQ - Translations

The article addresses frequently asked questions about translation features in BambooHR. It covers topics such as the translation of job postings, emails, placeholders in offer letters, and surveys, indicating that certain elements are not translated, such as email notifications and eNPS surveys. It notes that help guides are not available in other languages. Translations are available for Employee Community, aligning with user language settings, but user-generated content remains untranslated. The article also provides troubleshooting tips for translation issues and details supported and unsupported languages. BambooHR utilizes third-party software for translations, updating product translations weekly to enhance language coverage.

  • Jun 18, 2026
  • Knowledge

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FAQ - Translations
Article Text
This feature is included in the Core, Pro, and Elite packages.

FAQs

Will job postings be translated if the language is set differently in Settings?

Job descriptions can be entered in any language. However, fields like Name and Email on the form will not be translated.

Can you translate emails?

No, email notifications and alerts are not translated. Due to the complexities of translating emails (such as sender/recipient emails and browser defaults), none of the emails are translated, and there is no development timeline for this at the moment.

Custom fields are the only elements translated directly in BambooHR (supported languages). Everything else is translated in an outside platform (a third-party software we use for this).

Why are placeholders in offer letters being translated?

Placeholders follow the language of the candidate's browser when the offer letter is filled out. This ensures that placeholders are translated along with the rest of the page when the default language is not English. If placeholders appear in a different language, it means the candidate's browser language was set to something other than English. If you need the placeholders to appear in English, you can send them another offer letter or ask the candidate to set their default browser language to English.

Are help guides available in other languages?

No, help guides are not offered in other languages.

Are eNPS surveys translated?

No, eNPS surveys are not translated.

Are Employee Wellbeing surveys translated?

Users who have their language in BambooHR set to Spanish, French, or German will receive Employee Wellbeing surveys in those languages.

Are translations available for Time & Attendance?

Some elements are translated based on browser settings, but not all text.

Are translations available for Employee Community?

Employee Community now supports language translations just like the rest of your BambooHR. The language that appears in Employee Community will match the language each user selects on their BambooHR Account Settings page. This includes top and left-hand navigation, buttons, and other standard interface elements.

Please note that Employee Community will not translate user-generated content, such as posts or comments. Any content created by employees will remain in the original language in which it was written.

Do we need to enable translations for custom fields in order to have the standard fields translated?

Standard fields can be translated via web browser settings.

Why do API values sometimes differ from what I see in BambooHR?

The BambooHR API returns the system’s base value for a field and does not support returning translated or language-specific values. While some fields in BambooHR can be translated for display in the interface, those translated values are not included in API responses, so the value shown in BambooHR may differ from what the API returns.

Troubleshooting tips

If your fields are not translating, check the following items:

  • Is the language is supported or unsupported?
  • Is it a custom field (for supported languages) that has not been translated directly?
  • Is this in an email? If yes, please note that emails are not included in our translation feature.

If you still need assistance, please contact our Customer Support team.

Additional information

Supported and unsupported languages

Note: If you have questions about translations of standard fields, such as those on the Home tab or Hiring tab, please be aware these translations are intentional and standardized. If you notice a word that seems incorrect, it may be due to dialect differences rather than a translation error.

Supported languages: These languages are available in the dropdown menu in your account settings and Settings > Translations.

  • English
  • French
  • Spanish
  • German
  • Portuguese
  • Dutch
  • Chinese
  • Japanese

Unsupported languages: These languages display based on your browser settings. While your BambooHR account will appear in these languages, we cannot guarantee translation accuracy. These translations are often contributed by specific customers and may not be fully complete. Unsupported languages include:

  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • 简体中文 (Mandarin Chinese)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Russian
  • Turkish
  • Polish
  • Korean

Future languages: At BambooHR, we are dedicated to maintaining the highest quality and accuracy in our existing supported languages. While we are not planning to add new languages at this time, we remain committed to ensuring that our current language offerings meet your needs effectively. 

Translation process

BambooHR uses a third-party software to sync phrases and provide translations. BambooHR updates product translations on a weekly basis. With more than 51,000 phrases translated across multiple languages, we continually work to improve and expand language coverage across all supported languages. In some cases, certain content may remain untranslated, particularly when it includes user-entered information or newly introduced text that has not yet been included in a translation update.

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