Excel Files (.xlsx): Complete Guide to Spreadsheet Based Localization

What Are Excel Files (.xlsx) for Localization?

Excel files (.xlsx) are one of the most widely used formats for managing translations, especially in organizations where translators, project managers, and stakeholders may not have access to specialized localization tools. The familiar spreadsheet format makes it easy for anyone to view, edit, and collaborate on translations.

Excel’s tabular structure is naturally suited for localization work, with columns for keys, source text, translations, and metadata like comments or context information.

Why AZbox Supports Excel Format

At AZbox, we recognize that many teams start their localization journey with Excel or need to collaborate with external translators who prefer working in spreadsheets. That’s why AZbox fully supports Excel file import and export, allowing you to:

• Import existing Excel files directly into your AZbox project
• Export translations to Excel for external review or collaboration
• Support multiple languages in a single spreadsheet
• Preserve metadata like comments, context, and character limits
• Bridge the gap between spreadsheet-based workflows and modern localization
• Migrate easily from Excel-based systems to AZbox

Excel File Structure for Localization

Single Language Per File

The simplest structure with one target language:

Key	Source (English)	Translation (Spanish)	Comment
welcome_title	Welcome	Bienvenido	Home screen title
button_save	Save	Guardar	Action button
error_network	Network error	Error de red	Error message

Excel structure:

Column A: Key (unique identifier)
Column B: Source (English)
Column C: Translation (Spanish)
Column D: Comment (optional)

Multiple Languages Per File

A common approach for managing all languages in one spreadsheet:

Key	English	Spanish	French	German	Comment
welcome_title	Welcome	Bienvenido	Bienvenue	Willkommen	Home screen
button_save	Save	Guardar	Enregistrer	Speichern	Action button
button_cancel	Cancel	Cancelar	Annuler	Abbrechen	Action button

With Context and Metadata

Enhanced structure with additional context for translators:

Key	English	Spanish	Context	Max Length	Screenshot
nav_home	Home	Inicio	Navigation bar	10	nav_bar.png
btn_submit	Submit	Enviar	Form submission	15	form.png
error_required	Required field	Campo requerido	Validation error	30	validation.png

Recommended Excel Structure

Column Configuration

For optimal import into AZbox, we recommend this structure:

Column	Header	Description	Required
A	key	Unique string identifier	✅ Yes
B	en or source	Source language text	✅ Yes
C	es, fr, etc.	Target language columns	✅ At least one
D+	comment	Translator notes	Optional
E+	context	Where the string appears	Optional
F+	max_length	Character limit	Optional

Example Spreadsheet

| key              | en                    | es                      | fr                      | comment              |
|------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
| app_name         | My App                | Mi App                  | Mon App                 | App display name     |
| welcome_message  | Welcome back, {name}! | ¡Bienvenido, {name}!    | Bienvenue, {name}!      | Home screen greeting |
| items_count      | {count} items         | {count} artículos       | {count} articles        | Shopping cart        |
| btn_checkout     | Checkout              | Pagar                   | Commander               | Cart button          |
| error_login      | Invalid credentials   | Credenciales inválidas  | Identifiants invalides  | Login error          |

Handling Placeholders in Excel

Variable Placeholders

Document placeholders clearly so translators understand what they represent:

Key	English	Spanish	Placeholder Info
greeting	Hello, {username}!	¡Hola, {username}!	{username} = user’s name
order_total	Total: {currency}{amount}	Total: {amount} {currency}	{currency} = $, €, etc.
file_size	{size} MB	{size} MB	{size} = number

Plural Forms

For languages requiring plural handling, use separate rows:

Key	Plural Form	English	Spanish
items_count	one	{count} item	{count} artículo
items_count	other	{count} items	{count} artículos
days_left	zero	Expires today	Expira hoy
days_left	one	{count} day left	{count} día restante
days_left	other	{count} days left	{count} días restantes

ICU Message Format

For complex pluralization, include the full ICU message:

Key	English	Spanish	Format
cart_items	{count, plural, one {# item} other {# items}}	{count, plural, one {# artículo} other {# artículos}}	ICU

Best Practices for Excel Localization Files

1. Use Consistent Key Naming

Bad:

Key	English
str1	Welcome
Btn_Save	Save
ERROR MSG	Error

Good:

Key	English
welcome_title	Welcome
button_save	Save
error_generic	Error

2. Freeze Header Row

Always freeze the first row so translators can see column headers while scrolling:

1. Select row 2
2. View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Top Row

3. Use Data Validation

Prevent accidental edits to keys:

1. Select the Key column
2. Data → Data Validation
3. Set appropriate restrictions

4. Add Conditional Formatting

Highlight empty translations:

1. Select translation columns
2. Home → Conditional Formatting
3. New Rule → Format cells that are blank
4. Set background color (e.g., yellow)

5. Include Character Counts

Add a helper column for character limits:

Key	English	Spanish	Max	ES Length
btn_save	Save	Guardar	10	=LEN(C2)

6. Document Placeholders

Create a separate sheet explaining all placeholders:

Sheet: Placeholders

Placeholder	Description	Example
{username}	User’s display name	John
{count}	Numeric count	5
{date}	Formatted date	Jan 15, 2024
{currency}	Currency symbol	$, €, £

7. Use Comments for Context

Add Excel comments (right-click → Insert Comment) for additional context that doesn’t need its own column.

Importing Excel to AZbox

Step 1: Prepare Your Excel File

Ensure your file follows the recommended structure:

1. First row: Column headers (key, en, es, fr, etc.)
2. Subsequent rows: One string per row
3. No merged cells: Each cell should contain independent data
4. UTF-8 compatible: Save as .xlsx (not .xls)

Step 2: Import via AZbox Dashboard

1. Log in to your AZbox dashboard
2. Navigate to your project
3. Go to Import/Export section
4. Select Import and choose Excel (.xlsx)
5. Upload your Excel file
6. Map columns to AZbox fields:
   • Select which column contains keys
   • Select source language column
   • Select target language columns
   • Map optional columns (comments, context)
7. Review the preview and confirm import

Step 3: Review and Manage

After importing:

• View all strings in the AZbox interface
• Edit translations with full context
• Use machine translation for empty cells
• Track translation progress
• Collaborate with team members

Exporting Excel from AZbox

Export Options

When exporting to Excel, you can customize:

1. Languages: Select which languages to include
2. Columns: Choose which metadata to export
3. Format: Single file or one file per language
4. Empty translations: Include or exclude

Export Steps

1. Go to Import/Export in your project
2. Select Export and choose Excel (.xlsx)
3. Configure export options:
   • Select languages
   • Choose column order
   • Include/exclude metadata
4. Download the generated Excel file

Export Formats

Option 1: All languages in one file

key	en	es	fr	de
welcome	Welcome	Bienvenido	Bienvenue	Willkommen

Option 2: One file per language

• translations_es.xlsx
• translations_fr.xlsx
• translations_de.xlsx

Working with Translators

Sending Files to Translators

1. Export from AZbox with only necessary columns
2. Include a README sheet with instructions
3. Lock cells that shouldn’t be edited (keys, source)
4. Highlight cells requiring translation

Translator Instructions Template

Create a “Instructions” sheet in your Excel file:

TRANSLATION INSTRUCTIONS
========================

1. Only edit cells in the [LANGUAGE] column
2. Do NOT modify the Key or English columns
3. Keep placeholders like {name} exactly as they appear
4. Respect character limits in the Max Length column
5. Add questions or notes in the Comments column
6. Yellow highlighted cells need translation
7. Save as .xlsx when complete

PLACEHOLDERS
============
{name} - User's name (do not translate)
{count} - A number (do not translate)
{date} - A date that will be formatted

QUESTIONS?
==========
Contact: translations@company.com

Receiving Translated Files

1. Review the completed Excel file
2. Check for:
   • Modified keys (should be unchanged)
   • Missing placeholders
   • Exceeded character limits
3. Import back to AZbox
4. Review and approve changes

Advanced Excel Features for Localization

Multiple Sheets for Organization

Organize large projects with multiple sheets:

Sheet 1: "UI_Strings" - User interface text
Sheet 2: "Errors" - Error messages
Sheet 3: "Emails" - Email templates
Sheet 4: "Legal" - Terms, privacy policy
Sheet 5: "Instructions" - Translator guide
Sheet 6: "Glossary" - Key terms

Glossary Sheet

Include a glossary for consistency:

Term	English	Spanish	French	Notes
Account	Account	Cuenta	Compte	User account, not financial
Dashboard	Dashboard	Panel	Tableau de bord	Main screen
Settings	Settings	Configuración	Paramètres	App settings

Status Tracking

Add a status column for workflow management:

Key	English	Spanish	Status	Translator	Date
welcome	Welcome	Bienvenido	✅ Approved	Maria	2024-01-15
settings	Settings	Configuración	🔄 Review	Carlos	2024-01-14
help	Help		❌ Pending

Dropdown for Status

Create a dropdown for status column:

1. Select the Status column
2. Data → Data Validation
3. Allow: List
4. Source: Pending, In Progress, Review, Approved
5. Check “In-cell dropdown”

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Character Encoding Problems

Problem: Special characters (é, ñ, 中文) appear corrupted.

Solution:

• Save as .xlsx (not .csv or .xls)
• When opening CSV, use UTF-8 encoding
• In AZbox, select UTF-8 during import

Issue: Merged Cells Breaking Import

Problem: Import fails due to merged cells.

Solution:

• Unmerge all cells before import
• Use consistent row structure
• One string per row only

Issue: Formula Results Instead of Values

Problem: Formulas exported instead of text values.

Solution:

• Copy the range
• Paste Special → Values Only
• Or export from AZbox with “Values Only” option

Issue: Missing Translations Not Visible

Problem: Hard to spot empty cells.

Solution:

• Apply conditional formatting to highlight blanks
• Use AZbox’s completion tracking instead
• Filter to show only empty cells

Issue: Lost Formatting on Import

Problem: Bold, italic text not preserved.

Solution:

• Use HTML tags: <b>bold</b>, <i>italic</i>
• Or use markdown: **bold**, *italic*
• Document the format in instructions

AZbox Excel Features

When you use Excel with AZbox, you benefit from:

• Smart column detection - Auto-detects language columns from headers
• Flexible mapping - Map any column structure to AZbox fields
• Placeholder preservation - Maintains {variables} during import/export
• Multi-sheet support - Import from specific sheets
• Merge options - Update existing translations or add new
• Validation - Warns about missing keys or broken placeholders
• Progress tracking - See translation completion per language
• Version history - Track changes across imports
• Collaboration - Team members can work in AZbox while others use Excel

Migrating from Excel to AZbox

Benefits of Migration

Excel Workflow	AZbox Platform
Manual file sharing	Real-time collaboration
No version control	Full history tracking
Error-prone merging	Automatic sync
No translation memory	Built-in TM
Manual progress tracking	Automated dashboards
No machine translation	AI-powered suggestions

Migration Steps

1. Export current Excel with all translations
2. Create AZbox project with same languages
3. Import Excel file mapping all columns
4. Invite team members to AZbox
5. Continue in AZbox for future translations
6. Export to Excel only when needed for external review

Conclusion

Excel files (.xlsx) provide a familiar, accessible format for managing translations, especially when collaborating with external translators or stakeholders. With AZbox’s comprehensive Excel support, you can:

1. Import existing Excel files with flexible column mapping
2. Export translations for external collaboration
3. Bridge workflows between spreadsheets and modern localization
4. Maintain compatibility with teams preferring Excel
5. Migrate gradually to AZbox’s full platform features

Ready to enhance your Excel-based localization workflow?

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AZbox provides seamless Excel (.xlsx) import and export, making it easy to work with translators who prefer spreadsheets while benefiting from a modern localization platform. Import, manage, and export your translations with ease.