How to use Unbabel for Freshdesk

Unbabel integrates with Freshdesk in order to translate tickets directly in FD's work space environment, so that agents don't need to switch apps to get a translation.

Unbabel will fire whenever an authorized agent enters a ticket written in a foreign language. Once the installation of the app is complete, provided you are an authorized user, a widget will appear in Freshdesk's Apps panel. Translations are posted on the the ticker's comment stream, and requested by adding internal notes containing #unbabel, $unbabel or %unbabel. The widget will, in turn, control some of the ticket and user settings. Let us dive into more detail.

Inbound translations

Depending on your translation model, and as long as you meet the authorization and language settings conditions to translate a ticket, Unbabel will detect that a public comment is written in a foreign language and that it requires translation. The widget will launch, calling the Unbabel systems, while the widget let's you know of the progress of the translation.

Once the first translation is ready we will post it a new internal note containing both the subject and body of the comment translated.

The first translation is a machine-only translation, as it typically constitutes an inbound message coming from the customer. Still, we can translate comments that are originated by the Freshdesk user as well, provided they are the first comment on the ticket. This step is called the ticket's initialization and it's fundamental to the rest of the workflow. Tickets that are not initialized will not see any other translations come through. 

Note: you will need to refresh the page in many cases to see the inbound translation posted.

If your initial message was translated into the wrong language, you can change the ticket's language. Unbabel will then post a new internal note with the new translation. Please note that the target language for any outbound reply will be the currently selected language for the ticket. You can request an human upgrade of the latest translated inbound at any time, provided there's no outbound translation pending.

Note 2: Unbabel won't automatically translate inbound messages that are posted as internal notes (such as messages coming from recipients who are not cc'ed in ticket). Where inbound translations are concerned, we stick to public replies.

Outbound translations

In order to reply to a customer using Unbabel, simply post an internal note starting with #unbabel, $unbabel or %unbabel, confirming that the widget is correctly loaded. This will fire a translation request that will undergo human edition and be posted as a public reply once complete, consequently generating an email response to the customer.

Note: while the native Freshdesk flow will send your newest email reply and thread the 4 previous messages, which become visible in the email client, an Unbabeled reply will only contain the translated message. As a workaround, if you want to send previous replies in the message, be sure to post it in the internal note - while taking into consideration not using mixed languages.

It is possible to create several successive internal notes with #unbabel, $unbabel or %unbabel, and therefore request multiple translations. It's not necessary to keep the ticket open after requesting the translation - Unbabel will post the translation even if the ticket is solved (even though it won't if the ticket is closed).

The flow will come full circle once the customer replies and a new inbound automatic translation is then posted.