System Settings: DST > Excel 2000-2003
In the Excel 2000-2003 section, you can manage templates for the processing of XLS files.
Excel documents often contain lots of numbers and relatively little text to translate. To "filter out" the text and make the translator's job easier and more efficient, Excel templates can be created in which rows, columns and ranges can be defined that are either hidden from the translator or visible, but locked. To reduce the load placed on system resources you can also specify that these ranges are not checked in. In this way, the check-in and processing times can be reduced considerably.
Excel documents can also contain columns with various languages, of which only one language is meant to be translated (to prevent crossTank from being filled with incorrect terms). In this case too, the creation of Excel templates can reduce the amount of work and improve quality control at the same time.
General tab
On the General tab you can define how the areas of an Excel document are displayed in crossDesk. This makes it possible, for example, to ignore columns and rows consisting of numbers only that do not require translation. You can also select whether to allow the translator to see these areas or not.
By clicking Add, you can add an area to the currently selected template and select how it should be displayed in Across.
First specify whether the new area should be defined on the basis of rows, columns, context, numbers, objects or worksheets:
Row | If Row is selected, enter a row number (e.g. 1) or a row range (e.g. 1-3) in the input field. |
Column | If Column is selected, enter a column in the input field (e.g. A) or a column range (e.g. A-C). |
Context | After selecting Context, specify a cell range in the input field. To do this, you can use regular expressions (e.g., ^[0-9]+$ for every cell that only contains one number). You can also select one of the predefined templates for frequently used regular expressions. Then click Insert and adapt the regular expression to your requirements, if necessary. |
Image | see the notes below |
Object | see the notes below |
Worksheet | Under Worksheet, enter the name of the worksheet in the input field (e.g., Table2). |
You can then specify whether each area is locked, hidden or ignored. If you select Ignore the corresponding area will not be considered when checking in the document, putting less pressure on system resources and for that reason cannot be viewed by the project manager or be made visible at a later date.
When selecting the Row, Column or Context, you can restrict the new range to individual worksheets by entering the respective name (e.g., Table2). If you do not enter anything in the input field, the setting will apply to all worksheets in the particular Excel file.
Hiding images and objects
You can also define how images and objects contained in an Excel document are displayed by using Excel templates. These can be hidden for the translator:
In order to do this, click Add then go to Filter type and select the option Images or Objects. Then define how the selected elements should be treated. Using the drop-down list, go to Action and select between Lock, Hide or Ignore. If you select Lock, the selected elements are visible for the translator in crossDesk, but cannot be edited. If you select Hide, the elements will not be visible to the translator. If you select Ignore, the images or objects will not be taken into consideration when checking in the document. This relieves the system load, but the ignored items cannot be viewed by the project manager or made visible at a later date.
Objects are elements that require the use of an external application in order to edit them, e.g. an image editing program. Images are elements that can be edited using Excel.
You can use the following characters to define ranges of rows or columns:
Area | Description |
x-y | Section of row/column x up to row/column y |
x, y | Row/column x and row/column y |
x; y | Row/column x and row/column y |
Click Edit to customize existing range and Delete to remove them.
The following icons are used to display the various ranges:
Use the 
and 
icons to sort the areas.
Moreover, you can determine whether hidden areas in the Excel document are to be hidden or displayed in Across, too.
Hiding numbers and dates
By default, numbers and dates are displayed in crossDesk. The displayed numbers and dates are locked, as they are usually not translated. By activating the corresponding option, you can determine that numbers and dates contained in Excel files are to be hidden in crossDesk. If the option is activated, numbers and dates will not be displayed in crossDesk. In contrast, if the option is deactivated, numbers and dates will be displayed in crossDesk.
Excel files processing type
In addition, you can define how Excel files are to be processed and displayed in crossDesk. You can determine whether the files are to be processed by columns or by rows. While processing by columns, first column A with row 1 to n is processed, then column B with rows 1 to n and so on. If the text flow follows the rows, the files can also be processes by rows. Accordingly, first row 1 with columns A to n is processed, then row 2 with columns A to n and so on.
The following Excel file is processed differently:
Depending on the processing method, the file is checked in differently and displayed accordingly in crossDesk:
Using the Advanced button, you can determine whether meta information is to be entered in the properties of the current version. Every Excel document can contain meta information such as title and author of the document. In Excel 2003, these are available under File > Properties.
Additionally, you can determine whether hidden worksheets and hidden rows, columns, and cells are to be checked in and translated.