Shared Linguistic Assets
Learn how you can share TMs and glossaries across multiple workspaces without duplication
Overview
Shared linguistic assets allow translation memories (TMs) and glossaries to be accessed across multiple workspaces without duplication. When a TM or glossary is shared with your workspace, you can use it in your projects just like your own resources while the original owner maintains control over the content.
This feature is useful for:
Enterprise organizations with multiple teams or business units that need consistent terminology
Agencies and clients who want to share linguistic resources without manual exports and imports
Global teams maintaining centralized TMs across regional workspaces
How shared resources work
When a TM or glossary is shared with your workspace:
The resource appears in your TM Page or Glossary Page alongside your own resources
You can attach it to projects and AI Translation Profiles
The original workspace retains ownership and control over settings
Changes made by the owner are automatically reflected in your workspace
📌 Resource sharing is an Enterprise feature. Contact your Smartcat representative to enable sharing between workspaces.
Using shared translation memories
Where shared TMs appear
Shared TMs are available in:
TM Page: Listed alongside your workspace's own TMs
Project settings: When adding TMs to a project
AI Translation Profiles: When connecting a TM to a profile
CAT editor: Suggestions from shared TMs appear during translation
Searching shared TMs
Shared TMs are fully searchable:
Translation suggestions: Matches from shared TMs appear in the CAT editor
Concordance search: You can search across shared TMs
QA checks: Shared TM content is included in quality assurance checks
Access levels
Shared TMs have two access levels:
Access Level | What you can do |
ReadOnly | View and search the TM, use suggestions in translation |
ReadWrite | All ReadOnly capabilities, plus add new translation units to the TM |
Limitations
TM Editor access: Shared TMs are not visible in the TM Editor. Only the owner workspace can view and edit TM contents directly.
Settings: You cannot modify settings (name, languages, etc.) on shared TMs
Deletion: You cannot delete translation units from shared TMs, even with ReadWrite access
Export: Export capabilities depend on your access level and organization settings
Using shared glossaries
Where shared glossaries appear
Shared glossaries are available in:
Glossary Page: Listed alongside your workspace's own glossaries
Project settings: When adding glossaries to a project
AI Translation Profiles: When connecting a glossary to a profile
CAT editor: Term suggestions from shared glossaries appear during translation
Access levels
Shared glossaries have two access levels:
Access Level | What you can do |
ReadOnly | View terms and use suggestions in translation |
ReadWrite | All ReadOnly capabilities, plus add and edit terms |
Limitations
Settings — You cannot modify glossary settings on shared resources
Deletion — Deletion capabilities depend on your access level
Export — Export capabilities depend on your access level and organization settings
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a TM or glossary is shared?
Shared resources appear in your TM Page or Glossary Page with an indicator showing they originate from another workspace. The exact appearance may vary, but shared resources are distinguishable from resources you own.
Can I edit a shared resource?
It depends on your access level:
ReadOnly — You can use the resource but cannot make changes
ReadWrite — You can add new content (TM units or glossary terms)
Even with ReadWrite access, you cannot modify resource settings or delete content.
Why can't I see the shared TM in the TM Editor?
The TM Editor only displays TMs owned by your workspace. Shared TMs are searchable and usable in projects, but the detailed TM Editor view is only available to the owner workspace.
How do I request access to a shared resource?
Contact your organization administrator or Smartcat representative to set up resource sharing between workspaces.
What happens if the owner deletes a shared resource?
If the owner workspace deletes a shared TM or glossary, it will no longer be available in your workspace. Any projects using that resource will need to be updated.