System Localization properties

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated June 25, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of System Localization properties

    System Localization properties in ServiceNow enable customers to configure translation, currency, and locale settings for users across multiple countries. These settings ensure that the platform’s user interface and data representations such as sorting, currency display, and language preferences align with regional and linguistic requirements. Some localization features require activating theI18N: Internationalizationplugin.

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    Key Features

    • Sorting in User’s Session Language: Enables string sorting in lists based on the user's selected language rather than default English, improving data readability for localized users. This is controlled by the com.glide.db.sessionlanguagecollationfeature property.
    • Login Language Selection: Displays a language selector on the login page, allowing users to choose their preferred language. This requires the Internationalization plugin and is controlled by glide.ui.login.language.select.
    • Text Search Stemming Language: Configures the stemming language for text search to improve search results by matching derived word forms. Available options include English, German, and French, managed by glide.ts.stemminglanguage.
    • Translation Debugging: Shows a translation prefix on translatable strings to assist administrators and translators in locating and managing translations, enabled via glide.ui.i18ntest.
    • Single Currency Model: Allows displaying all currency values in a uniform currency code regardless of user locale, helpful for global consistency in financial data. Controlled by glide.i18n.singlecurrency and the currency code set in glide.i18n.singlecurrency.code.
    • Default System Language and Locale: Sets the system-wide default language (e.g., English, French, Spanish) and locale (language and country code) to determine currency conversions and regional settings. These are set by glide.sys.language and glide.system.locale respectively. Changing locale after production can cause currency conversion issues.
    • Spell Checker Dictionary: Defines the language dictionary used for spell checking in the system for English users, with multiple language options available via glide.spell.dictionary.en.

    Additional Configuration via System Properties Table

    Some advanced or less frequently used localization properties are configurable directly in the System Properties [sysproperties] table. Key properties include:

    • com.glide.db.i18nsessionlanguagesortabledefault: Sets default column sorting behavior across the system, enabling sorting by session language or defaulting to English.
    • glidei18n.languagefallbackenabled: Enables a fallback language hierarchy allowing intermediate languages before defaulting to English when translations are missing, enhancing user experience in multilingual environments.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Activate the I18N: Internationalization plugin to unlock most localization settings.
    • Use the System Localization properties page to manage common localization settings and access the sysproperties table for advanced configurations.
    • Set and maintain the system locale carefully; avoid changing the locale after going live to prevent currency calculation errors.
    • Enable language selection on login to improve user experience for global teams.
    • Leverage single currency mode if your organization requires uniform currency display independent of user locale.
    • Utilize language fallback settings to ensure interface completeness in multiple languages.

    System Localization properties configure translation, currency, and locale settings on the instance for users from multiple countries.

    Some localization properties only appear after the I18N: Internationalization plugin is activated. Some properties are available on the System Localization properties page, but some lesser-used properties are available only from the System Properties [sys_properties] table.

    Access the following properties by navigating to All > System Properties > System Localization.
    Property Description

    Enable sorting (for lists) in the user's session language when the language is other than English

    com.glide.db.session_language_collation_feature

    		 Enable sorting string values in a column according to the rules of the user's session language. If this option isn’t selected, field values are sorted according to the English alphabet.

    Show the language select box on the login page so the user can specify the language they would like to be logged in with.

    glide.ui.login.language.select

    		 Enables language selection upon login.
    • Options: Yes | No
    • Default value: Yes
    • Dependency: The I18N: Internationalization plugin must be active

    Text Search stemming language.

    glide.ts.stemming_language

    		 Selects the language to match derived words in text search.

    Displays translation prefix on translatable strings.

    glide.ui.i18n_test

    		 Adds a translation prefix on translatable fields to indicate where to find the string for translation.

    Use a single currency model. Display all currencies in the same currency code, regardless of a user's locale, country, or language code.

    glide.i18n.single_currency

    		 Enable single currency mode.

    Default language for the system (two character values)

    glide.sys.language
    • Options: en, fr, es, it, de
    • Default value: en

    If using the single currency model, display all currencies using this currency code. Currency codes use the ISO 4217 three letter format.

    glide.i18n.single_currency.code

    Locale code to use for localization.

    glide.system.locale

    		 Determines the system's default currency into which all prices are automatically converted before other sums or conversions are performed. Changing this property after any price or currency fields have been given a value may result in improper conversion or prices that sum incorrectly.
    • Options: [language code].[country code] (for example, en.GB for Britain, fr.FR for France, de.DE for Germany, or ja.JP for Japan)
    • Default value: None
    • Learn more: Locale settings
    Note:
    After you have set a value on this system property and your system has gone into production, do not change this value. If a user's locale must be changed, update the "Country code" field on the user record.

    Spell checker dictionary to use for English users.

    glide.spell.dictionary.en

    		 Sets the spell checker dictionary used in the system for English users.
    • Options: Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, English US, English UK, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai
    • Default value: English US
    • Learn more: Locale settings
    Access the following properties by entering sys_properties.list in the navigation filter to open the System Properties [sys_properties] table.
    Property Description
    com.glide.db.i18n_session_language_sortable_default

    Option to set the default behavior of column sorting. If true, the default behavior of columns is to sort according to the user's session language. If false, the default behavior of columns is to sort according to the English alphabet.

    glide_i18n.language_fallback_enabled

    Option to allow setting fallback languages for the instance. Setting fallback languages creates a three-level hierarchy in which an intermediate language is used before defaulting to English when user interface text is not translated in the user's preferred language.