Applies to: Bureau Works Drupal Connector (TMGMT Provider) for Drupal 10/11
Audience: Implementers, admins, enterprise architects
This page summarizes known limitations and important operational notes for the Bureau Works Drupal Connector. These constraints are typical of TMGMT-based provider integrations and Drupal’s content model, and help ensure predictable deployments at scale.
1. Dependency on TMGMT Capabilities
Because Bureau Works integrates as a TMGMT provider, all core project behaviors depend on the capabilities and constraints of the TMGMT module itself.
If a feature is not supported by TMGMT, it cannot be enabled via the Bureau Works provider.
Compatibility with new Drupal versions is contingent on TMGMT publishing an official compatible release first.
TMGMT configuration (sources, jobs, workflows) governs the overall translation lifecycle.
2. Node-Based Source Model
TMGMT “Sources” map to Drupal nodes and their translatable fields. This creates a few practical constraints:
Only node fields marked as translatable will be included in jobs.
Complex nodes with deeply nested or custom field types may require Drupal-side configuration to ensure all content is captured.
Non-node entities (depending on your Drupal setup) may require additional TMGMT configuration or custom handling.
3. Large Content / High-Volume Jobs
Very large nodes or high-volume batch submissions can affect performance depending on the subscriber environment.
Submitting large batches at once may increase queue time on the Drupal side.
Very large nodes may be split into multiple work units in Bureau Works.
If a subscriber expects frequent high-volume translation bursts, Bureau Works recommends coordinating job sizing and submission frequency during implementation.
4. Delivery State Required for Fetching
Drupal can only fetch translations that are completed and Delivered in Bureau Works.
If a Work Unit is translated but not delivered, Drupal will not pull it.
Partial progress is not synchronized back to Drupal.
This ensures Drupal content is never overwritten with incomplete work.
5. Permissions & Role Separation
Some subscribers separate editorial roles from translation-admin roles. In these cases:
Editors may request translation, but may not see or manage provider settings.
Provider configuration must be handled by a Drupal admin.
This behavior is governed by Drupal/TMGMT permissions rather than the Bureau Works connector.
6. Language Mapping Must Be Complete
Jobs can only be created for languages that are explicitly mapped under:
Translation → Providers → Bureau Works → Remote language mappings
If a target language is not mapped, it won’t appear as an option in Sources.
Adding new languages requires updating provider mappings first.
7. Custom or Non-Standard Field Types
If Drupal uses custom field types, embedded content, or unusual serialization:
Some content may be excluded unless the field is configured as translatable and supported by TMGMT.
In rare cases, a custom field may need a Drupal-side adjustment to expose content properly to TMGMT.
Bureau Works will support validation of such cases during implementation.
8. Error Handling and Retries
If Drupal cannot reach Bureau Works (network, credentials, endpoint mismatch):
The job will remain queued in TMGMT until the issue is resolved.
A retry is performed automatically through Drupal/TMGMT’s normal job processing.
No content is lost, but the request will not complete until connectivity is restored.
9. No Automatic Push Back to Drupal
The connector uses a pull-based model:
Bureau Works does not push translations into Drupal automatically.
Drupal admins must Fetch Translations from Translation → Jobs when ready.
This is consistent with standard TMGMT provider behavior and avoids unexpected content updates.
10. Enterprise Upgrade Notice Still Applies
Even if Drupal core is updated in place, the connector must remain aligned with TMGMT.
Bureau Works requests 120 days’ advance notice for major version upgrades.
This ensures compatibility testing and patching can be completed before rollout.
(See Enterprise Appendix for details.)
When to Contact Bureau Works
Contact Bureau Works support if you encounter:
Missing fields in translation jobs
Language options not appearing
Job creation failures after configuration
Unexpected node exclusions
Upgrade planning for new Drupal major versions
Support is covered under your existing SLA.