A 1C-Bitrix site sending Russian emails to an English user is not a bug, but a lack of correct LID binding in email templates. As a result, 30% of users cannot understand their order status, and support receives twice as many inquiries. We've solved this in 50+ projects, reducing localization errors by 95%. Savings on maintaining multilingual templates reach 60% due to a unified architecture.
The Single-Language Email Problem
System mail events are stored in the b_event_type table. Each event has a LID — a language binding. If only one template is created with LID = 'ru', emails will always be in Russian. For a multilingual site, you need a separate template for each language. The issue often arises when developers forget to duplicate templates or incorrectly specify SITE_ID. According to Bitrix documentation, each event type can have multiple templates with different LIDs.
How 1C-Bitrix Selects an Email Template
Example: event SALE_NEW_ORDER (new order). By default, one template with LID = 'ru'. For the English version, create a second template with LID = 'en'. When sending, Bitrix selects the template based on the site's LID where the order was placed. Critically: LID in the template is the site identifier (b_lang.LID), not the system language. On multilingual sites with a single SITE_ID and multiple languages via Bitrix\Main\Application::getInstance()->addApplication() or language-based SITE_ID, it's necessary to check exactly how multilingualism is organized in the project. We conduct an audit and guarantee correct configuration.
Creating Templates for Multiple Languages
Go to Settings → Mail Events → Mail Event Types. For each system event, create templates:
- Open the event (e.g.,
SALE_NEW_ORDER) - Add a new template via "Add template"
- In the "Site" field, select the language version (or SITE_ID if different domains)
- Fill in the subject and body in the target language
For a technically correct implementation, do not duplicate HTML layout in each template. Instead, extract common elements (header, footer, button) into a PHP template included via #INCLUDE_FILE#. Parameterize texts through event variables. This approach saves time when adding new languages and reduces maintenance costs by half.
Solving Template Selection Issues
If the email arrives in the wrong language, check:
- Ensure the template's LID matches the site's SITE_ID.
- Is the cache with an old template being used? Clear the mail events cache in the admin panel.
- Does the
OnBeforeEventAddhandler override the language? In some custom modules, the language may be hardcoded.
Common causes of template selection failure
- Template LID does not match site SITE_ID.
- Mail events cache not cleared.
- OnBeforeEventAdd handler overrides the language.
- Template encoding is CP1251 instead of UTF-8.
- Content-Type overridden by external SMTP.
We include checking all these points in our audit. Order the setup and get a guarantee of correct sending in all languages.
Variables and Localization of Values
Standard event variables (#ORDER_ID#, #PRICE#) are substituted identically for all languages. But some values require localization. For example, order status "Обрабатывается" in Russian and "Processing" in English. To localize dynamic values, use the OnBeforeEventAdd handler:
\Bitrix\Main\EventManager::getInstance()->addEventHandler( 'main', 'OnBeforeEventAdd', function (\Bitrix\Main\Event $event) { $fields = $event->getParameter('FIELDS'); $lang = $fields['LID'] ?? 'ru'; // Translate order status $fields['ORDER_STATUS'] = getLocalizedStatus($fields['ORDER_STATUS_ID'], $lang); $event->setParameter('FIELDS', $fields); } ); This approach ensures each email contains correct values in the user's language. We apply it in all projects as part of the standard process. Using unified templates reduces the time to add a new language by 5 times compared to duplicating HTML.
Formatting Dates and Numbers
In multilingual emails, the date "13 марта" is correct for Russian users, but for German users "13. März" is better, and for English "March 13". Use a variable with already formatted value, generated in the handler considering $lang. Numeric formatting: order amount "1 499,90 ₽" vs "€ 24.99" — different thousands separator, different currency symbols, different sign position. Use \Bitrix\Currency\CurrencyManager::getCurrencyFormat() considering the language.
Typical Problems
- Template bound to a language but not to a site (LID = 'en', but the site itself is separate).
- Mail events cache not cleared after template creation.
- In the OnBeforeEventAdd handler, the language is not considered if overridden by a module.
- Template encoding CP1251 instead of UTF-8 — garbled characters.
- Content-Type overridden by external SMTP settings.
What's Included
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Audit of current templates and language structure | Check all mail events, their language binding, and site association |
| Designing the template system | Develop unified templates with common elements (header/footer) |
| Static content localization | Translate email texts for each language |
| Implementing localization handlers | Write code for substituting translated statuses, dates, and currencies |
| Testing in all languages | Send test emails and verify correct display |
| Documentation and training | Provide instructions for adding new events and languages |
| Warranty support | 30 days of free support after delivery |
Comparison: Self-Setup vs Us
| Criteria | Self-Setup | With Our Team |
|---|---|---|
| Time for 2 languages | 1–2 weeks with risk of errors | 2–5 days with guarantee |
| Dynamic localization | Often missed | Built into every template |
| Encoding and charset | Typical problems | Automatic control |
| Support for new languages | Need to re-learn | Ready-made template in half a day |
Setup with our team is 5 times faster than self-implementation. Budget savings on localization — up to 40%.
Estimated Timelines
| Task | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Localization of system emails (5–10 events, 2 languages) | 2–5 days |
| Developing a unified template system for 4+ languages | 1–2 weeks |
If your project's emails come in the wrong language, or you want to add a new language, it can be resolved in 2–5 days. Contact us for a free audit and consultation. Order the setup of multilingual templates and eliminate localization errors. Get a consultation from an engineer today.