Sitecore Language Fallback and Standard Values

Important Difference Between Sitecore 8.1 Language Fallback and Alex Shyba Shared Source Module

September 10, 2016

If you're considering using item language fallback in Sitecore 8.1, there is an important difference with the item language fallback shared source module from Alex Shyba. Sitecore's language fallback has documentation on some of the changes made to the shared source module. Standard values is listed among the changes for field fallback, but it also impacts item fallback.

Standard values in item language fallback works for the most part like you would expect. If the item you're falling back to has a field using a standard value, this same field value should appear on the fallback version. However, there are times when standard values are ignored.

If the standard values item for a template has item level fallback enabled through template inheritance, it will be ignored in Sitecore's language fallback module. Item level fallback must be enabled directly on the standard values item in order for it to be used on the fallback version. The following screenshots show the subtle difference in the content editor:

Fallback Enabled Through Inheritance

Fallback Enabled Directly

So, standard values are used in Sitecore's item language fallback only when it isn't set with standard values.