
**[Auto-translation](/docs/general/auto-translation/)** is a powerful feature which helps you translate your app, website, game or other digital content to multiple languages with just one click.

Using [machine translation services](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_translation) for auto-translations can be extremely helpful to those who want to expand their reach on a global level without having to hire translators. Auto-translation works great for a start of app localization process, it creates translations instantly and with great results.

## How auto-translation works?

SimpleLocalize is integrated with two most popular machine translation services, [DeepL](https://www.deepl.com/translator) and [Google Translate](https://translate.google.com). You can choose between those two providers for the best translation results for your project. 

**Google Translate** is a well-known translation service, and it [provides a significant number of available languages](https://cloud.google.com/translate/docs/languages). It's a great option if you need a translation to a less popular or uncommon language. 

**DeepL** provides sightly more accurate translations than Google Translate and works better with idioms and slang. What's important in web translations, it can **preserve custom translation format like HTML**. DeepL works really well with texts written in Markdown. It [offers 24 languages](https://www.deepl.com/docs-api/other-functions/listing-supported-languages/) with many varieties, e.g., Portuguese and Portuguese (Brazilian). A really nice feature is also **tone formality** — you can select between formal or informal version in selected languages.



![How to start auto-translation?](/blog/start-auto-translation-high.gif)

Auto-translation by default won't override your existing translations, unless you decide to replace them. You can auto-translate only selected languages or all of them at once. Translations will be based on the source language, the best matching one for the machine translation service.

### Auto-translation options

- **Excluding variables from translations**. You can exclude selected text from auto translation using  brackets `{` and `}` or another character type like `[]`, `<>` or `()`. Simply wrap the text, like here: `There are {charsCount} characters left`, to exclude it from translation. This option will help you translate texts with code snippets inside.

![exclusion dialect](/blog/exclusion-dialect.png)

- **Excluding selected words or phrases**. In Auto-translation settings, you can create a list of words or expressions that will be excluded from auto-translation. You can put there your company name or other proper names that you don't want to get translated.

![auto-translation settings](/blog/exclude-words-and-phrarses-from-auto-translation.png)

- **Auto-publishing translations** to CDN to the latest environment – if you are using SimpleLocalize translation hosting, auto-translated keys can be deployed to your development or staging environment directly.
- **Translating keys** if no translation is available – if your source language has no translation, SimpleLocalize can use the key to work as the source for your translation.

With auto-translation, you can translate your app or website to a new language with just a few simple steps that we describe below.

## How to translate your app with Google Translate or DeepL?

There are only **3 simple steps** to auto-translate your app or website using SimpleLocalize. First, import your existing keys and translations to SimpleLocalize. Second, run auto-translate option. And final step, export ready to go translation files and add them to your project repo, or upload them with one click using SimpleLocalize translation hosting.

### Import your translations to SimpleLocalize

There are multiple ways of importing translations to SimpleLocalize. You can use **Excel, JSON or CSV file formats or import them automatically using CLI or API**. Check out [documentation](https://simplelocalize.io/docs/general/import/) for all details and instructions.

![Import translations window](/blog/import-your-translations-from-file.png)

### Start auto-translation

When your project is already in SimpleLocalize, open Languages tab and click **Start auto-translation** button for selected languages. Select translation service (DeepL or Google Translate) and start translation. You will see translation progress in the languages view.

![Start auto-translation window](/blog/auto-translation-window.png)

### Export translations for your project

When the translations are ready, you can [export the files](https://simplelocalize.io/docs/general/export-translations/) and **upload them to your project** source code. Translation can also be updated automatically with SimpleLocalize [CLI](https://simplelocalize.io/docs/cli/upload-translations/) or [CDN hosting](https://simplelocalize.io/docs/general/translation-hosting/).

![Export translations to file](/blog/export-translations-to-file.png)

Automatic translation option is available in all SimpleLocalize plans, you can test it now and see how it works in your project. [Create account](https://simplelocalize.io/register/) in SimpleLocalize to start managing translations more efficiently and expand your business to new levels.

## Auto-translation advantages

Translating a website or app is a significant step in the process of expanding your business. It is a necessary part of localization, and will help you reach more customers who don't speak your native language.

There are many benefits to auto-translation, such as saving time and money on translation services. It also allows you to translate your website into any language without having to know the language yourself. It significantly speeds up the translation process, and using a translation management system, like SimpleLocalize, will help you to keep track of all changes in your project localization. 


How to use auto-translation?


Excel is a very popular tool for translation management, especially in smaller projects. It can be used to maintain an overview of translation keys, translators, languages, and deliverables at the same time.

The benefits of Excel are that it is flexible, collaborative, scalable, and easy to use. It can meet the needs of small-scale translation projects as well as projects with many active translators and large-scale translations. 


## How to use Excel as a translation management tool

Excel is a great tool to start translation management in a new project. With a simple Excel file, you can check current translation version, progress of translating new keys or languages, and share the file easily with your team members.

### How to create a spreadsheet for project translations

**How to get started?** Simply create a new file in Excel or Google Sheets and start by naming your columns. The best way is to extract or copy translation keys from your project, and put them in the first column. 

Next, add language columns and their translations in corresponding cells. Have a look at the sample translation for our PlaceFlare app. Quite easy, right?

![sample excel translation file](/blog/excel-google-sheets-translation-file.png)
This is a basic and simple translation template which will work perfectly for your project. 

Here are some useful tips for translating in Excel: 
- **Freeze key column** to easily scroll between languages if there are many. 
- Add an extra column where you put a **screenshot or image of the translated area** — sometimes you may not remember where the key came from. With the screenshot, you can easily associate the key and its location. 
- Use international codes for naming language columns (e.g., en, es) together with its [locale](https://simplelocalize.io/blog/posts/language-vs-locale/) like en-GB, es-ES, es-CL. It will be easier to start with **internationalization** sooner than deal with it later.
- Make one language your main one and fully translate it first. It will be a base for translating other languages. 

### How to work with Excel translation files?

An Excel file is a great tool for translations, but it still needs to be uploaded to your app or website. The file allows you to control easily updated texts, add languages and modify translations, but it doesn't connect directly with the source code. 

![sample excel translation file](/blog/excel-to-json-and-json-to-excel-conversion.jpg)

Usually, you need to **convert the Excel file to JSON**. Remember that when translation changes, there is a new feature or update, you have to edit the file and give the updated version to your dev team to replace the existing translations in the code.

## Auto-translation in Excel

Today, we can use a variety of online resources to automatically translate texts with a very high level of precision. The most popular tools online are **DeepL** and **Google Translate**. You can use them as a great help with translating texts, or use built-in translation features or plugins. Here are some examples of auto-translation option for Excel files:

**Google Sheets translation formula**

You can easily translate text in Google Sheets with integrated formula from Google Translate. Just type in a selected cell this formula: **=GOOGLETRANSLATE(cell to translate, “source language”, “target language”)**, for example:

![Google Sheets google translate](/blog/google-sheets-translate.png)

Then spread the formula for the entire column and work the same way for other languages.

**Microsoft Excel Translate**

Microsoft Excel has a special function for automatic translations, called **Translate**. You will find it under Review tab. Check how to use this option in the official [Excel translation guide](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/translator/business/excel/).


## Auto-translation with DeepL or Google Translate with SimpleLocalize

Instead of the manual work with Excel options, you can use a translation management tool which has dedicated options for seamless automatic translations. 

![Auto translation with SimpleLocalize](/blog/auto-translate.jpg)

**How does it work?**
Login to SimpleLocalize with **free Community plan** and create your project. Then, with one click, **upload your existing Excel file** and hit **Start auto translation** button.

SimpleLocalize will **auto-translate with Google Translate or DeepL** for selected languages. In a few seconds, you can have your project fully translated and ready to go!

![Auto translation with SimpleLocalize](/blog/auto-translation-job.png)

When your translations are ready, you can export them to many supported formats, also Excel, or [upload translations automatically with CLI](https://simplelocalize.io/docs/cli/upload-translations/).

## Pros and Cons of using spreadsheets for translation Management

Using spreadsheets as translation management tool is a popular choice for many projects, but it has its pros and cons, especially compared with a dedicated translation app:  

### Pros:
- simple to import and export data
- helps to track changes in translation file
- easy to use and well known for everyone
- allows sharing files with the team
- no or very low cost

### Cons:
- a lot of manual work with copy-pasting texts and formulas
- not so user-friendly and simple enough for translations (not designed to be a translation management tool)
- requires frequent file changes and manual uploads of new translations
- difficult to keep track on new translations and removing not used translation keys as its very time-consuming task

![SimpleLocalize translation editor](/blog/translation-editor-interface.png)

## Easy Excel file translation with SimpleLocalize

SimpleLocalize is a simple, intuitive way to manage internationalization in Excel. It's data-driven, easy to use, and saves time on tedious processes that are otherwise difficult to automate. 

Import your current Excel files to SimpleLocalize and start translating your projects efficiently with auto translation features. [Start now with our free Community plan](https://simplelocalize.io/pricing/) and check how SimpleLocalize can help you in your work!


The complete guide to managing translation projects with Excel


## What is machine translation?

Machine translation (MT) or Automated translation (AT) is the process of automated translation provided by a translation service or software (e.g., Google Translate or DeepL). MT is the process of translating text or speech from one language to another.
Automated translation is a relatively new development. It is aimed at making ubiquitous and useful information accessible to a global audience. 

Different languages have different words for the same things. For example, when you say "hello", people from different countries have different ways of responding.
Some languages make it easier for you to understand them by making the subject disappear after the verb, or making it personal: "Good morning". Other languages require additional information to be understood, 
and force you to attach information to the end of the verb: "Be nice". Not all languages use "be nice" as a completely objective sentence, but most do.

## How does it work?

SimpleLocalize takes all available translations and tries to match the best translation source for a given service (e.g., Google Translate and DeepL). Usually, English translations are taken as the best translation source.
If an English translation is not available for some reason, SimpleLocalize will try to use another language translation. English messages are considered as the best source, and they provide the best results due to fact there is no additional translation step, for example `Polish > English > German`. Not every language is translated directly from one to another. In many cases the step between is needed, which may result with inaccurate translations or even losing context.

## Using DeepL for automated translation

![text with source code translated in DeepL](/blog/app-auto-translation-deepl.png)

In DeepL, all code variables stay untouched during translation process. Here is the HTML example.

```html
<div class="text-bold button">My bold text</div>
```
Please note that the `class` variable and value `text-bold button` are not translated. Great job DeepL!


## Using Google Translate for automated translation

![text with source code translated in Google Translate](/blog/app-auto-translation-google-translate-example.png)

Google Translate is much better in translating longer text with more sentences. However, it cannot always translate text with application source code.
In the example above, the source code has been translated as well together with texts. Now it becomes:

```html
<div klasa="tekst-pogrubiony przycisk">Mój pogrubiony tekst</div>
```

This may cause additional work for software teams because every auto-translated message must be adjusted manually.
Often, SimpleLocalize can extract text from a message to prevent such situations.

## DeepL vs Google Translate

**There is not much difference between those two services in general.** DeepL has advantage that they keep application source code context. In most cases, DeepL
translation output is very accurate for short sentences. Google Translated is a much cheaper solution if you use it for large translation volumes.
Google Translate is better in translating longer texts with multiple sentences, while DeepL can have hiccups.

## How to start using machine translations in app?

**Upload your translations** to SimpleLocalize. You can do it on various ways:
- [API file import](/docs/api/import-translations/),
- [Add translations using API](/docs/api/add-translations/),
- [Upload translations with CLI](/docs/cli/upload-translations/),
- [import translation file manually](/docs/general/import/).

Learn more about [supported file formats](/docs/general/file-formats/).

![translation messages in translation management software](/blog/all-translation-keys-from-application.png)

Once you're done with the import step, you can start adding languages in the 'Languages' tabs.

## How to use auto-translation feature?

![how to use automated translations in SimpleLocalize](/blog/start-auto-translation.png)

**It's simple! Add a new language, click 'Start auto translation' button** next to the language which you want to translate and wait for the results. 
Usually, this process doesn't take more than 5 minutes for big projects with about 5000 translation keys. 

![example of auto translated texts in SimpleLocalize editor](/blog/auto-translated-texts.png)

Translation messages, which have been auto-translated, have a small provider logo next to the input to indicate it has been translated 
automatically. This icon will disappear once you edit translation manually.

## How much does it cost?

**It's free, seriously!** You can translate your application for free with SimpleLocalize. [Our free plan](/pricing#free) allows you to keep 50 translation keys with 
**unlimited number of hosted words, unlimited languages and unlimited number of modifications**.
You are limited to 3 translation jobs per a month in the [SimpleLocalize Community Plan](/pricing#free) and 10 translation jobs in the [SimpleLocalize Developer Plan](/pricing).
The [Team and Business plans](/pricing) has unlimited access to the auto translation feature.

[Try it for Free](/register)


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How to use auto-translation?

The complete guide to managing translation projects with Excel

How to translate app automatically?