Learn the most efficient way to translate in Google Docs

Every international organization can benefit from the ease of Google Docs. This program allows you to share and collaborate in real time from all corners of the globe, and its benefits are multiplied when you translate essential documents into other languages.

With the right translation tools, you can efficiently translate Google Docs without compromising quality. Here, we’ll explain how to translate Google Docs, explore common challenges of using Google Translate, and help you determine which translation tools best suit your needs.

How to translate documents in Google Docs efficiently

If you’re looking for a basic, one-off translation for a short document, Google Docs’ built-in translation feature is often good enough. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to translate a doc:

In the document you want to translate, click “Tools.” Then, click “Translate document.”

This opens a popup where you can choose a target language and give the translated document a title. The default title is always “Translated copy of [document name].” You may want to specify the target language in the new title to organize translated content.

After adding a title, select the target language. Use the drop-down menu directly below the title window. Then, click “Translate.” The translated doc opens as a new document in a new tab, preserving the original document in its initial language.

Common challenges of translating Google Docs

Google Docs’ built-in translation tool is user-friendly. With just a few clicks, you can get fully translated material without leaving the page. In addition, it supports over 130 languages. So, why would anyone bother using anything but Google Translate for their translation needs?

Although the native Google Docs functionality is convenient for translation, there are potential issues that may complicate the process. A third-party tool may be a better option to avoid these challenges.

Here are some common challenges to consider when you translate in Google Docs:

Translation quality

Google Translate often struggles with context and accuracy, especially for less developed language pairs. Translated documents might include awkward phrasing or incorrect meanings, especially when the source text employs idioms, technical terms, or complex sentences. You’ll need to spend more time editing or hire professional translators to ensure quality.

Incomplete translations

The built-in translator only translates files up to 10 megabytes in size, so it’s not suitable for large documents. Professional translation tools are the better option for businesses that need support with high-volume translations.

Formatting issues

When Google Docs translates a file, the layout and formatting may break. Spaces between words may be removed, or tables and images may shift, creating more manual work on your end.

Single engine limitations

Different machine translation engines have distinct strengths and weaknesses. The translation feature in Google Docs only uses Google Translate, which may not be the best fit for your content.

Privacy concerns

Free translation tools process text through external servers, potentially putting confidential or sensitive information at risk.

Time-consuming

It’s incredibly time-consuming to translate with Google Docs one by one. This system isn’t scalable if you need to translate high volumes of text or translate documents into multiple foreign languages.

How to translate Google Docs with Smartling

If you’re familiar with your target language, you may find the results of Google Translate require significant editing for grammar and cultural accuracy. Fortunately, Smartling offers an alternative that’s efficient, accurate, and suitable for business communications.

Smartling saves you countless hours of manual work while delivering higher-quality translations and a faster time to market. Smartling’s Google Drive Integration lets you sync long-form documents from Google Docs into the platform for translation—either via machine translation or human translators. After translation, content is automatically and securely delivered to the Drive folder of your choice.

This step-by-step guide will show you how to translate a Google Doc using Smartling’s Drive integration:

1. Log into Smartling and create a project

Log into your Smartling account and create a new project for the Google Drive Connector. Add every target language you need and configure workflows and settings as required.

1. Connect Google Drive to Smartling

Navigate to “Settings” and click on “Google Drive Settings.” Here, you’ll see an option to add a Google Drive Folder. Click on it and follow the instructions to link your Google Drive account to Smartling.

1. Configure your source folder

A popup will ask you to share a folder with Smartling’s service accountYou must grant editor permissions for personal Google Drive folders or contributor permissions for shared Drive folders. After this, you can paste the sharing link into Smartling to complete the setup.

1. Configure the translation folder

Once you’ve connected the source folder, follow the instructions on the screen to connect to the translation folder. This is where Smartling will automatically send translated files. Smartling can return translations to the source folder or to a different folder. 

You can also decide whether to organize translated files into subfolders by target language or keep them together with the target language included in the file name.

1. Prepare your document for translation

In Google Drive, place the document you want to translate inside the connected source folder so Smartling can access and process it. If you don’t want specific sections translated, you can apply special text styles to exclude them during translation.

1. Request translations

To request a translation, select the asset in Smartling and click “Actions > Request Translation.” This allows you to choose multiple assets for translation. Alternatively, you can click the information icon next to an asset and select “Request Translation” to translate only that file.

Once selected, the Request Translation wizard will appear. You can either create a New Job or add the asset to an Existing Job. Enter a Job Name, verify the selected files, and add a description for linguists, if needed. Finally, choose the target language, then click “Save Job” and “Continue” to start the translation process in Smartling.

1. Review your translation

Once the translation is complete, Smartling will automatically send the translated document back to your Google Drive. It will appear in the target folder you designated during setup. Open your translated document to check for accuracy, formatting, and any required edits.

FAQ

How do I use Google Translate’s extension in Google Docs?

The Google Translate extension doesn’t work directly within Google Docs. To translate text, select and copy the desired content, click the Google Translate extension icon, and paste the text into the provided textbox.

How do I convert Google Docs to Word?

To convert a Google Doc to a Microsoft Word document, open your Google Doc, click on “File” in the top-left corner, hover over “Download,” and select “Microsoft Word (.docx).” The file will download to your computer in a Word-friendly format.

Can Google Docs translate a PDF?

You can translate a PDF in Google Docs by uploading it to Google Drive, opening it with Google Docs, and then using the “Translate document” feature under the “Tools” menu. Formatting may not be preserved during this process.

Optimize your localization projects with Smartling

You can translate Google Docs within Google Drive, but free tools often lack features that improve accuracy and consistency. If your document is customer-facing or requires precise localization, basic translation features are simply not enough.

Smartling’s Google Drive Integration provides a scalable, professional translation solution that delivers unparalleled quality while maximizing your localization budget. Whether you’re translating internal documents or external content, Smartling’s translation tools and workflow automation help streamline the process.

Want to take your translation efficiency even further? Download our eBook, “10 Strategies to Boost Translation Efficiency,” and discover expert tips to improve accuracy, cut costs, and scale your localization efforts.