Smartling allows you to translate Microsoft PowerPoint presentations while benefiting from all of the advantages of using a Translation Management System, like flexible workflows, Linguistic Assets and a Translation Memory.
Tip: In this video, we will walk through the process of dragging and dropping PowerPoint presentations for translation. If your organization uses Google Slides instead of Microsoft PowerPoint, we would recommend speaking to your Customer Success Manager about Smartling’s Google Drive Connector. This integration allows you to send files for translation directly from your Google Drive.
Alternatively, Google Slides can be downloaded in a Microsoft Powerpoint (.pptx) format and then uploaded to Smartling.
Step 1: Create a localization-friendly PowerPoint presentation
To achieve the best results, the source file to translate should be created in a way that facilitates an easy and efficient localization process.
Info: Please note that there is a size limit of 400MB per PowerPoint file.
Step 2: Create a translation Job
This short video walks you through the process of uploading the presentation to Smartling and creating a translation Job for it.
Tip: If you would like the translated files to go through a post-translation formatting process ("DTP"), please select the relevant DTP workflow when authorizing the Job.
We also recommend indicating in the Job name that DTP will be required, by selecting a Job name such as "File name + DTP".
Info: The upload and parsing behavior can be customized with file directives when PowerPoint files are uploaded via API. For example, directives can be applied to exclude hidden slides or to translate hyperlinks. For more information, visit our article on Translating Microsoft Office Documents via API.
[Optional] Step 3: Check the layout of the translated file
Downloading a file with pseudo translations allows you to check the expected layout of the translated file before authorizing the translation Job.
[Optional] Step 4: Exclude text that should not be translated
From the Strings View of your Smartling project, you can exclude text that should not be translated (e.g. from hidden slides), and provide instructions or character limits.
PowerPoint files in the CAT Tool: What translators see
This short video gives an overview of the linguist experience when translating PowerPoint files in Smartling's CAT Tool and shows how styling and hyperlinks are preserved during the translation process.
Tip: If you would like to localize the link URLs, you can make use of Smartling’s File Rewrite Rules. Rewrite rules allow you to make the same type of change to all files in your Smartling project. For example, you could change the hyperlink URLs for all French output files to use .fr instead of .com.
Alternatively, if PowerPoint files are uploaded via API, a file directive can be applied to translate hyperlinks.
Step 5: Download the translated file
Learn how to download the completed translations once a PowerPoint file has been fully translated.
Tip: For more information on all download options, please visit our documentation on Downloading Translated Files.
[Optional] Step 6: Post-translation formatting (DTP)
In addition to checking the expected layout before authorizing the translation Job, some formatting work may be required once the translations are completed, in order to ensure that the localized files are formatted correctly. This type of post-translation formatting, which is commonly referred to as Desktop Publishing (DTP) takes place once all other steps in your translation workflow have been completed.
Tip: Reach out to your Smartling representative to learn more about the DTP services offered by our Language Services team.