Getting Started
What is SnapIntel?
SnapIntel is a web service for AI translation of DOCX documents, XLSX workbooks, and PPTX presentations. Projects start from native structured-file import with manual language-pair selection.
Instead of copying text into ChatGPT and reformatting the output, SnapIntel gives you a structured workflow:
- Import a DOCX, XLSX, or PPTX file directly with manual language selection
- Analyze the document domain (optional but recommended)
- Generate and approve a glossary and translation prompt
- Run translation with a current-generation ChatGPT model
- Download formatted delivery DOCX, neutral Excel export, and a QA report
The result is a translation that uses your terminology, follows your instructions, and comes with a quality score plus delivery-ready artifacts.
Quick Start
This is the shortest path from an uploaded DOCX to a completed translation.
Step 1. Create a project
On the Projects page, click New Project. Enter a project name, choose the source and target languages, and upload one or more DOCX, XLSX, or PPTX files.
You set the source and target languages manually before import starts.
Step 2. Generate a glossary and prompt
Inside the project, click Generate Glossary. SnapIntel reads your document and produces a list of key terms with suggested translations. Review the list and edit any terms that need adjustment.
Then click Generate Prompt. A translation prompt is created based on the document and glossary. You can edit the prompt directly.
Step 3. Save and Approve
Click Save and Approve. This locks in your glossary and prompt. Translation cannot start until this step is completed.
Step 4. Start Translation
Click Start Translation. Progress is shown in real time — by row and by file. You can cancel at any point.
Step 5. Download your results
When translation completes, download your files from the Results section: formatted delivery DOCX, neutral Excel export, and QA PDF report.
You can skip domain analysis and run the workflow from glossary generation. Domain analysis is optional but improves glossary quality for specialized documents.
Plans and Quotas
SnapIntel has three plans:
| Plan | Words | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | 5,000 words, one-time (7 days) | Free — no card required |
| Pay-as-you-go | Per project, no monthly limit | See pricing page |
| Pro | 60,000 words / month | See pricing page |
How quotas work
Word count is calculated from the source text in your uploaded project files and is counted at import, not at translation. If a project needs more words than your plan covers, it is still created, but translation is blocked until you pay for that project or upgrade to Pro.
Pro word quotas reset at the start of each billing cycle. Trial words are one-time and do not reset. Current usage is visible in Settings → Usage & Limits.
Translating past your trial
When your trial ends, or a project needs more words than you have left, you can subscribe to Pro or pay for that single project. The project stays in your account either way, so nothing is lost.
Workflow
Step 1 — Import
SnapIntel uses one explicit import mode: native DOCX/XLSX/PPTX intake with manual language-pair selection.
What to upload
- File formats: .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx
- Upload the original document and choose the language pair manually
- Multi-file projects require one shared language pair across all files
Multi-file projects
You can upload multiple files in one project. All files must share the same source and target language pair. Each file is translated independently, and results are downloaded per file.
What happens during import
SnapIntel extracts translatable content, builds the translation input, and keeps the original file for delivery reconstruction.
Tracked changes are not translated and stay in the output as-is.
Step 2 — Domain Analysis (Optional)
Domain analysis is an optional first step that reads your document and identifies its subject area, key topics, and terminology context. This information is then used when generating the glossary and translation prompt.
When to use it
Domain analysis is most useful for specialized documents — technical manuals, legal contracts, financial reports, engineering specifications. For general-purpose text, you can skip it and go straight to glossary generation.
What it produces
- Primary domain (e.g. Mining, Legal, Finance, Energy, Engineering)
- List of main subject matters
- Short summary of document content
The domain analysis result is shown in the project and is used automatically when you click Generate Glossary or Generate Prompt. You cannot edit the domain analysis output directly — but you can edit the glossary and prompt it produces.
Step 3 — Glossary
The glossary tells the AI exactly how to translate specific terms. Each line is a rule: translate this term as this other term.
Glossary format
Each line must follow this exact format:
Translate "source term" as "target term"Example:
Translate "ball mill" as "шаровая мельница"
Translate "overburden" as "вскрышные породы"
Translate "throughput" as "производительность"No other format is supported. Headers, comments, numbered lists, or tables will not be interpreted correctly.
Generating a glossary
Click Generate Glossary. SnapIntel extracts key terms from your document and suggests translations. If you ran domain analysis first, the glossary will reflect the identified domain and terminology context.
Editing the glossary
You can edit any line, add new terms, or delete terms you do not need. You can also clear the auto-generated glossary entirely and paste your own.
Using your own glossary
If you have an existing terminology list, paste it into the glossary field in the correct format. Make sure each line follows the Translate "X" as "Y" pattern.
After editing the glossary, the approval status resets. You will need to click Save and Approve again before starting translation.
Step 4 — Translation Prompt
The translation prompt is the instruction set given to the AI for every translation batch. It defines tone, style, and any document-specific rules.
Generating a prompt
Click Generate Prompt. A prompt is generated based on your document, domain analysis (if run), and glossary. The prompt is fully editable.
Editing the prompt
You can modify any part of the prompt. Common additions:
- Specify register or formality level
- Request preservation of specific formatting patterns
- Add client-specific instructions
- Specify how to handle untranslatable terms (leave in source language, transliterate, etc.)
After editing the prompt, the approval status resets. You will need to click Save and Approve again before starting translation.
Step 5 — Save and Approve
Save and Approve is the gate between preparation and translation. It locks in your glossary and prompt and signals that the AI can proceed.
Why this step exists
Translation cannot start until you explicitly approve. This prevents the AI from running on an unreviewed glossary or a default prompt you did not intend to use.
What triggers re-approval
- Any edit to the glossary
- Any edit to the translation prompt
If you edit either field after approving, the approval resets and you must click Save and Approve again before translation can start.
Step 6 — Start Translation
Click Start Translation. The job is queued and begins processing immediately.
Progress tracking
Translation progress is shown in real time:
- Rows translated vs. total rows
- Current batch number
- Per-file progress for multi-file projects
- Recent workflow events log
Batch processing
Translation runs in batches — groups of rows sent to the AI in a single request. This is handled automatically. You do not need to configure batch size.
Cancellation
You can cancel a running translation at any point by clicking Cancel. The job stops after the current batch finishes. Rows already translated are preserved and available for download as a partial result.
Re-running translation
You can start translation again on the same project after cancellation or failure. The job will re-use the existing approved glossary and prompt. Previous results will be overwritten.
Step 7 — Results and Downloads
When translation completes, the Results section shows a summary: rows translated, quality score, and download links.
Available downloads
- Translated document — your file rebuilt in its original format: DOCX in, DOCX out; XLSX in, XLSX out; PPTX in, PPTX out
- Excel (TM export) — a separate neutral two-column source/target file for TM import in CAT tools. This is not the translated workbook; a translated XLSX is delivered as an XLSX
- QA PDF — full quality report with score, executive summary, and per-segment findings
Using Excel in TM workflows
To use the translated segments in a translation memory workflow:
- Download the Excel file from Results
- Open the translation memory import flow in your CAT tool
- Map the source and target columns if the tool requires explicit column mapping
- Import the Excel file into your CAT tool or translation memory workflow as a neutral source/target spreadsheet
Outputs
Translated DOCX
The translated DOCX is your delivery file. SnapIntel rebuilds the translated content back into the original document structure.
Use it to review the translation, share it with a client, or deliver it directly.
Translated XLSX
An XLSX project is delivered as an XLSX workbook, not as a document. Sheet structure, cell positions, merged ranges, and numeric values are preserved — only text is replaced with its translation.
This is a different artifact from the neutral Excel export below. The neutral export is a two-column source/target list for TM import; the translated workbook is your deliverable.
Translated PPTX
A PPTX project is delivered as a PPTX presentation with its layout intact: slide text, tables, grouped shapes, speaker notes, and chart and SmartArt labels are translated in place.
Hyperlink display text is translated while the link target itself is left untouched, so the deck stays clickable after delivery.
Neutral Excel Export
The Excel file is a neutral two-column source/target spreadsheet. It is designed for TM import workflows across CAT tools rather than for one vendor only.
This export accompanies every project, whatever the source format. It is not the translated workbook — an XLSX project also gets a translated XLSX of its own.
How to use it
- Download the Excel file from the project Results
- Open the TM import flow in your CAT tool
- Map source and target columns if your tool requires it
- Import and apply your overwrite policy
Use the TM import mode in your CAT tool that matches your team's overwrite policy.
QA Report
Every completed translation job includes an automated quality assessment.
What the report contains
- Overall quality score — a rating from 0 to 10
- Executive summary — a short plain-language description of the translation quality
- Top strengths — what the AI did well
- Top risks — main issues identified
- Category breakdown — scores across five dimensions: Accuracy, Terminology, Fluency, Grammar, Cultural Fit
- Flagged segments — individual segments with issues, classified as HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW severity, with QA notes
Using the report
The QA report gives you a basis for deciding whether the translation needs post-editing before delivery. HIGH-severity findings point to segments that likely need manual review. The PDF version can be shared with a client as evidence of quality control.
The QA report is generated by the AI and reflects a model-based assessment. It is a tool to help prioritize post-editing — not a guarantee of translation quality.
Troubleshooting
Import Errors
Import fails with a validation error
Import can fail if the document contains no supported visible content after hidden-text filtering or if the file is malformed.
Fix: Retry with a standard .docx document and review any unsupported-content warnings.
Language pair not detected
SnapIntel does not auto-detect the language pair during intake. You choose the source and target languages manually before import starts.
Fix: Re-run the import and make sure the correct source and target languages are selected.
File uploads but project shows as failed
The file may have passed initial validation but failed during normalization. This can happen with malformed DOCX XML or unsupported structures that leave no translatable supported blocks.
Fix: Retry with the original DOCX file. If the issue persists, contact us at hello@snapintel.io with the project name.
Translation Blocked or Quota Issues
"Start Translation" button is disabled
Translation requires an approved glossary and prompt. If you have not clicked Save and Approve, or if you edited the glossary or prompt after approving, the button will be disabled.
Fix: Click Save and Approve.
Translation blocked — quota exceeded
Your monthly word quota or per-document limit has been reached. The project was created and the document is prepared, but translation jobs cannot start until the quota is available.
Fix: Upgrade your plan, or wait for your monthly quota to reset. Quota usage is shown in Settings → Usage & Limits.
Plan is suspended
If a payment fails and is not resolved within 7 days, the plan is suspended and translation is blocked.
Fix: Update your billing details through Paddle's billing portal or contact hello@snapintel.io.
Glossary and Prompt Issues
Glossary generation returns an empty result
This can happen with very short documents or documents with very little specialized terminology.
Fix: A glossary is still required to start translation, but it does not have to be the generated one — paste your own terms in the correct format, or keep the short generated list, then proceed to prompt generation. In Auto mode the glossary is produced for you as part of the run.
Terminology in the translation does not match the glossary
The glossary is provided as instructions to the AI, not as a hard replacement rule. The AI may occasionally deviate, especially for terms that appear in ambiguous contexts.
Fix: Make sure the glossary entries follow the exact format: Translate "X" as "Y". Entries in any other format are not interpreted as instructions. For critical terms, you can reinforce them in the translation prompt as well.
Save and Approve resets after editing
This is expected behavior. Any edit to the glossary or prompt resets approval. You must click Save and Approve again before starting translation.
Results and Download Issues
Translation completed but some rows are missing
If the job was cancelled or failed partway through, the results will be partial. The Results section shows how many rows were translated vs. the total.
Fix: Start translation again — the job will re-run on the full document. Previous results will be overwritten.
Download links are not available
Downloads appear only after translation has completed successfully. If the project is still in progress or in a failed state, the download links will not be shown.
Fix: Wait for the job to complete, or restart translation if it failed.
QA PDF is not available
QA PDF generation runs after translation completes. On rare occasions it may take an additional minute to appear.
Fix: Refresh the page. If the QA PDF is still missing after a few minutes, contact hello@snapintel.io.
Excel import into a CAT TM fails
The Excel export is neutral, but each CAT tool still applies its own TM import rules. Imports can fail if the target TM uses a different language pair, requires explicit source/target column mapping, or expects a vendor-specific import profile.
Fix: Make sure the target TM has the same language pair as your translation project and map the source/target columns correctly. If a specific CAT tool still rejects the file, review that tool's TM import requirements or contact its support team with the error message.
FAQ
General
Do I need a CAT-tool account to use SnapIntel?
No. Projects start from native DOCX/XLSX/PPTX import. A separate CAT-tool account is only needed if you want to import the neutral Excel export into your own downstream TM workflow.
Can I use SnapIntel without domain analysis?
Yes. Domain analysis is optional — you can go directly from import to glossary generation. The glossary and the prompt are not optional: translation will not start until both are present. In Manual mode you provide or generate them yourself; in Auto mode the run produces them for you before translating.
Can I translate the same project more than once?
Yes. You can start a new translation run on the same project at any time. Each run uses the current approved glossary and prompt. Previous results are overwritten.
What languages are supported?
You choose the source and target languages manually before import starts. In practice, any pair that OpenAI's models can translate is a candidate workflow.
Is my data used to train AI models?
No. Your document content is not used for AI training. Documents are processed through OpenAI's API under our business agreement, which includes data processing terms. See the Privacy Policy for full details.
Where is my data stored?
All data is stored on servers in the European Union. Deleting a project removes your document data from the application immediately; copies held in backup storage are purged within 30 days, as set out in the Privacy Policy.
Billing
How are payments processed?
Payments are processed by Paddle, the Merchant of Record for all SnapIntel subscriptions. SnapIntel never stores your card details. All billing, invoicing, and subscription management is handled by Paddle.
How do I cancel my subscription?
You can manage or cancel your subscription through Paddle's billing portal. Access it from your account settings or contact hello@snapintel.io.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your projects and files remain accessible until you delete them or close your account. Cancelling Pro does not delete anything — you keep access to the application and can translate again through pay-as-you-go or by subscribing to Pro again.
How do refunds work?
Refunds are handled in accordance with Paddle's refund policy. To request a refund, contact hello@snapintel.io or Paddle's billing support directly.