File Import Settings
    1. Phrase
    2. Phrase TMS
    3. File Import Settings

    Word Processor Documents - MS Word based (TMS)

    Content is machine translated from English by Phrase Language AI.

    Text set to Hidden in the file will not be imported. In addition, bullets are not imported for translation, but they are seen in the in-context preview.

    By default, a source document containing track changes is going to be imported as if all changes are accepted. However, this behavior can be adjusted in the import options.

    Documents created from conversion of .PDF or any other format can contain a lot of formatting differences, it is recommended to check the format upon export from Phrase.

    Only Transitional Open XML format is supported, which is the default for most MS Word based installations.

    AI services can be very effective at identifying format problems in .XML based files.

    Embedded objects will trigger a warning that they will not be translated.

    File Types

    • .DOCX

    • .DOTX

    • .DOCM

    • .DOTM

    Important

    Starting September 30, 2025, Phrase TMS will no longer support importing or processing legacy Microsoft Office based file formats: .doc, .dot, rtf.

    OpenOffice or LibreOffice documents (.ODT, .ODS, or .ODP) are supported, but saving them in MS Office format before importing is recommended.

    Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are automatically converted to .DOCX, .XLSX, or .PPTX, when imported via the Google Drive connector.

    Import Options

    • Import index entries

    • Import comments

    • Import hyperlink target

      Changes where an imported link leads.

      Example:

      Change http://google.com to http://google.de when translating to German.

    • Import document properties

      Can be added/modified in MS Word under File - Info - Properties - Advanced Properties.

    • Import alt text

      When enabled, alt text from images and objects is extracted and imported for translation alongside the main content.

    • Import hidden text

    • Ignore tracked changes

      Enabled by default. If unchecked:

      • The system retains tracked changes during import.

      • All tracked content, including deleted text, is imported as translatable segments.

      • Deleted and inserted text is clearly visualized in the in-context preview. Formatting changes are shown only in their resulting new state.

    • Import other text

      Extract special values/names/attributes of the file which are not usually translatable.

    • Import headers and footers

    • Extract text from embedded images (OCR)

      When enabled, text from embedded images is extracted via OCR and inserted as a comment next to each image, making it part of the translation workflow.

    • Minimize number of tags

      Ignores smaller formatting differences that may be present in scanned documents.

      Caution

      May remove required formatting and change target font.

    • Target font

      Specifies the font of the text used in the translated file.

    • Convert to Phrase TMS tags 

      Apply regular expressions to convert specified text to tags.

      Important

      Issues with tags are a common cause of export errors. Always ensure tags and formatting are correct before exporting files by running quality assurance checks.

    Import Warnings

    Some fields cannot be imported for translation and if an imported file contains these fields, they are indicated with yellow_warning.jpgon the jobs table. If displayed, the Project manager should review the file and decide which fields are required for translation outside the document.

    To locate these fields, open the document and click F11. Switch between field code and field text with Alt+F9-Windows Opt+F9-Mac. For conversions, select the field and Ctrl+Shift+F9-Windows Cmd+Shift+F9-Mac to make the field behave as regular text.

    These fields include:

    • Table of Contents

      This will not be imported for translation. Update it in the translated file with the Update Table function.

    • Index Entries

      Import using the Import index entries option. This is set by default and will automatically be updated once the translated file is opened.

    • Cross-reference

      Updated automatically when the translated file is opened in the document editor.

    • Embedded Objects

    Import warnings are not displayed for:

    • Hyperlinks

      Tooltips are automatically imported for translation. The target URL can be imported with the Import hyperlink target option.

    • Page numbers

      Not imported and automatically updated.

    • Footnotes

    • Comments

    • Text boxes

    • Bookmarks

    • Images

    • Videos

    • Symbols

    • Equations.

    Excluding Formatted Text

    In this example, highlighted text is excluded from the imported file but the same procedure can be applied to other formatted text.

    To exclude highlighted text, follow these steps:

    1. Open the document in a word processing application and hide all the highlighted text using find and replace functions.

      1. Use the find function to select all text formatted with highlighting.

      2. Use the replace function to change the formatting to hidden.

      3. Save the file.

    2. Ensure the Import hidden text option is disabled in the MS Word section of file import settings.

    3. Import the file into Phrase TMS.

      The highlighted text is excluded from the import.

    If required, the text can then be unhidden in the completed and downloaded file.

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