DeepL on DeepL: How we customize translations with DeepL and Phrase

In the world of localization and translation, computer-assisted translation tools (CAT), translation management systems (TMS), and machine translation (MT) have long been household names. They’re the behind-the-scenes heroes that make global communication possible—and essential for any language service professional or strategist. 

But the game is changing. The functionality of these tools is constantly evolving, especially with the revolutionary possibilities brought about by Language AI. At DeepL, leveraging the power of AI-driven translation is at the heart of what we do. So what better way to share our insights than through firsthand experience?

In this installment of our DeepL on DeepL blog series, we’ve teamed up with our partner, Phrase, to explore best practices for using DeepL’s Language AI within their platform, and how our Localization teams integrate both solutions to streamline workflows, elevate translation quality, and customize translations for their unique needs. By following just a few simple steps, you, too, can achieve translations that hit the perfect tone, leverage the best technology, and reflect the unique terminology of your corporate brand. And by combining these settings into customized MT profiles, you can easily cover all your use cases, from specific languages to unique content types.

What is the value of integrating DeepL and Phrase TMS?

By connecting DeepL’s Language AI with your TMS-based localization workflows, you get effortless access to dependable translations, customized to your specific needs. The seamless integration between DeepL and Phrase empowers you to enhance your productivity—all without ever leaving your TMS interface, where you manage your content localization.

There are two ways to harness DeepL’s superior translation quality within Phrase TMS: 

• Integrate DeepL as a third-party MT engine by using the authentication key for CAT tool plugins from your eligible DeepL account. This connection gives you direct access to DeepL’s translation engine from any Phrase TMS translation project.
• Alternatively, set up the integration through Phrase Language AI, a machine translation hub with enhanced features. This allows you to create fully managed MT profiles, enabling you to fine-tune MT output based on your specific use cases.

Customized settings give you exactly what you need

We understand how important it is to customize your translation options. Whether you're trying to maintain a consistent tone of voice or ensure your translations align with your brand identity, DeepL has you covered. 

When you choose DeepL as your MT provider in Phrase Language AI, you’ll have two key customization options to tailor your translations to perfection:

• DeepL’s formal/informal feature lets you adjust the tone of your translations. By default, it automatically detects the formality level of your source text and applies it to the translation. However, you can also choose to always use a formal or informal tone, depending on your audience and the cultural norms of your target market. This feature is invaluable for making sure that you are addressing your audience in a tone that resonates with their expectations and cultural standards.
• DeepL offers two market-leading language models to suit your specific needs—you can opt for a language model powered by our classic AI neural network architecture that delivers highly accurate and nuanced translations with exceptional speed (low latency). Alternatively, you can also choose our next-gen language model. Built on our highly specialized, in-house LLM technology, this model produces more human-like and precise translations, significantly reducing the need for post-editing and leading to substantial productivity gains. 

No matter which model you choose, you’ll have DeepL’s Language AI at your fingertips for all your translation needs, along with our enterprise-grade security, meeting top standards with ISO 27001, GDPR compliance, and SOC 2 Type 2 certification.

Take customization further with glossaries

​​Want even more control over your MT output? DeepL’s glossary feature lets you take customization to the next level. By creating and attaching a glossary to your DeepL MT profile, your company’s unique terminology will be accurately mirrored in your translations. 

This feature is extremely helpful in a number of cases, including:

• Maintaining consistency with corporate terminology across all target languages
• Ensuring UI elements—like buttons, CTAs, and menus—are accurately referenced in your localized content,
• Defining terms that should not be translated by entering them identically in both the source and target columns

This level of precision is a game-changer for maintaining brand voice and ensuring your content feels polished and professional.

What about translation memories?

We know how much effort you and your localization specialists put into building your translation memories (TMs), or your database of previously translated content. Don’t worry—they’re not going anywhere!

When translating content in Phrase TMS, you can use pre-translation settings to continue leveraging your TM matches. For example, you can apply TM matches up to a specific threshold and have the remaining content translated by DeepL. Thanks to the customizable MT profile settings, DeepL’s translations will blend seamlessly with your TM, ensuring consistency and quality.

DeepL use case: Automation in action

At DeepL, we’ve streamlined our processes by using dynamic content within our Zendesk instance. For those unfamiliar, dynamic content refers to pre-translated text modules that can be easily applied across various parts of the system by Customer Support and Knowledge Management teams.

After conducting a thorough content audit, we identified dynamic content that could be optimized with an MT-based workflow. Here’s how it works: 

• By leveraging Phrase’s Automatic Project Creation (APC) feature, we continuously monitor the dynamic content in Zendesk. 
• The moment new or updated content is detected, it’s automatically imported into Phrase TMS; translated using the appropriate MT profiles, glossaries, and pre-translation settings; and then promptly sent back to Zendesk.

This entire process takes just minutes, ensuring our localized dynamic content is always accurate, up to date, and ready to support our global customers.

Learn More

Want to see all of this in action? Watch this webinar, where DeepL and Phrase localization experts share deep insights on how to optimize your workflows, boost productivity, and achieve top-notch translation quality.

And for further insights on the additional Phrase features that help automating localization workflows beyond raw MT, head to Phrase’s website to read more.