Read tasks and comments in your own language

Plainstamp can show what people write in each reader's own language. An admin can write a task in English, a worker who reads Spanish sees it in Spanish, and when the worker comments in Spanish, the admin reads it in English.

What's translated: task titles and details, checklist steps and comments. Plainstamp's own screens, emails and notifications come in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French and Korean. If you pick another language, the screens stay in English and what people write is translated into your language.

Pick your language#

1. Go to Settings, then the Language & translation tab.

2. Under My language, pick the language you read.

It's saved right away. English is the default.

Set the language for your team#

Workers often never open Settings, so you can set it for them.

1. Go to Settings, then Language & translation.

2. Under Your team's languages, pick a language next to each person.

Other owners and admins choose their own.

Show original and Copy#

When something was translated for you, a line under it says Translated from Spanish (or whichever language it was written in).

• Tap Show original to see exactly what was written.

• Tap Copy to copy the original, for example to paste into another translator if something isn't clear.

• Tap Show translation to go back.

On a task, one Show original switches the title, details and checklist together.

Turn translation on for the workspace#

Translation is off until it's set up. There are two ways:

A typical task is about 150 characters, so 150,000 characters is roughly 1,000 tasks or comments.

Do it yourself (free)#

1. Get a free key from one of these. Each guide takes you step by step:

   • Microsoft Azure Translator: 2,000,000 characters free a month. The most generous.

   • Google Cloud Translation: 500,000 characters free a month.

   • DeepL: 500,000 characters free a month.

2. In Plainstamp, go to Settings, then Language & translation.

3. Under Translation for this workspace, choose Do it yourself · free.

4. Pick the service, paste the API key (and for Azure, the Region).

5. Click Test and turn on.

Plainstamp tries a real translation first, so you know straight away whether the key works. The key is stored encrypted and is never shown again, even to admins. To change it, paste a new one and click Save.

Stop at the free amount each month is on by default: Plainstamp stops translating when your service's free allowance is used, so you're never charged. Turn it off only if you've set up paid use with that service.

We handle it#

You pay for characters up front, in two ways. You can use both.

• Packs: 150,000 characters for $3, charged to the card on file when you buy. A pack lasts a month from when you buy it.

• Monthly add-on: 300,000 characters every month for $5, on your plan's monthly bill, so it's one charge with your plan. The characters arrive when that bill is paid and last until the next one. It comes with monthly plans; on a yearly plan, buy packs.

Unused characters don't carry over. The characters that end soonest are used first.

To turn it on:

1. Go to Settings, then Language & translation.

2. Choose We handle it.

3. Under When characters run out, pick one:

   • Buy a pack automatically, up to an amount a month you choose (for example $15). Translation doesn't stop, and Plainstamp never spends more than that in a month without you.

   • Wait for me to buy more. New text shows in its original language until you buy a pack, and you and your admins are told.

4. Click Turn on.

Then, on the same page:

• Buy for $3 buys a pack now. Plainstamp asks before charging the card.

• Add to my plan adds the monthly add-on. Nothing is charged right away: it starts with your next monthly bill. Remove takes it off; characters you already have last until they end.

You can change When characters run out at any time; click Save. Turning translation off, or switching to your own key, also takes the add-on off your plan. Moving your plan to yearly billing removes the add-on too.

Payments aren't refunded. See the Terms of service.

The usage meter#

Once translation is on, the meter shows how many characters were sent for translation. With your own key it's Translated in (this month) against your service's free amount. With We handle it it's Characters left: what's left of the characters you bought, and when the next ones end.

Each piece of text is translated once per language and kept. People reading it again, or opening the task again, doesn't count again. Text written by someone who reads the same language as you isn't sent for translation at all.

Your translation service counts in its own way, so its number can differ a little from Plainstamp's. Its free amount covers everything that key is used for, so use the key only for Plainstamp. If the same key (or, with Google, the same billing account) is used elsewhere, the service can still charge you.

When translation stops#

If the characters run out (or, with your own key, the month's free amount is used), the key stops working, or the service refuses, text shows in its original language. Nothing is lost. Owners and admins get one notification about it, and the Language & translation page says what happened, with Try again.

Turn translation off#

Click Turn off on the Language & translation page. Everyone sees text as it was written. A saved key is kept, so you can turn it back on. Remove key deletes it from Plainstamp.

Privacy#

To translate, the text of tasks, checklist steps and comments is sent to the translation service (Microsoft, Google or DeepL). With your own key, it goes to your own account with that service. Text written in the reader's own language isn't sent.