Learn how to set up software translation projects in PTC. Follow these steps to create your first project, upload your files, and get AI-powered translations in minutes.
Step 1
Sign Up for PTC
Create your account to start a free trial. You’ll be able to translate up to 20,000 words into 2 languages, no credit card required.
Step 2
Upload Your Resource File and Select Languages
Upload the files that contain your translatable text. PTC works with a wide range of resource file formats, including:
Gettext.po
JSON
YAML
Adobe Commerce / Magento .csv
Android
Apple .strings
Apple .stringsdict
Apple .xcstrings
Java Properties
JSON Array
See all supported file formats →
Then choose which languages to translate into. PTC supports 33+ languages. During the free trial, you can select up to 2 languages.
Step 3
Tell PTC About Your Product
Add a short description of what your product does and who it’s for. This is one of the things that sets PTC apart from standard machine translation.
PTC uses this context to make informed decisions about tone and formality for each language you’re translating into. By understanding your product and audience upfront, PTC produces translations that actually feel like they belong in your product.
Step 4
Add Glossary Terms (Optional)
PTC automatically adds your product name to the glossary to start. From there, you can add:
- Product-specific concepts or internal terminology that should stay consistent across languages
- Brand terms that need a specific translation (or no translation at all)
You can manage glossary terms at any time from the Glossary tab in your dashboard.
More about the glossary in PTC→
Step 5
Get Your AI Translations
Once setup is complete, PTC translates your files automatically. You can download a ZIP from the Resource files tab at any time. If you’d like to review the output first, head to the Translations tab, where you can:
- Edit translations manually or request a retranslation of individual strings if you spot a problem
- Resolve translation length issues by adjusting the length limits or ask PTC to retranslate with the constraint in mind
Set Up a Continuous Localization Flow
Once you’ve translated your first project, you can move it to a continuous translation workflow. This means new or updated strings in your codebase get picked up and translated automatically, keeping your localization in sync with your development cycle.
PTC gives you two ways to do this:
Git Integration
Connect PTC to your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repository. PTC monitors your repository for changes and delivers completed translations back via merge request.
To set this up for your existing project, go to Settings → Branch Management and click Add Git integration. You’ll be prompted to add the URL of your repository and set up access. You’ll see the project information and languages you already configured pre-filled.
For step-by-step instructions on connecting your repository, see the integration guides:
API Integration
If you’d prefer to integrate localization directly into your CI/CD pipeline, the PTC REST API gives you full control. You can add and update source files, retrieve translation status, manage translations programmatically, and more.
To get started, go to Settings → Manage API Tokens and click Add access token to generate your token. Then follow the PTC API Reference for everything you need to integrate localization into your build process.
What’s Next
Once your first project is up and running, you can create unlimited additional projects from your dashboard. From your second project onwards, you’re not limited to starting with a manual file upload. You can set up Git or API integration from the very beginning, skipping straight to a continuous localization workflow.
When you’ve used up your free trial words, you can switch to Pay-As-You-Go and only pay for what you translate. To estimate your costs, use the pricing calculator.
