⚠️ Notes on the Beta version
This feature is provided as a Beta version.
Please provide feedback regarding usability and accuracy via Help Chat.
While we strive to improve the product, improvements in accuracy are not guaranteed.
Provision of this feature may be changed or terminated without notice.
What is Seamless Translation?
Seamless Translation lets you translate foreign-language contracts into English so you can review and edit them using LegalOn's full suite of review features — LegalOn Alert, AI Revise, and Playbook — just like a native English contract. After making your edits, you can translate the contract back to the original language with one click. Only the sections you edited are updated; unedited sections remain as the original text.
Example workflow: Upload a contract written in Thai or Chinese → Translate it into English → Review and edit using LegalOn Alert and Playbook → Translate it back to the original language → Download the updated contract.
Conditions for use
Item | Condition |
License | Translation Pro must be enabled for your user account |
User type | Editor or Administrator (Viewers and Contributors cannot execute translations) |
File format | Word file (.docx) only — PDF and .doc files are not supported |
File size | Up to approximately 30 MB |
How to use Seamless Translation
Step 1: Upload a foreign-language contract
Upload a .docx contract file in a supported foreign language through the Dashboard or Contract List. LegalOn will automatically detect the language of the document.
Step 2: Translate to English
Open the file details screen (Preview).
If the uploaded contract is detected as a non-English language, a banner will appear: "Translate and save as English?" with a [Translate to English] button.
⚠️ Important: The translation banner and button are only available on the Preview screen. If you upload a contract via "Upload & Review Contracts" on the Home page, you will be taken directly to the Editor screen, where Seamless Translation is not available. To use this feature, navigate to the contract from the Contract List screen instead.
Click [Translate to English].
The translation will typically complete within seconds. The translated English version is saved as a new version (e.g., V2) in .docx format.
Note: The original foreign-language file is preserved as V1. You can always go back to it from the Versions panel.
Step 3: Review and edit the translated contract
Once the English translation is saved as a new version, you can use all of LegalOn's review features on it:
LegalOn Alert — Identify contract risks (available for governing laws supported in English)
AI Revise — Get AI-suggested revisions
Playbook — Apply your organization's review standards
Edit the translated contract as needed, then save your changes. This creates another new version (e.g., V3).
Step 4: Translate back to the original language
After editing and saving, a banner will appear: "This is a translated contract." with a [Translate to original language] button.
Click [Translate to original language].
If the original language is Chinese or Portuguese, you will be asked to select a language variant:
Chinese: Simplified / Traditional
Portuguese: Brazil / Portugal
Translating back to the original language typically takes 30 seconds to 3 minutes for a 20-page document (may take up to 10 minutes for documents with extensive edits).
The result is saved as a new version (e.g., V4).
Note: Only the sections you edited are translated back. Unedited sections remain as the original text, preserving the original wording exactly.
Version management
Each translation and save action creates a new version of the contract. You can view all versions in the Versions panel on the right side of the file details screen. Each version displays a language label (e.g., "English", "Japanese", "Thai") so you can easily identify which language each version is in.
Typical version history:
Version | Description | Language |
V1 | Original uploaded contract | Original language (e.g., Japanese) |
V2 | Translated to English | English |
V3 | Edited version (after review) | English |
V4 | Translated back to original language | Original language (e.g., Japanese) |
You can compare any two versions using the [Compare] button.
Supported languages
Seamless Translation supports the following source languages for translation to English:
Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Note: Hebrew and Hindi are not supported. Contracts detected as "Other" language cannot be translated.
Important notes and limitations
File format: Only .docx files are supported. PDF and .doc files cannot be translated using this feature.
Word Add-in: Seamless Translation is not available from the Word Add-in. Please use the Preview screen on the LegalOn web application.
Home page shortcut: The "Upload & Review Contracts" shortcut on the Home page takes you directly to the Editor screen, where Seamless Translation is not available. To access this feature, navigate to the contract from the Contract List screen.
Comments and track changes: If the original .docx document contains comments or tracked changes (redlines) before translating, the translation output may appear visually broken (e.g., duplicated edits, misaligned formatting). We recommend accepting all track changes and removing all comments before uploading the document as V1. A fix for this limitation is currently being developed.
Formatting: Complex formatting such as nested tables, multi-level lists, or advanced styles may not be preserved during translation.
Translation accuracy: LegalOn does not guarantee the accuracy of translations. Please review translated content carefully. If you need a legal opinion, consult with your legal counsel.
LegalOn Alert availability: LegalOn Alert is only available for governing laws that are supported in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What happens to my original contract when I translate it?
A. The original file is preserved as V1. Translation creates a new version — it never overwrites the original.
Q. Can I translate the contract back to the original language without making any edits?
A. No. The [Translate to original language] button is only active after you have edited and saved the translated version. If no changes have been made, there is nothing to translate back.
Q. How long does translation take?
A. Translation to English typically completes within seconds. Translation back to the original language takes approximately 30 seconds to 3 minutes for a 20-page document, and may take up to 10 minutes for documents with extensive edits.
Q. Can I use this feature with PDF files?
A. No. Only .docx files are supported. If you have a PDF, please convert it to .docx format before uploading.
Q. Why does the translated document look broken?
A. If the original document contained tracked changes (redlines) or comments, the translation output may not render correctly. Please accept all track changes and remove comments from the document before uploading. We are working on a fix for this issue.
Q. Can Viewers or Contributors use this feature?
A. Viewers and Contributors can view translated versions, but only Editors and Administrators can execute translations.
Q. What is the difference between Seamless Translation and the existing Translation feature?
A. The existing Translation feature provides full-document or clause-by-clause translation for viewing purposes (displayed on screen or exported as an Excel bilingual glossary). Seamless Translation goes further: it saves the translated contract as a new editable .docx version, lets you review it with LegalOn Alert, AI Revise, and Playbook, and then translates your edits back to the original language — all within the same workflow.