Why it matters
Translation in Whippy helps you communicate clearly with contacts who speak different languages, even after messages or calls have already occurred. You can translate past messages, notes, and call transcripts for review, and you can also set a contact’s language so future messages are automatically translated for you.
Key Concepts
Message translation: The ability to translate messages that are being composed or messages that have already been sent or received.
Post-send translation: Translating an existing message, note, or call transcript after it appears in the conversation.
Call transcript: A text transcript generated from a recorded call that can be translated like a message.
Notes: Internal notes added to a conversation. Notes can also be translated for internal understanding.
Contact language: A setting on the contact profile that defines the contact’s language and controls automatic translation behavior.
Automatic translation: When a contact language is set, Whippy translates incoming messages from the contact into your language and translates your outgoing messages into the contact’s language.
Step-by-Step: Translate an Existing Message, Note, or Call Transcript
You can translate content that already exists in a conversation.
Open the Omnichannel Inbox.
Open the conversation you want to review.
Hover over a message, note, or call transcript.
Click the Translate message button.
View the translated version of the content.
This works for:
Messages sent by the contact
Messages sent by users
Messages sent by AI agents
Internal notes
Recorded call transcripts
The original content remains visible, with the translation shown alongside it.
Step-by-Step: Send a Translated Message
Open the Omnichannel Inbox.
Open the conversation you want to reply to.
Type your message in your own language.
Click the Translate message button in the message editor.
Select the target language from the language dropdown.
Click Send translated message.
Whippy sends the translated version to the contact while preserving the original text for reference.
Step-by-Step: Change a Contact’s Language (Automatic Translation)
Setting a contact’s language enables automatic translation for the conversation.
Open a conversation with the contact.
Click the contact/profile icon on the right-hand side.
Click the pencil icon beside the contact’s details.
Find the Language field.
Select the contact’s preferred language from the dropdown.
Click Save Contact.
Once a language is set:
Incoming messages from the contact are translated into your language.
Outgoing messages you send are translated into the contact’s language.
This applies to future messages in the conversation.
How Translation Appears in Conversations
Each translated message shows both the original text and the translated version.
Messages sent by AI agents are clearly labeled as automated by Whippy.
Notes appear in a highlighted style and are translated in place when requested.
Each translated item retains its original timestamp and sender information.
Tips and Best Practices
Use post-send translation when reviewing historical conversations or calls.
Translate call transcripts to understand conversations handled in another language.
Set the contact language early to reduce manual translation steps.
Translate notes when collaborating with teammates who speak different languages.
Review translated content for context before replying.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Possible Cause | Fix |
Translate button not visible | Limited screen width | Open the message actions menu or expand the window |
Messages not translating automatically | Contact language not set | Edit the contact and set the correct language |
Translation looks incorrect | Language mismatch | Verify the selected translation language |
Call transcript not available | Call not recorded or processed | Confirm call recording is enabled and retry later |
Related Guides
Editing a Contact in Whippy
Understanding Conversations in Whippy
Viewing Call Transcripts in Whippy
Managing Notes in Conversations