Translate entire document - missing options

Question

Hi, 

I am trying to automatically translate powerpoint presentation from Dutch to english or german. (while preserving the payout).

On the MS site, and in various forums, I can across the feature to translate entire documents through office.

However, this feature is missing from both my PC version (Home&business 2010) and my mac version (2011).

This is the link to what MS says:

https://support.office.com/en-au/article/Translate-text-in-a-different-language-287380e4-a56c-48a1-9977-f2dca89ce93f

What do I need to to active this feature?

Best

Kaspar

Answer 1

I honestly can't say, but Office 2016 for Mac has no Translation facility at all.

In view of the fact that Office 2011 is on the tail end of its life span I wouldn't be surprised if the service has been suspended. Try expanding the Web Search pane for individual words... It won't do much good for phrases or passages, though.

Answer 2

I used this function for several weeks for the translation from German to English. It worked acceptable, but 2 days ago it stopped working completely - "this service did not respond". Looks like its switched off - or is there another reason?

Answer 3

Thanks Bob.

FWIW, in the Windows version of PPT, you can select some text then click Review | Language | Translate | Translate Selected Text.

That opens the Research pane with the selected text pre-pasted into the Search for: box and (in effect) the Enter key pre-pressed for you.  Once the research pane is open, you can then select more text in PPT, click Translate | Translate Selected Text (the Review tab will already be selected) and get the translation for the selected text.

Or not.  I've plugged several very simple phrases into it and asked for Spanish.  As often as not, it comes back with "No results found".  This is silly.  (and that's one it can't translate!).

If I ask for German, all it seems able to tell me is "This service did not respond".  Likewise Italian, Japanese and a few others.  Some of them do work though.  It all seems pretty hit or miss to me, and given the quality of machine translation, I'd give it ALL a miss other than for quick/dirty/convenience semi-translations.

Answer 4

Further to Steve's reply:

• That Help article pertains to specific versions of Windows programs (see the note at the very bottom of the article).
• The Help article for Office 2011 does say very much the same thing but doesn't even include that caveat :-\
• You must copy the content of the placeholder/text box, paste it into the Search [Word or phrase] field at the top of the Reference pane then press return. The translation will appear in the Translation section of the pane.

Answer 5

See my reply in the Windows PowerPoint section of Answers.

Short version:  PowerPoint doesn't have this feature.