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Description
The Custom OpenAI Translation Engine uses your own OpenAI API credentials for context aware translations with tone and formality control. This engine leverages OpenAI's advanced language models for high quality, customizable translation output.
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Prerequisites
- An OpenAI account at https://platform.openai.com
- Billing set up on your OpenAI account with sufficient credits
- Access to SimpleT with permission to manage Translation Engines
Step 1 — Get an OpenAI API Key
- Go to https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
- Click + Create new secret key
- Give it a name (e.g. "SimpleT Translation")
- Click Create secret key
- Copy the key immediately — it will not be shown again
⚠️ Make sure your OpenAI account has billing set up and sufficient credits.
Step 2 — Create the Engine in SimpleT
- Go to Translation Engines in the sidebar
- Click New Engine
- Fill in the fields:
| Field |
Value |
| Name |
Any name (e.g. "OpenAI GPT-4") |
| Translation Engine |
Open AI / Chat GPT |
| API Key |
Paste the key from Step 1 |
| Languages |
Select all languages this engine should support |
| Batch Size |
Number of strings to translate per request (recommended: 10) |
| Priority |
Order in which this engine is used (1 = highest) |
| Context Instruction |
(Optional) Custom instructions for the AI (see below) |
- Click Create
Step 3 — Context Instruction (Optional)
The Context Instruction field lets you control how the AI translates. Examples:
- Translate in a formal business tone. Preserve all placeholders like {name} and {count} unchanged.
- This is a legal document. Use precise legal terminology. Do not simplify the language.
- This is a mobile app UI. Keep translations short and concise.
Step 4 — Test the Engine
- Open the engine → click Test Translation
- If successful, the response shows the original and translated text
- If it fails, verify your API key has credits and the selected languages are supported by OpenAI
Notes
- OpenAI does not restrict languages — it supports virtually all languages
- No OAuth or redirect URI setup needed — only an API key is required
- The Batch Size controls how many strings are sent per API call; lower values are safer but slower
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End User Documentation