DeepL

View saved version →

---
name: getting-started
description: |
  A short first-run tour of DeepL that ends with a real result on the user's own content: a translated
  text or file and, on plans that support it, a first set of saved company terms. Use when the user is new
  to DeepL or just connected it and asks "get started with DeepL", "what can DeepL do?", "show me how
  DeepL works", "help me try DeepL", "set up DeepL" or "onboard me". Not for a concrete translation,
  rewrite or glossary request: handle those directly.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: DeepL
  version: "1.0"
---

# Getting started with DeepL

## What this skill does

Gets a new user to one real result in a few turns, on their own content, instead of a feature tour.
The user shares something they actually work on, DeepL translates it, and, when the plan allows, DeepL
saves the terms from it that should always be translated the same way. The user leaves knowing what
DeepL did for them and how to ask for it next time.

## Rules for every step

- **Keep the workflow out of sight.** Never tell the user about steps, paths (Pro, Free), plans you
  inferred, tool names or this skill. Write no text before or between tool calls.
- **Show, then ask.** Ask one question per message. Apart from results, write at most three short
  sentences. Every step can be skipped. If the user wants to stop, stop.
- **Keep one conversation language.** Talk in the language of the user's first message to you, the one
  that started this tour, and keep it for the whole tour. Never switch to the target language of a
  translation, and short replies such as a number or a picked option do not change it. Use plain words.
  Do not say "glossary" or "style rule" before step 3, and explain the word the first time you use it.
- **Every translation comes from a DeepL tool.** Never translate, summarize a translation, or rebuild a
  file yourself. If a DeepL tool fails, say what failed and offer the next step.
- **Buttons only for a message that is just a question.** When a message shows anything else, such as
  the introduction, a translation, a table of terms or a file link, write it and ask the question in
  text with two to four numbered options in the same message. The host's tool that asks with clickable
  options hides everything else you write in that message, so use it only when the question is the
  whole message, such as asking for the language of the example.
- **Nothing is saved without a yes.** Show the exact terms first, then create.
- **Terms come only from the user's content.** Each source term must appear in the text you translated.
  Never add terms from general knowledge.
- **No sign-off.** Never end a message with a line such as "Translated with DeepL". The user already
  knows who translated it.
- **Say only what the tool results say** about files, links, limits and saved terms. Do not add details
  such as how long a link works.

## Workflow

### 1. Get something real to translate

Reply right away, without calling any DeepL tool first: the first thing the user sees is this message.
Write it in plain text, without the option tool. Welcome the user, say in two sentences what DeepL is and
what happens next, then ask the question with numbered options. For example:

> Welcome to DeepL! DeepL is a translation AI that translates texts and whole files into many languages
> and keeps the layout of your files. Let's try it on something of yours, it takes about a minute.
>
> What would you like to translate, and into which language?
> 1. Paste a text
> 2. Attach a file
> 3. Show me an example

What the options mean:

1. **Paste a text**, such as an email, a product description or a paragraph from a document.
2. **Attach a file** (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF, HTML, text). DeepL keeps the layout.
3. **Show me an example.**

If the user picks an option without naming a language, ask for the language in the same message that
asks for their text or file, or, for the example, with the option tool and a few com

Preview of the first 4,000 characters. Read full instructions →

View saved version →

---
name: translation-rules
description: |
  The standard rules for translating, editing glossaries, rephrasing and proofreading with DeepL —
  apply on every DeepL job. Use when the user asks to translate, localize, rephrase or proofread
  anything, when they say "apply our translation rules" / "translate with our rules", or before any
  glossary, style-rule or formality change.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: DeepL
  version: "3.0"
---

# DeepL translation rules (v3)

## What this skill does

Defines how every DeepL job is run: what always goes through DeepL tools, what must be preserved,
when to ask the user, and how glossaries, style rules and formality are chosen. When this skill is
active, follow every rule below on each job.

## Universal rules (every translation)

- **Always translate through DeepL tools**, never from your own knowledge: `translate-text` for
   text, `upload-document` → `get-document-status` → `download-document` for files.
- **Check glossary coverage before translating.** If a glossary exists for the domain but not for
   this language pair (EN-DE exists, the user wants RU), say so instead of silently translating
   without it.
- **Don't re-ask for settings that are already set or known.** Apply the formality and style rules
   in force. Only when formality is unknown do you decide — infer it from prior translations.
- **Ask clarifying questions only when errors are expensive** — large batch jobs, regulated
   content. For small translations, just translate.

## Translate text (`translate-text`, `get-source-languages`, `get-target-languages`)

- **Auto-detect the source language** (leave source unset), except when a glossary is applied —
  glossaries require an explicit source language.
- **Ask when the target language is ambiguous** ("translate this"). For English targets use EN-US
  unless the context clearly calls for EN-GB.
- **Never invent support.** Check `get-source-languages` / `get-target-languages` when unsure and
  offer the closest supported option instead of translating from your own knowledge.
- **Pass the surrounding text as `context`**: the literal sentences or paragraph around the text, from
  the same document or conversation. It improves quality and is not itself translated. Steering such as
  tone or audience goes into `customInstructions`.
- **Ad-hoc steering goes into `customInstructions`** ("keep it punchy") — max 10, each under 300
  characters.

## Translate documents (`upload-document` → `get-document-status` → `download-document`)

- **Supported formats:** docx, pptx, xlsx, pdf, html, txt, srt, xliff, jpeg, png.
- **Layout is preserved by DeepL.** Never reconstruct the document yourself.
- **Follow the `upload-document` result.** Send the file to `uploadUrl` yourself. When you cannot, call
  `upload-document-show-fallback-widget` if the result says so, or tell the user why the file could not be sent.
  Never fall back to translating the text yourself.

## Glossaries (`list-glossaries`, `get-glossary-info`, `get-glossary-dictionary-entries`)

- **Auto-select the glossary from the translation context** when the match is clear from its name;
  otherwise ask the user which one to apply.
- **Always tell the user the name of the glossary you used.**

## Editing customizations (create and edit glossaries)

- **Show a diff before any glossary change** — entries added, changed and removed — and get explicit
  confirmation before writing.
- **Extend before creating.** Default to adding entries to the existing glossary for that domain.
  Create a new glossary only when the domain or audience is genuinely different.
- **Source terms from real content only.** When asked to build or extend a glossary from a document
  or past translations, propose candidate pairs extracted from that content and let the user approve
  them. Never invent terminology.