Translation File Access and Permissions

Who can open a translated file depends on where you started the translation: in a chat, from a folder, or as a standalone request. You must always be signed in to August to download or preview a translation.

Who Can Access Translation Files

Access to translation files depends on how the translation was created:

Translations Attached to a Chat

When a translation is generated within a chat conversation, the translation file is accessible to:

The translation owner: the user who initiated the translation request
Chat members: any user who is a member of the associated chat

This means colleagues working together in a shared chat can access each other's translation outputs, enabling collaborative review and follow-up work.

Translations Started from a Folder

When you click Translate in the document viewer from the Folders view, we save the translated file as a new document in the same folder. It follows that folder's sharing, so anyone with access to the folder can open it.

Standalone Translations

Translations created outside of a chat context (standalone translations with no chat link) are accessible only to the owner who created them. These translations cannot be viewed or downloaded by other users.

Downloading and Previewing

The same access rules apply whether you download the translated file or open its PDF preview. If you aren't signed in, or your session has expired, August asks you to sign in before it shows the file.

Troubleshooting Access Errors

I'm signed in but can't open a colleague's translation

For standalone translations, only the original creator can access the file. Ask the owner to translate the document again in a shared chat or from a shared folder.
For chat-attached translations, verify that you are a member of the chat where the translation was created. Membership is checked when you open the file, so if you were added to the chat after the translation was generated, you have access. If you still cannot access the file, contact the chat owner or your administrator.
For translations started from a folder, ask for access to the folder that holds the translated document.

Best Practices for Translation Collaboration

Use shared chats or folders for team work. Translations created in a shared chat are accessible to all chat members, and translations started from a folder are accessible to everyone who can see that folder.
Avoid standalone translations for shared matters. If you anticipate colleagues will need to review or continue working with a translation, create it within a chat that includes the relevant team members, or from a folder they can access.
Check chat membership. If a colleague cannot access a translation you created, confirm they are a member of the chat where the translation was generated.