---
name: azure-ai-translation-document-py
description: Azure AI Document Translation SDK for batch translation of documents with format preservation. Use for translating Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, and other document formats at scale.
risk: critical
source: community
date_added: '2026-02-27'
---

# Azure AI Document Translation SDK for Python

Client library for Azure AI Translator document translation service for batch document translation with format preservation.

## Installation

```bash
pip install azure-ai-translation-document
```

## Environment Variables

```bash
AZURE_DOCUMENT_TRANSLATION_ENDPOINT=https://<resource>.cognitiveservices.azure.com
AZURE_DOCUMENT_TRANSLATION_KEY=<your-api-key>  # If using API key

# Storage for source and target documents
AZURE_SOURCE_CONTAINER_URL=https://<storage>.blob.core.windows.net/<container>?<sas>
AZURE_TARGET_CONTAINER_URL=https://<storage>.blob.core.windows.net/<container>?<sas>
```

## Authentication

### API Key

```python
import os
from azure.ai.translation.document import DocumentTranslationClient
from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential

endpoint = os.environ["AZURE_DOCUMENT_TRANSLATION_ENDPOINT"]
key = os.environ["AZURE_DOCUMENT_TRANSLATION_KEY"]

client = DocumentTranslationClient(endpoint, AzureKeyCredential(key))
```

### Entra ID (Recommended)

```python
from azure.ai.translation.document import DocumentTranslationClient
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential

client = DocumentTranslationClient(
    endpoint=os.environ["AZURE_DOCUMENT_TRANSLATION_ENDPOINT"],
    credential=DefaultAzureCredential()
)
```

## Disclosure and cost boundary

Translation sends documents to Azure and writes output to the selected containers. Confirm authorized document subset, destination, region, retention and budget. Keep SAS URLs out of logs, use short-lived least-privilege access and handle each document’s failure separately; overall job completion does not imply all documents succeeded. SDK/single-document methods and language/format support are version-dependent: inspect current package docs before running fragments.

## Basic Document Translation

```python
from azure.ai.translation.document import DocumentTranslationInput, TranslationTarget

source_url = os.environ["AZURE_SOURCE_CONTAINER_URL"]
target_url = os.environ["AZURE_TARGET_CONTAINER_URL"]

# Start translation job
poller = client.begin_translation(
    inputs=[
        DocumentTranslationInput(
            source_url=source_url,
            targets=[
                TranslationTarget(
                    target_url=target_url,
                    language="es"  # Translate to Spanish
                )
            ]
        )
    ]
)

# Wait for completion
result = poller.result()

print(f"Status: {poller.status()}")
print(f"Documents translated: {poller.details.documents_succeeded_count}")
print(f"Documents failed: {poller.details.documents_failed_count}")
```

## Multiple Target Languages

```python
poller = client.begin_translation(
    inputs=[
        DocumentTranslationInput(
            source_url=source_url,
            targets=[
                TranslationTarget(target_url=target_url_es, language="es"),
                TranslationTarget(target_url=target_url_fr, language="fr"),
                TranslationTarget(target_url=target_url_de, language="de")
            ]
        )
    ]
)
```

## Translate Single Document

```python
from azure.ai.translation.document import SingleDocumentTranslationClient

single_client = SingleDocumentTranslationClient(endpoint, AzureKeyCredential(key))

with open("document.docx", "rb") as f:
    document_content = f.read()

result = single_client.translate(
    body=document_content,
    target_language="es",
    content_type="application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document"
)

# Save translated document
with open("document_es.docx", "wb") as f:
    f.write(result)
```

## Check Translation Status

```python
# Get all translation operations
operations = client.list_translation_statuses()

for op in operations:
    print(f"Operation ID: {op.id}")
    print(f"Status: {op.status}")
    print(f"Created: {op.created_on}")
    print(f"Total documents: {op.documents_total_count}")
    print(f"Succeeded: {op.documents_succeeded_count}")
    print(f"Failed: {op.documents_failed_count}")
```

## List Document Statuses

```python
# Get status of individual documents in a job
operation_id = poller.id
document_statuses = client.list_document_statuses(operation_id)

for doc in document_statuses:
    print(f"Document ID: {doc.id}")  # Avoid logging SAS-bearing source URLs.
    print(f"  Status: {doc.status}")
    print(f"  Translated to: {doc.translated_to}")
    if doc.error:
        print(f"  Error: {doc.error.message}")
```

## Cancel Translation

```python
# Cancel a running translation
client.cancel_translation(operation_id)
```

## Using Glossary

```python
from azure.ai.translation.document import TranslationGlossary

poller = client.begin_translation(
    inputs=[
        DocumentTranslationInput(
            source_url=source_url,
            targets=[
                TranslationTarget(
                    target_url=target_url,
                    language="es",
                    glossaries=[
                        TranslationGlossary(
                            glossary_url="https://<storage>.blob.core.windows.net/glossary/terms.csv?<sas>",
                            file_format="csv"
                        )
                    ]
                )
            ]
        )
    ]
)
```

## Supported Document Formats

```python
# Get supported formats
formats = client.get_supported_document_formats()

for fmt in formats:
    print(f"Format: {fmt.format}")
    print(f"  Extensions: {fmt.file_extensions}")
    print(f"  Content types: {fmt.content_types}")
```

## Supported Languages

```python
# Get supported languages
languages = client.get_supported_languages()

for lang in languages:
    print(f"Language: {lang.name} ({lang.code})")
```

## Async Client

```python
from azure.ai.translation.document.aio import DocumentTranslationClient
from azure.identity.aio import DefaultAzureCredential

async def translate_documents():
    async with DocumentTranslationClient(
        endpoint=endpoint,
        credential=DefaultAzureCredential()
    ) as client:
        poller = await client.begin_translation(inputs=[...])
        result = await poller.result()
```

## Supported Formats

| Category | Formats |
|----------|---------|
| Documents | DOCX, PDF, PPTX, XLSX, HTML, TXT, RTF |
| Structured | CSV, TSV, JSON, XML |
| Localization | XLIFF, XLF, MHTML |

## Storage Requirements

- Source and target containers must be Azure Blob Storage
- Use SAS tokens with appropriate permissions:
  - Source: Read, List
  - Target: Write, List

## Best Practices

1. **Use SAS tokens** with minimal required permissions
2. **Monitor long-running operations** with `poller.status()`
3. **Handle document-level errors** by iterating document statuses
4. **Use glossaries** for domain-specific terminology
5. **Separate target containers** for each language
6. **Use async client** for multiple concurrent jobs
7. **Check supported formats** before submitting documents

## When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

## Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.