Translate documents to multiple languages with Google Drive and DeepL

Description

Who's it for

This workflow is perfect for content creators, international teams, and businesses that need to translate documents into multiple languages automatically. Whether you're localizing documentation, translating marketing materials, or creating multilingual content, this workflow saves hours of manual work.

What it does

Automatically monitors a Google Drive folder for new documents (PDF, DOCX, TXT, or Markdown) and translates them into multiple languages using DeepL API. Each translated document is saved with a language-specific filename (e.g., document_en.pdf, document_zh.pdf) in a designated folder. You receive an email notification when all translations are complete.

How it works

Monitors a Google Drive folder for new files
Detects file format (PDF/DOCX/TXT/Markdown) and extracts text
Translates the content into your chosen languages (default: English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, German)
Saves translated files with language codes in the filename
Sends an email notification with translation summary
Optional: Records translation history in Notion database

Set up instructions

Requirements
Google Drive account (for file storage)
DeepL API key (free tier: 500,000 characters/month)
Gmail account (for notifications)
Notion account (optional, for tracking translation history)

Setup steps

Create Google Drive folders:
Create a "Source" folder for original files
Create a "Translated" folder for output
Copy the folder IDs from the URLs

Get DeepL API key:
Sign up at DeepL API
Copy your API key

Configure the workflow:
Open the "Configuration (Edit Here)" node (yellow node)
Replace folder IDs with your own
Set your notification email
Choose target languages

Set up credentials:
Add Google Drive OAuth2 credentials
Add DeepL API credentials
Add Gmail OAuth2 credentials

Activate the workflow and upload a test file!

Customization options

Change target languages**: Edit the targetLanguages array in the Configuration node (supports 30+ languages)
Adjust polling frequency**: Change trigger from "every minute" to hourly or daily for batch processing
Enable Notion tracking**: Set enableNotion to true and provide your database ID
Add more file formats**: Extend the Switch node to handle additional file types
Filter by file size**: Add conditions to skip files larger than a certain size

Supported languages

EN (English), ZH (Chinese), KO (Korean), JA (Japanese), ES (Spanish), FR (French), DE (German), IT (Italian), PT (Portuguese), RU (Russian), and 20+ more.

Performance

Short files** (1 page): ~30 seconds for 6 languages
Medium files** (10 pages): ~2 minutes for 6 languages
Large files** (100 pages): ~15 minutes for 6 languages

Technical Details

Trigger**: Google Drive folder monitoring (1-minute polling)
Translation**: DeepL API with automatic source language detection
Loop implementation**: Split Out + Aggregate pattern for parallel translation
Error handling**: Catches API failures and sends email alerts
Storage**: Original file format preserved in translated outputs

Notes

DeepL free tier provides 500,000 characters/month (approximately 250 pages)
For high-volume translation, consider upgrading to DeepL Pro
The workflow creates new files instead of overwriting, preserving translation history
Google Docs are automatically converted to the appropriate format before translation

What You'll Learn

This workflow demonstrates several n8n patterns:
File format detection and routing (Switch node)
Loop implementation with Split Out + Aggregate
Binary data handling for file operations
Conditional logic with IF nodes (optional features)
Cross-node data references
Error handling and user notifications

Perfect for learning automation best practices while solving a real business problem!