OmniDocTranslate Excel Files to Sinhala and Urdu
Learn how to translate an English Excel file into Sinhala or Urdu, keep your cell layout intact, and fix alignment and font issues in the output.
If you need to translate an English Excel file into Sinhala or Urdu, you probably have a workbook with budgets, price lists, schedules or survey results that someone else needs to read. The hard part is rarely the words alone. Sinhala uses an Indic script with stacked and combined characters, and Urdu is written right to left, so a translated sheet can look broken even when the text is correct: characters show as boxes, columns are too narrow, or labels line up on the wrong side of the cell.
This guide is for people who work with English spreadsheets and need a Sinhala or Urdu version that stays readable and usable. You will learn how to run the translation in OmniDoc, which settings matter for each script, and how to check the output in Excel before you share it.
The short answer: upload the .xlsx file to OmniDoc, choose the translation output you need, then fix font, column width and text direction in Excel and check the formulas. OmniDoc keeps the layout, tables, formulas and pictures of the file, so most of your effort goes into the script-specific checks.
How do you translate an English Excel file into Sinhala or Urdu? The short answer
Upload the English .xlsx file, translate it, and then review the result in Excel with script-specific checks. The table below shows which step matters for each situation.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need a copy for readers who also read English | Choose bilingual side-by-side output | Readers can compare each Sinhala or Urdu cell with the original English |
| You only need the Sinhala or Urdu version | Choose translation-only output | The file is simpler to share and review |
| The sheet is in an older Excel format | Save it as .xlsx first | .xlsx is the Excel format OmniDoc takes for translation |
| Your sheet is mostly numbers with some labels | Translate, then check formulas and figures | Numbers and formulas must stay correct after translation |
| The sheet has long text cells | Turn on wrap text and widen columns after translating | Sinhala and Urdu text can take more space than the English it replaces |
Before you start
Preparing the file and your tools first saves you from redoing the output later.
- Save the workbook as .xlsx. OmniDoc translates .xlsx files. If your file is in another spreadsheet format, save a copy as .xlsx before you upload it, so you know which format you are working with.
- Remove or note any confusing content. Hidden sheets, scratch columns and old notes will also be translated if they contain text. Delete what you don't need, so you only review and share the content that matters.
- Decide who will read the output. A bilingual file helps reviewers who know English check the translation. A translation-only file is cleaner for readers who only use Sinhala or Urdu.
- Install a font that supports your script. Sinhala and Urdu characters need a font with the right glyphs. Without one, you may see empty boxes or wrong shapes. Check that your computer has a Sinhala font and an Urdu font before you open the output.
- Pick the style that fits the content. OmniDoc offers style options for academic, legal, medical, technical, business and literary text, and it keeps terms consistent. Choose the one that matches your sheet, since a budget and a clinical trial log need different wording.
Translating the whole Excel file in OmniDoc, step by step
- Open OmniDoc. Go to omnidoc.top in your browser to start the translation, or download the desktop client from download.omnidoc.top if you prefer to work from the app on your computer.
- Upload your .xlsx file. Choose the English workbook you prepared. The layout, tables and formulas of the file are kept during translation, so you do not need to rebuild the sheet first.
- Set English as the source and your target language. Confirm that the source is English and that your target is Sinhala or Urdu. If the language you need is not offered, stop here and use the general checks in the sections below on the English original instead of guessing.
- Choose bilingual or translation-only output. Bilingual output places the English and translated text side by side, which is useful for review. Translation-only output gives you a single Sinhala or Urdu workbook.
- Select a style. Pick the option that matches the sheet's purpose. For example, a technical specification and a business sales report should not share the same style setting.
- Run the translation and download the result. Keep the original English file untouched, and save the translated workbook under a new name so you can compare the two later.
- Fix the script settings in Excel. Open the translated file and apply a Sinhala-capable font to the cells that show Sinhala text. For Urdu sheets, set the cell alignment so text runs right to left, and check that labels and numbers sit where readers expect. Widen the columns and turn on wrap text where the translated text is longer than the English.
- Check formulas and totals. Click through cells that contain formulas, especially those that produce text, and confirm that totals and references still give the same results as the English file.
Check the result
Once you have the translated workbook, go through these checks before you share it. Each one targets a problem that is common with Sinhala and Urdu spreadsheets.
| Check | How to see it | If it's wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Characters display correctly | Scroll through text cells and look for boxes or broken shapes | Apply a font that supports Sinhala or Urdu to the affected cells |
| Text fits the column | Look for cut-off words or text spilling into neighboring cells | Widen the column, turn on wrap text, or adjust row height |
| Urdu reads right to left | Check that labels start on the right side of each cell and sentences read in the correct order | Set the cell text direction to right to left with the general alignment options in Excel |
| Numbers and totals match | Compare totals and key figures with the English original | Reopen the formula, check references, and fix any cell that changed |
| Merged cells and headers still line up | Look at headers, merged titles and table borders | Unmerge and re-merge the cells, or adjust the borders manually |
| Key terms are translated consistently | Search for product names, units and technical terms across sheets | Replace inconsistent terms, and keep a short glossary for later files |
Machine translation can produce errors in terminology, names and figures, so have someone who reads Sinhala or Urdu review anything that matters, such as prices, dates, legal wording or medical values.
🎯 Which approach fits you?
Sinhala and Urdu need different attention, so your main checks depend on the script.
- Sinhala sheets need the right font and enough column width. Stacked characters take more vertical room, so check row heights and wrapping first.
- Urdu sheets need right-to-left direction. Check that the sheet and its text cells read correctly from the right, and look carefully at mixed content, such as English product codes inside Urdu sentences.
- Mixed-language workbooks need both kinds of checks. Review each sheet separately, since one setting that works for a Sinhala tab can look wrong on an Urdu tab.
❓ FAQ
1. Will my formulas still work after translation?
Formulas are kept in the translated file, but a formula that builds text from other cells may now produce Sinhala or Urdu output that you need to read and check. Recalculate totals and key references, and compare them with the English original.
2. Why do my Urdu columns look wrong after I open the file?
Urdu is right to left, so the text direction and alignment of each cell may need adjusting. Set the cell alignment to right-to-left in Excel, then check labels, numbers and headers to confirm they sit where you expect.
3. Can I translate an older .xls file directly?
Save the file as .xlsx first. OmniDoc takes .xlsx files for translation, so converting the format before you upload avoids confusion about what was translated.
4. Why do Sinhala letters look like boxes on my computer?
The font you are using probably does not include Sinhala characters. Install or select a font that supports Sinhala, and apply it to the cells that show the translated text.
📝 Summary
To translate an English Excel file into Sinhala or Urdu, upload a .xlsx copy to OmniDoc, choose bilingual or translation-only output, and then fix fonts, column widths and text direction in Excel. Check formulas, totals and key terms before you share the workbook, and have a fluent reader review anything important.
