InterpretBank

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of professional interpreting and translation. Interpreters and translators often work with sensitive terminology, internal documents, unpublished speeches, legal material, medical content, and business information. A professional terminology tool must therefore make it clear where data is stored, when data leaves the user's computer, and which services are optional.

This guide explains what interpreter confidentiality means in a digital workflow and how InterpretBank protects glossary data, documents, speech recognition data, AI requests, and optional cloud synchronization.

What Confidentiality Means for Interpreters

Interpreter confidentiality means protecting all non-public information learned before, during, and after an assignment. This includes spoken content, written documents, terminology lists, names, dates, personal data, business details, medical information, legal information, and any contextual material provided for preparation.

Confidentiality normally continues after the assignment has ended. Interpreters and translators may also need to follow specific contractual, institutional, legal, or sector-specific rules, especially in healthcare, courts, public services, international organizations, and corporate settings.

Why Digital Tools Matter

Modern interpreting workflows often involve terminology databases, PDF and Word documents, remote meetings, speech recognition, machine translation, and AI-assisted preparation. These tools can improve preparation and performance, but they also raise important questions: is the data stored locally or in the cloud, is it retained, is it used for AI training, and can an organization disable cloud processing when needed?

A safe interpreting workflow should be based on data minimization, explicit user choice, clear data retention rules, and the ability to keep sensitive terminology and documents local whenever the assignment requires it.

InterpretBank is designed around data minimization and user control. The main Desktop application for Windows and macOS uses a local database. Glossaries created, imported, edited, and searched in the Desktop app are stored on the user's computer and do not leave the computer unless the user chooses to use an optional feature that requires synchronization or server-side processing.

Local Glossaries and Documents

In the standard Desktop workflow, all glossaries are saved in a local database on the user's computer. These glossary entries are not uploaded to InterpretBank servers and are not shared with third parties.

The same principle applies to documents used for local terminology extraction. When a user imports or analyzes documents on the Desktop app with local processing, the documents remain on the computer. They are used to extract terminology for the user's glossary work and are not transferred to InterpretBank.

Data Retention Summary

• Desktop glossaries: stored locally on the user's computer.
• Local document extraction: documents remain on the user's computer.
• Enterprise MSSQL: terminology remains inside the organization's own network when deployed on premise.
• ASR Offline: audio and transcription are processed locally and do not leave the computer.
• ASR Cloud: audio is processed to deliver immediate transcription, with no AI training and no retention beyond what is technically necessary for that transcription.
• WebApp: glossaries move to the cloud only when the user chooses to synchronize the database.
• AI services: only the minimum data required for the requested operation is transmitted.

Enterprise Deployments

For organizations that need centralized terminology management, InterpretBank Enterprise can connect to a central Microsoft SQL Server database. In an on-premise deployment, the database is hosted and managed within the organization's own network. Interpreters can work with shared terminology centrally, while glossary data remains inside the enterprise infrastructure and does not leave the organization's network.

Enterprises with strict security requirements can also request a configuration that blocks services not performed on the user's computer or within the organization's own infrastructure, including the WebApp and selected AI services.

Automatic Speech Recognition

InterpretBank ASR is available in both offline and cloud modes. With ASR Offline, speech recognition is performed locally on the user's computer. Audio and transcription data do not leave the computer.

With ASR Cloud, audio data leaves the computer because it must be processed by the cloud speech-recognition service. This processing is performed under GDPR rules. InterpretBank does not use audio or transcription data to train AI models, and audio/transcription content is not retained beyond what is technically necessary to deliver the immediate transcription.

WebApp and Cloud Synchronization

The InterpretBank WebApp is an optional cloud feature for users who want to access their terminology database from any device, including mobile phones and tablets, or share glossaries with colleagues. If a user chooses to push the Desktop database to the WebApp, the database leaves the computer and is stored in the cloud.

The WebApp server is managed by InterpretBank and hosted on EU servers in a GDPR-compliant environment. InterpretBank does not access users' glossaries during normal operation, and users' glossary content is not used to train AI systems. Account credentials are encrypted.

AI Services

Some AI-assisted features use InterpretBank servers located in Europe to perform specific tasks, such as terminology search, terminology suggestions, or context-aware assistance. When such a service is used, InterpretBank follows a data-minimization approach: only the information required to perform the requested operation is transmitted, such as the license ID and the word, term, or query being processed. No personal data is required for these operations.

Users and organizations that do not want server-side AI processing can rely on local workflows and, for enterprise deployments, request that non-local services be disabled.

A Practical Confidentiality Model

InterpretBank separates local, optional cloud, and enterprise deployment scenarios so users can choose the level of data protection appropriate for each assignment. Freelance interpreters can keep terminology and documents on their own computer. Teams can centralize terminology on an internal MSSQL server. Users who need mobility can opt into the WebApp, knowing that synchronization moves their database to InterpretBank's EU-hosted cloud service. Users who require maximum isolation can work offline and avoid cloud-based features.

This approach supports the confidentiality expectations of interpreters, translators, language service departments, universities, public institutions, and enterprises that need reliable terminology management without unnecessary data exposure.

Checklist for Confidential Interpreting Software

• Check whether glossaries and documents are stored locally or in the cloud.
• Use local processing when the assignment involves particularly sensitive material.
• Confirm whether speech recognition is offline or cloud-based before using it during a confidential meeting.
• Verify whether cloud services retain data or use it for AI training.
• For enterprise work, ask whether terminology can be hosted on an internal server.
• Disable optional cloud and AI services when a client or institution requires an off-grid workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does InterpretBank upload my glossaries automatically?

No. Glossaries in the Desktop app are saved locally. They are uploaded only if you choose to use an optional cloud feature, such as WebApp synchronization.

Are documents used for terminology extraction uploaded?

Documents processed locally in the Desktop app do not leave the computer. If a user chooses a cloud-based or AI-assisted workflow, only the data required for that specific operation is transmitted.

Is cloud ASR confidential?

ASR Cloud requires audio to leave the computer for real-time transcription. Processing is handled under GDPR rules, without AI training and without retention beyond what is technically necessary to deliver the transcription.

Can InterpretBank be used fully offline?

Yes. The Desktop app, local glossaries, local document processing, and ASR Offline can be used without sending assignment data outside the computer. Enterprise customers can request configurations that block WebApp and selected server-side AI services.

Explore how InterpretBank supports secure terminology workflows.