docs(help): document EN-first translation pipeline for all roles

Add §6 EN-First Translation Pipeline to Production, Linguist, Admin, and
Project Manager guides explaining the new flow: translations are generated
only after English QC is approved, preserving 1:1 cue structure.

Documents origin badges (⚠ video-native), the amber TranslationGateBanner
on target-language cards, the ↺ Re-translate from EN button, and the
blue info note on the New Job form. Adds 5 new screenshots captured from
the deployed optical-dev environment.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.claude/settings.local.json

@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@
       "Bash(gcloud secrets *)",
       "Bash(openssl rand *)",
       "Bash(ssh *)",
-      "Skill(commit-commands:commit-push-pr)"
+      "Skill(commit-commands:commit-push-pr)",
+      "Bash(obsidian read *)",
+      "Bash(obsidian search *)"
     ]
   }
 }

frontend/src/help-content/admin.md

@@ -182,21 +182,59 @@ Edit the fields and **left-click** **Save** to apply changes.
 
 ---
 
-## 8. All Platform Operations
+## 8. EN-First Translation Pipeline
+
+All translations are generated from the **approved English master VTT** to ensure every target language has identical cue structure (same count, same timestamps) as English. This makes linguist side-by-side proofreading reliable.
+
+**Pipeline order:**
+1. AI processes the video → English VTT generated
+2. Job enters QC with English only
+3. English approved → translations dispatched automatically for all target languages
+4. Target-language cards unlock for linguist review
+
+### Origin badges
+
+Each target-language card header shows a badge indicating translation provenance:
+
+| Badge | Meaning | Action |
+|-------|---------|--------|
+| (none) | Generated from approved EN VTT — cue-aligned | None needed |
+| **⚠ video-native** (red) | Legacy: generated directly from the video — may have different cue count | Use **↺ Re-translate from EN** |
+
+![QC Detail with origin badge and EN-gate banner](/help-screenshots/admin/07-qc-detail-en-first.png)
+
+### Re-translating a language from EN master
+
+Use this button to fix legacy jobs (showing `⚠ video-native`) or to regenerate a translation after major EN edits.
+
+**Step 1.** Open **QC Detail** for the job.
+
+**Step 2.** Expand the target-language card.
+
+**Step 3.** **Left-click** **↺ Re-translate from EN**.
+> The button is disabled until English is approved.
+
+**Step 4.** In the confirmation modal, optionally type a **Reason** (written to the audit log).
+
+**Step 5.** **Left-click** **Re-translate**. The language QC resets to Pending and a cue-aligned translation is generated.
+
+---
+
+## 9. All Platform Operations
 
 As Admin you have access to all other platform features documented in the other role guides:
 - **Uploading videos** — see Client Guide §3
 - **QC Review and approval** — see Reviewer Guide §4–6
 - **Bulk job operations** — see Production Guide §3
-- **Failure retry** — see Production Guide §7
-- **Brief management** — see Production Guide §8 and Project Manager Guide §6
+- **Failure retry** — see Production Guide §8
+- **Brief management** — see Production Guide §9 and Project Manager Guide §6
 - **Glossary management** — see Project Manager Guide §5
 - **Final Review** — see Reviewer Guide §9 and Project Manager Guide §3
-- **Audit Log** — see Production Guide §9
+- **Audit Log** — see Production Guide §10
 
 ---
 
-## 9. Deleting Jobs
+## 10. Deleting Jobs
 
 As Admin you can delete any job. **This is irreversible.**
 
@@ -208,7 +246,7 @@ Select multiple jobs with checkboxes → Action dropdown → **Delete Selected**
 
 ---
 
-## 10. Timeline Preview & Rendering
+## 11. Timeline Preview & Rendering
 
 Admins have full access to the QC Detail page including the **Timeline Preview** bar and **Render Changes** panel.
 
@@ -238,7 +276,7 @@ The purple panel activates when changes are pending:
 
 ---
 
-## 11. Mouse Interactions Reference
+## 12. Mouse Interactions Reference
 
 | Action | Where | What happens |
 |--------|-------|--------------|
@@ -265,7 +303,7 @@ The purple panel activates when changes are pending:
 
 ---
 
-## 12. Keyboard Shortcuts
+## 13. Keyboard Shortcuts
 
 All shortcuts from other roles apply to Admin as well:
 
@@ -281,7 +319,7 @@ All shortcuts from other roles apply to Admin as well:
 
 ---
 
-## 13. Common Issues
+## 14. Common Issues
 
 | Issue | Cause | Fix |
 |-------|-------|-----|

frontend/src/help-content/linguist.md

@@ -171,7 +171,29 @@ A comment text area expands. Type your comment and **left-click** **Send**.
 
 ---
 
-## 6. Submitting for Review
+## 6. English-First Gate
+
+Translations are generated from the **approved English master VTT** to ensure every language has the same cues and timings as the English source.
+
+**What this means for you:**
+- When a job arrives in QC, **English is processed first**. Target languages are not available until English is approved by a reviewer or admin.
+- If you open a job and your language card shows an amber banner, English has not yet been approved.
+
+![QC Detail showing EN-gate amber banner and disabled actions](/help-screenshots/linguist/10-en-first-gate.png)
+
+The amber banner reads: *"Waiting for EN approval — translation will start automatically once the source language is approved."*
+
+While the banner is shown:
+- **Start work**, **Submit for review**, and **Assign** are disabled.
+- You can still view the video and any pre-existing VTT content, but you cannot edit or submit.
+
+Once an authorised reviewer approves English, the translation is generated automatically. The banner disappears and your language card becomes fully active.
+
+> **No action needed from you.** Simply wait for the notification or check back when English is approved.
+
+---
+
+## 7. Submitting for Review
 
 When you are satisfied with your edits:
 
@@ -185,7 +207,7 @@ The job status changes to **Pending Review** and a Reviewer is notified.
 
 ---
 
-## 7. Handling Reviewer Feedback
+## 8. Handling Reviewer Feedback
 
 If a Reviewer sends changes back, the language status changes to **Rejected** (or **QC Feedback**) and the job reappears in your queue.
 
@@ -201,7 +223,7 @@ If a Reviewer sends changes back, the language status changes to **Rejected** (o
 
 ---
 
-## 8. Viewing Glossaries
+## 9. Viewing Glossaries
 
 Glossaries contain client-approved brand terms, product names, and preferred translations. Active glossary terms are highlighted in the VTT editor with an **amber underline**.
 
@@ -211,7 +233,7 @@ To view full glossary lists: **left-click** **Clients** in the sidebar (if you h
 
 ---
 
-## 9. QC Review (Organisation-wide View)
+## 10. QC Review (Organisation-wide View)
 
 In addition to your personal queue, you can see all jobs in QC across the organisation.
 
@@ -221,7 +243,7 @@ In addition to your personal queue, you can see all jobs in QC across the organi
 
 ---
 
-## 10. Timeline Preview & Rendering
+## 11. Timeline Preview & Rendering
 
 After editing cues or adjusting the AD script, the **Timeline Preview** bar shows the structure of the accessible video so you can verify the layout before triggering a render.
 
@@ -263,7 +285,7 @@ The purple panel below the timeline becomes active when there is something to re
 
 ---
 
-## 11. Mouse Interactions Reference
+## 12. Mouse Interactions Reference
 
 | Action | Where | What happens |
 |--------|-------|--------------|
@@ -285,7 +307,7 @@ The purple panel below the timeline becomes active when there is something to re
 
 ---
 
-## 12. Keyboard Shortcuts
+## 13. Keyboard Shortcuts
 
 | Key | Action |
 |-----|--------|
@@ -295,7 +317,7 @@ The purple panel below the timeline becomes active when there is something to re
 
 ---
 
-## 13. Common Errors
+## 14. Common Errors
 
 | Error | Cause | Fix |
 |-------|-------|-----|

frontend/src/help-content/production.md

@@ -164,7 +164,27 @@ If a job is in Final Review or Completed and needs to go back to QC:
 
 ---
 
-## 6. QC Review
+## 6. EN-First Translation Pipeline
+
+All translations are generated from the **approved English master VTT**, not from the original video. This guarantees that every target language has exactly the same number of cues and identical timestamps as the English source.
+
+**The pipeline runs in this order:**
+
+1. AI processes the video → English VTT is generated
+2. Job enters **QC Review** with English content only
+3. English is **approved** (by any reviewer or admin with QC access)
+4. Translation is automatically dispatched for all target languages
+5. Target-language cards become active for linguist review
+
+> Until English is approved, target-language cards show an amber warning banner and all actions are disabled.
+
+When uploading a job with target languages, the form shows a blue note confirming how translations work:
+
+![Translation info banner on New Job form](/help-screenshots/production/08-new-job-translation-banner.png)
+
+---
+
+## 7. QC Review
 
 You can view and manage the full QC queue.
 
@@ -180,9 +200,35 @@ From QC Detail you can:
 - Approve or reject languages (see Reviewer Guide §4)
 - Generate share links
 
+### Origin badges on language cards
+
+Each target-language card header shows an **origin badge** indicating how its translation was generated:
+
+| Badge | Meaning |
+|-------|---------|
+| (no badge) | EN-aligned — generated from the approved EN VTT, cue structure 1:1 |
+| **⚠ video-native** (red) | Legacy translation generated directly from the video — cue count may differ from EN. Use **↺ Re-translate from EN** to fix. |
+
+![QC Detail showing origin badge and EN-gate banner](/help-screenshots/production/07-qc-detail-en-first.png)
+
+### Re-translating a language from the EN master
+
+If a language card shows the red **⚠ video-native** badge (or if a linguist reports cue mismatches), you can regenerate the translation from the approved English master:
+
+**Step 1.** Open the **QC Detail** page for the job.
+
+**Step 2.** Expand the target-language card.
+
+**Step 3.** **Left-click** **↺ Re-translate from EN** (indigo outline button).
+> This button is disabled (greyed out) until English is approved.
+
+**Step 4.** A confirmation modal appears. Optionally type a **Reason** (written to the audit log).
+
+**Step 5.** **Left-click** **Re-translate** to confirm. The language QC status resets to Pending and a new cue-aligned translation is generated automatically.
+
 ---
 
-## 7. Handling Failures
+## 8. Handling Failures
 
 The **Failures** dashboard shows all jobs that have encountered processing errors.
 
@@ -224,7 +270,7 @@ If AI processing has completely failed and you have a manually prepared VTT file
 
 ---
 
-## 8. Brief Management
+## 9. Brief Management
 
 You can manage job briefs from clients.
 
@@ -240,7 +286,7 @@ You can manage job briefs from clients.
 
 ---
 
-## 9. Audit Log
+## 10. Audit Log
 
 The audit log records every action taken on the platform.
 
@@ -278,7 +324,7 @@ The audit log records every action taken on the platform.
 
 ---
 
-## 10. Timeline Preview & Rendering
+## 11. Timeline Preview & Rendering
 
 After editing the AD script or adjusting pause points in the QC Detail page, the **Timeline Preview** bar shows the current accessible video structure.
 
@@ -312,7 +358,7 @@ The purple panel activates when there are changes pending:
 
 ---
 
-## 11. Mouse Interactions Reference
+## 12. Mouse Interactions Reference
 
 | Action | Where | What happens |
 |--------|-------|--------------|
@@ -337,7 +383,7 @@ The purple panel activates when there are changes pending:
 
 ---
 
-## 12. Keyboard Shortcuts
+## 13. Keyboard Shortcuts
 
 | Key | Action |
 |-----|--------|
@@ -350,7 +396,7 @@ The purple panel activates when there are changes pending:
 
 ---
 
-## 13. Common Issues
+## 14. Common Issues
 
 | Issue | Cause | Fix |
 |-------|-------|-----|

frontend/src/help-content/project-manager.md

@@ -172,13 +172,27 @@ You can also create briefs: **left-click** **New Brief** (blue), fill in the for
 
 ---
 
-## 7. Uploading on Behalf of a Client
+## 7. EN-First Translation Pipeline
+
+All translations are generated from the **approved English master VTT** after English QC is complete. You do not need to trigger this manually — it happens automatically when English is approved.
+
+**Pipeline flow visible to you:**
+1. Job arrives in QC → English-only content available
+2. Reviewer or linguist approves English
+3. Translations are dispatched automatically → target languages become active
+4. Linguists review each language → you perform Final Review
+
+If a language shows the red **⚠ video-native** badge in QC Detail, its translation was generated directly from the video (legacy behaviour) and its cue structure may differ from English. Production or Admin can use the **↺ Re-translate from EN** button to regenerate it from the approved English master.
+
+---
+
+## 8. Uploading on Behalf of a Client
 
 As PM, you can upload videos the same way Production does. See **Production Guide §2** for the full upload walkthrough.
 
 ---
 
-## 8. Audit Log
+## 9. Audit Log
 
 The Audit Log records all platform actions for compliance and troubleshooting.
 
@@ -190,7 +204,7 @@ Use the tab navigation to switch between **All Events**, **Security Events**, an
 
 ---
 
-## 9. Tracking Overdue and Stuck Jobs
+## 10. Tracking Overdue and Stuck Jobs
 
 ### From the dashboard
 
@@ -207,7 +221,7 @@ From the Job Detail page you can escalate to Production by using the job URL and
 
 ---
 
-## 10. Mouse Interactions Reference
+## 11. Mouse Interactions Reference
 
 | Action | Where | What happens |
 |--------|-------|--------------|
@@ -231,7 +245,7 @@ From the Job Detail page you can escalate to Production by using the job URL and
 
 ---
 
-## 11. Common Issues
+## 12. Common Issues
 
 | Issue | Cause | Fix |
 |-------|-------|-----|