Online Transcription Services Using Audio Files

By Susan Ross


When it comes to Dictaphones and dictation, while not completely irrelevant, fewer and fewer people are using this process. In fact, most now use online transcription services and audio files. As such, there are a number of different areas in which being able to transcribe information can often be necessary. Whether professor, lawyer, doctor or other professional, most are going to need to transcribe information at some point and time.

For, transcriptionists are very good at converting either live or recorded speech into a text document. Most often provided for business, legal, or medical purposes, there are also individuals such as poets and writers who hire transcriptionists. While in the past Dictaphones were used to assist clerical workers putting information onto paper, now audio files are most often the tools use to communicate in this manner.

For, with the advent of computers, now individuals transcribing information from an audio file can type the information into a MS Word, Word Perfect or other word processing file which can later be revised without the need to retype the entire document. While this is the case, there are still some individuals whom prefer to speak into a Dictaphone and have an administrative assistant or clerical worker transcribe the information from a traditional Dictaphone into written or electronic text.

When it comes to using a service, most prefer that the information to be processed be submitted on a cassette, VHS or CD. Whereas, the most preferable is often a sound file transmitted to the service as at attachment to an email. While this is the case, different companies have different guidelines. As such, it is best to check with the company before preparing a recorded or electronic file to be transcribed.

Rates for transcription services often differ among individuals and companies. In most cases, hiring an individual will be less expensive than going through a service. At the same time, services can often offer a faster turn-around time. As such, it is up to individual needs as to which might be a better choice at any given time.

As rates can vary, it is important to know whether an individual or service is charging per minute, per word, per line or per hour. Also, while private services often assist governmental agencies, law firms, courts, meeting planners, nonprofits and trade associates, the rate is often higher for these services.

Before the time of the internet, secretaries often had to take dictation, most often using the Gregg style of shorthand in the past. Then, in the 1970s, the job became easier through the use of cassettes. After which, individuals started typing from audio files rather than written pages in order to transcribe more quickly. For, most individuals working as transcriptionists are fast typists. As such, it can often take far less time to listen and type than it can when attempting to read a number of pages with different handwriting styles while typing.

While mailing cassettes became a regular part of the transcription business during this time, audio files now make the job even easier. In addition, there are a number of services whom now provide work to contract and freelance workers on a regular basis. As a result, computers and email have taken jobs which used to take hours and a great deal of footwork into a future where one can simply listen type, then share a file over a number of electronic devices.




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