Online Transcription Services Using Audio Files

By Susan Ross


Whether working in a traditional capacity or online, transcriptionists are often in high demand. While this is the case, there are now a number of different disciplines in which online transcription services can be beneficial. Whether a doctor, lawyer, professor or other professional, most need assistance with transcription at some point in a career.

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.

With the advancement of computers and technology, transcription has taken on an entire new identify. For example, it used to take a great deal of time for an individual to dictate a letter, proposal or other document, then have the material typed on a typewriter. After which, there were often a number of passes on the typewriter before a document could be finalized and delivered.

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 this type service are often billed hourly, weekly, monthly or by page count. In most cases, services have faster turn-around times. Whereas, individuals being paid an hourly wage are often tempted to take things a bit slower so as to make more money over the course of a project.

As rates can vary widely, it is important to know how a service will be charging. In most cases, private transcription houses often provide services to trade associates, nonprofits, meeting planners, courts, law firms and governmental agencies with billing based upon a contract and agreement.

In the early days of transcription, secretaries often had to take diction and write down what the individual needed typed. During those days, shorthand was quite popular so that the individual could take notes as quickly as possible. Then, in the 1970s, the job became much easier with the introduction of portable recorders and tape cassettes.

The jobs of transcriptionists became even easier once the first Xerox 860 electronic word processor with a disc drive was born. For, individuals could then create, format, type and edit documents without having to retype the material on a typewriter. Then, with the establishment of email and the internet, individuals could begin sending attachments back and forth through email. Whereas, the newest trend is to share and edit documents through Google Drive, the Cloud, Dropbox and other similar platforms.




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