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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.

In most cases, transcriptionists are often good at converting information through live or recorded speech into a document. Most often, services work with medical professionals, legal entities and business organizations. Whereas, creative writers and poets have been known to hire individuals to transcribe a number of audio files or written pages into book form.

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 using a service, most ask that information be processed on a cassette, CD or VHS. While this is the case, most actually prefer audio files which can be sent back and forth over email. Whereas, in others, individuals are now starting to use programs such as Google Drive, in which parties can share and edit a document from different locations.

Individuals working in this area can often make a great deal of money. For, whether working as a freelance, independent or part of a service team, pay is often higher than that of more basic clerical positions. In addition, individual freelancers and independent contractors often have the ability to set rates and charge by the hour, word, minute, page or project.

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 part and parcel to the job of a number of transcriptionists in the late 1970s and early 1980s, others still preferred to use traditional equipment. Now, audio files have become quite popular. In most cases, a client will provide audio files of all documents needing to be typed. After which, there will be a review along with a number of edits, changes and revisions before the document is finalized.




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