Friday, January 26, 2018

Online Transcription Services Using Audio Files

By Susan Ross


Whether a freelancer or independent contractor, there are often a number of opportunities. One of these opportunities involves working for online transcription services. In fact, there are now a number of online services offering jobs to individuals whom have experience in transcription.

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.

When it comes to hiring an individual or service, it is important to know rates in advance. For, there are a number of different ways in which individuals working in this area have been known to charge clients. While this is the case, services working with nonprofits, trade associations courts, meeting planners and governmental agencies often charge more than others.

In the early days, office workers often took dictation from superiors, then typed out the information on a standard typewriter. As there could be a number of revisions, individuals often spent a great deal of time retyping documents from the beginning. Then, in the late 1970s, jobs became easier with the introduction of recording devices. As such, superiors would then dictate into the equipment and transcriptionists would type the information into a typewritten document.

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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