Transcription services vs minute taking services which is better? Both have a place when it comes to keeping accurate records of events and holding information. In my opinion there is a strong case for keeping both transcripts and minutes for important meetings, events or conferences. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the different uses between the two.
What is the Difference between Transcription and Minutes?
A transcript is a verbatim written account of the speech and discussion, this can apply to meetings, conferences, seminars, video conferences, etc. Minutes (sometimes referred to as notes) are a concise record of events; providing issues raises, suggestions, action points and decided outcomes.
What are the Benefits of Transcription Services?
One of the most beneficial things about transcription is that it is a text form of an audio or video file. It should only contain the speech within the recording and so is not partial, opinionated or subjective. For this reason, it lends itself very well to legal, medical, political, research, media and academic industries. Transcripts have so many uses; as evidence in court to powerful quotes for the newspapers. They are a word for word written account of the spoken word.
What are the Benefits of Minute Taking or Note Taking Services?
Minutes can be extremely useful for internal business meetings. This is because they can provide a quick, easy and accessible method of sharing decisions made, important points raised and the course of action that has been decided upon. They are less wordy and far more concise than transcripts, they contain less information for a busy work team to have to digest. They can also be circulated around the office and on the intranet for the benefit of everyone, without being bogged down with pages and pages of information to digest.
Preparation for Transcripts and Minutes
It is so important as a transcriptionist or minute taker to research both before, during and after the project. This ensures that you have a good understanding of the subjects discussed and that names, terms and facts are typed accurately. If taking notes, you should have enough background knowledge of the topics discussed to be able to identify what the important points are and how to structure your final draft so that it is both accurate and easy to read. A minute taker should always try to remain impartial to the subjects discussed as minutes should always be objective rather than subjective.
If you would like more information about our transcription services, note taking services, minute taking services, translation services, subtitling services or video dubbing services, why not get in touch? We will always match you with the service that most meets your needs, using professional, experienced and qualified individuals.
