If you want your transcripts completed as quickly as possible, as cheaply as possible and as accurately as possible, follow our transcription tips and you will find that both you and your transcription services company will be glad you did! Want to know more? Read part two of our most useful transcription tips.
Small File Formats for Fast Transcription Services
Keeping recording formats as small as possible (under 1GB) will not only speed up the transcription process, but will also take up less room on your hard drive or online storage and possibly reduce the price of transcription. Reducing your audio and video files to more compressed formats – (e.g. mp3, mp4, m4a, etc.) is a fairly simply process and there are a number of free programs available online that will allow you to do this. iTunes for instance will allow you to convert from .wav to .mp3 or .m4a quickly and simply.
Send clear instructions of formatting requirements
If you have special formatting requirements for your transcripts (time codes, visual descriptions, special numbering, tables, etc.) be sure to let your transcription company know beforehand, as this will often be carried out at no extra charge. However, letting your transcription company know after the transcription has been completed, may result in extra charges and will also slow down the turnaround of your transcripts.
Don’t send audio or video files as email attachments
Many transcription services will not accepts video or audio for transcription via email attachment. This is mainly due to protecting against viruses, but is also due to files being easily lost, sent to the wrong person, not being small enough to come through and in some cases sound and video files can be cut short. Before sending your audio or video for transcription, ensure that you are aware of the proper upload procedures, that way you can send your files quickly and securely, with minimum hassle.
Request a confidentiality agreement or NDA if needed
If your files are confidential, feel free to ask your transcription services company to go through their security procedures with you. Most transcription companies will be happy to go through what measures have been implemented to ensure that your data remains secure. If you require an NDA or confidentiality agreement, simply ask for one (or send your own if preferred) as many transcription companies will have these readily available and can sign them before starting on your transcripts
So that wraps up part two of our useful transcription tips. We hope you found them helpful and that they will make the transcription process a little less daunting if you are using a transcription service for the first time.
If you would like to know more about our transcription services or some of the other online assistance services we provide, why not get in touch?
