7 Must-have Software for Professional Transcriptionists

Transcription itself is one part of the job but being able to do so efficiently, transcriptionists would need the right software in order to not only save time but also to improve the quality of their work. When starting out as a transcriptionist, some of these tools might not be too useful but later on, within the career, these tools, especially the software, could prove to be quite useful.

Learning how to transcribe is one thing but learning to make money as a transcriptionist is another thing. In order to earn as a transcriptionist, professionals need to be able to accomplish the most amount of workload in the shortest amount of time. Of course, this should be done without compromising the quality of the transcription.

The use of the right transcription software is very important especially later on when trying to make a decent amount of money for transcription. Even those that transcribe on the side could use these particular tools in order to improve their productivity and make the most amount of money with the least amounts of effort.

Here are 7 different software that professional transcriptionists must have:

1. Audio Splitter Software

A big mistake that most beginner transcriptionists make is that they do not divide the original audio file into segments. This could be a huge problem especially if the transcriptionist loses focus and will have to listen to the audio file all over again.

Dividing an hour of audio into 5-minute audio files also helps the transcriptionist keep track of the total progress made. This way, it would be easier for the transcriptionist to know if they are writing more productively or not and if they have to speed up or maintain the tempo.

There are online software like Audacity that give transcriptionists a simple tool to split their audio into smaller files. These files can be saved in a certain folder making them easier to locate and to transcribe.

2. Compression software

Some transcriptionist projects could command a massive amount of memory which is why compressing them is very important for both receiving and sending files to the client. One of the most useful compression software is the WinZIP file since it compresses the files making them easier to send and receive.

Sometimes, clients automatically send files in WinZIP format which is why a transcriptionist would also need a WinZIP reader in order for them to access the files. Although this is not always the case, it is better to be safe than sorry and have a ZIP reader software ready on the computer.

3. Video Converter Software

Since transcription obviously relies on audio alone, there are only very rare cases in which a transcriptionist would need a video. Videos are naturally bigger in size therefore commanding more storage. This is why having a video converter software would help transcriptionists extract the needed format for their work which is the audio itself.

Converting videos into audios is simple and there are already various software that can do this. In fact, when in a video editing software, there is usually an option to save as .mp3 or .wav format. Transcriptionists won’t need an elaborate software for this as long as it is capable of converting the video into an audio file.

4. Audio Enhancer Software

There are certain tools that help make the audio clearer like the DFX Audio Enhancer. This specific tool could turn the whole audio file around making it easier to understand. One recurring problem that all transcriptionists experience is being handed audio files that aren’t clear and very hard to make out. The DFX Audio Enhancer not only makes the audio louder, but it also clears out some of the unnecessary sounds.

The unnecessary sounds found in the audio file can be not only distracting but also in some cases misleading. Generally, it’s easier to transcribe an audio file especially if it can be heard clearly.

5. Dictionary or Thesaurus Software

Having a dictionary or thesaurus software on hand will allow transcriptionists to understand the context of what they are transcribing especially if it is complicated. These tools might not always be used on a day to day basis for a transcriptionist, this software is very important especially when the transcription is done for something very critical like corporate transcriptions.

When it comes to complicated words, especially in the corporate context, it is important that even the transcriptionist understands the transcription. Without the full context of the whole transcription, the transcriptionist might mistake one word for another and this could cause drastic damage.

6. Grammar Software

Using software that automatically corrects grammatical errors and misspellings is very important in transcription. Of course, this depends on what the client is looking for. Some clients would prefer wrong grammar and actual transcriptions but others would still choose a more readable transcription.

It is still very important to ask the client what type of transcription they would prefer in the end. Either verbatim or non-verbatim. This means asking the client if they would prefer a literal transcription or would prefer a more polished one.

7. Audio-to-Text Software

While most transcriptionists would spend hours and hours transcribing a whole audio file, there is actually a shortcut to the whole process. Using an audio-to-text software simplifies everything and skips the hard work needed to get the actual content into text.

Of course, it is important to note that most audio-to-text software are inaccurate and this is why using the right software is critical. There is a software called Izitext.io that provides accurate instant transcription and simplifies the whole process.

Using the right tools provides better results. Increasing productivity and efficiency is very important for a transcriptionist to get more work done and make more money.

Want to be more productive in doing transcription? Be sure to use Izitext.io for automated transcription and convenient transcription editing.