Introduction

AutoScript is the industry’s premier Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) solution designed exclusively for the legal industry. Developed by VoiceScript, a legal technology company, AutoScript delivers unsurpassed text output from audio recordings of legal proceedings.

AutoScript Desktop is a transcript production/ASR editing tool that is also purpose-built for the legal transcription industry to streamline the process of turning ASR output into a delivery-ready transcript reducing transcription time by up to 75% in some cases.

AutoScript Desktop has the look and feel of your favorite word processing program, allowing you to work directly out of the templates you are accustomed to using for typing transcripts. However, it also includes specific editing tools that allow you to quickly change, with a simple keystroke, from Q&A to colloquy, add section headings, create bylines, and insert all of the other elements needed in a legal transcript. AutoScript Desktop also includes an integrated player that syncs the audio to the text in your transcript, making the editing process all-inclusive in one application.

Getting Started

To get started, go to www.AutoScript.ai and log into your free account. This account gives you access to download and install AutoScript Desktop and to upload audio files to be transcribed.

You can run transcriptions either directly from the AutoScript website or from within the AutoScript Desktop application by clicking the "New Job button", which will bring you to your online AutoScript.ai account.

Any jobs that you process through your AutoScript account will be available to you for one year from creation. You can access these jobs at any time by logging in to your account.

Installation

Installing AutoScript Desktop

1. Go to www.AutoScript.ai. Create an AutoScript account if you have not done so already or log in to your account to download the AutoScript Desktop application.

   
   

2. Click on the green Download button in AutoScript.
   
   

3. Double click on the "AutoscriptDesktop application" file to run the installer.
   
   

4. Follow the on-screen instructions and accept all defaults.
   
   
   

Running AutoScript Desktop

The AutoScript Desktop installer creates an AutoScript Desktop startup icon on the desktop and under the Start Menu under the Programs section.

Double click this icon to launch AutoScript Desktop.

Transcribing Audio Files

Create New Job

In the online dashboard, click the Create New Job button. In AutoScript Desktop application, click the New Job button, which will bring you to the create new job form.

1. Give the job a unique name. It can be a case number with the date of recording, case name, attorney name, or interviewer name. The file will be saved with this name.

2. Click and drag the audio files to the Upload Your Files section.

3. Dictionary: Add unique names or phrases from your job notes to help the ASR learn spellings for the audio upload. This will increase the accuracy of the transcription.

4. Job Information: Select the type of job and recording from the list of options.

5. Location: Select a state from the list and then type in the city where the audio was recorded. This information helps populate the proper transcript formatting.

6. Click on "Calculate Price". This button turns blue once all the audio files have been uploaded and are ready to process. This process may take a few minutes if the audio is a longer file.

7. The status of the job in your dashboard view will change to "Transcribing". An email indicating "Transcription in Progress" is also immediately sent to you, confirming the process has started.

8. Once completed, the status of the job changes to "Completed" and an email indicating "Your Transcript is Ready" is immediately sent to you, informing you to go to the next step.

Download ASR Output

After the ASR has completed processing the audio a rough draft will be available for download from your online AutoScript account. You have options to download an RTF, TXT, DOCX, an AutoScript Desktop package or share a link with another person.

1. When you click the AutoScript Package icon, the AutoScript Desktop launches. Follow the onscreen instructions. The ASR text output and synced audio will load in the AutoScript Desktop application.

   
   

2. Use this link to send the job package to another AutoScript user. They can then open the job in AutoScript Desktop on their computer.

   
   

3. Click on the download button to download the ASR output in various other file formats, including RTF, TXT, and DOCX. If you do not want to utilize the powerful features in AutoScript Desktop, only download the raw ASR data.

   
   

4. To remove the job and ASR, click on this icon. Use this sparingly as this action cannot be undone.
   
   
   

Overview of AutoScript Desktop

AutoScript Desktop was designed to be flexible and conform to the user's needs. Various settings, including Layouts and Hotkeys, can be adjusted to tailor the user experience for each person, client, and job. The audio player also comes with several customization options to make the editing process easier.

Audio Player

1. Rewind and advance intervals can be changed by adjusting the Skip Amount.

   
   

2. Standard foot pedals can control the player.

   • Left = Fast forward

   • Center = Play/Pause

   • Right = Rewind

     
     

     You can also use Hotkeys to control the audio player.

     
     

3. Playback speed can be adjusted using the horizontal slider button.

   
   

4. The volume can be controlled with the slider bar or directly from your computer’s audio controls.

   
   

5. Audio is muted by toggling the sound button on/off.

   
   

6. Indicates current player position. You can click and drag this control to adjust the current play position. Tip: You can also adjust the current play position by double clicking on any word in the document. The playback will automatically begin at that location. You must already be playing to click on a word to jump to that spot.

Playback Options

There are several options for playback settings. You can toggle each option on or off.

Synchronize audio with cursor position. If you edit and restart the audio, the audio will begin playing at the beginning of the line you edited.

Pause audio on text change. If you modify or edit anything in the document, the audio will pause.

On pause, move cursor to audio position. This will automatically move the cursor to where the audio paused for quick editing.

Enable follow play. This is a great feature to have on, but if it is not properly syncing, then turn it off.

Hotkeys

Repetitive tasks are easier with Hotkeys. All of the Hotkeys for AutoScript Desktop are user definable. You can choose which keys to assign for commonly used tools, such as Player Operations, Editing Features, and System Hotkeys.

To access the Hotkeys, click on the Hotkeys icon on the File tab of the ribbon.

Double click on the Hotkey you wish to change. This opens the editing window.

Use the down arrows to select your desired hotkey combination and then click on the X button in the upper right corner when you are finished. The changes you made will now appear in the Hotkeys table.

A complete list of AutoScript Desktop’s Hotkeys is included at the end of this user guide.

Opening and Closing Files

1. New Job: This button takes you to www.AutoScript.ai to begin transcribing the audio.

   
   

2. Open Job: Opens a previous AutoScript transcript and synced audio so that you can continue editing the job.

   
   

3. Import Job: When another user sends you an AutoScript job packet, this is where you will import that job with the transcript, Layout template, and synced audio to text.

   
   

4. Export Job: If you need to send the edited text, Layout template, and synced audio to another user, then you can export the job into a bundled package so that they can continue editing the transcript.

   
   

5. Open: You can open a variety of file types in AutoScript Desktop, including DOC and DOCX files.

   
   

6. Save: Each document automatically saves when it is created and every minute that it is open, but you can click this button to save the document at any time.

   
   

7. Save As: You can save your document in several file formats, including DOC, DOCX, and PDF. Click the Save As button, browse to the desired file location, give the new document a name, and then select the file type output that you want to save as.

Layouts

Layouts contain editing format settings that match the requirements for the transcript recipient. You can create as many different Layout templates as you need.

Click on Layouts in the File tab of the ribbon.

1. Layouts:

   • Change the default settings to any global defaults that make a good starting point for creating other layouts.

   • Created layouts will be added to this list.

2. Duplicate: Creates a copy of the selected Layout. If you have set your default layout to be a base starting point, then you can create a duplicate of it as a base for creating the next Layout.

3. Edit: Opens the selected layout for editing.

4. Remove: Deletes the selected layout.

5. Set Active: This applies the selected Layout to your current transcript as the active layout for editing.

Layout Settings

Each format in the Layout settings window corresponds to a quick editing tool in AutoScript Desktop. Each format has required style settings that must be set to match the positioning desired in your transcript. If you are starting with a document or template of your own that already has styles assigned for each of these formats, then you can select those when configuring each of them. If not, then AutoScript Desktop has built-in styles for each of these settings and special styles for centering text.

1. Layout Name: This is the unique name assigned for this Layout. This can be changed by typing the new name in the text field box and then clicking the OK button.

2. Speakers: This is a list of speakers that you would use in editing the colloquy and byline in the transcript. These names, when selected, will be inserted in the transcript with the correct formatting requirement. AutoScript Desktop has started you with some standard speakers in the Speakers List. Click on each

   one to modify the output text. Be sure to include a colon and two spaces in the Text field. You can add, edit, or delete speakers as needed.

   
   
   

   
   

3. Quick Text: This is an area where you can add blurbs or commonly repeated text that is in the transcript, such as when a witness is called and sworn in.

   

   • Be sure to choose the correct style at the bottom. If you are using AutoScript’s default styles, then AS By Line is formatted to be aligned at the left margin. If you want it centered, then choose AS Centered. If you have your own template styles, then choose the appropriate one.

   • Click the OK button when finished.

4. Quick Parentheticals: Add, edit, or delete parentheticals as needed. Be sure to choose the correct style for proper positioning at the bottom. For example, if you want the text aligned with the Q&A positioning, then choose that as the style. Click OK when done.

   
   
   

5. Quick Headings: Add, edit, or delete headings as needed. Be sure to choose the correct style at the bottom and then click the OK button when done.

   
   
   

6. Q&A: Edit each as necessary. Choose the appropriate style and tab count for this Layout. Be sure to include the appropriate number of spaces after your Q&A in the Text edit box. Click OK when done.

   
   
   

   
   

7. Byline: Type the text that you would like to have precede the speaker’s name in the byline. BY with one space after it may be your desired default. Choose a style and tab count.

   
   
   

8. Colloquy: Choose the style and tab count for colloquy. If you have your own styles, then you can use those. If not, then AutoScript Desktop has created some defaults for you to use.

   
   
   

9. Tabs: This is an overview of all of the styles in the transcript and the tab count for each. Quickly scan the styles and set the appropriate tab count if you need to make adjustments.

   
   
   

   About Layout Styles

   • Imported templates: Styles import with your template. Be sure to verify that each Layout format matches the appropriate user-defined style. Alternatively, you can utilize AutoScript Styles within your transcript.

   • Pure ASR editing: Use the default AutoScript Styles when you are editing the raw ASR output instead of starting in one of your own user documents or templates. Adjust the tab count for each AutoScript style in your document.

     Processing a Job in AutoScript Desktop

     After AutoScript has successfully transcribed the audio, you are then ready to start editing it to produce the transcript. From your user account page on www.AutoScript.ai, click on the AutoScript package icon to begin the process.

     
     
     

     
     

     When prompted, click on the Open AutoScript button to launch the desktop editor and load your ASR text output along with the synced audio.

     
     
     

     You will be asked to provide a name for your New Job. Type the name in the text field box and then click OK.

     
     
     

     You will be asked if you want to use your own document template.

     
     
     

   • If you want to edit the ASR text output only, without importing a user document template, then simply click No.

     
     

   • If you have your own template, then click Yes. AutoScript Desktop will ask you to select that template and then will load it. Locate your document template and click Open in the window that pops up. Your new job will adopt all of the formatting and fonts from the template. It will also import all of your custom styles, if you have any.

You will then be asked to position the cursor in the document where you want the ASR text output to be inserted. Scroll to the insertion point, click the cursor, and then click the Insert ASR text button on the ribbon at the top of the program. NOTE: You will want this to be left aligned.

Editing

Now that the settings are all adjusted for AutoScript Desktop, it is time to begin editing the transcript. These settings need to be defined only on the first time that you use AutoScript Desktop. In the future, you will only need to open the transcript from www.AutoScript.ai and then adjust and add the speaker names.

Defining Speaker List

The Speakers list contains the participants that need to be defined in the transcript for colloquy and bylines. Before editing each transcript, add the job-specific participants to the Speakers List.

Click on the Layouts button

Select the Layout you will be using for this transcript and then click the Edit button.

In the Layout Settings window, click on the option for Speakers.

Click on the Add button to add your new job speakers.

Type the desired Title for this speaker and the text exactly how it will appear in the colloquy and byline and then click OK when you are finished.

Setting the Active Layout

Click on the Layouts button on the File tab of the ribbon to set the Layout that you want as the active settings for the transcript.

Select the Layout that you want to use for this transcript, and then click on the Set Active button.

Identifying Colloquy Speakers

Begin listening to the synced audio and reading along in the transcript. As you come upon an ASR-identified speaker designation, such as Speaker A:, you will be able to identify who the speaker is. You will then begin replacing the ASR-identified speaker with the correct name from the Speakers List and replacing them with your colloquy formatted speakers.

• Once Speaker A has been identified, click with your mouse and highlight Speaker A: or place your cursor after the two spaces just before the S and hold down Shift+Home on the keyboard. NOTE: If you set up your speakers in the Speakers List to have the colon and two spaces, then you will need to also highlight the colon and the two spaces.

  
  

• Right click and select Colloquy or use the keyboard shortcut for Colloquy.

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Select the participant from the Speakers List by either using the down arrow on the keyboard and then pressing enter or double click the name. This occurrence, and all future occurrences, of Speaker A will change to colloquy format and the selected speaker name.
  
  

• Repeat this process for all speakers as they are identified or for any change to a speaker using the colloquy format.

  
  

  Inserting Speakers

  There will be times when you must insert a speaker designation in the colloquy format where one did not previously exist. In this situation, you will need to use the insert option rather than the replace option. When inserting a speaker from the Speakers List into the transcript, it will adhere to the Colloquy format style that you have set for your Layout.

  
  

  Press the enter key to start a new blank line. Right click and choose Insert Speaker or use the keyboard shortcut for inserting a speaker.

  
  
  Select the appropriate speaker from the list by double clicking on the name or by using your arrow keys on your keyboard to highlight the desired speaker and then pressing enter.
  
  

  Insert Headings, Quick Text, and Quick Parentheticals

  Headings, Quick Text, and Quick Parentheticals are all different sets of categorized text that transcribers use and insert into transcripts. These are used in addition to what was said during a proceeding. In previous sections of this guide, you were shown how to create these text inserts and to set the appropriate style for formatting when they are used.

  
  

• To insert any of the Quick Text options, you will need to create a new blank line in the transcript by using the enter key.

  
  

  
  

• Right click to open the Options list.

  
  

• Double click on the Quick Text option you need or use the arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll down to the option you need, and then press enter.

• When the Quick Text window opens, you can double click on the option you need to insert or you can the arrows keys on the keyboard to scroll down to the option you need, and then press enter.

  
  

• Alternatively, you can use the direct keyboard shortcut for inserting the specific Quick Text that you want to open and select from. These include Insert Colloquy, insert Q, and insert A.

  Insert Bylines

  Inserting a Byline is a little different than inserting Quick Text since the Byline needs to have a name associated with it. For this reason, inserting a Byline has its own function.

• To insert a Byline, you will need to create a new blank line in the transcript by using the enter key.

  
  

• Right click to open the Options list.

  
  

  
  

• Click on the Byline option to open the Speakers List

  
  

• Double click the speaker you want to insert on the Byline or use the arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll down the list, and then press the enter key when you have the correct speaker highlighted.

  
  

  
  

• Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut for inserting a Byline.

  Changing to Q&A

  Most transcript editing will require you to change from Colloquy to Q&A and then back to Colloquy many times. Quick tools have been designed to accomplish this, including a quick tool to change from Colloquy to Q&A.

• To change a Colloquy entry to Q&A, position the mouse after the two spaces following the speaker name. Either highlight the speaker’s name with the mouse or insert the cursor and use Shift+Home.

  
  

  
  

• Right click to open the Options list.

  
  

  
  

• Click the Q&A option to open the Question and Answer window and then select the option needed by using either the mouse or arrow keys on the keyboard.
  
  

• Alternatively, you can use the Keyboard shortcut.

• When Q&A is interrupted by colloquy, simply change the questioning attorney’s Q back to colloquy by using the Colloquy tool.

Finishing the Transcript

When editing is complete, the transcript can be saved, exported, or printed.

1. Export Job: The export a job tool is used when you are going to save your job in the AutoScript Desktop package to send to another user who intends to open the package and continue working on it in their AutoScript Desktop application.

   • Click on the Export Job button.

   • Choose an appropriate location to save the exported package.

   • Give it a New Name.

   • Click Open. This will save the transcript, the Layout you set as active for the transcript, along with the synced audio to a zip folder.

   • Take the zip folder and send it to your recipient using email or your preferred file sharing app.

2. Save As: Save As allows you to save the edited transcript as a document. There are many file type options available, including DOC, DOCX, DOTM, DOT, RTF, ODT, AND PDF.

   • Click on the Save As button.

   • Choose an appropriate location to save the file.

   • Give it a New Name.

   • Select the file type.

   • Click the save button.

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3. Print: You can print directly to a printer or PRN file using the Print button on the ribbon.

Hotkey Default Settings