1. We work closely with customers so they can obtain the most benefit from our service. 
   1. We welcome your input, ideas, and suggestions.
   2. Always feel free to ask questions.
   3. We will share tips to help make the process smoother for you and keep your expenses down. 
   4. Often times, we will tell you why something was done a particular way, and we will provide instructions in case you need to make changes.
      1. Example:  Tables should not be split over two pages if possible.  We may manipulate the layout to force tables to present on one page.
      2. Example:  Some customers use rather complicated numbering in their documents, and we can and have helped give instructions on how to work with this.   
2. We utilize accepted standard business practices for business-related print materials and utilize commonly accepted standards for medical transcription projects. 
   1. If your projects do not follow standard practices, please submit instructions, a sample, or your template. 
   2. If you will be printing to letterhead, we would appreciate a sheet of the first page and the second sheet if it is imprinted or precise measurements of the print areas of these pages.  These sheets or measurements are used to determine print placement and are kept on file for reference.
   3. If you do not have letterhead, we can create a simple one for you based on your personal or business name with an optional gray or black bar accent.
3. Transcripts and documents will have the same file names as your audio file names unless you specify otherwise. 
4. We use several different interview formats.  Please tell us your planned use so that we can use the format that will best suit your needs and be the easiest for you to use.  For example, if you are planning on copying quotes from the transcript and pasting to a new document, we will set the page up so that the page formatting does not transfer to your new document.  On very long interviews, we can insert the counter number or time shown on the digital display every half hour or so if you wish.  If there is anything special you want, just let Barb know, and we'll be happy to oblige.
5. Please tell us if you need a verbatim or nonverbatim interview transcript:  If directions are not provided, we will use modified nonverbatim. 
   1. Verbatim - all words including er, uh-huh, ah, and things of that nature are included in the transcript.  These transcripts are usually longer because there's always going to be another person who is in the background making a comment like "I see" or "Good" or "Okay" that doesn't add any value to the text but has to be included because it is a verbatim transcript.
   2. Nonverbatim - words such as er, uh-huh, ahs, and anything else that interferes with the smooth flow of the message are removed.
6. Customers may specify the starting and stopping point in their recording.  Sometimes this is done because the introductory text is not required or the good-byes are not necessary at the end.  For example, we have transcribed some focus groups where the beginning ten minutes consisted of the guests quietly filling out surveys.  The customer asked us to bypass that, which we did. 
7. We generally turn on automatic hyphenation with all types of documents because it prevents jagged right margins in left justified documents and excessive amounts of white space in full-width justified documents. 
8. All work accepted by B. Krultz and Associates is considered confidential whether or not it is medical in nature; however, we are most happy to endorse or help promote a customer's project that we helped produce upon customer request.  We are a HIPAA compliant medical transcription service provider.
9. Customer work is placed on the work schedule after we receive your audio recordings.  Work is performed on a first-come, first-served basis.  . 
10. How to submit audio recordings:
    1. Digital audio recordings
       1. Can be sent to as e-mail file attachments
          • In March 2009, our ISP changed its service package to gmail thereby limiting their customer's e-mail to 20 MB per e-mail, including attachments.  They will not notify us of blocked e-mail, however, you will receive notice of bounced e-mail.  I am sorry for the inconvenience.  Hopefully, our ISP will return to the unlimited file sizes we were allowed prior to this change.
          • Some ISPs may limit the size of the file attachment you may send with your e-mail.  Check with your ISP prior to doing this because if the e-mail fails to send, we will not receive it or know you sent it.
          • You can split larger files with software such as WinZip and e-mail them as separate e-mail file attachments.  That will help solve the problem if your ISP has file size restrictions.
       2. Can be uploaded to Files To Go, our online storage site directly from your browser window (see below for additional information)
          • Advantages are there are no file size limits.  Any type of file can be uploaded.
          • Do not open your own account if you are submitting files to us as you are covered under our account. 
          • Another advantage is you can encrypt your audio files during the upload, and we can download them encrypted.
       3. We can download from your storage site
          • Be aware that some of the free and low-cost storage sites are extremely slow to download.  Download managers cannot solve some of the problems on some sites.  If two download attempts fail, we will not continue but will contact the customer.  Reason for this is to prevent possible  potential charges to the customer from the storage site for attempted downloads. 
          • We may need two downloads, one for the subcontractor located in another city and one for office use (for proofing and billing purposes).  If you do not wish us to download more than once, please let Barb know.
       4. Can be burned to a CD and shipped to us
    2. Digital media on DVDs or CDs
       1. Should be mailed or shipped as these are generally too large to download
       2. In some cases, the audio portion can be removed and converted to an audio format that is easier to handle or that can be downloaded. 
    3. Cassette tapes
       1. We discourage use of cassette tapes for a number of reasons.  Cassette tapes can be converted to digital format and then the digital format e-mailed to us, or placed into an internet file storage site, or burned to a CD.
       2. Can be mailed to us.
11. Database of common words and phrases.  We create word and phrase lists for projects large enough or regular enough to take advantage of this feature.  This type of software is called a text expander and is used commonly by medical transcriptionists.  This is a behind-the-scenes software that indirectly benefits our customers.  It basically allows for increased productivity and accuracy, which shortens the turnaround time.  Word and phrase lists can be created for an individual or by a topic, and if needed, two or more of these lists can be linked together creating a larger vocabulary and phrase list.   Basically, the transcriptionist just enters abbreviations, which can represent a word, a phrase, a sentence, or an entire paragraph and selects the expansion she wants to type out the full word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph.  The software can automatically create the word and phrase list from existing documents or update lists periodically as you type or the typist can manually update as necessary.  We also use this software for pre-formatted partially prepared tables.  One advantage for repeat customers is they do not need to dictate everything.  For example, the text expander software will maintain your address lists so you do not have to dictate the entire address.  There are hundreds of ways to use this software that save both of us time and increase efficiency and reduce errors. 
12. We do and have done look-ups to find the correct spelling of a person, a business name, product name, etc.; however, we cannot spend more than a few minutes per questionable item.  When possible, please provide the correct spellings for names, product names, abbreviated terms (because of the difficulty of hearing these correctly), names of business, street names, foreign language words or phrases, foreign towns or cities, etc.   You generally only need to do this once as we will enter these words into our text expander for future reference.
13. Occasionally, particularly if we have done some research on your project, we may have a note to ourselves regarding the reference source or perhaps the correct spelling of a name so we don't have to search for it again.  You can find this information under file>properties and under the summary tab. 
14. Common symbols, notations, and proofing marks:
    1. Interviews, focus groups, seminars, etc.
       1. Underlines represent inaudible text
       2. A question mark inside parentheses immediately following a word (?) represents unknown spelling or uncertainty about a word.  Use your search tool to find all instances of (?).
       3. Three dots (...) or two dashes or an elongated hyphen represents an incomplete sentence such as when the speaker is interrupted by someone else, a change in the speaker's direction, etc.
       4. Unusual situations may be noted in parentheses along the left margin.  Often times there are notes regarding pauses or interruptions in the recording.
       5. Line counters (for tape cassettes) or time (for digital recordings) may be in parentheses along left margin.  Time stamping is also available.
    2. Correspondence, reports, etc.
       1. Most of the time we use the comments feature to make sure these are not missed.  Hold your mouse over the yellow highlight until a box with our message to you pops up.  To remove the highlighting and the message, hold your mouse over it, right click and select delete message.  If you prefer a color other than yellow for a highlight, let Barb know.
15. Line counts are calculated by InstantText Pro software.  Line counts are based on 65 characters or keystrokes.  A keystroke is any key depressed such as using the control B to obtain bold text.  Your word processor counts may not be exactly the same as InstantText reports.  Our line counter program will not count padding that could intentionally be added to a word processor document, which is another reason we do not want to use the word processor statistics. 
16. The amount of playing time for digital recordings is obtained from the digital player or transcriber.  It should be exactly the same amount of time your digital recorder software says that particular audio file is. 

Word processors

I will use Microsoft Word 2000 unless you specify otherwise.  Any documents created by myself or a subcontractor in Word 2007 will be converted to Word 2000 unless otherwise instructed.   The version of Microsoft Word I use depends on which computer I use as you can't install both versions on the same operating system.   Also available is Corel Word Perfect 10.  We no longer used the DOS version of Word Perfect.

Fast fixes

We know there are times when our clients have to add or delete something from your own documents.  Here are a few tips and tricks.  Note:  this information is for people who do not have complex documents.

1. The WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) is not 100 percent true all the time.  This means, what we see on our computer monitors might not look exactly the same as when the documented is printed.  If you do make a change, save the document and close it, and then open it up again to see how it looks.  This is particularly important if your signature line was close to the top or bottom of the page because we need to keep a couple of lines of text above it.  Headers can't be stranded by themselves at the bottom of the page either but have to have at least a couple of lines of text after them, and if you have any tables, check to make sure they weren't cut in two.  If you plan on printing multiple copies of reports, please test one copy by printing just one copy.  Again, printers are all different, and what we are looking for is making sure headers are not separated from their content and that tables are not chopped in half.  If you made any changes in early pages, check the subsequent pages as some things may no longer be carefully aligned. 
2. Tables - if you have to widen a table column, use your mouse and don't highlight anything.  Just grab the vertical bar of the top most box and drag it into position, and the boxes below it will automatically follow along into position.  Remember, you can use the undo button as often as necessary if you make a mistake. 
3. You can double click on the header (in any page other than the first page) where the page number is to quickly add information into the header/footer section.  The pages are set up so that information will not appear on the first page, just the subsequent pages. 
4. Removing hanging indents from interviews - removing the hanging indents will allow you to copy text from the transcript and paste it into your new document without accidentally transferring the hanging indents as well.  Select Edit>Select All (everything on your page will be highlighted).  Be careful not to accidentally click anywhere on the page or you will remove the highlighting (if you do remove the highlighting, just redo the Edit>Select All).  Now, select Format>Paragraph and select the Indents and Spacing Tab.  Find the small box that says "special" and select "none."  Click on the okay button.  The indents should be gone now. 

Files To Go, our file storage system

Do not open your own account at Files to Go.  Our customers are covered under our account. 

Files To Go is an online secure file storage system that we rent.  The rent fee we pay is based on how much just sits there in storage doing nothing and then also how much moves in and out of storage.  It's almost like being charged for the miles being driven.  So when a customer uploads a file, we are charged for that.  When a subcontractor downloads the same file for transcribing, we are charged for that.  When I download the same file for proofing and billing purposes, we are charged again for that download.  If anything happens during a download, like a disconnect, and we have to download again, we get charged again for that download.  To minimize our expenses, we try to control use of the site, and that is one of the reasons why we have not allowed our customers or subcontractors free access to all the features on Files To Go. 

If you do not have encryption software and wish to encrypt the audio files you send us, you can encrypt them through the Files To Go encryption tool before you upload your files into Files To Go.  By the way, do not open your own account at Files To Go because you are covered under our account for transcription we do for you.  You will need a password, which I will provide to customers (you may request a preferred password).  We return work to customers as an e-mail file attachment.  If you need your transcripts encrypted, let me know.  You will not need any special software to open these encrypted files, just a password that I will provide.  There is a working demo at Files To Go so you can practice uploading files if you wish.  The demo shows how the screen looks from the administrator's point of view.  That is not the view the customers see.  Customers will not see the names of other customers or any other files from anyone in Files To Go.  I am the only person who can view that information.  

Do not open a new account.  Our customers are covered under our account.  New customers need to contact Barb at pkbk@badger.tds.net or by phoning 715-267-6750 to obtain their personal user ID and password to access the site. 

There is a demo at http://filestogo.com where you can practice logging in and uploading files.  The demo screen shows you the administrator's view or only what Barb would see.  In real life, when you start uploading your own files, you will see the customer's view, and you will not be able to see other people's names or other people's files.  You will only be able to see your own name and your own files.  No customers can see other customers names or files or even names of subcontractors unless that subcontractor is assigned to them.

Digital recorders or digital recording devices

1. The smaller the audio file size, the less time it will take you to upload your file to a file storage site and the faster we can retrieve it. 
2. The smaller the audio file size, the less expensive file storage rental costs are for us, and this affects customer rates.
3. The smaller the audio file size, the fewer problems you will have e-mailing your audio recording.  Many ISPs put limits on the size of e-mail file attachments, usually under 10 MB.
4. If you will be e-mailing your audio files, stick with Olympus .dss audio or Sony Memory Stick or some other brand that produces extremely small file sizes.  See notes on Vista below.
5. Mp3 audio format is preferred over .wav audio format because it is much smaller.
   Note:  NCH Swift Sound in Australia has a product called Switch that will convert some of your larger audio file formats into .mp3 format.

Burning CDs
If you do not have a CD burner but have a read-write CD drive, you might like Express Burn software by NCH Swift Sound in Australia.  There are also other brands of software available.  Note:  Do not burn as a music CD with tracks.  Burn as a data CD because we need to see and transfer the file extension from the CD to our computer to play it on our transcriber.  To be on safe side, underfill the CD by about 10 percent.

Re-recording cassette tapes to CD or to your computer
Whatever quality your cassette tape recording is going in is the quality your digital recording will be.  Factors like the quality of the recording itself, the condition of your tape recorder, and even the quality of your computer sound card that can affect audio quality.  The software that is available for the general public to clean up digital recordings isn't going to produce the same results as a professional recording studio. 

A cable is attached to your cassette player at the appropriate jack and to your computer at the appropriate jack.  There is special software for the computer available (sometimes it comes with your sound card) that records sound coming into the computer.  After the recording is finished, you save the digital audio file.

People have used this re-recording method to send audio files to us by e-mail or upload to a file storage site, or they can burn them to CD.  It gives the customer a backup audio copy of a cassette tape. 

Archiving

We archive customer transcripts and completed projects for as long as possible. 

1.  Purpose of archiving
   1. Proof of work must be maintained until payment is satisfied
   2. To develop word lists and phrases for text expander or speech recognition purposes
      1. Confidential identifiers such as social security numbers, addresses, etc. are removed
   3. To use as reference in a long-term project
   4. Per customer request

Proofing

All documents are proofed against the original recordings as well as normal spell checks.  See the FAQs regarding turnaround time for additional information.

E-mail scam

I have not in the past sent out unsolicited e-mail advertising our services.  The only people who receive e-mail from B. Krultz and Associates or Barb Krultz regarding services are those who have made inquiries. 

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