Live transcription can provide an immediate or rapid written record of a hearing, meeting, interview, research session or other event.
The Typing Works, part of our wider group, provides on-site and remote reporting, live transcription and professional note-taking throughout the UK.
Different levels of live transcription
The term live transcription can refer to several different services.
A reporter or logger can attend in person or remotely and prepare a detailed contemporaneous note. This may include the principal submissions, evidence, decisions, actions, speaker names and timings. It is suitable when a reliable account is required but a word-for-word record is not essential.
A qualified stenographic reporter can capture speech at courtroom speed using specialist equipment and reporting techniques. This may be appropriate for complex or multi-party matters where the precise words used are important.
Attendance can also be combined with a checked final transcript. The material captured during the event is reviewed, corrected and formatted into an agreed document following the hearing or meeting.
For suitable assignments, a near-instantaneous live transcript feed may be available. Authorised users can follow and search the text on a laptop or tablet while the event continues.
On-site and remote attendance
On-site attendance can be particularly valuable where recordings or sensitive information must remain within a secure or client-controlled environment. It also enables the reporter to see who is speaking and avoids reliance on an external meeting connection.
Remote attendance can reduce travel costs and provide nationwide coverage for online or hybrid events. The reporter can join through Microsoft Teams, Zoom or another approved platform.
Courts and formal proceedings
A privately commissioned attendance note is not automatically an official court transcript. Courts control attendance, recording, device use and access to private or restricted hearings.
The necessary permissions and the intended status of the final document should therefore be confirmed before an assignment is accepted.
Other applications
Live transcription and reporting can also be used for:
- Workplace investigations and disciplinary hearings
- Board and committee meetings
- Arbitrations, mediations and professional proceedings
- Research interviews and focus groups
- Conferences, consultations and public events
- Public and patient involvement sessions
The appropriate service will depend on the location, duration, number of speakers, required level of detail and delivery deadline.
To discuss a forthcoming event, contact Rebecca Hughes through The Typing Works.
