FAQ


What format of audio will you transcribe?
Communiqué will work with almost any format as long as it can be transcribed! We prefer digital files simply because they save you both time and money and result in quicker turnaround times. Please contact us if you’re unsure as to whether or not we can work with one of your audio sources.

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Is the price really per minute of audio?
Yes. We price on the length of the audio we receive, not the amount of time it takes to complete the transcript. Please keep in mind that we differentiate price-wise between good and difficult audio. See ‘What quality of audio does Communiqué accept?’ for more details.

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What influences turnaround?
Many things. If you need a file transcribed quickly use our 24HR- or 48HR services. We also offer a "difficult audio" option which speeds up turnaround as well.

The biggest influence here is audio quality. Even if your audio meets our minimum quality standards, lesser quality audio still takes longer to transcribe than better quality. Audio with heavy accents, background noise, and/or highly obscure or technical content usually takes more time to transcribe and edit than crisp, clear audio. Long files, of course, generally take more time than short ones. Once files reach the 2 hour-plus mark, turnaround slows dramatically.

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What format are the finished transcripts delivered in?
The finished transcriptions are delivered in RTF. RTF is a Microsoft Word friendly format.

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What is the ‘Specify special instructions’ box for?
The ‘Specify special instructions’ box is a way for you to communicate with the transcriptionist. The box may be used, for example … to list the names of podcast speakers, or to point out potentially tricky technical terms, acronyms, or the spelling of a word(s). It is helpful to include a link to the site of the original podcast, audio file, and/or relevant websites. Also, please include notes on anything in the audio file that does NOT need to be included in the transcript … i.e. please note if you DO want commercial breaks transcribed. Keep in mind that the quality of the notes included will directly affect the quality of the final transcript. A good set of notes can substantially reduce the time it will take for you to edit the transcription once you receive it.

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Why get an account?
A Communiqué account allows you to check up on your order status, retrieve completed transcripts and specify special instructions for all of your orders.

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How many speakers are too many?
With each additional speaker the chances of mislabeled speakers increases. In addition, changes in speaker may not be identified with larger numbers of speakers, or speakers with similar voices. If you don't need to distinguish between every speaker but want to use something that is more inclusive (such as Moderator and Panelist), please include this in the notes.

We generally accept audio files with large numbers of speakers, but set lower standards on the resulting transcript quality … especially if speakers tend to talk over the top of one another.

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What quality of audio does Communiqué accept?
Audio quality significantly affects the transcript quality. We require audio sampled at the very least with 44.1 kHz, adequate volume and very limited background noise to produce transcripts of a reasonable quality. We may turn down work if we feel the audio quality is poor. We do not currently offer audio engineering services to improve your audio quality.

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What is meant by difficult audio quality?
Difficult audio is transcribable, but noticeably hard to understand. Factors that can make audio difficult include: background noise, speakers who talk on top of each other, excessive jargon, and/or strong accents. If more than one of these is present in your audio, it is guaranteed that your audio will be deemed to be “difficult”. 24HR transcription only works when we’re provided with good quality audio. If we find your audio to be too difficult we will notify you and refund your order. You can add on difficult quality audio with any of our products. We don't guarantee turnaround times with difficult audio. However, if you pay for difficult audio your transcription gets done much more quickly, often within the turnaround times.

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When are timestamps placed?
Timestamps are inserted at the beginning of each speaker change and if appropriate … for instance in audio files with long monologues, at paragraph breaks.

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What file types does Communiqué accept?
We handle MP3, MP4, and WAV, AVI, MOV and most WMA/WMV files at this time. We can usually handle other types of audio and video but your order might take longer to process. See ‘How do I convert my audio file into MP3?’ for instructions on how to convert other file types into MP3 format.

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How do I convert my audio file into MP3?
WAV to MP3 on Windows or Mac using iTunes:

If you have a WAV file, you can easily convert it to MP3 using iTunes. Open it up in iTunes then right-click (Control + Click if using a Mac) on the file. Choose "Convert Selection to MP3" in the ‘Advanced’ menu. To figure out where iTunes saved the new MP3, choose File - > Get Info, then look at the ‘Where’ section at the bottom of the Summary tab. If you don't see the option to Convert Selection to MP3, you probably need to alter your Import Settings in your iTunes Preferences to "MP3 Encoder".

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What kinds of notifications will I receive?
We will always email you using the email address that you supplied with your audio file(s). Be aware that there are instances whereby emails do not successfully make it through your mail server. It might get marked as spam depending on the way your mail client is configured; or be turned away by your mail server for other reasons; however, you can always log onto our website to download your transcripts and we encourage you to do that.

Finally, if you have selected to be notified by SMS we will provide you with a text message detailing the filename of the audio we have transcribed for you.

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What kinds of payment does Communiqué accept?
Communiqué accepts Credit Card payments from Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club. We also accept payment via Direct Debit into our Bank A/c. If you do not have one of these accounts at your disposal you may also pay using a Cheque or by Money Order; however, please note that the transcribing process does not start until your payment clears.

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