Document transcription converts paper documents into digital format. It can be done by scanning and using a program or manually typing. Special care is needed for historical documents. It can make historical records more accessible and government paperwork may require certified transcribers.
Document transcription converts paper documents into an editable digital format. This can be done for readability, conversion to digital file, or for a variety of other reasons. Businesses are available to perform this task for a fee, or businesses can handle their transcription needs in-house. For some types of documents, special handling may be required in the conversion process due to the sensitive nature or age of a document. In these situations, it may be necessary to use a specialized service.
This process can be done in several ways. Some companies scan documents and use a program to convert the printed information into an editable digital form. A technician reviews the transcript of the machine to correct any errors. These can include character swaps or substitutions, moved fields, and other issues that may arise. The computer program may be able to learn from the corrections and apply them to future document transcription tasks to reduce the error rate.
Another option is manual transcription, where a typist works from the original document or a high-quality facsimile to generate a new digital copy. This may be necessary when the documents include little or unusual handwriting that a computer might have trouble with, or special characters that aren’t commonly used. Historical documents in English, for example, may contain several characters not used in modern English that a computer would have difficulty interpreting.
Historical documents may require special care because transcribers want to avoid damage to the original. Scanning and similar activities can expose documents to ultraviolet light and must be done with care to preserve the integrity of the original. Transcribers should also keep their hands clean and may wear gloves when handling the material. Digitization through document transcription can make historical records more accessible to researchers and the general public; a facility might, for example, upload historical letters to its website for anyone with an interest to peruse.
Government paperwork may be subject to transcription of documents. This can include historical records such as old census data and newer records that are not available in digitized form. It may be necessary to use a certified transcriber due to the sensitivity of the information, to ensure that documents are not altered when placed in digital format. Individuals intending to use scanned documents from their home country for tasks such as citizenship applications may wish to ask a government official about the steps that need to be taken to validate the transcript of the document.
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