💬 Transcriptions Guide
This guide covers everything you need to know about transcribing audio and video files in USpeech Analytics.
Overview
Section titled “Overview”USpeech Analytics uses advanced AI to convert your audio and video recordings into accurate, searchable text. The transcription engine:
- Supports multiple languages (English, Spanish, Ukrainian and more, with auto-detection)
- Identifies different speakers automatically
- Provides turn-level timestamps (optional)
- Handles various audio qualities and accents
Quick How-To
Section titled “Quick How-To”📋 How to create a project
Section titled “📋 How to create a project”- Navigate to the Transcription panel
- Select Create Project in the Project drop-down menu
- Choose project configuration:
- Project Title - enter a name for your project
- Audio File Type - select the type of audio files you want to transcribe. Available types are: Interview for in-depth interviews, Focus Group for group discussions, Call for contact center calls
- Return Timestamps - select this option if you want to include timestamps in the transcript
- Language - select the language of your audio files. The only available option is Auto
📝 How to Transcribe a File
Section titled “📝 How to Transcribe a File”- Navigate to your Audio Analysis project
- Click Upload Files and select one or more audio/video files
- Wait for the upload to complete. Files will appear in the table My Files having status Uploaded (or Transcribed in case of SRT files)
- Select one or more files you need to transcribe and click the Transcribe button. You can also click on three dots next to the file name and select Transcribe from the drop-down menu
- The status will change to “Processing” - processing typically takes about 1/8 of the audio length
- Once complete, the status will change to “Transcribed” and you can click on the file name to review
💡 Tip: you’ll get an email notification when the transcription process is finished. In order to enable email notifications, go to Profile, check “Notify job completion” and click Save.
⚠️ Important: any transcribed audio files are billed based on their duration, after the transcription is done, regardless of the number of analysis types. However, uploaded transcription files are not billed until the analysis is performed on them.
👁️🗨️ How to Review Your Transcript
Section titled “👁️🗨️ How to Review Your Transcript”- Click on the file name to open the file details or transcript view. Only “Transcribed” files can be reviewed
- Review the transcript
💾 How to Download Your Transcript
Section titled “💾 How to Download Your Transcript”- Choose one or more files having “Transcribed” status
- Click the Download button. The transcription will be downloaded in Word Document (docx) format
Supported File Types
Section titled “Supported File Types”Audio Formats
Section titled “Audio Formats”| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MP3 | .mp3 | Most common, widely supported |
| WAV | .wav | Uncompressed, highest quality |
| M4A | .m4a | Apple format, good compression |
| AAC | .aac | Advanced Audio Coding |
| OGG | .ogg | Open format |
| FLAC | .flac | Lossless compression |
Video Formats
Section titled “Video Formats”| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MP4 | .mp4 | Most common video format |
| MOV | .mov | Apple QuickTime format |
| AVI | .avi | Windows format |
| WebM | .webm | Web-optimized format |
Transcription Formats
Section titled “Transcription Formats”| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SRT | .srt | SubRip Subtitle format |
File Limits
Section titled “File Limits”- Maximum duration: 2 hours per file
- Maximum file size: 500 MB
- Minimum quality: 16 kbps audio bitrate recommended
Project Settings
Section titled “Project Settings”When creating or editing an Audio Analysis project, you can configure default settings that apply to all new uploads.
Audio Type
Section titled “Audio Type”Choose the type of content you’re transcribing to optimize results:
| Audio Type | Best For | How It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | One-on-one conversations | Optimized for 2 speakers, clear turn-taking |
| Focus Group | Group discussions | Better handles multiple speakers, overlapping speech |
| Call | Phone/video calls | Handles varying audio quality, echo |
Language Settings
Section titled “Language Settings”| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | Automatically detects the spoken language (recommended for mixed-language content) |
💡Tip: Use auto-detection unless you’re experiencing recognition issues with a specific language.
Timestamps
Section titled “Timestamps”| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Off (default) | Transcript shows speaker turns without timestamps — cleaner for reading |
| On | Includes word-level timestamps — useful for video editing, precise citations |
Understanding Transcript Output
Section titled “Understanding Transcript Output”Speaker Identification
Section titled “Speaker Identification”The system automatically identifies different speakers and labels them. If possible, it also attempts to identify the role of each speaker (e.g., interviewer, participant):
Interviewer: Thank you for joining us today. Can you tell me about your experience?
Participant: Of course. I've been using the product for about six months now...Note: Speaker labels are consistent within a file (Speaker 1 is always the same person), but may vary across different files.
Transcript Structure
Section titled “Transcript Structure”Your transcript includes:
- Speaker labels — Who is speaking
- Speech content — What was said
- Timestamps (if enabled) — When it was said
File Status Reference
Section titled “File Status Reference”| Status | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Uploaded | File uploaded, ready for transcription | Click “Transcribe” to start |
| Processing | Processing in progress | Wait for completion |
| Transcribed | Transcription complete | View or download transcript |
| Failed | An error occurred | Try re-uploading or contact support |
Tips for Best Results
Section titled “Tips for Best Results”Before Recording
Section titled “Before Recording”- Use quality equipment — A decent microphone makes a big difference
- Minimize background noise — Record in quiet environments
- Position microphones correctly — Ensure all speakers are audible
- Test levels — Do a short test recording first
File Preparation
Section titled “File Preparation”- Trim unnecessary sections — Remove long silences or irrelevant parts
- Use common formats — MP3 or M4A work best
- Keep files under 2 hours — Split longer recordings
- Ensure consistent volume — Normalize audio if needed
After Transcription
Section titled “After Transcription”- Review the transcript — AI is accurate but not perfect
- Check speaker labels — Verify speaker identification
- Note any corrections — Keep track of specialized terms or names
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”Common Issues
Section titled “Common Issues”Transcription is taking too long
- Large files (>1 hour) may take 15-30 minutes
- Check your internet connection
- Very poor audio quality requires more processing
Poor accuracy
- Ensure audio quality is sufficient (clear speech, minimal noise)
- Try setting the correct language manually instead of auto-detect
- Background music or noise significantly impacts accuracy
Speakers not identified correctly
- Very similar voices may be confused
- Overlapping speech can cause misattribution
- Short utterances may not be correctly attributed
File won’t upload
- Check file format is supported
- Ensure file is under 500 MB
- Try converting to MP3 format
Error Messages
Section titled “Error Messages”| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| ”File too large” | Exceeds 500 MB limit | Compress or split the file |
| ”Unsupported format” | File type not recognized | Convert to MP3 or WAV |
| ”Processing failed” | Audio couldn’t be processed | Check audio quality, re-upload |
| ”Insufficient hours” | Usage limit reached | Upgrade subscription or wait for reset |
Frequently Asked Questions
Section titled “Frequently Asked Questions”Q: How accurate are the transcriptions? A: Accuracy typically ranges from 90-98% depending on audio quality, accents, and background noise. Clear recordings in English achieve the highest accuracy.
Q: Can I edit the transcript? A: Currently, transcripts are read-only in the app. Download as Word format to make edits.
Q: Are my recordings secure? A: Yes. Files are encrypted in transit and at rest. Recordings are stored privately and only accessible to your team.
Q: What happens to my audio files after transcription? A: Files are retained in your project until you delete them. You can remove files at any time.
Q: Can I transcribe in multiple languages in one file? A: Yes, use the “Auto” language setting. The system will detect and transcribe mixed-language content.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”Once you have transcripts, you can:
- Analyze conversations to extract insights
- Export transcripts for use in other tools
- Share results with your team