DocShuttle Dictator

The DocShuttle Dictator window has two panes. The top pane displays files on the FTP server. The bottom pane displays files on the local computer hard drive. Files can be uploaded to the FTP server either by dragging files from the bottom pane to the top pane or by clicking the arrows in the button bar at the top of the window.

Setting Up DocShuttle Dictator

Click Tools | Settings from the DocShuttle Dictator window to configure the settings. The host address, username and password must be entered. Also enter the job type you will be using in the "User’s Job Type" field.

Connecting to a FTP Site

Once the settings have been entered, simply press the 'Connect' button on DocShuttle Dictator to connect to the FTP site. Once connected, all files in the "User’s Job Type" folder on the FTP server will be displayed in the DocShuttle Dictator window. All new files can be uploaded by pressing the "Upload New Files" button. Many functions such as running reports and moving files can be performed by right-mouse-clicking within the panes of the DocShuttle Dictator window.

Importing Voice Files from Handheld Recorders

Voice files may be imported from digital handheld recorders or other systems that create sound files.  DocShuttle will import files that have *.wav, *.vox, *.dss, *.mp3, *.msv, and *.dvf extensions.  Other sound file extensions can also be specified in the settings on the Local tab. There are two methods for importing voice files.  One method is to specify the import directory where files may be found in the Settings window.  Select Tools | Settings from the DocShuttle Dictator menu and click the Import Tab.  The window shown below will appear.  Specify the import directory and user ID for each folder.  Importing may also be scheduled by selecting the "Local" tab in the Settings window.  Once the settings have been entered, you may import files by selecting the Tools | Import Files menu option from the DocShuttle menu.

Another method for importing files is to drag-and-drop sound files directly from Windows Explorer into the DocShuttle Administrator window.  This method will import files into the default job type folder using the default user ID (the first line shown in the image above). DocShuttle will import files that have *.wav, *.vox, *.dss, *.mp3, *.msv, and *.dvf extensions or extensions specified on the Local tab.  

Managing Files using DocShuttle Dictator

File management using DocShuttle Dictator is easy because the status of all files is shown in the program window. Local files (shown in the lower pane) can have the following status: "New", "Stat", or "Transferred". Files that have not been uploaded have either "New" or "Stat" status. Once they have been uploaded to the FTP site, they will have the "Transferred" status.

FTP Files (shown in the upper pane) can be the following status: "New", "Downloaded", "Completed", or "Uploaded". Each status is shown with a unique icon. When files are first uploaded, they will all have a "New" status. When a transcriptionist downloads a file, the status will turn to "Downloaded" and the file will appear with a yellow lightning bolt icon. When the transcriptionist completes the file, the status will turn to "Completed" and the file will appear with a red flag icon. If the transcriptionist attaches a text document and uploads the document, the status will turn to "Uploaded" and the file will appear with a red paperclip icon. When all files in the upper pane of the DocShuttle Dictator window are marked with a red icon, this indicates that all files have been completed by the transcriptionists.

Below is a chart that shows the different statuses that a file can have.  There are two columns of icons.  The right column of icons indicates the status of the voice file.  The left column indicates the status of the attached text document.  If a voice file has been completed by a transcriptionist, it will be marked with a red flag.  Files that have a colored paperclip icon represent files that are being reviewed for quality assurance purposes.  The "Uploaded" status represents a file that is fully complete.  Files with this status have a red flag and black paperclip beside them.

Managing Text Documents

DocShuttle Dictator can download text documents for all files that have been completed by the transcriptionists.  To view all completed text documents, select Tools | Document Manager from the DocShuttle Administrator menu.  The Document Manager window shown below will appear.  The Document Manager displays all downloaded text documents.  This window enables functions such as printing, viewing, searching and creating reports.  A scheduling feature allows automatic printing of all newly downloaded documents.

Creating Reports

Reports may be easily created using the Document Manager window.  Simply select Options | Custom Report from the Document Manager menu.  The dialog box shown below will appear.

To create a report, select the criteria from the dialog box and click the Create button.  If the documents downloaded by DocShuttle are Microsoft Word documents and Microsoft Word is installed on the computer, you may select the "Include MS Word Statistics" checkbox to include line count information in the report.