A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Can anyone tell me how IT and SmartType - sm

Posted: Feb 12, 2013

compare?

Differences between IT and Smartype - MMK

In Instant Text

- you can use the same short form for different entries
- you can expand with other keys than the space bar
- you can jump ahead (skip letters) when typing short forms
- the visual feedback you get with the advisories is customizable
- you get suggestions of what is likely to come next (continuations)
- you can create a glossary without having to enter each entry individually
- you can have short and long entries in the same list (formatted and non-formatted)
- you have different options for automatic spacing and capitalization
- you have an extended command menu for speech editing

The best would be to try them both to see the differences.

Smartype vs. Instant Text - Joe

[ In Reply To ..]
These are the two transcription tools that go way beyond simple and conventional abbreviation expansion. They both dramatically improve productivity compared to the other tools. I believe that Smartype is easier to learn and easier to use. But that may be because it's my product. {:>) In any case, you can try out Smartype with a 30-day free trial at www.smartype.com. IT may have a free trial too.

Instant Text is my pick - typing demon

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been using IT for years, and love it. As the other poster said, you can have multiple meanings for the same shortcut, like TP for the patient and tibial plateau and it will pop up on a list. Instant Text is not hard to learn, IMO, and also creating templates is a breeze. You just copy and paste the whole document, click on your glossary name,click add, and then there is a button at the top for "keep format" which will save all spacing, formatting, etc. Takes seconds to do. Also, as said before, it "learns" what you might typically type next and it will pop up at the bottom. For instance, type the patient and I got the choices of "was then, accepted the, was admitted to". Pretty handy. My vote is for Instant Text.

Experience is the best teacher - Burt

[ In Reply To ..]
Of all the expanders it is SmarType which literally comes with immediate productivity boost from the beginning. You do not have to program anything in when there is an engine that comes with the software. All you have to do is start typing after the installation and let your experience guide you as to what the possibilities are with SmarType. Of course you can do the same with any productivity software and make your own decisions. The proof will be in your assessment of your own experience.

One more question.... - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I downloaded both and when I uploaded my Autocorrect shorts (I've only used AC in all of my years of MT) into IT, it only brought some of them in. Is there an efficient way to bring in ALL of the shorts? I'd also like to weed out the true AC typos as opposed to the expansions. Any ideas how to do such a thing?

I'm leaning more toward SmartType at this point, but it seems pretty expensive. Do they ever have more of a sale than 20% off?

Your Smartype Questions - Joe

[ In Reply To ..]
Please email me directly at joeweber@alum.mit.edu, so I can try to help you.

How to import Autocorrect entries into Instant Text - MMK

[ In Reply To ..]

First locate the .acl file that has all your shortcuts. You can search for all MSO1033.acl files on your computer, and most likely the largest one is the file that has your shortcuts.

Then click on the AutoCorrect File button in the Importer and select the acl file that contains your shortcuts.

When you save the converted file you are prompted:

"Select Yes to ignore entries that correspond to spelling corrections. This will only import abbreviation entries."

"Select No to import all entries..."

You want to click Yes. Now you can open it into the active glossary list. In Instant Text right-click on Glossaries and in the Glossary menu click on Open, then double-click on your converted Autocorrect file.

If you need help, don't hesitate to contact our tech support at 781-272-3200 ext 2

Similar Messages:

Oct 11, 2010

Hello what do you all use for expanders? I need something that I do not have to memorize abbreviations (I am losing my mind as it is lol), something that will give me choices that I can actually see, something that has its own base of medical/nonmedical words to choose from. Is there anything like that? THANKS!!!!!!!!! ...