InstantText or Shorthand. SM
Posted By: MsIndigo on 2008-10-20
In Reply to: picking an expander - mkbiker
This is not the place to save a few dollars not getting one of the best programs available. A month from now, you'd give up (insert favorite vice of choice) before you'd give up your expander.
Smartype, much beloved as it (and any expander) is by its users, isn't quite in the same class.
Expanderic may be good but is new and basically untried. It's officially endorsed by this forum, BTW. I'm bothered by the fact that its advertising showcases the term "Shorthand," which could be misleading, though not intentionally, I'm sure...
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Shorthand or InstantText SM
Tops in the field. Both excellent. Get one of them today.
My goodness, YES, an Expander makes an enormous difference. Why do you think so many people are saying they can't make a living any more and yet others are making good money? Today's wages are based on a transcription speed literally something like twice what it used to be, and going up.
Using yours extensively IS a new skill you'll have to develop over the next few months, but your income will go up with every paycheck. You're going to love seeing THAT and end up addicted to abbreviating everything in sight.
And, as you do more and more editing, you're also going to love having your expander do all those fussy multi-keystroke corrections you run into again and again with just a couple of taps on your part. I couldn't bear to go back to deleting "q.i.d." and typing in "4 times a day" a million times a day. Yuck!
Best wishes.
Shorthand and InstantText for sure, SM
but check over at productivitytalk.com to see what they say. High on my list of attributes would be compatibility so that I could take with me just about anywhere. I'm so dependent on mine that I wouldn't consider taking a job at a place that couldn't accommodate Shorthand, or at very least convert my custom ShortHand dictionary into its program; but fortunately, Shorthand's pretty good that way.
I like InstantText...is that what you
instantText
I've been studying the manual that comes with IntantText and can't seem to find a way to backup the glossarys to a floppy. If my computer crashes, I would assume that any changes I've made to the glossarys would be gone. I tried just the "save as" and it won't go to a disk. Any suggestions?
I like InstantText myself
I tried flashtype and don't know the price comparison, but this worked for me. I talready has a lot of common stuff in it and I add stuff all the time. Plus I don't have to remember anything.
I have InstantText too.
I really love it and found it especially helpful for saving the correct spellings of drug names in the word area. I use it with AutoCorrect in a Word based platform and it works great. I like it b/c there I don't have to memorize special shortcuts.
I use InstantText with it and...sm
you can also use your autocorrect with it automatically since it a MS Word-based program. So, you should be good to go. It's a fabulous program, enjoy-!!
InstantText question
I just recently started using InstantText and now have to switch to a different computer. I have studied the manual front to back and can't seem to find where it tells me how to backup what I've created in Instant Text and move it to another computer. I am a new user, so I'm hoping it's easy - just that I don't know the program well enough to understand. Can anyone help me?
Anyone have exp with InstantText & Smartype?
I currently use Smartype and love it. But I just started a new job and they use Instant Text. She said I can use either, but Instant Text is available to me if I want to use it. Are they similar? Has anyone used BOTH and have a preference? I'm just wondering if I should use it or just stick with Smartype?
InstantText allows you to compile sm
all your docs from a doctor and it will make shortcuts for phrases used a certain amount of times.
Best place to buy InstantText?
What is the best website to buy Instant Text from? I have been considering getting it for months. I have been using AutoCorrect in Word this whole time, and I think I'm ready to graduate to Instant Text. It's worth it right? I found a few websites to get it from, and I was wondering which one is the best. I'm nervous that it is worth it as well.
I use InstantText and it works just fine.
x
I read somewhere that InstantText does it, but I haven't tried it. nm
nm
InstantText Version III Pro for sale
If interested please contact me at angela.dill@gmail.com. Also several old Spellex floppy discs. Thanks!
InstantText, hands-down. Doubled my line count.
I tried them all and then bought IT. I have gone from 115 lph to 286 lines per hour (I do ER). I would, literally, be lost without it.
I have an InstantText question about compatibility with Extext Speech
I posted this on the textware forum page, but no answer as of yet.
I am just beginning Extext Speech, and when I am linked to IText, the "magic" strokes, Alt plus period, etc., are formating strokes with IT and do not work as the magic keys.
Is there a way to get around this so I can actually use the magic keystrokes?
Thanks in advance..
SpeedType and Shorthand are the exact same program. Shorthand is lots cheaper and also has a trial.
.
{@KEY BkSp}-pack-per-year is for Shorthand. Using the semicolon works with both Shorthand and
;yo = -year-old
;py= -pack-year
etc...
Shorthand and SpeedType are exact same program. Shorthand will cost you lots less.
you can import your autocorrect into Shorthand.
I took shorthand too. But it sure comes in helpful for my expanders. I view words in shorthand for
i did use shorthand once in a job but i was so nervous the "boss" took pity and dictated the report on dictaphone.
If it is Shorthand, save the SPF file to a disk, then if you buy Shorthand yourself....
you can just drop the SPF file into it. That is not dishonest since you are the one who put the macros in. I am sure is it is another Expander there is a way to save the macro file and then drop it in the expander you buy on your own.
Shorthand ? sm
Is Shorthand compatible with and is it much different than the standard autocorrect in Word?
I use Shorthand with DQS
It is very compatible. You can set it up so that you can see a hint window while you type. I tried using the built in Expander in DQS, and you have to have a great memory, because there is no hint window or suggestion window, like Smartype. I also know that Instant Text is compatible with DQS, also; but I prefer Shorthand. I hear so many great things about Smartype and wish I could learn it, but it won't work with DQS; however, there is a way you can get around that. You can use Smartype and transcribe in Word, set your font size to 14 and save your file in Rich Text Format, then copy and paste into the DQS platform. Then select all and hit Ctrl 5 to get the spacing right. It sounds like a lot of steps and you will also lose your place as far as leaving any QA markers, so I personally don't care for the hassle, but I know of some MTs that do it that way, so you can try it.
Hope this helps.
shorthand
cool, i'll look into that thanks
Shorthand SM
Shorthand should work with ChartScript, since ChartScript uses Microsoft Word, but you would want to disable ChartScript's built in expander. If you are referring to ChartScript.net, Shorthand should work in that too.
shorthand
Wow! Thanks! I had asked that question a little while ago on the production board.
shorthand sm
Where did you find a free program? Did it load right into Word for Windows?
Shorthand
The Hospital I came from uses Meditech with Shorthand-, works fine. There is something built into Meditech like a word Expander but everyones stuff mixes in together and was a nightmare- love shorthand.
Shorthand
I would be very interested.
shorthand
I use ShortHand with Meditech. Works great....
In Shorthand, there must be (sm)
a shortcut key or something that allows you to add on the fly?? The only thing I see is to actually open the ShortHand window then I can click the insert button on my keyboard or click on the little "add" icon. Is there a key combination for doing this while I am in the document - to just bring that "add" window up?
I use Shorthand. nm
x
Shorthand
Is there a way to copy text with bold headers into shorthand, bold headers and all? The text copies fine but I have to go back and use the special keys for adding the bold back in at every header because the bold from the finished text will not carry over. I've gone through the help section but maybe I'm not asking "how to" the right way. It just seems that my old version of SH carried everything over, but I can't remember. Anyhow, if anyone has the answer, would appreciate it.
Shorthand
No, you hit Ctrl K and B before the entry, type the entry how you want it, and then hit Ctrl K and B again to toggle the bolding off. It will come up with a little window showing you the B is the next key typed or something to that effect, and you click 'OK' both times that window comes up.
Shorthand
If you need everything in CAPS use CAPS Lock. If you only want the first letter of the sentence just do as you would for a regular sentence by holding down the Shift key and type the first letter whatever it may be. It will bring up your expansion with the first letter only capitalized.
Need help w/Shorthand 9
I downloaded the 30-day trial of Shorthand. I cannot figure out how to bold a word in MSWord. Every time I try to input CTL+B into the expansion, the program puts the - {@KEY - or something like that. I have read and tried everything I could find in the Help section with no luck. Can someone type out what I need to input to get a word capitalized and bolded. I would really, really appreciate the help. I am thinking it must be something super easy that I am just not getting! TIA
I really like Shorthand
I worked for MQ and liked the expansion program. With my new company I have Shorthand. I really like it. You can try it out for a 30-day period and see if you like it before you buy it.
Shorthand!
Is there a way you can import addresses into ShortHand all at once, instead of one by one?
Thanks in advance!
Shorthand
There is an AWESOME board you can join that will help also. It is productivity talk, and it is at http://www.productivitytalk.com/
It will not only help you with ShortHand but also with Instant Text, Smartype (sp?) and MS Word.
shorthand help
Does anyone know how to add to ShortHand the following: PLa then subscript the #2 in font of 8 instead of 12. It is annoying to keep going to font size and then to subscript and then back to font size and then back to no subscript. I am looking for an easy fix, any help?
Shorthand
We can I go to buy Shorthand?
Shorthand
I have been trying to order ShortHand for over a week now and their web site is down. Are they out of business? Any info? Thanks!
PRD to ShortHand
I worked for 25+ years in WP for DOS and used PRD. I loved it. This year I changed to WORD and was able to use ShortHand from the first day. The file conversion from my PRD to ShortHand was quick and easy. One thing I really like is that the length of the short form is not limited, sometimes with PRD I wanted "just one more letter."
I have not learned how to write the neat macros I had in WP5.1 that would switch from document 1 to document 2, search and copy, and then paste. I will do anything to keep from using the mouse. Like I said before, it's all new to me this year, but I am learning. One reason I held off the switch to WORD for so long was that I would not stop using my beloved PRD.
Anyway, as far as I can tell, in ShortHand there is NO LIMIT to the number of abbreviations you can have in a directory, and no limit to the number of directories you can have. So you could have one dedicated to surgeries, and another for discharge summaries, and it's easy to switch them.
And after all these years, I found WORD was not really that technical or difficult to learn. Whichever Expander you choose, I hope it works out for you like it did for me.
PC Shorthand
Would you mind telling me your experience (good or bad) with PC ShortHand for Windows? I'm considering buying it but want to know some opinions from people who have actually used it. Thanks!
shorthand
Love it, couldn't make any money without it.....
Karen
help with shorthand
Ok here is the problem. I want to delete the entire dictionary from Shorthand. I was trying to transfer from one computer to the other and really messed it up. I now have 4 dictionaries but no entries. How do I delete these so I can start all over again. Your help is appreciated by my entire family.
shorthand
I know how to do that but the problem is that it does not highlight when you right click on it.
ShortHand -- They have a ...
ShortHand 8 is out now, I think. They will let you download it for a 30-day trial. Most will give a trial, so you could check them out before you buy too. GL!
shorthand help
Can anyone tell me how to ipunt bold in my ShortHand files, i.e. I want PMH to be bolded when I type in my shortcut for it. If I am on the wrong board, please direct me.
Thanks
Shorthand
Can anyone give me a guestimate of how much their lines have increased using shorthand, or any other Expander for that matter? Thanks!
Re: Shorthand
lol Thanks. I have actually never used a program like this and have been an MT for 6 years. At MQ I could do 300-400 lph with my Expanders and am doing just a little less than that now. I have a lot of expanders but just wondered how much I could increase my line count by getting a program that would serve me better than my expanders.
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