By Martel Electronics · November 10, 2026 · Manual transcription and review

A transcript can contain neatly formatted timestamps that still point to the wrong file, use an unexplained clock, or appear in the wrong paragraph. Quality checking should therefore test the relationship between the document and the recording, not just whether every marker looks consistent.

Use a small set of deliberate checks at setup, after a workflow change, and before handoff. The purpose is to make the document understandable to someone who did not watch you create it.

Identify the exact recording

Place the source filename or agreed identifier in the transcript header. If several files are involved, label the transition between them. Do not let the reader assume that 00:05:30 belongs to the same timeline throughout a document containing several clips.

Confirm that the reviewed file is the one named in the document. A trimmed export, a version with an added introduction, or a replacement download can shift elapsed positions. Keep the original source association clear even if the visible interview content appears similar.

Explain the timestamp convention

State whether markers show elapsed video position, recording date/time, or both. For recording-clock values, record the known reference and whether the zone or UTC offset is specified. If the reference came from an on-screen clock, say so rather than implying independent synchronization.

Check one example manually. A first-frame reference of 00:10:00 should produce 00:15:30 at video position 00:05:30 on the same date. For footage crossing midnight, include the date so the rollover is visible.

Test navigation at several points

Choose an early passage, a middle passage, and a late passage. Navigate to each elapsed timestamp and verify that the associated speech or event is nearby. Where precise event onset matters, inspect that onset explicitly rather than accepting a marker captured after the transcriber finished typing.

Repeat this check on both sides of an edit, file change, or clock jump. A reference that was correct at the beginning may not remain valid after removed footage. Resolve a mismatch before applying a broad correction to many paragraphs.

Inspect how markers entered the document

If you use Ctrl+T or a pedal assignment, confirm that one press produces one marker. Test a held press and a new press after release in a disposable line. If you use Copy Timestamp, verify that the pasted value is the intended one and that another clipboard operation did not replace it.

For automatic paragraphs, count the intentional Enter presses in a short test. For intervals, check the chosen spacing and remember that safe insertion can defer a marker. Neither mechanism automatically aligns every sentence to its first spoken word.

Read the document without the player

Look for markers inserted inside words, selected text that was accidentally replaced, duplicated speaker labels, and unexplained abbreviations. Check that uncertainty labels distinguish unclear speech from visual observations. Use a consistent style for pauses, overlaps, and relevant non-speech events according to the project's instructions.

Make sure the reader can tell where a source quote ends and your editorial note begins. A timestamp helps locate material; it does not turn an interpretation into a recorded statement.

Package a usable handoff

Save the transcript in the required document format. Include its source identifier, timestamp convention, known reference information, and any unresolved timing limitations. If you provide multiple files, make their names correspond clearly.

Keep your source recording unchanged. Martel's player and timestamp features support review without re-encoding it. The final document remains a separate work product that should be saved, checked, and delivered through the appropriate workflow for the project.