There are many software programs available for this purpose. They range from free to quite expensive. Most work only on specific operating systems, e.g., they may work only on Win 7 or may work on older platforms but only through Win XP or perhaps only on a Mac computer. Word’s AutoCorrect can do the job quite nicely, too. It is important to make sure the abbreviation expansion software is compatible with the operating system on your computer.
I have used abbreviation expansion software since my first day working as a transcriptionist way back even before Windows was available. Since then, I have tried quite a few and have been happy with most and disappointed in some. A few years ago, I purchased a new upgraded version of the software I had been using for the 10 years prior. This new package is a little quirky to this day.
Yesterday my expansion software crashed. The menu bar disappeared. I could not add or delete entries. I could not export the file or back it up. According to the company’s Help, my only recourse (and apparently this is a common enough experience that there are step-by-step instructions) is to “reset the program” by running anew the original “exe” file. With most software, reinstalling a program (which is what this really is) means overwriting the program files, but not the database I had created! So I followed instructions and immediately was faced with a blank slate! Every expansion I had entered over the last 10 years was gone as were the settings that I had painfully customized to my preferences.
The moral of this story is to remember to back up your files – all of your important files – and do so frequently.
For readers who have not started working with abbreviation expansion software yet, do not be afraid. Once you try it, you will not be able to live without it. For information on setting up your abbreviation expansions, please click on the following link:
Type the shortcut on the left and watch the expansion (on the right) appear on the page.
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