How to Use the Quikscribe Manager

Quikscribe Manager Overview
License Registration for QS Manager
File Monitor Features
Setting The Queue Display
Set File Property Columns
Export Settings / Load Settings
Accessing Files in a Folder
File Details
Moving Files
File Properties
Unlocking Files
Typist Tab
Search Files
Reports

IT Admin Tools Overview
Installing and Managing the Quikscribe Enterprise
Install Scripts
QS Recorder Script Options
Executing the QS Recorder Install Script
QS Player Script Options
Executing the QS Player Install Script
QS Recorder Profile Editor
Edit Settings (QSR)
Edit Send
Edit New
QSR Global Template
Custom Field Name Settings
Custom Field Names using QSR Profile Editor
Custom Field Names using QSP Profile Editor
Quikscribe Downloader Profile Editor
QS Downloader Global Template Settings
Encryption
Keywords
QS Player Profile Editor
Lock Tools
Concurrent License Server

The Quikscribe Manager provides easy administration, monitoring, and management of the dictation files and folders waiting to be transcribed. There are specific tools designed to assist an Office Manager or IT Administrator.

Office Manager tools include:

• enterprise-wide file monitoring and management
• ability to change file status or assign priority
• ability to reassign file workload from one transcription queue to another
• a robust file search tool
• report generator for statistical analysis.

IT Administrator tools include:

•  a menu-based install script generator that provides fast deployment of Quikscribe Recorder and Player programs
• online licensing management; easy to move licenses from one PC to another
• centralized user profile editors; provides easy manipulation of user configuration settings without touching each user PC
• global template settings for user profiles for both QS Recorder and Player programs, including the ability to customize how field names are displayed
• Concurrent licensing management; automatic registration of QS Recorder and Player licenses

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Registering the license unlocks the menu features.  Select Help, then Register to enter the appropriate license key provided with purchase.  Then restart the QS Enterprise Manager application.

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The QS Manager File Monitor provides a concise picture of the organization’s dictation files, and also the ability to:

• Reassign files from one transcription folder to another
• Change priority
• Change Date/time required
• Change file status to “Locked”, “Unlocked”, or “Completed”
• Search for files based on author name, typist name, matter number, subject, document type, document name, or key dates
• Change file completion instructions (notify author/secretary, provide printout, store archive file)

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The Typing Queues (or “folders”) are added or deleted to the display using the File Monitor Settings menu option.  Simply add new queues to the tree structure, and the File Monitor will engage automatically to monitor the files in the folders.

“Add” a typing queue to the list, and then select “Save Queues” to retain the defined folders in the list.

Set the Refresh Time so that the file status will update periodically.  Use the highest time setting available to achieve the desired results, as more frequent (lower) refresh times increase network traffic.

Once the queues are defined, the File Monitor provides continuous monitoring of file status activities, displaying color codes for the file icons and file counts for the folders.  The “parent” queue will display the highest priority color code for any of the “child” subfolders.

The File Monitor Legend describes the color codes for the display of the file folders.  For instance, files that are ‘urgent’ will cause the folder to display a red icon.

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Go to “Set File Property Columns” and the “FieldDisplayOptions” window will appear.

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Using the Export Settings feature allows you to save all your Manager settings to a file on a shared network folder.  Then by using the Load Settings feature from another computer, you can retrieve the Manager settings (including all the File Monitor queues defined) that were saved in a previous session.

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By clicking on a folder, files in that folder are then displayed.  The different colors represent the priority status in the queue.  By clicking on a field name at the top of each column (such as “FileName”, “Required”, “Date Sent”, etc.), the table is sorted ascending or descending to quickly identify and retrieve a specific file.

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The file shown below that is highlighted in yellow shows the Status as “Locked”, meaning this file is open and in use.  The “%” column shows the percentage completed as of the current time.  In this example, the file is 34% complete.

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Moving Files made easy One or more files may be selected, and then moved by right-clicking the mouse and dragging to the file to another folder.  This is most helpful to reassign workload from one transcription queue to another.  You can also select the file, and then right-click to display the Move File menu option.

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By double-clicking on a file, the File Properties panel appears, showing details pertaining to the file.  You may change the file status, date/time required, and the Urgent flag as desired.  Changes (including if a file is moved from one queue to another) are tracked in the Typist History, as shown in the Typist tab.

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If a network error results in a file remaining open and in “Locked” status (preventing access to the file from QS Player), the file may be released by changing the status to “Unlocked”.  Once the status is saved, the file is now accessible and can be opened successfully with QS Player.

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The Typist tab provides information on how much time has been spent on the file, and a complete history of who has worked on the file and for how long.  This information is also available as part of the Reports module.  The Typist History also records changes in file status, priority, date/time required, and if the file has been moved from one queue to another.

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The Search Files feature provides a way to quickly find a specific file or group of files.  You may narrow the results output by including additional criteria items using the ‘More’ button.  Once the search criteria is specified, select the ‘Search’ button to scan the files in the folders.  The results will display in the window, and you may display file properties, move the file(s) to another queue as desired using the right-click mouse functions.

The Search function will scan actual audio files contained in the folder (and subfolders) you select.  This is different from the Reports search feature, which scans historical data and not the actual audio files.

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Producing reports is a two-step process.  The “Build Databases” feature displays a window similar to the “Search” feature, where you define the selection criteria for your report, and then save the output to a file.  The output file is then available to be selected in the ‘Export Reports’ feature, and you can then specify the fields to export to the Excel spreadsheet.

Now that you’ve saved the search results to a file, we need to export the data to an Excel spreadsheet.

Select “Reports”, then “Export Reports”

You’ll see a list of files created by the Build Database feature where you selected the search criteria.

1. Select the output file created from the “Build Database” step.
2. The criteria used to create the database file are displayed.
3. The number of dictation report files matching the selection criteria is displayed.
4. Select the desired output fields to include for export to the Excel spreadsheet.
5. Select the “Export” button to generate the report.The results will be displayed in an Excel spreadsheet.

At this point, you may adjust the appearance of the spreadsheet as desired.  You’ll need to define the Excel format of date fields to display them properly (such as Date Created, Date Sent, Date Completed).

Audio Duration and Billable Time fields are calculated in seconds.  Divide by 60 to display as minutes.

Export Settings / Import Settings

There is also an option to define and save the selections from the “Fields to Export” list, and then load those selections quickly as desired.  By saving the export settings, it will be easier to produce a future report if you want the same fields selected the next time.

Select the “File” menu option from the window.

Then select “Save Export Settings” and save to a file.

When needed, select “File” and then “Load Export Settings” to retrieve the desired export settings.  You may then modify the selection list as desired.

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The “Admin Tools” features provides the ability to define silent install scripts for QS Recorder and Player, and also provides centralized access to user profiles.

If you are using the QS License Server to manage your QS Recorder and Player licenses, then the Admin Tools also has a menu interface to engage the QS License Server.

You may restrict access to the Admin Tools menu with password protection.  Select “Change Password” to define the password.  You will then be prompted for the password each time you start the QS Manager and select “Admin Tools”.  This is a useful security feature if you want to deploy the QS Manager application to user workstations for just file monitoring, management, and reporting features.

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The QS Manager toolkit will simplify and streamline the installation and configuration process.  Using the script generators and user profile editors, the efforts to install and configure each workstation are minimized.

The following is the recommended process for deploying an enterprise installation:

1. Select the network drive mapping to use for the Quikscribe file folders.
2. Define the following file folders and provide full read/write/delete/modify permissions for the authors and typists:

\QSFiles\

\QSFiles\QSRManagement

\QSFiles\Profiles\QSRecorder

\QSFiles\Profiles\QSPlayer

\QSFiles\Reports

\QSFiles\Completed

\QSFiles\Admin

If you will have a central queue for all dictation files:

\QSFiles\Dictation

If you will have separate queues for each transcriptionist (or department or work type):

\QSFiles\Typists

\QSFiles\Typists\(transcriptionist #1)

\QSFiles\Typists\(transcriptionist #2)

…etc

1. Generate the QSR and QSP install scripts using the script generators.
2. Install QSR and QSP on a test PC (executing the install scripts).
3. Using the QSR and QSP Profile Editors, configure user profile settings for a sample QSR user and QSP user, then create all QSR and QSP user profiles by using the initial profiles as a template and selecting the “Save as” feature to make copies to create a user profile for each user.
4. Install QSR and QSP on the appropriate user PCs, executing the install scripts.
5. Run QSR or QSP, and select File->Change Profile to select the appropriate user profile for the PC.

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You may generate individual install scripts for both QS Recorder and QS Player, by selecting the desired options and defining the file path locations.

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1. Select the Profile Path to store the QS Recorder user profiles on the network file server.You may type the entry, or double-click to browse to the folder location.

2. Select the Working Directory path – this should be on the C: drive of the computer, and is usually defined as C:\QSFiles or under My Documents\QSFiles.

3. The Import Path stores backup files imported by portable digital recorders.

4. The Management Path should be on the network file server.

5. The Reports Path should be on the network file server.

6. Select the options for “Install QSR” and “Silent Install”.If you want to generate a script that just defines (and updates) the PC registry settings for the file path definitions, and does not install the software, then generate the script without selecting the “Install QSR” and “Silent Install” options.

7. Select the latest (or desired) version of the MSI install program.

8. Copy and paste the QS Recorder license key number for the software registration.

9. Select the option “IAF Management”.Once installed, QS will initiate the IAF Management agent when the PC is started, and provides file status updates and communication among QS Recorder, QS Player, and QS Manager.

10. Select “Voice Recognition” ONLY if you want to include the option to integrate the Dragon NaturallySpeaking product (requires additional purchase of that product) into the dictation/transcription process.

11. Select “DPM Downloader” to include the agent for the Philips Digital Pocket Memo portable digital recorder.

12. Leave “Power Point Association” unchecked – this is for the QS Tutor product, which requires a separate license.

13. When all options are selected and defined, click the “Generate” to generate and save the install script.

If you save the script to a network folder (such as Q:\QSFiles\Admin\Scripts) and include the MSI file in the same folder, then the install program and script is available from each PC workstation.

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Just double-click on the script file (with the .vbs extension) to initiate the install process. The installation program will run in “silent” mode, and there will be no selection prompts as there is with the normal install program. All file folder path settings for the installation will be defined according to the entries generated by the script generator.

Note: The install script creates entries in the Windows Registry to define settings such as the file folder paths in QS Recorder. If you run the QS Recorder application and select Settings->File Management, you’ll notice that the entries for the file folder locations (Working Directory, Profile File, Import Path, Reports Path, Management Path) are defined according to the script generator entries, and the file folder icons on the right side of the panel are “grayed out” and will not allow changes to the entries:

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1. Select the Profile Path to store the QS Player user profiles on the network file server.You may type the entry, or double-click to browse to the folder location.

2. Select the Default Directory path – this should be on the C: drive of the computer, and is usually defined as C:\QSFiles\Default or under My Documents\QSFiles\Default.

3. The Download Path stores files downloaded from an FTP site using the FTP download feature in QS Player.

4. The Completed Path should be on the network file server.

5. The Reports Path should be on the network file server.

6. Select the options for “Install QSP” and “Silent Install”.If you want to generate a script that just defines (and updates) the PC registry settings for the file path definitions, and does not install the software, then generate the script without selecting the “Install QSP” and “Silent Install” options.

7. Select the latest (or desired) version of the MSI install program.

8. Copy and paste the QS Player license key number for the software registration.

9. Select the option “IAF Management”.Once installed, QS will initiate the IAF Management agent when the PC is started, and provides file status updates and communication among QS Recorder, QS Player, and QS Manager.

10. Select “Voice Recognition” ONLY if you want to include the option to integrate the Dragon NaturallySpeaking product (requires additional purchase of that product) into the dictation/transcription process.

11. Select “Viewer” to include installation of the QS Viewer – this is a free product to play IAF files created by QS Recorder, but does not provide playback with foot pedal or hotkey controls.

12. When all options are selected and defined, click the “Generate” to generate and save the install script.

If you save the script to a network folder (such as Q:\QSFiles\Admin\Scripts) and include the MSI file in the same folder, then the install program and script is available from each PC workstation.  Just double-click on the script file (with the .vbs extension) to initiate the install process.  All settings in the install will be defined accordingly.

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Just double-click on the script file (with the .vbs extension) to initiate the install process. The installation program will run in “silent” mode, and there will be no selection prompts as there is with the normal install program. All file folder path settings for the installation will be defined according to the entries generated by the script generator.

Note: Executing the QS Player Install Script the install script creates entries in the Windows Registry to define settings such as the file folder paths in QS Player. If you run the QS Players application and select Settings->File Locations, you’ll notice that the entries for the file folder locations are defined according to the script generator entries, and the file folder icons on the right side of the panel are “grayed out” and will not allow changes to the entries.

If you want to be able to change any of the QSP file folder entries under Settings->File Locations, run the QS Player Script Generator again, but also do the following:

1. Erase the file folder name (create a blank entry for the path setting you want to “unlock”
2. Uncheck the Install Name option.
3. Uncheck the Silent Install option.

Then generate the script and save the file with a new name, and then run the script program you just saved.

The next time you access the QSP Settings->File Locations panel, the path setting will be unlocked and can be changed as desired.

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The QS Recorder Profile Editor provides centralized access to create, manage and update individual user profiles associated with the QS Recorder program.  The editor requires storing all QSR profiles in a single folder on the network file server.

You may set the Current Profile Path by selecting File-> Select Profile or File->New to create a new profile in the desired profile path.  Once a profile has been created or selected, you may use the “Save As” to create a new user profile based on predefined settings.

If a profile is selected from the list, you may perform the following functions:

• Edit Settings – edit all QSR system settings for the user
• Edit Send – define the desired send locations and options for the user
• Edit New – define the table entries for the Matter No. and Doc Type pick-list fields when creating a new audio file

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The Edit New function allows you to define the table entries for the Matter No. and Doc Type pick-list fields.  These fields are selected when creating a new audio file in QS Recorder (if the ‘Allow Data to Be Entered’ setting is enabled in QSR Settings).

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The first entry in the profile list is the global template file “recorder.pft”.  This file contains the global settings that affect all user profiles in the list.  The advantage of using the global template is to lock down settings for the user profiles, and to apply organizational standards for the settings.

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Custom field name settings may be defined instead of using the four standard field names Subject, Matter No, Doc Name, Doc Type.  If you plan to use custom field names, you will need to define them for QS Manager, QS Recorder, and QS Player.

• QS Manager has a menu selection “Field Name Settings” under Admin Tools so that the desired field names will display in the File Monitor Console.
• QSR Profile Editor defines the field names in the QSR global template file recorder.pft.
• QSP Profile Editor defines the field names in the QSP global template file player.pft.

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You may use the Field Name Settings tab in the QSR Profile Editor to modify the Settings of the QSR Global Template file recorder.pft

This panel allows you to modify the labels associated with the four data input fields:

So if the following custom field names are Enabled and defined, then the QS Recorder display will show the custom field names instead of the standard names of Subject, Matter No, Doc Name and Doc Type.

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The QS Player Profile Editor provides a similar feature for custom field names.

Additional fields may be displayed on the QS Player by defining them in the Display Option tab:

The miscellaneous fields to display must be captured using an additional integration method (such as the XML integration file for PACS/RIS, case management or the DigiTel phone dictation system).

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The QS Downloader Profile Manager keeps an inventory of serial numbers for portable recorders and provides the ability to match each unit to a QSR user profile.  If a portable recorder is linked to a QSR user profile, then when the portable recorder is connected to the PC, the QSR settings are engaged automatically and files will be downloaded from the recorder and sent to transcription according to the settings specified in the QSR user profile.

First, set the Current Profile Path by selecting File, and then Select Profile.

 

NOTE: The Current Profile Path should be the same file path setting as defined for the QS Recorder User Profile.

Then select a device serial number from the list, and select Settings.

 

Note: the list of serial numbers is populated by docking the portable recorder unit to the PC, and the QS Recorder user profile is specified as the same file path as specified for the Current Profile Path.

 

The Settings will display for the unit, and provide direct access to the profile settings.  The functions of the settings are described in the Quikscribe Downloader Options documentation.  For this exercise, it’s important to verify the setting of QSR Profile, so that the portable recorder is linked to the appropriate QSR user profile.

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The file template.dpq provides a method to define QS Downloader global template settings that apply to all portable recorder configurations.  To engage the global template, select thetemplate.dpq file, and then select Settings.  The following panel will appear:

For the template settings above, if you select Enable for any of the options, that setting will defined as a global setting, and the user will not be able to change that setting (i.e., to enable the global setting will disable the user setting).

If you Enable a template setting, then you may also define how that setting is to be applied.  For the above example, under Device Settings, the Encryption option is Enabled, but not selected.  So the individual DPM user profile would display the following, showing that the Encryption option may not be selected by the user and that the Encryption feature is turned off:

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If the encryption option is engaged, then you must also specify the Encryption Password.  This is an internal setting used to generate the encryption algorithm – once the Encryption Password is set, it cannot be changed.  The encryption algorithm used is the Rijndael 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) adopted as a standard by the U.S. government.

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The QS Downloader program allows you to configure keywords on the DPM to help identify characteristics of the file.  These characteristics may be the Author Name, Subject, Matter No., Document Type, and Document Name fields (as used in Quikscribe), or may be other keywords defined according to other preferences or requirements.  The QS Enterprise Manager provides tools to define and maintain keyword settings throughout an organization.

Note:  The DocType and Matter No fields may be populated in the QSR global template recorder.pft using the QSR Profile Editor, which passes to all user profiles.  This streamlines the data population for each user profile, and the entries may be passed from the PC to the DPM using the ‘Load Default Quikscribe Fields’ feature.

The advantage of populating the DocType field is that the author can select the document template to use with the dictation file.  This instruction is passed to the QS Player, and QSP automatically opens the document template based on this entry for DocType.  Please refer to the QS Recorder User Manual instructions on using document templates for more details.

To edit any entry, just double-click on the table entry.  You may also use custom field name if you prefer that (double-click on the field name to change it).  For example, instead of using the field name ‘Subject’, you may change the field name to ‘Author’, and place an entry in the column to hold the author’s name.  This can be used to identify the owner of the DPM in case it’s lost or needs to be tracked.

Click the ‘Save’ button to save the settings to the template.  These global keyword settings from the template will be passed to all user profiles.

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The QS Player Profile Editor provides centralized access to create, manage and update individual user profiles associated with the QS Player program.  The editor requires storing all QSP profiles in a single folder on the network file server.

If a profile is selected from the list, you may perform the following functions:

• Edit Settings – edit all QSP system settings for the user
• Edit Paths – define the desired file folder locations to retrieve files sent by the authors
• Playback – control the playback speed, seek speed, and backspace settings

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The Lock Tools function is a security feature to restrict access to the Admin Tools menu to an authorized IT administrator.   Use the Change Password feature to define a password; once this is set then you will need the password to access the Admin Tools menu.

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The Concurrent License Server application (or service) resides on the network file server.  Once the License Server is registered for QS Recorder and Player licenses, then the License Server provides automatic registration of the client licenses.  This eliminates the need to manually register each Recorder and Player license individually.

If the QS License Server application is running on the server, then using QS Manager select Admin Tools -> Concurrent License Server, and then select the license server from the pop-up list:

If this is a new installation or registration, you will need to update the registration entries to define the license keys to use for QS Recorder and Player.  Select the “Main” menu option, and then “Server Registration”.

The following panel will appear.  Copy and paste the appropriate QSR or QSP license key into the entry field, then select “Register”.

A confirmation panel will appear – select “Register” to confirm.

Once the license has been registered, it will display on the License Database Interface form, showing the details associated with the product and license.  The example below shows the registration for QS Player.

You have the option to register another product, or to de-register an existing product.

If you close the panel, then select Admin Tools -> Concurrent License Servers, the server license form will display the product registered, showing the number of licenses assigned to the product key.  (Note:  the “Issued” field shows 0, indicating that there are no QS Players engaged).

Each QS Recorder and QS Player application on the client computers must be configured to use the concurrent license server method.  By selecting Help, then Register (or License Info), you can then check the option for “Concurrent Licensing”.

Once this is selected, then there is no need to register the product manually.

And now when we select Admin Tools -> Concurrent License Servers, we’ll see that the new QS Player has engaged the license server (as shown below).  The license for that individual computer will stay engaged with the server (or “checked out”) according to the service level assigned to the license.  The default time period is 10 days, but shorter time periods may be assigned with a different service level.

That license stays engaged for 10 days whether or not the QSR/QSP product is running.  If the product has not been started for 10 days, then the license is released automatically.

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