High Tech Reporting
How to leverage technology to your advantage.
When you are a student, it’s important to start saving up for the equipment you’ll need once you become a court reporter. Setting aside $10 per week will help you get started. Your steno machine and professional software is one of the biggest expenses you’ll incur right after certification. If possible, try to communicate with reporters in your area, as well as scopers and proofreaders to find out which software is most popular in your area. This will help you work with others since you’ll be able to send files back and forth without having to perform conversions.
Many newly certified reporters just use the same laptop they’d been using through school. While that’s fine to get you started, purchasing a new laptop as soon as you can afford it is advised. Also, when you purchase a laptop, we recommend that you purchase a work laptop and only use it for that purpose. This will protect your computer from viruses, and keep it running smooth for years of service. The features we look for in a working computer are: multiple USB-A type connections, an ethernet port, an SD card slot, and, if possible, a CD/DVD drive. The USB-A connections will allow you to connect your machine, flash drives, and external hard drives. The ethernet port will help you maintain a good connection during zoom depos. The SD card slot will be nice to have when you need to pull files from your machine’s SD card. And the CD/DVD drive is great to have for working with courts, police departments, etc. who frequently use DVDs as their primary method of transferring files. If you can’t find a laptop with a built-in CD/DVD drive, we recommend purchasing an external CD/DVD drive that you can connect to your laptop when needed.
Backing up jobs should also be a priority on day 1 of your new career. Developing a process and sticking to it is critical for your success. External hard drives are a great way to back up your jobs, but it is also tedious to have to transfer files every day. Google Drive for Desktop is a very simple, affordable, and automatic option. Simply install the program on your work laptop, sign in, and specify which folders should be backed up. Google Drive will back up files any time there are changes and is accessible anywhere you have internet access.
If you enjoyed this introduction, please review TCRA’s Soon-to-be CSR Guide which covers a full list of equipment you’ll need to get started.
