Dictate Your Way to Efficiency

We are currently traveling in uncharted territory. Many of you have worked remotely for years, where others are still trying to figure out the logistics of how to physically work remotely. And even if the location of your work hasn’t changed, the feeling or the environment is different. Many of you will be working today with your spouse and kids surrounding you. We have new terms like social distancing and every situation is fluid and evolving. These are new times, so we need new tools to help us find as much efficiency in the way we are working.

Although Microsoft 365 Dictation is not a “new” tool, the functionality is new and much more improved. If you are unfamiliar with Dictation, it is the tool that allows you to speak directly to your computer through Office 365 and draft documents, emails, spreadsheets and even PowerPoint presentations. The speak-to-text ability can save you time. It can be much more efficient than speaking the text to an assistant as the speed in which it records the text in front of you is astonishing. If can even translate the text into multiple other languages. The two necessary criteria for this function to work to its full potential are:

• You have a quality microphone
• You have a reliable internet connection

To try out this tool, make sure you are signed in to your Office 365 account.

1. Next, verify that your Microphone is turned on. (This can be done in your “Microphone Settings.”)
2. Open the tool you would like to speak and record with: Word, Outlook, etc.
3. Open a new email, new document, etc. and select Dictate icon in the top right-hand side. (See image below)
4. Wait for the Red Dictate button to appear, a sound will occur, and then you will know that Dictate is “on.” (See image below)
   
5. Start talking just as you would to a human assistant. Speak fluidly and conversationally.
6. Add punctuation by speaking the name of the punctuation.
7. If you make a mistake, there is no need to turn Dictate off. Move your cursor to the error and edit. Then resume talking as soon as you are finished.
8. When you are finished with the document, turn Dictate off by clicking the red button.

Dictation can be a great time-saver, and we can currently use all the help we can get to be efficient. Stay strong and stay healthy and as always, reach out to our team of Business Technology Associates. Our Pendello Team can offer assistance on this tool or others as you learn to work in a whole new way.