Vendor page
How to Format a Transcript: Everything There Is to Know
GoTranscript, GoTranscript, n.d.
Read the originalRead on October 17, 2026
- What it is
- A transcription company's formatting guide that gives its own tags for inaudible speech and crosstalk, with a timestamp in each tag.
- How much weight it carries
- Vendor style advice, useful as an example of one house convention. Other providers use different tags, so a team should write its own.
Facts taken from this source
- GoTranscript's formatting guide says to always add the timestamp to inaudible and crosstalk tags, for easy reference.
“Always add the timestamp for easy reference.” (Inaudible and Crosstalk Tags)
- GoTranscript's style advice is to mark overlapping speech that cannot be separated as [crosstalk mm:ss].
“Use [crosstalk mm:ss] if people talk at once and you can’t separate their words.” (Inaudible and Crosstalk Tags)
- GoTranscript's style advice is to mark speech that cannot be understood as [inaudible mm:ss], with the timestamp.
“Use [inaudible mm:ss] when you can’t understand what is being said.” (Inaudible and Crosstalk Tags)
- GoTranscript's formatting guide describes interval timestamps, placed at regular intervals such as every one or two minutes.
“Place at regular intervals, such as every one or two minutes.” (Timestamps)
- GoTranscript says important background sounds should be noted, with the cues inserted in square brackets.
“Background sounds or important noises should be noted. Insert these cues in square brackets” (Sound Cues)
- GoTranscript's formatting guide describes speaker change timestamps: a timestamp inserted each time a new speaker talks.
“Speaker change timestamps: Insert each time a new speaker talks.” (Timestamps)
- GoTranscript's formatting guide says to format each speaker line as the speaker's name, a colon, and the text of the speech.
“Format speaker and text like this: Speaker Name: Text of speech.” (Speaker Labels)
- GoTranscript says to choose American or British English spelling and keep it uniform across the transcript.
“Choose either American or British English spelling, and keep it uniform across the transcript.” (Consistent English Spelling)