Dictation in the diary

Typing with gloves on, out in the plant, is slow. If your organisation has switched it on, a “Dictate” button appears next to the diary’s text fields: you speak and the text lands in the field. Dictation uses the browser’s built-in speech recognition — read the Data handling section below before switching it on.

Where it is available

The button appears in four places: the event description (when logging a new event), the shift handover text, the maintenance item description (for a new item and when editing one), and the task note (when the task is In progress or Not done).

The button only shows if (1) your organisation’s admin has switched it on, and (2) your browser supports speech recognition (e.g. Chrome, Edge, Safari). If either is missing, the screen looks exactly as it does without dictation.

Steps

1. Place the cursor where the text should go (if you are not in the field, the text is appended at the end).
2. Tap “Dictate”. The first time, the browser asks for microphone permission — allow it. The button changes to “Stop”, and next to it: “Listening… speak, the text goes into the field. You can correct it before saving.”
3. Speak. Recognised sentences go into the field; a sentence still being recognised is shown next to the button.
4. Tap “Stop” when you are done.
5. Review and correct the text — recognition can be wrong (technical terms, numbers, tag numbers). Dictation itself does not save: the text behaves as if you had typed it.

When is the dictated text saved?

Exactly like typed text: a new event or maintenance item is saved with the Save button; a task note with Enter; and for the shift handover text, once the diary has started and is live, it is saved as a draft, just as for typing — you can correct it at any time until the diary is closed. (For a diary that does not exist yet, the text is saved when the diary is created.)

Data handling

Your voice goes to the browser vendor

Dictation uses the browser’s built-in speech recognition. Your browser sends the audio to the browser vendor’s (Google, Apple or Microsoft) servers to turn it into text — the vendor’s own terms apply. OPEREX does not receive or store the audio; only the text that lands in the field and is saved goes into the diary. That is why dictation is off by default, and your organisation’s admin decides about it.

As an admin: switching dictation on

On Control panel → General, on the “Dictation in the diary” card, tick “Dictation enabled” and save (the card needs tenant_role:manage). The card shows the same data-handling note. The switch applies to the whole organisation; when switched off, the button disappears everywhere and the diary no longer allows the microphone.

The admin card on Control panel → General. The help icon next to the card title leads here.

Common problems

What you see	Why	What to do
No “Dictate” button	Not switched on in your organisation, or your browser has no speech recognition (e.g. Firefox).	Ask your admin; or use the dictation key of your phone’s keyboard.
“No microphone permission. Allow it in the browser (lock icon in the address bar), then try again.”	You declined the microphone permission.	Allow the microphone at the lock icon in the address bar, then reload the diary.
“No connection to the browser’s speech recognition service — dictation needs a network.”	No network, or the service is unreachable.	Check your connection, or type the text.
“This browser cannot dictate in this language. Use the dictation key of your phone’s keyboard.”	The browser’s speech recognition does not support the language.	Use the dictation key of your phone’s own keyboard.
“No speech heard — try again closer to the microphone.”	The microphone picked up no speech.	Speak closer, somewhere quieter.

Related

Log an event in the diaryThe event description — the most common place to dictate.

Upload a photo in the diaryThe same four places, with photos.