Voice command data entry
Using voice command to enter data into Bar Cop by talking is easy. You only need two things: A headset with a noise cancelling microphone and Microsoft's free speech recognition software installed on your computer. Check to see if speech recognition is already installed on your computer by searching "Speech Recognition". If it's not installed, you can download and install it for free from Microsoft's website.
Important: Headsets vary in sound quality and more expensive does not always mean better.
What can you enter with voice command?
Any numerical data. Product setup data, inventory counts, weights when weighing bottles, anything that is a number can be entered using voice command.
Ok, let's get started.
Connect your headset to the computer and launch the speech recognition control panel. You need to "setup your microphone" first and then "train your computer to better understand you". It is very important to train speech recognition to know your voice. *Do the training course multiple times.
When you are ready to try it, click "Start Speech Recognition".
If you get this error, you do not have your headset plugged in.
With the headset plugged in, start speech recognition again. The sleep recognition control box should now be open. You can move the control box to any location on your computer screen by dragging it.
The two main commands to start and stop voice command are:
Start Listening and Stop Listening
It is important to remember that when speech recognition is in listening mode, when you talk it will enter whatever you say into Bar Cop if you have a cell selected. If you need to have a conversation while taking inventory, say "Stop Listening" and when you are ready to continue entering data, give the "Start Listening" command.
Entering data into Bar Cop.
When you are ready to use voice command to enter data, open a file and go to the section where you will be entering data. Select your starting cell and begin using your voice to enter the numbers.
It's that easy.
There are basic commands that you use to make using voice command virtually hands-free. When you enter a number, you must say "the first number" then "point" and then "the last number".
Examples:
If you were entering bottle counts in a stockroom and you had 5 bottles of Absolute - say "Five Point Zero". This will input 5.0 into the cell. *You cannot just say five (the input into the cell would be the word five).
If you were weighing bottles at a bar location and a bottle of Absolute weighed 36.8 ounces - say "Thirty Six Point Eight". This will input 36.8 into the cell.
To move down to the next product, you add the word enter after a number is input into the cell - you would say "Thirty Six Point eight" and when the number is input, say enter or move down.
Commands you need to know:
To move down 1 cell - say "Enter" or "Move Down"
To move right 1 cell - say "Move Right"
To move up 1 cell - say "Move Up"
To move left 1 cell - say "Move Left"
To take the move commands further, you can add how many cells you want to move. For example: if you wanted to skip two products, say "Move down 3". Using this command would skip the next two product rows and stop 3 cells down.
Mistakes can happen on occasion.
If a mistake happens when you are in an active cell you will use the "Cancel" command. For example: If you say "Eight Point Two", and the input into the cell is not 8.2 - say "Cancel". The cancel command will delete out the cell, and then you can repeat the number again.
Important: If you are no longer in a cell and you realize it needs to be changed, go back to the cell using the move commands and when the cell is active, all you need to do is say the correct number to replace the incorrect number. The cancel command is not used once you have left a cell and go back.
This box is the dictation scratchpad. When you first start using speech recognition, the dictation scratchpad feature might be enabled. You just need to turn scratchpad off and data will then be entered directly into cells.
To do this...
Right click on the speech recognition control box and you will see this drop down menu.
Scroll down to "Options" and you will see the "Enable dictation scratchpad" option. Uncheck this option and close the menu.
Things to know:
1) Practice using voice command by entering numbers and using the commands before taking your actual inventory. *Remember not to save the file with incorrect practice data.
2) The more you practice and use voice command the better the speech recognition software will understand your voice and the faster you will get entering your inventory data.
3) Try and take inventory at a time when there is the least amount of surrounding noise and distractions. If you are entering inventory data and you need to stop to have a conversation with someone, remember to say "Stop Listening" before talking.
