Winscribe end of life: Why you need to transition

Nuance’s digital dictation platform, Winscribe, will soon be discontinued. The end of life date for the cloud based version will be 30 June 2023, while the on-premise version will end exactly one year later.

From that point onwards, the platform will no longer be supported by Nuance. It’s vital that your business transitions to a new platform before the Winscribe end of life date, and in today’s blog, we’ll be breaking down all the main reasons why.

Potential risks of not transitioning before Winscribe end of life

So, Winscribe end of life is fast approaching, especially for the cloud based version. But why is it so urgent that businesses transition to a new platform? There are a number of reasons. End of life software is effectively obsolete software, and using it past its end of life date will get increasingly risky as the months go by.

Some of the main risks of using end of life software include the following: 

• Other software will be incompatible with the platform after Winscribe end of life. Supported software is designed to run on the latest versions of operating systems, so they receive regular updates. Winscribe, on the other hand, will receive no such updates. This means that, for all the apps you use in conjunction with Winscribe, you’ll need to settle for out of date versions. Otherwise they’ll be incompatible with Winscribe. Your business could be missing out on crucial features, allowing your competitors to get ahead without you even knowing.
• You may open yourself up to potential security risks. One of the purposes of software updates is to ensure the security of that software, but after Winscribe end of life, those updates will stop. Any confidential documents associated with Winscribe may be exposed, and could lead to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. They’re also the vulnerabilities that antivirus software won’t always catch.
• You could also be at risk of legal issues due to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). These days, companies can be fined for data compromises. And if you’re knowingly using unsupported applications, there is a risk of fines. Making sure your applications are updated should be one of the first steps in protecting your data.
• Performance will be lower after Winscribe end of life. No more updates may increase downtime, and decrease productivity.
• Your staff will notice if they’re working with out of date tech.

Winscribe end of life: our recommendations

For all the reasons we’ve listed, we highly recommend transitioning before the Winscribe end of life date. In order to ensure business continuity, your business should put a plan in place as soon as possible. Even if you’re relying on the on-premises version, the end of life date is just over a year away. There’s a lot more involved than just picking a platform to switch to. You need to have enough time to onboard your team, and make sure your team is fully trained on the new platform.

If Winscribe is currently key to your daily operations, the platform you switch to will be no different. It’s an important decision, and in order to future proof your business, there is no better time to start planning than now.

Can you still buy Winscribe?

While the end of life date for the on-premise version is (at the time of writing) over a year away, it’s worth bearing in mind that Nuance has already stopped selling the product. You can no longer purchase either Winscribe Cloud or On-Premise licences, and that includes renewals to existing licences.

Winscribe end of life: Choosing an alternative

It’s crucial to start the transition process as early as possible. This will ensure uninterrupted dictation workflows for your company. Switching to a new platform may seem daunting, but here at Voice Technologies, we can make the transition as smooth as possible.

There are various alternatives offered by Philips, Nuance, and Olympus. Some are designed for any industry, while others are more geared towards specific industries. And if your team is already well acquainted with digital dictation software, they should be able to get to grips with an alternative platform fairly quickly.

The benefits of cloud-based digital dictation

There are a wealth of benefits to digital dictation based in the cloud. 

• The cloud allows for convenient access to dictation files from anywhere, at any time, using any device- just as long as you have an internet connection.
• Cloud-based platforms also provide robust security measures to protect sensitive dictation data, including encryption and regular backups.
• Both cost-effective and scalable, cloud-based platforms eliminate the need for expensive hardware or software installations, and allow businesses to scale up or down as needed.

What are the alternatives to Winscribe?

Let’s take a look at the best alternatives to Winscribe for businesses.

Philips SpeechLive
While each option tends to be most suited to specific industries, the best all-round option is Philips SpeechLive. Offering seamless dictation and transcription workflows, SpeechLive is a robust and reliable alternative to Winscribe.

SpeechLive allows users to easily record audio using various devices. As long as you have a smartphone on you, you can record audio wherever and whenever. This audio can also be automatically transcribed to text. You can then store both the audio and dictation documents in the cloud, for easy access and collaboration. There are a number of highlights to SpeechLive, including comprehensive features for file management and sharing, advanced security measures like encryption, and a user-friendly interface.

Dragon Medical One (DMO)
Nuance’s own platform, Dragon Medical One (DMO), is another viable alternative to Winscribe. Specifically designed for the healthcare industry, DMO is a cloud-based solution that allows healthcare professionals to easily dictate patient notes, and any other clinical documentation. This eliminates the need for time-consuming manual typing.

One of the standout features of DMO is the high level of accuracy on offer. Nuance’s advanced speech recognition tech has been trained specifically for the medical field, and ensures accurate transcription of medical jargon.

WinVoiceWeb
Created by Voice Technologies, WinVoiceWeb is a flexible dictation solution that offers seamless integration with Dragon Medical One. Professionals can leverage the power of DMO’s speech recognition capabilities within the WinVoiceWeb platform. Features include customisable templates, workflow management, and user authentication, allowing for efficient and streamlined dictation workflows.

Winscribe end of life: Conclusion

The end of life date for Winscribe is fast approaching. Continuing to use Winscribe after end of life poses potential risks such as software incompatibility, security vulnerabilities, legal issues, and decreased performance. It's crucial to transition to an alternative platform before the end of life date, and Philips SpeechLive, Dragon Medical One (DMO), and WinVoiceWeb are all viable alternatives. Planning and training for the transition should start early, in order to ensure business continuity.

Ready to find your Winscribe replacement? Voice Technologies can guide you through a personalised transition plan, to make sure you’re prepared for Winscribe end of life. If you’re in the legal sector, we can supply you with a free trial of Philips SpeechLive. Just call Daryl Green on 0141 847 5610, email enquiries@voicetechnologies.co.uk, or fill in our form.