IP PBX Scribe AI Transcription Services

Introduction
Scribe is a new commercial module released in 2024 for FreePBX/PBXact versions 15, 16 and 17 that enhances your communication capabilities through advanced transcription services.

The Scribe module is based on best-in-breed Large Language Model technology and partnerships that integrate easily with FreePBX/PBXact Voicemail and Call Recordings modules to transcribe audio files into smart text representations (also known as Scribes.)

This module utilizes Artificial Intelligence to generate a comprehensive summary of the transcription while also emphasizing overall customer satisfaction.

This module offers a range of convenient functionalities, including:

Seamlessly integrates, minimizing configuration complexity.

Improves communication by enabling transcription of audio content for users and groups using User Management module.

To provide users with cost insights, the module will analyze the average and total duration of audio files and voicemails from the previous few months. This analysis will be based on the current system usage, allowing users to predict costs associated with transcription services.

Ensures transcripts are easily accessible whenever needed either via the UCP portal for the users , Sangoma Desktop client, Sangoma Mobile / Talk app, Voicemail-to-Email integration, or via the admin UI.

Maintains data security and privacy compliance standards.

Scribe module
By incorporating the "Scribe" commercial module, PBX users can effortlessly access its powerful features for audio transcription, enabling them to transcribe audio files quickly and accurately. This integration enhances the overall transcription capabilities of the system, facilitating the conversion of audio content into text.

Key benefits of integrating the "Scribe" module:

Artificial Intelligence: This module utilizes AI to generate a comprehensive summary of the transcription while also emphasizing overall customer satisfaction.

Improved Accessibility: Transcribed content becomes more accessible, allowing users to read, search, and analyze spoken information more effectively.

Enhanced Documentation: Transcripts provide a permanent record of spoken conversations, meetings, and voicemail messages, making it easier to document and reference important information.

Data-Driven Insights: The availability of transcribed data enables users to extract valuable insights and analytics from their audio content.

User-Friendly Interface: The "Scribe" module seamlessly integrates into the PBX Reporting section, ensuring a user-friendly experience for managing transcription tasks.

Versatile Applications: Transcription can be applied to various use cases, including call recordings, voicemail messages, and more.

Cost-Efficiency: By automating transcription processes, users can save time and resources compared to manual transcription services.

Overall, the integration of the "Scribe" module into the Reporting section of your PBX empowers users with efficient and accurate audio transcription capabilities. This enhancement facilitates better data management, accessibility, and decision-making within the PBX system, making it a valuable addition to businesses and organizations.

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Scribe Dashboard
Scribe Dashboard provides a quick summary of overall transcription usage and also shows usage based on individual call recordings and voicemail services.

Usage and Cost predictor

View Transcription

Scribe users

Scribe Settings

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Scribe Usage and Cost Predictor

Cost predictor option is available even if the system does not yet have an active license for the “Scribe” module.

This option will help you to understand the current voicemail and call recording usage of your system, which will help you to make the decision to purchase the required SKUs for the transcription.

Please note, this is just an approximate estimate.

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How to enable Scribe
The system administrator has the authority to enable or disable the Scribe transcription feature for individual users or groups through the User Management module.

Transcription services are tailored to individual user preferences.

We can enable/disable the transcription for Voicemail and Call recording services.

By default, transcription is disabled.

Enabling Scribe for Voicemail
User Manager Group level
You can enable/disable the transcription at the user manager group level as shown in below screenshot.

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User Manager User level

Each user will have an option to either enable/disable the Scribe Voicemail transcription, or they can inherit the permissions from the associated group.

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Enable Scribe for Voicemail to Email
If the Voicemail-to-Email option is enabled for the user, Asterisk will automatically send an email upon receiving a voicemail. The Scribe module needs to manage the email generation process to include the voicemail transcription.

When the "Voicemail to Email" setting is enabled in the Scribe module dashboard, the Scribe module will configure the "mail command" for voicemail.

This setting will overwrite any existing mail command configuration. Please check if you are using a custom Mail Command before enabling Scribe Voicemail service.

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Voicemail → Configuration screenshot where it shows:

The {VM_PBX_SCRIBE} variable in the Email Body that will be substituted with the text transcription. Note that no dollar sign is used.

How the Scribe module is adding its own Mail Command configuration (circled at the bottom).

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Enabling Scribe for Call Recordings
Allows the user to select which types of calls should be transcribed.

User Manager - Group Level
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User Manager - User Level
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Creating multi-channel or Stereo call recordings
To achieve more accurate sentiment analysis from call recordings, it's beneficial to have multi-channel recording files.

Enabling this option will overwrite the post-call script configuration, which will help the Scribe module to merge the generated recordings files.

By default, Asterisk generates mono-channel recordings, hence enabling this feature will provide better sentiments analysis along with more accurate transcription diarization.

(Diarisation is the process by which individual speakers are identified by separating out their speech.)

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How to view transcriptions

You can view the transcription via the Scribe dashboard. Click on the donut graphs to bring up the pertinent direction eg. inbound or outbound.

Voice transcription dashboard

Transcription Data
Voice Transcription dashboard displays the transcription data based on the “Report type” and “Date range” filter.

User can choose any of the following “Report type” filter:

All Calls and Voicemails

Inbound Calls

Outbound Calls

Internal Calls

Inbound Voicemail calls

Internal Voicemail calls

Sentiments Analysis Data
The Scribe module also leverages AI to analyze the sentiment of voicemails and recordings, providing a dashboard for a quick overview of the sentiment analysis.

This enables users to identify calls with negative sentiment quickly. Users can access a list of calls exhibiting negative sentiment by clicking on the "negative" section of the chart.

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Tabular view → by using “Switch view” option (in the upper-right corner).

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How to view transcriptions
The tabular view allows you to view the transcription, play the recording, and download the recording file simultaneously.

Click on the view icon to view any transcription.

The example below shows positive sentiments:

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The example below shows negative sentiments:

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Playing back the audio along with the transcription
The play option lets you listen to the audio playback.

When you click on "Play," a UI modal opens that displays both the audio file and the transcript. Users can easily navigate to any part of the audio by clicking on the corresponding text in the transcript.

This feature makes it easier to identify sections of the audio file with negative sentiments eg. click on the red part(s).

The example below shows the Neutral sentiments audio:

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The example below shows the negative sentiments audio:

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How to view transcriptions in UCP
The Scribe module is integrated with the existing voicemail and call recordings, so this provides a nice view of transcriptions against each voicemail or call recordings.

Enabling the transcript visibility for User Control Panel widgets allows users to access the transcription in UCP for CDR(Call History), CDRPro and Voicemail widgets.

User Manager Group level

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User Manager User level

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Voicemail widget in UCP
If the transcription is present with the recording, then the scribe icon will appear in the controls section to view the transcription.

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Call Recording / CDR widget in UCP
CDR widget displays the transcription in the Controls section.

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Integration with CDRPro module
Transcription access is also displayed next to the call recording if the associated user has the transcription enabled.

CDRPro in Admin
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CDRPro widget in UCP
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Multi-Language Audio Transcription Support
Scribe now supports multi-language transcription, allowing users to transcribe audio in various languages seamlessly. This feature ensures that users from different linguistic backgrounds can effectively use Scribe without being restricted to a single language.

Select the preferred language for transcription from Dropdown menu in scribe dashboard or in the userman scribe settings tab.

Note: Sentiments and Transcription Summary are not supported for languages other than English.

How to select from Scribe dashboard

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How to select language from Userman User level

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How to select language from Userman Group level

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Scribe Tags
The Scribe Tags feature allows users to categorize and track keywords from transcriptions. Tags can be associated with certain words or phrases to automate monitoring, reporting, and notifications.

How to Add Tag

Navigate to the "Scribe Tags" section.

Click on "Add Tag" to create a new tag.

Enter:

Tag Name (e.g., “Positive Feedback,” “Negative Words”)

Keywords associated with the tag (e.g., "great, excellent" for positive feedback).

Enable Notifications if required.

Click Submit to save the tag. As shown on screen below.

Example Use Case

If a call transcription includes words like "great" or "appreciated", and the occurrence exceeds the set 50% threshold, an email notification is sent to the specified recipient. The email will contain the detected keywords and the full transcription.

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How Tags are Displayed on the Dashboard
Navigate to transcription view.

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Click on the tag to view more about the tag match.

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Send Email
The Scribe Report dashboard provides an option to send selected transcriptions and recordings via email. This functionality allows users to share transcripts and call recordings efficiently.

How to Send an Email:
Select Transcriptions – Use the checkboxes to choose the calls or voicemails to include.

Click "Send Email" – This opens the Email Options window.

Enter Email Details – Add the recipient's email, subject, and an optional message.

Attach Files – Toggle "Yes" for recordings and/or transcriptions if needed.

Send – Click "Send Email" to share the selected files.

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Transcription in Sangoma Desktop Client
Transcriptions & Sentiments analysis will also be visible in the desktop client for the voicemail recordings. This feature is available in Sangoma Phone Desktop client version 4.0.5 & later.

Click on voicemail icon and select voicemail with transcript. Sentiment & partial Summary can be viewed