> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://community-test.logicnets.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://community-test.logicnets.com/release-9/platform-documentation/advanced-topics/speech-recognition-voice-input/speech-recognition-basics.md).

# Speech Recognition Basics

### Speech Input Types

When discussing speech input in LogicNets there are two different types of data entry options: *free input* and *limited-option input*.

* *Free input* is where an end-user can use any voice recording and the system will try to translate that into text, a date, or numbers. This input type is used where the answer/input can be a range of possibilities or free-form speech. The user can say anything as input, just like someone would enter free-text in data entry terms. This input type corresponds in logicnets to text area, text input, number input, and date input fields.
* *Limited-option input* is where the system presents the user with a limited set of answer options, such as a checklist, a radio list, or a dropdown menu. Additionally, user controls such as buttons, page labels, tabs, and the LogicNets smart grid are also considered limited-option inputs.

### Direct Question Answering

For limited-option input questions--where there is a known, limited set of answers--you can increase the speed of speech recognition by limiting the possible recognition text to a specific set of answers. To allow the system to know which question the end-user has answered you provide a question and a caption for the question. The system uses the caption to identify the question. You can further improve recognition processing because the system 'knows' which question is currently highlighted/active. For checklists/radiolists/dropdowns, you can say the full caption and answer of the question for any question, whether it has focus or not. If the question is the one in focus, you only have to say the answer/choice of the question.

### Speech Vocabulary Configuration

The LogicNets system automatically uses the caption option by default as part of the configuration elements for the speech recognition. When the speech package is installed, LogicNets associates the \[Speech Command] configuration option in the Basic configuration tab for many LogicNets parts and as part of the options configuration if the LogicNets part has options. This additional speech command will expand the vocabulary of possible recognizable answers or question captions. The system must fully recognize the speech command unless it is separated by a semicolon (;) or by a pipe-symbol (|). Those symbols form a separator between recognition words or sentences, allowing more than one word or sentence to be added as recognizable vocabulary entries.

### Vocabulary Clean-up

While using symbols in a caption or option can help an end-user choose the correct answer, these symbols complicate voice recognition. Because of this, the system automatically removes the following special characters from captions, speech commands, and options:

\[ . , ! ? - \_ { } ( ) : @ # / \ ^ ]

### Enhanced Recognition

Several inputs and dictionaries use shorthand sentences to trigger certain voice recognition options; for example, for a date input the end-user can say 'today' for the current date. Please check the speech guidelines to improve and speed up recognition depending on the configured dictionary or reporting group.


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