If you’re starting court reporting school, you’ll hear “CAT software” constantly — usually right next to the price tag, which can be a shock. Here’s what it is, what it does, and how to think about it before you spend real money.

CAT, defined

CAT stands for Computer-Aided Transcription. It’s the software that turns the shorthand you write on a steno machine into readable English on screen — in real time — and gives you the tools to edit, format, certify, and deliver a finished transcript.

Put simply: the steno machine captures the strokes; the CAT software is the brain that translates and manages everything after.

How steno becomes English

When you press keys on a steno writer, you’re not typing letters — you’re writing phonetic strokes, whole syllables or words at once. The CAT software matches each stroke (or combination of strokes) against your dictionary, a personal database that maps steno outlines to the exact words, phrases, and punctuation you want.

Two reporters can write the same word with different outlines, and both are “right” — because the dictionary is personal. That’s why your dictionary is the most valuable thing you own as a reporter, and why it grows for your entire career.

Realtime vs. post-editing

CAT software supports two overlapping workflows:

Realtime — text appears instantly as you write, streamed to your screen (and sometimes to attorneys or to CART consumers). This demands a clean dictionary and quick conflict resolution, and it commands premium rates.
Post-editing (scoping) — after the job, you (or a scopist) clean up untranslates, fix conflicts, format, and proofread before certifying. Even great realtime gets a polish pass before it becomes the official transcript.

Most reporters do both: write realtime on the job, then edit to final afterward.

What to look for in CAT software (2026)

The category has been dominated by a few long-standing desktop programs. As you evaluate options — new or established — weigh:

Realtime quality and stability. Crashes mid-deposition are unacceptable. Reliability beats feature count.
Dictionary tools. Fast, smart conflict resolution and brief-building save you hours.
Exports and compatibility. ASCII, e-transcript, PDF, and the ability to get your data out.
Learning curve and support. How quickly can you be productive, and who helps when you’re stuck?
Modern UX and pricing. Software shouldn’t feel like 2004, and you shouldn’t need a sales call to learn the price.

The legacy-vs-modern landscape

For years, the practical choices were a short list of established desktop CAT programs — powerful, but dated, expensive, and slow to change. The profession is overdue for tools that are as fast and dependable as the people using them, without the lock-in.

That’s the gap DepoStack is built to close — modern court reporting software for reporters, agencies, and the attorneys who rely on the record. If that resonates, join the founding-member waitlist.