What Is CAT Software? A Plain-English Guide for New Court Reporters
CAT software explained simply: how steno becomes text, what your dictionary does, and what to look for in 2026.
Key takeaways
- CAT software translates steno strokes through a reporter-maintained dictionary.
- Realtime and post-editing share a foundation but place different demands on the workflow.
- Evaluate stability, dictionary tools, exports, support, learning curve, and total cost together.
- Test the exact version with your writer, formats, collaborators, and delivery requirements.
If you’re starting court reporting school, you will hear “CAT software” constantly, usually right next to the price tag, which can be a shock. Here is 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 is 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 translates and manages everything after.
How steno becomes English
When you press keys on a steno writer, you are not typing letters. You are 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 words, phrases, and punctuation you expect.
Two reporters can write the same word with different outlines, and both can be right because the dictionary is personal. That is why your dictionary is one of the most valuable things you maintain as a reporter, and why it grows for your entire career.
Realtime vs. post-editing
CAT software supports two overlapping workflows:
- Realtime: text appears as you write and may be streamed to attorneys or CART consumers. This demands a clean dictionary and reliable connection.
- Post-editing or scoping: after the job, you or a scopist clean up untranslates, fix conflicts, format, and proofread before certifying.
Most reporters do both: write with realtime translation on the job, then edit to final afterward.
What to look for in CAT software (2026)
As you evaluate new or established options, weigh:
- Realtime quality and stability. Crashes mid-deposition are unacceptable. Reliability beats feature count.
- Dictionary tools. Fast conflict resolution and brief-building can save editing time.
- Exports and compatibility. Verify ASCII, e-transcript, PDF, dictionary interchange, and every client-required deliverable with your own files.
- Learning curve and support. How quickly can you be productive, and who helps when you are stuck?
- Total cost. Include the license, support, updates, add-ons, hardware, training, and migration time.
The established desktop landscape
Current professional options include Eclipse from Advantage Software and Case CATalyst from Stenograph. They are established, Windows-centered tools with different writer integrations, editing conventions, collaboration features, support models, and costs. Stenograph’s April 2026 CATalyst requirements specify Windows 11, while Advantage recommends Windows 10 Professional or above for Eclipse.
The practical choice is not a broad modern-versus-legacy label. Test the specific product version with your writer, dictionary, transcript formats, collaborators, and delivery requirements before moving production work.
Official sources reviewed August 26, 2026: Advantage Software Eclipse, Stenograph Case CATalyst Pro, and Stenograph CATalyst system requirements.
Related: Switching CAT software: a migration checklist · Realtime court reporting: getting started