Input Methods

Apollo can create notes from several kinds of source material. You can dictate a summary, type or paste text, upload an image of written notes, upload an audio recording, or use Record Session for a full-session transcript workflow.

Choose the input method that matches what you already have. A short, clear summary is often enough for routine documentation. A full session recording is useful when you want Apollo to work from the session transcript and speaker labels.

Choose the Right Input Method

Use Dictate Summary when you are giving Apollo a summary of the session or document. Dictate Summary supports four tabs:

Voice for recording a spoken summary.
Keyboard for typing or pasting a summary.
Image for extracting text from handwritten or printed notes.
Audio for uploading an existing summary recording.

Use Record Session when you want Apollo to process a full session recording. Record Session can record from your microphone, capture audio from another browser tab or window in supported browsers, or accept an existing audio recording. It is the better choice for longer recordings, multiple speakers, couple sessions, group sessions, and workflows that include speaker review.

For any method, include the information Apollo needs for the selected note type. The guide on the note creation screen shows the sections the selected template expects.

Record With Your Microphone

Use Voice when you want to speak a summary after the session. This is often the fastest method when you already know the clinically relevant details you want in the note.

To dictate a summary:

Choose the note type or template you want to create.
Select any note settings, such as Client, Template, Session Type, Medical Codes, Note Length, or Custom Instructions.
Keep Dictate Summary selected.
Choose the Voice tab.
Select Record and dictate your summary.
Select pause when you are finished speaking.
Select Create Note.
Review and edit the generated note before saving, copying, or exporting it.

You do not need to dictate in final note format. Speak naturally and include the relevant clinical content. If you miss something, you can add it verbally before creating the note.

If you want to discard the current recording and transcript, use Restart. Restart clears the current dictation so you can begin again.

Voice Recording Warnings

While you are recording, Apollo may show warnings if it cannot hear usable speech or if the speech service needs to reconnect.

Common messages include:

No speech has been detected for a period of time.
Apollo cannot access the microphone input.
Apollo is reconnecting to the speech service.
Voice recording was interrupted, but the transcript so far was saved.

If this happens, first check the microphone, mute switch, browser permission, headset connection, and internet connection. If the transcript is usable, you can continue from it. If it is not usable, restart the recording or use another input method.

Download a Backup Recording

When Apollo has captured audio for a dictated recording, Download recording may appear near the recording controls. Use it if you want a local backup before retrying transcription, refreshing the page, or switching workflows.

If live transcription is interrupted, Apollo may still have enough recorded audio to retry transcription. When offered, download the audio before leaving the page.

Type a Summary Manually

Use Keyboard when you prefer to type or paste the source material yourself. This is a good option for brief notes, corrected transcripts, copied source text, or situations where recording is not convenient.

To type a summary:

Choose the note type or template.
Select the note settings you need.
Keep Dictate Summary selected.
Choose the Keyboard tab.
Type or paste the summary.
Select Create Note.
Review and edit the generated note.

For progress notes, include enough context for Apollo to draft the selected template accurately.

Useful details include:

Session focus or presenting concern.
Important client statements or themes.
Interventions, modalities, or techniques used.
Client response to interventions.
Risk or safety content, including relevant denials.
Diagnosis-relevant symptoms or functional changes.
Progress toward treatment goals.
Homework, referrals, follow-up, and next session plan.

A concise summary is fine when it contains the clinical facts Apollo needs. Before saving the draft, verify that the note accurately reflects the session and uses appropriate clinical language.

Upload an Audio File

Use audio upload when you already have a recording and want Apollo to transcribe it before creating the note.

There are two audio upload paths:

Dictate Summary > Audio is best for a clinician’s summary recording.
Record Session is best for a full session recording, especially when there are multiple speakers.

The Audio tab supports common audio formats shown in the app: webm, wav, mp3, and ogg.

Upload a Summary Recording

Use this path when the audio is a clinician’s spoken summary, not the full therapy session.

To upload a summary recording:

Choose the note type or template.
Select the note settings you need.
Keep Dictate Summary selected.
Choose the Audio tab.
Drag the audio file onto the page, or select the upload area and choose the file.
Wait while Apollo uploads and transcribes the recording.
Select Create Note once the transcript is available.
Review and edit the generated note.

If the transcript is incomplete or inaccurate, consider editing the source text by using Keyboard instead, re-recording a clearer summary, or uploading a better-quality audio file.

Upload a Full Session Recording

Use this path when the file contains the therapy session itself.

To upload a full session recording:

Choose Progress Note or a supported custom template.
Switch from Dictate Summary to Record Session.
Choose the correct Session Type in the settings sidebar.
For a Group session, enter the number of participants.
Choose Audio input > Select Audio File, or drag and drop the existing audio recording onto the page.
Confirm the file and select Generate Note.
Wait for Apollo to upload and transcribe the recording.
Review speakers if Apollo asks you to confirm labels or roles.
Create, review, and save the note or notes.

Get appropriate consent before recording or uploading therapy session audio. Follow your professional, legal, workplace, payer, and client notice requirements for recording, storage, and use.

Upload an Image of Handwritten Notes

Use Image when you have handwritten notes, printed notes, or a scanned note image that you want Apollo to convert to text.

To upload an image:

Choose the note type or template.
Select the note settings you need.
Keep Dictate Summary selected.
Choose the Image tab.
Drag an image into the upload area, or select the upload area and choose a file.
Wait while Apollo extracts the text.
Review and edit the extracted text.
Select Create Note.
Review and edit the generated note.

Apollo accepts image files up to 8 MB. If the image is too large, crop or compress it and upload again.

For best results:

Use a clear, well-lit photo or scan.
Crop the image to the notes when possible.
Avoid shadows, blur, glare, and angled photos.
Keep handwriting as legible as possible.
Review the extracted text before creating the note.

Image extraction can misread handwriting, abbreviations, dates, numbers, medication names, or clinical terms. Correct the extracted text before generating the note.

Troubleshooting Transcription and Note Generation

If transcription or note generation does not work as expected, use the source material first. Apollo can only draft accurately from the transcript, typed text, or extracted text it receives.

Microphone Permission Problems

If Apollo cannot access the microphone:

Confirm that the browser has permission to use the microphone.
Check the operating system microphone permission.
Make sure the correct microphone or headset is connected.
Check mute switches, headset buttons, and input volume.
Try restarting the recording after permissions are fixed.

If the microphone is unreliable, type the summary or upload an audio file instead.

No Audio or No Speech Detected

Apollo may warn that no speech has been detected or that it cannot access microphone input. Recording may still be on, but the audio may not be usable.

Try these steps:

Move closer to the microphone.
Confirm the microphone is not muted.
Reduce background noise.
Pause and resume the recording.
Restart the recording if the transcript is empty or inaccurate.

If you have a backup recording, download it before leaving the page.

Speech Service Reconnecting

If Apollo shows that it is reconnecting to the speech service, wait for the reconnect attempt to finish. Apollo saves the transcript it already has.

If reconnecting does not recover:

Check your internet connection.
Retry recording when the connection is stable.
Download the recording if Apollo offers it.
Upload the downloaded audio later from the Audio tab.

Live Transcription Was Interrupted

If live transcription stops unexpectedly, Apollo may preserve the transcript so far and may offer a retry transcription path from the recorded audio.

Before refreshing or leaving the page:

Copy or save any visible transcript you still need.
Download the recording if the option is available.
Retry transcription if Apollo offers it.
If retrying fails, upload the saved audio from the Audio tab when the connection is stable.

Audio Upload Is Slow or Failed

Long recordings and slow connections can take time. Keep the page open while Apollo uploads and transcribes the file.

If upload or transcription fails:

Check the file format. The app lists webm, wav, mp3, and ogg as supported formats.
Try again on a stable internet connection.
Download any available recording backup before leaving the page.
Use a shorter or clearer recording if the file is very long or noisy.
Type a summary manually if the transcript cannot be recovered.

Note Generation Is Delayed

After transcription, Apollo may take time to create the note. Do not refresh the page while a note is actively generating.

If generation is delayed:

Wait for the current request to finish.
Keep the browser tab open.
Avoid starting the same note again unless the current attempt clearly failed.
If an error appears, review any available transcript and retry from the same source material.

Note Generation Timed Out or Failed

If note generation fails, Apollo may show an error with the transcript used for the request. Use the transcript or source material to avoid losing work.

You can:

Copy the transcript if Apollo shows it.
Download the audio recording if available.
Retry note generation.
Shorten or clarify the source text if it is very long or confusing.
Contact support if the same source material fails repeatedly.

Transcript Is Incomplete

If the transcript is missing content, check whether the missing information is important for the clinical note. If it is, add it before relying on the draft.

Options include:

Type missing details into the Keyboard tab and create the note from the corrected summary.
Re-record a concise summary with the missing information.
Upload a clearer audio file.
Use Record Session for full-session audio that needs speaker review.

Always review the final draft against the source material before saving, copying, or exporting it.