In procedures using text narration, the procedure's video plays repeatedly from the start until the narration finishes. When the narration is longer than the video, the same video plays 2, 3, or more times.

The same behavior occurs when playing in the app, but since "Next" allows you to skip ahead, it's less noticeable. In MP4 export, steps advance automatically, so the repeated portions remain in the video. To eliminate repetition, use one of the methods below to fit the "narration length" within the "procedure video length".

Reference: Subtitles and text narration feature / MP4 export

How repetition happens

Text narration is narration that does not sync with video. When you open a procedure, the text box content reads from the beginning, and the video plays separately. Text narration is ON by default.

If narration has not finished by the time the video reaches the end, the video rewinds to the start and continues playing. After narration finishes, the video plays to the end for that iteration, then advances to the next step. For example, if a procedure's video is 5 seconds and narration is 12 seconds, the video plays 3 times.

Narration length is determined by the total of the body text plus work tips, quality warnings, and important safety information.

Subtitle narration reads in sync with subtitle display timing, so this repetition does not occur.

Finding procedures with repetition

In the app, play the SOP and look for procedures where the video reaches the end and the narration continues, causing the video to rewind to the start.

Solution 1: Narrow down the items to read aloud

This method lets you shorten the entire SOP's narration in one place. Text narration reads the body text, work tips, quality warnings, and important safety information. Excluding these items from narration makes it shorter.

1. In the SOP editing screen, open "Basic information"
2. Open "Advanced display settings" under "Playback & display settings"
3. In "Items to read aloud", uncheck the items you want to exclude from narration

The body text always plays. Excluded items are omitted from narration audio, but screen display does not change. This is done from a PC browser.

Reference: Decide how to appear during playback for each SOP (Playback & display settings)

Solution 2: Switch to subtitle narration

Subtitle narration reads in sync with subtitle display timing. Playback speed adjusts so narration fits within the subtitle frame, so video does not repeat.

In the video editor, when selecting a step, set "Narration target" in audio settings to "Subtitles". This is a per-step setting, so you can switch only the steps with repetition.

What is read aloud is the subtitle content, not the text box. Steps without subtitles produce no narration. Also, when using subtitle narration, the video's original audio is automatically muted.

If the text is too long for the subtitle frame, narration becomes fast-paced. In that case, see When a procedure is short, subtitle narration reads fast and is hard to understand.

Reference: Changing narration and mute video audio settings

Solution 3: Lengthen the procedure video

This method extends the procedure video's playback time to match the narration. In the video editor, do one of the following.

• Adjust the step split to expand the video range included in that step (see Adjusting step splits)
• Insert a shape to add still time. The video pauses during the still, extending the step's playback time (see Changing "Still Duration" when inserting shapes (how many seconds to pause during playback))
• Slow down playback speed for that step (see Changing playback speed)

Solution 4: Shorten the text

Shorten the body text, work tips, quality warnings, and important safety information. Since narration length is the total of these, shortening only the body text will not eliminate repetition if other items are long.

Solution 5: Turn off narration

In "Narration target", select "No narration" to turn narration off for that step. In MP4 export, the video plays once and then advances to the next step. Text box display does not change.

After changing settings, recreate the MP4

When you change the items to read aloud, text, or narration target, the narration audio is remade. Since this does not apply to previously created MP4s, recreate the MP4 after publishing the SOP.

If previous MP4s remain, in the MP4 export screen, check "Discard existing data and recreate" before exporting. If you create MP4s for each translation language, recreate for each language.