Choose XML when your Dragon vocabulary export needs to retain custom word properties. A TXT word list and an XML export are not interchangeable copies of every part of a user profile. If the words arrive but their special spacing behaves differently, inspect the export format before rebuilding the vocabulary.
This guide addresses an authorized transfer between compatible Dragon desktop profiles. It does not cover importing an arbitrary list downloaded from the internet. Use a short list of invented business terms to establish what the destination actually receives.
Identify the missing information
Write down whether the problem concerns the word itself, its spoken form, its spacing or a custom command. These belong to different configuration layers. A missing text insertion command will not be restored by exporting vocabulary entries, even when its spoken name resembles a word.
Nuance's word export instructions explicitly identify XML as the format for retaining word properties. Open the profile containing the required entries, then use Tools, Vocabulary Center, Export custom word and phrase list. The file type choice is part of this operation, rather than something to fix by renaming the resulting extension.
Use a representative property
Choose a harmless entry with a property you can recognize, such as an intentional spacing difference. Record its written form, spoken form and relevant settings in the source profile. A word that uses only default properties is a poor test because both exports may appear to behave identically.
Preserve the source profile
Keep your existing supported profile backup. An export intended for sharing words should not become the only recovery copy of an established dictation environment. Do not overwrite the source while exploring a migration.
Make two small comparison exports
If the installed edition offers both formats, create clearly named TXT and XML exports in an approved location. Keep access limited because vocabulary can disclose client names or specialized internal terminology. Do not include confidential production terms in a support ticket merely to demonstrate the format.
The Word Properties reference explains the settings that affect how an entry is written. Use it to identify which property you expect to carry across. The goal is to compare a defined behavior, rather than assume every difference in recognition quality comes from export loss.
| Observation after import | What to investigate |
|---|---|
| Entry is absent | Correct export file and destination vocabulary |
| Entry exists but spacing differs | XML selection and source word properties |
| Voice command is absent | Separate command export workflow |
| Recognition differs | Audio conditions and destination profile behavior |
Validate in the destination before sharing widely
Open a permitted test profile and import the XML through the vocabulary import wizard. Confirm that you selected the intended profile before starting. A successful wizard message establishes that the operation completed; it does not establish that every expected property now behaves correctly.
Check the editor and the resulting text
Inspect the imported entry in the vocabulary interface, then dictate a sentence that exercises the selected property. Compare punctuation and spaces around the term. Use the same application for both tests so differences in text control do not confuse the result.
Do not treat this exercise as an accuracy benchmark. A few sample phrases cannot establish a percentage improvement, and word export should not be presented as a substitute for an appropriate microphone or a compatible application.
Separate configuration from pronunciation expectations
Word lists are a way to transfer vocabulary entries and, with the appropriate format, their properties. They are not evidence that the destination has inherited every aspect of the source speaker's acoustic history. Recheck the destination using normal supported correction procedures if an entry is still misrecognized.
Document the smallest useful transfer
Record the Dragon version and edition, source and destination profile labels, export date and selected file type. Avoid recording credentials or private dictated passages. If a property does not survive between the specific versions involved, keep the source intact and consult the matching official help before repeating a broad import.
For teams reviewing the physical dictation setup as a separate issue, our PowerMic comparison explains the equipment choice. That decision does not change whether a word export includes properties.
Vocabulary entries and commands use separate transfer routes. Compare the companion workflow in Export Dragon Commands Separately from Word Lists.
The transfer is ready when the required entries exist in the correct destination, their intended writing behavior is confirmed, and the separate command and profile recovery arrangements remain available. Keep the export scope explicit so another user does not mistake a vocabulary file for a complete working environment.
