Use templates during sessions
Save time by reusing structured templates for assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, anything you write more than once. Plus how to import existing PDFs and pull from the community library.
- A note to insert it into, so you can see the structure land (lesson 3.4)
- A typed PDF with clearly labelled fields, if you're importing an existing form
Why templates pay back
Every clinician writes the same structure dozens of times a week. A template encodes it once, so each session note starts from the right scaffolding: SOAP for therapists, an assessment and treatment-plan block for physios, an oral-health screen for dentists.
Templates also pair with AI Scribe: add an AI smart prompt to a template, set it as your default, and every generated note comes back in that structure.
Use a template in a note
Inside a note, open Insert → Use template → Choose from template library, pick a template and click Use template. The structure drops in.
Same rule as Lesson 3.4: insert the template first, then write. Inserting after you've started replaces your text. To make a form part of every new client's intake automatically, move it into the Intake folder (Lesson 2.5).
Build your own or import one
Templates → + New template opens a blank editor. Use + in the toolbar to add form fields or smart data chips, and type / for everything else, including Form structures (dropdowns, dates, signatures and more) and AI prompts.
To bring an existing form in, use Templates → Import and upload the PDF. You can add up to seven at a time, up to 10MB each, and Carepatron converts them into templates. Typed PDFs with clearly labelled fields work best; handwritten or messy PDFs need cleanup.
The community library
Under Templates → Community you'll find templates other Carepatron practitioners have published. Search or scroll, preview, then Use template directly or Copy to workspace to customise. You'll need to copy a Community template to your workspace before you can add it to your Intake folder.
Once a template lives in your workspace, you can publish your edited version back to the community for other practitioners.
Tick these off in your own workspace before moving on.
Five templates worth building first.
If you build only five, build these.
SOAP / DAP / BIRP, pick the one your profession uses. Add an AI smart prompt and set it as your AI Scribe default template.
Single page: presenting concern, history, goals, consent. Use smart data chips so the client's name fills in automatically.
Two paragraphs: progress summary + recommendations. Add an AI smart prompt that drafts the summary.
PHQ-9 / GAD-7 / pain VAS, whatever your profession uses. Auto-score where supported.
Goals, modality, frequency, review date. Used at intake and at every quarterly review.
How do I add a template to a note I'm writing?
In the note, open Insert → Use template → Choose from template library, pick one and click Use template. Insert it before you start writing, because a template replaces the text that's already there.
Can I import my existing PDF forms?
Yes. Templates → Import, then upload your PDFs, up to seven at a time and 10MB each. Carepatron converts them into templates. Typed PDFs with clearly labelled fields work best; handwritten or visually busy forms need manual cleanup.
How do I set a template as a default intake form?
Move it into the default intake folder: hover the template, choose Move to folder, then Intake (marked Default). Everything in that folder goes to new clients while the Send intake workflow is on (Lesson 2.5). Copy Community templates to your workspace first.
How do I use the community library?
Templates → Community. Search by profession or topic, preview a template, then Use template directly or Copy to workspace to customise it. You can publish your own edited templates back to the community.
Can I duplicate a template to make a variation?
Yes. Hover the template and click Duplicate. A copy appears in your library that you can edit independently.
Are templates shared across the team?
Yes. Templates you create live in Team templates, and every team member can use them. Use folder organisation (Lesson 5.1) to keep them tidy.
Can I add AI prompts inside a template?
Yes. In the template editor, type /, choose AI prompts, then AI smart prompt. The prompt runs when AI Scribe generates a note from a transcript with that template. Templates with an AI smart prompt are also the ones you can pick as your AI Scribe default.