Note templates

A note template gives users a starting point when writing a note. It includes headings and short prompts to help them cover the right information. They add the template to a note, then fill in each prompt.

Templates are set up at the program level, so every group running that program uses the same templates. Each template is designed for either session notes or participant notes.

→ See Notes to learn more about session notes and participant notes.

To add or edit templates, you need the Owner or Admin role, or the Admin role in Groups. Anyone who writes notes for the program's groups can use the templates.

→ See Roles and permissions for more information about what each role can do.

Watch how it works

Prefer to see it done first? This walkthrough creates a template on a program, then uses it to start a session note, in under three minutes.

Why use a template?

Many programs and funders expect notes to cover the same information each time, such as the session's main focus, how participants took part, and what needs to happen next.

A template puts these prompts in place before the user starts writing, making it easier to cover everything that's needed. It also saves time because users can fill in the details instead of starting from scratch.

Create a template

1. Go to Programs and open the program you want to work with.
2. Scroll down to Note templates and select Add template.
3. Enter a Name. This is what users will see on the template button, so keep it short and clear.
4. Choose a Scope:
   • Session note makes the template available when writing a note for an entire session.
   • Participant note makes the template available when writing a note for an individual participant.
5. Enter the starting text in Body.
6. Select Save template.

→ See Creating a program if you haven't set up the program yet.

Each template within a program must have a unique name. The Save template button will stay greyed out until you've entered some text in the body.

Can't see Add template?

If your role doesn't allow you to make changes to programs, you won't see Add template, Edit, or the ⋮ menu. You can still view the program's templates and use them when writing notes.

Add prompts using square brackets

Use square brackets around anything the user needs to fill in. For example:

Session focus: [Main topic and what you planned to cover]
Group participation: [Active / moderate / limited engagement]
Plan for next session: [What to continue, and any follow-up needed]

When someone tries to sign a note that still contains text in square brackets, the portal asks them to confirm before signing. For example, they might see: This note still has 4 unfilled prompts. Sign anyway?

They can select Keep editing to go back and complete the prompts, or Sign anyway to sign the note without making changes.

This is a reminder, not a requirement. The portal won't prevent someone from signing a note with unfinished prompts.

The portal counts anything inside square brackets, so only use brackets for prompts that need to be filled in.

Use a template when writing a note

If a program has note templates, the note window will show Start from a template: above the editor, along with a button for each template.

Session note templates appear when writing a session note. Participant note templates appear in each participant's note window.

Select a template button to add its text to the note. The text is added below anything you've already written, so your existing text stays in place.

The first four templates appear as buttons. If there are more than four, you can find the rest under More.

If you select the same template twice, the portal asks you to confirm before adding it again.

→ See Notes for a session for more information about writing and signing session notes.

→ See Notes for a participant for more information about writing notes for one participant.

Edit, reorder, duplicate, or delete a template

Each template on the program page has an Edit button and a ⋮ menu.

• Edit lets you change the template's name, scope, or text.
• Move up and Move down change the order of the templates. The first four are the ones shown as buttons in the note window.
• Duplicate creates a copy that you can edit and save under a new name.
• Delete removes the template.

Changes to a template won't affect notes that have already been written. If you've added a template to a note, that text stays as it is, even if the original template is later changed or deleted.

Archived programs

Templates in archived programs can't be edited. To make changes, unarchive the program first. Once you've finished editing the templates, you can archive the program again if needed.

See Keeping programs tidy for more information about archiving a program.