# Document Templates (overview)

With the CPRS GUI, you can create document templates to quickly add commonly used text and Template Fields when writing or editing progress notes, completing consults, or writing discharge summaries. Template import and export utilities are available through the Template Editor Tools menu. A print button has been added to the Preview Templates dialog so that you may either view the template on the screen or send it to a printer.

You can go to the following areas of this overview:

· Personal and Shared Templates talks about the difference between shared and personal templates.

· Types of Templates discusses templates, group templates, and folders.

· Arranging Topics for Ease of Use talks very briefly about grouping templates.

· Creating and Modifying Shared and Personal Templates explains uses and features of Template Editor.

· Using Templates to Create Documents gives a brief look at how to add template text and objects to documents.

· Template Fields explains how to add text fields to templates.

Personal and Shared Templates

You can create and use your own templates or you can use shared templates created by your Clinical Coordinator. The icon legend shows you the various icons and what they represent.

· Personal templates. Authorized users can create personal templates. You can copy and paste text into a template, type in new content, add Template Fields , or copy a shared template into your personal templates folder. A shared template that you simply copy into your personal templates folder without changing continues to be updated whenever the original template is changed or modified in the Shared Templates folder. Once you personalize or change the copy of the shared template in your personal templates folder, the icon used to represent it changes and it become a personal template. From that moment on, the personal template is not related to the shared template and is not updated with the original. Personal template and folder icons have a folded upper right corner. In the tree view, personal template and folder icons have a folded corner.

· Shared templates . Only members of the Clinical Coordinator ASU class can create shared templates. Shared templates are available to all users. Coordinators can copy and paste text into a template, type in new content, add Template Fields, or copy a personal template and modify it as needed. In the tree view, shared template and folder icons do not have a folded corner.

Types of Templates

When you create templates, you can go directly into the template editor, type in text, and add TIU objects and Template Fields , or if you are in a document and type in something you will use repeatedly, you simply select that text, right-click, select Create New Template, and the editor comes up with the selected text in the editing area.

You can create individual templates, group templates, dialog templates, folders, or link templates to Reminder dialogs.

· Templates contain text, TIU objects,and Template Fields that you can place in a document.

· Group templates contain text and TIU objects and can also contain other templates. If you place a group template in a document, all text and objects in the group template and all the templates it contains (unless they are excluded from the group template ) will be placed in the document. You can also expand the view of the group template and place the individual templates it contains in a document one at a time.

· Dialog templates are like group templates in that they contain other templates. You can place a number of other templates under a dialog template. Then, when you drag the dialog template in your document, a dialog appears that has a check box for each template under the Dialog template. The person writing the document can check the items they want and click OK to place them in the note.

· Folders are like folders or directories in a file system. They are used to group and organize templates. It is there to hold templates and help in navigating the template tree view. For example, you might create a folder called "radiology" for templates, group templates, and other folders relating to radiology.

· Reminder Dialogs can have templates linked to them. This allows templates to place orders, enter PCE information, and enter vitals and mental health data. Refer to Creating Reminder Dialogs for the procedure.

Arranging Templates for Ease of Use

You can use file cabinets and folders to group similar templates together to make them easier to find and use. For example, you may want to place all of the pulmonary templates together rather than listing the templates in alphabetical order.

Using Templates to Create Documents

Once you or your clinical coordinator has created templates, adding them to a document is easy. When you create a new note, a Templates drawer appears. When you click the drawer, it opens to show you the templates that are available.

Group templates, dialogs, and folders may have a plus next to them. Click the plus to expand the tree view and see the templates they contain. Click a minus sign to collapse the tree view, hiding the templates under that item.

When you find the template you want to place in a document, you can drag-and-drop it into the document, double-click it, or right-click and choose Insert Template. The text and objects will appear where the cursor was a few seconds later.

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Related topics

Creating Personal Document Templates

Creating Shared Document Templates

Generating a Template from a TIU Object or Note Title

Editing Document Templates

Previewing a Template

Copying Document Templates

Searching for Document Templates

Deleting Document Templates