Shepherd uses two types of templates that support customizable input elements:
Physical Exam templates — used to document exam findings inside a SOAP
Form templates — for client consent forms, intake forms, and internal forms.
In both template types, fields act as the containers for information. Think of a field as the question, label, or prompt you want someone to respond to, and the input element as the way that response is captured. For example, a field labeled “Mucous Membranes” might use a dropdown, while a field labeled “Additional Notes” might use a text box.
Fields can be left blank to complete at the time of use, or pre-populated with default text to make documentation faster and more consistent.
Input Elements
Short Text
Short Text is a single-line text field. Use it for responses that don't require much detail — a brief finding, a value, or a short note.
Text Area
Text Area is a multi-line text field. Use it when the response needs more room, such as a detailed observation or extended clinical note.
Select
Select appears as a dropdown. You can add multiple options, but only one value can be selected when the template is completed.
Multi Select
Multi Select is similar to Select, but allows more than one option to be chosen when the template is completed.
Radio
Radio allows only one selection, like Select, but displays all available options at once rather than collapsing them into a dropdown. The full option set remains visible after a selection is made.
Body Map
Body Map lets you attach an anatomical diagram to a field. You can set a default map to load automatically, or allow the user to import a previous body map created for that patient.
Rich Text Box
(physical exam templates only) Rich Text Box is the most fully featured text input. It supports formatting options including font size, color, bold, and paragraph style. Use it when formatted or structured text is needed in the exam record.
Date
(form templates only) Date allows the user completing the form — either a client or team member — to select a specific date.
Initial
(form templates only) Initial captures the initials of the user completing the form.
Signature
(form templates only) Signature captures a full signature from the user completing the form.
Table
(form templates only) Table creates a grid of columns and rows where each cell can contain its own input element — for example, a text field in one cell and a date picker in another.
When editing the table contents, you need to drag and drop the elements into the available boxes.
To further edit the options for some of the elements, you must click on the edit symbol in the upper right corner and the right hand panel will display that cell's options.
