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Internal Forms

Create, complete, and manage internal forms within a SOAP for clinical documentation such as dental charts and anesthesia logs.

Internal forms can be used for items like dental charts and anesthesia logs. We have pre-loaded templates available for you to use, but you can edit them or create new ones as needed.

What You Need to Know

  • Once an internal form is submitted, it cannot be edited.

    Save the form as a draft if you need to return to it before it is finalized. Once you select Submit, the form is locked and no further changes can be made.

  • Completed internal forms are found in Forms > Responses — not inside the SOAP.

    After submission, the form is no longer accessible from within the SOAP. To view, print, or download a completed internal form, go to Forms from the left navigation panel and select the Responses tab.

  • Internal forms cannot be sent directly to another hospital from Shepherd.

    To share a completed internal form with a referral or specialist, download the form from Forms > Responses and email it externally. Alternatively, send patient records from the patient profile and select the Forms option — use date range filters to avoid sending unrelated forms.

What Are Internal Forms?

Internal forms are staff-facing forms used for clinical documentation — dental charts, anesthesia logs, anesthesia monitoring sheets, AMA forms, and similar records.

Unlike client consent forms, internal forms are completed by your team during or after a visit and are not sent to clients.

Shepherd includes pre-loaded internal form templates for common clinical use cases. You can use these as-is, edit them, or build custom templates from scratch.

Setting Up an Internal Form Template

Internal form templates are built using the same form builder as client consent forms. To create or edit a template, navigate to Forms from the left navigation panel.

To create a new template:

  1. Click + Create Form.

  2. Click Add Title in the upper-left corner and enter a descriptive name. Include a label like "(Internal Form)" in the title to help your team distinguish internal templates from client-facing ones in the SOAP dropdown.

  3. Click + Add Field to add sections to the form.

  4. Drag input elements from the right-hand panel into each field. Common input types include Short Text, Text Area, Radio, Select, Signature, Body Map, and Table.

  5. Click on any input element to configure it — including toggling Required on or off — in the right-hand editor panel.

  6. Click Save Template when finished.

For a full walkthrough of all input element types, required field configuration, dropdown limitations, and builder troubleshooting, see Creating Form Templates.

For a full reference on each input element, see the Input Elements: Forms & Physical Exams guide.

Creating an Internal Form in a SOAP

Once a template exists, internal forms are created from within the patient's active SOAP.

  1. Open the patient's SOAP.

  2. Navigate to the Assessment section and locate the Forms area.

  3. Click + Create Form.

  4. Select the internal form template you need from the dropdown.

  5. Click Confirm to open the form.

The form opens immediately and is ready to fill out.

Saving vs. Submitting

Save as Draft

If you need to pause and return to the form later, click Save as Draft. Draft forms remain editable and are accessible from within the SOAP until submitted.

Submit

When the form is complete, click Submit. After submission, the form is locked — no edits can be made. The completed form moves out of the SOAP and is stored in the patient's record, accessible from Forms > Responses.

Finding and Printing Completed Internal Forms

After a form is submitted, it is no longer accessible from within the SOAP. To find, view, print, or download a completed internal form:

  1. Navigate to Forms from the left navigation panel.

  2. Select the Responses tab.

  3. Use the search field or date range filter to locate the patient and form.

  4. Click the three-dot menu (Actions) next to the form.

  5. Select Print or Download as needed.

Using a date range filter helps narrow results when a patient has multiple forms on file.

Sharing an Internal Form with Another Hospital

Shepherd does not have a direct send option for internal forms. To share a completed internal form with a referral practice or specialist:

Option 1: Download and email manually

Download the form from Forms > Responses and attach it to an email sent outside of Shepherd.

Option 2: Send patient records with Forms included

From the patient profile, use the records-sending workflow and check the Forms option to include forms in the records package. Use a date range filter to limit which forms are included — selecting Forms without a date range may include all forms on file for that patient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I seeing "Form not found" when I try to open an internal form?

A "Form not found" error is not expected behavior. Contact Shepherd support and provide the patient name, form title, and the steps you took before the error appeared.

What variables are available for internal form templates?

Internal form templates support client and patient information variables — such as client name and patient name. Appointment-specific information, such as reason for visit, is not available as a variable in form templates.

Can I load an internal form response into a SOAP that is already closed?

Internal form responses can only be imported into a SOAP that is not locked. If the SOAP is closed, you will need to reopen it before importing the form response.

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