What Templates Do
Templates tell Wavo how to organize and format your clinical notes.
You can use templates to:
Create consistent note formats such as SOAP notes, consultation notes, follow-up notes, referral letters, or specialty-specific documentation.
Control which sections appear in a note.
Provide instructions for each section.
Choose how each section is formatted.
Save different templates for different workflows, providers, or visit types.
Templates control the structure of your notes, while Style Settings control your overall writing preferences such as tone, formatting, and level of detail.
Open Your Templates
To manage your templates:
Open Templates from the left sidebar.
From the Templates page you can:
Create a new template
Edit existing templates
Set a default template
Archive templates
Browse the Template Library
Create a Template
Wavo offers two ways to create templates:
Plain Text Editor – Best for quickly writing or pasting an existing format.
Template Builder – Best for structured templates with individual section settings.
Create a Template with the Plain Text Editor
The Plain Text Editor is the fastest way to build a template.
It's ideal if you already have a preferred note format or want to paste an existing template.
To create one:
Open Templates.
Click Create Template.
Enter a template name.
Choose Plain Text Editor.
Type or paste your template.
Click Save.
Example:
Chief Complaint History of Present Illness Past Medical History Assessment Plan Patient Instructions
You can also include instructions beneath each heading.
Example:
Assessment
Summarize the working diagnosis, relevant differential diagnoses, and clinical reasoning.
Plan
Use bullet points. Include medications, investigations, referrals, follow-up, and safety instructions when discussed.
Create a Template with the Template Builder
The Template Builder provides greater flexibility for complex templates.
Use it when you want to:
Build templates section by section.
Apply different formatting to each section.
Add detailed instructions.
Organize sections and subsections.
To create one:
Open Templates.
Click Create Template.
Enter a template name.
Open the Template Builder.
Add the sections you want.
Configure each section.
Save the template.
Configure Sections
Each section can be customized independently.
Section Style
Choose how information is presented.
Available options include:
Bullet – Ideal for plans, summaries, and problem lists.
Paragraph – Ideal for narrative documentation and consultation notes.
Section Length
Choose how detailed each section should be.
Options include:
Concise
Standard
Comprehensive
For example, you might choose:
Paragraph style for History of Present Illness
Bullet style for Assessment and Plan
Section Instructions
Instructions tell Wavo exactly what to include in each section.
Examples:
Assessment
Include the working diagnosis, relevant differential diagnoses, and brief clinical reasoning.
Plan
Use bullet points. Include medications, investigations, referrals, follow-up, and safety instructions when discussed.
Mental Status Exam
Use objective clinical language. Include appearance, behavior, speech, mood, affect, thought process, thought content, cognition, insight, and judgment when available.
Patient Instructions
Write in patient-friendly language. Avoid medical jargon whenever possible.
Templates should always contain reusable instructions and never include patient-specific information.
Save and Use a Template
Once saved, your template appears in your Templates list.
To use it:
Start a new encounter or create a new document.
Select your template.
Record, upload, or dictate your encounter.
Wavo generates the document using that template.
Templates can also be used when creating additional documents from the same encounter.
Set a Default Template
Your default template is automatically selected whenever you create a new note.
To set one:
Open Templates.
Locate your template.
Click the star or choose Set as Default from the actions menu.
The template will display a Default badge.
You can change your default template at any time.
Apply a Template to an Existing Note
Templates can also be applied after a note has already been generated.
To do so:
Open the encounter.
Choose Add Document or change the selected template.
Select the template you want.
Wavo creates a new version of the document using the selected template.
You generally do not need to re-record or re-upload the encounter.
Edit or Archive a Template
Edit a template
Open Templates.
Locate the template.
Open the Actions menu.
Click Edit.
Make your changes.
Click Save.
Archive a template
If you no longer use a template:
Open Templates.
Select the template.
Open the Actions menu.
Click Archive.
Archived templates are removed from your active list but can be restored later.
Note: You cannot archive your current default template until another template has been set as the default.
Template Library
The Template Library lets you browse templates beyond your own collection.
Available sources include:
Built-in Wavo templates
Community templates
Organization templates
When you use a shared template, Wavo creates a copy in your own account so you can edit it freely without affecting the original.
For more information, see Using Community and Organization Templates in Wavo Health.
Best Practices
Keep templates simple
Start with a clear structure before adding detailed instructions.
Write reusable instructions
Avoid patient-specific information.
Templates should work for every encounter.
Be specific
If a section must follow a certain format, describe it clearly in that section.
Use the Template Builder for complex templates
The builder gives you independent formatting and instructions for every section.
Use the Plain Text Editor for quick templates
If you already know your preferred layout, the Plain Text Editor is usually the fastest option.
Review your results
After generating a note, review the output and refine your template if sections are missing, too detailed, or formatted differently than expected.
Troubleshooting
My note doesn't follow the template
Verify that the correct template was selected before generating the note.
If needed, make your section instructions more specific.
A section is missing
If no relevant information was discussed during the encounter, Wavo may omit that section.
Add instructions if you'd like the section to always appear.
My note is too long or too short
Adjust the section length or add instructions such as:
"Keep this section concise."
"Include detailed clinical reasoning."
The formatting isn't what I expected
Update the section style in the Template Builder or adjust your global Style Settings.
I don't see my template
Refresh the page and confirm the template hasn't been archived.
I want another document from the same encounter
Choose Add Document and select a different template.
You don't need to record the encounter again.
Need Help?
If you need help creating or managing templates, contact us at [email protected].
For shared templates, see Using Community and Organization Templates in Wavo Health.