# Using the Template Field Editor

You can reduce the time required to complete a note, consult, or discharge summary by adding template fields to your templates and dialogs. Information that you would normally have to look up can be pulled directly into your note, consult, or discharge summary from the template fields in your templates.

To view the predefined characteristics of the template fields:

1. Select on either the Notes, Consults, or D/C Summ tab.

2. Select Options | Edit Templates.

3. Select the desired template field in the Template Fields list on the left side of the dialog. The field is copied to the Name field on the right side of the dialog and all of the existing elements of the field are displayed.

4. Select Preview to see how the Template Field will appear on a template or click OK to complete the procedure.

To create a new template field:

1. Select either the Notes, Consults, or D/C Summ tab.

2. Select Options | Edit Templates Fields.

3. Select New Template in the upper right corner of the Template Field Editor dialog.

4. Type a unique name for the new template field.

5. Select a Type.

o Edit Box

o Combo Box

o Button

o Check boxes

o Radio buttons

o Date

o Number

o Hyperlink

o Text

o Word Processing

6. If Edit Box is selected, type or select a number between 1 and 70 into the Maximum Number of Characters field. If Combo Box, Button, Check Boxes or Radio Buttons are selected as the Type, the Default field and Maximum Number of Characters fields are unavailable. The Items field and the Default field below Items are active.

7. The Default field below the Type field is available only when Edit Box is the Type selected. Type the text that you wish to have appears in the Edit Box by default. On the template, the user can accept the default text or change it, as long as the new text is within the Maximum Number of Characters limit.

8. If the Type is Combo Box, Button, Check Boxes, or Radio Buttons, the Items field will be active. Type the different choices from which you wish to let the user choose. Each item must be on a separate line in the Items field. however, if you wish to have the Items listed on separate lines in the template, you must enable the Separate Lines check box.

9. If the Type is Combo Box, Button, Check Boxes, or Radio Buttons, the second Default field will be active. If you wish, you may click the drop-down button and select one of the Items as the default.

10. If you wish, you may type text in the LM Text field and it will appear in the List Manager version. Template Fields have been developed strictly for GUI functionality. If you are still using LM, the text {FLD:TEMPLATE FIELD NAME} will appear in LM body of the note. To avoid this, type text in this field.

11. If the field being created on the template is required, enable the Required check box, which will prevent the template from being closed without the field being selected or completed.

12. You may include text in the Notes field that will explain or describe the Template Field. You may also use it to record changes that have been made to the Template field. The text typed into this field will not appear on the template. These notes will not appear to a user when entering a note. They are for development use only as notes to the creator.

13. Select Preview to see how the Template Field will appear on a template or click OK to complete the procedure.

Related topics

Template Fields

Inserting Template Fields into a Template