Lyrebird's note templates control the structure, headings, and tone of every note it writes. You can edit an existing default template for quick adjustments, or build your own from scratch if you have a specific format in mind.
Which approach is right for me?
Edit a default template — best for minor changes: adjusting section length, renaming a heading, or adding a standing instruction.
Create your own template — best when you want full control over structure, headings, and tone from the ground up.
Step 1: Choose your note type
Before customising, it helps to know which note type you're working with. Lyrebird supports three formats:
SOAP — the most common structure for general practice. Sections are Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan.
Chief Complaint — structured around a single presenting problem. Sections are Presenting Problem, History of Presenting Problem, Examination, and Plan.
Multiple Presenting Problems — ideal if patients often present with more than one concern. Follows the Chief Complaint structure, repeated per problem.
You can set your default note type at any time from Customise > General, or change it before or during a consult.
Most specialties will see all three note types. If Multiple Presenting Problems isn't visible and you'd like access, contact us.
Step 2A: Edit a default note template
This is great if you are just getting start modifying note templates.
Use this path for minor adjustments to an existing Lyrebird template — renaming headings, changing section length, or adding standing instructions.
Open the template editor
Navigate to Customise > Note Templates
Click the default template you want to edit — default templates are marked with a Default badge
Customise each section
The editor shows your template on the left and a live preview on the right. Each section has three controls:Heading — rename the section by editing the textbox in the top-left of that section
Length — choose Shorter, Regular, or Longer to control how much detail Lyrebird writes for that section
Instructions — type a standing instruction for that section (see Writing good instructions below)
Rearrange or remove sections
To reorder: click and hold a section, drag it to the new position, then release
To remove: click the trash icon in the top-right of a section — it will show as "This section has been hidden"
Preview your changes
Select a saved patient consult from the top-right to see how your template applies to a real note
If you don't have saved consults yet, select Mock patient for a sample preview
To save your changes, click the "Save" button in the top right corner before you exit. You can always check the Saved indicator in the top-left of the editor if you are unsure when you last saved.
Step 2B: Create your own note template from scratch
Use this path when you want full control — specific headings, a structure that doesn't exist in the defaults, or a template built around a particular consult type.
Create the template
Go to Customise > Note Templates
Click Create a new note template
Give it a name — this is what you'll see when selecting templates during a consult
Choose a consult type — this controls when the template is available
Add a short description to remind yourself what it does
You can then choose to either upload your own examples or build your own. These are broke down below.
Build your sections
Click Add section to create each part of your note
Give each section a title — for example, "Progress since last appointment" or "Medications reviewed"
Set the length for that section
Add an instruction describing what Lyrebird should write there.
In the instructions, type like you're talking to a human who is going to be writing your notes for you, for example: "This section is about the medical progress the patient has had since we last spoke, it should be relatively short, you don't need to go into detail about what they said, simply 1-3 words per point they mention. Make sure you listen out for anything like allergic reactions that they have had"
Writing good instructions
Instructions are the most powerful part of template customisation. Write them the same way you'd brief a human medical scribe — be specific about what you want included, excluded, or structured differently.
Add a new heading with specific content
"Always add a section called Medications. Include all current and historical medications mentioned during the consult."
Capture more detail on a specific topic
"Include as much detail as possible about the patient's eating habits whenever mentioned — do not summarise this."
Keep a section brief - this is great if you find sometimes too much detail is being captured.
"This section should be 1–2 sentences only. Do not expand beyond what was directly stated."
Remove a section or type of content entirely
"Never include Social History anywhere in this note. Remove it every time, without exception."
Control note-wide conciseness
"Keep the note concise. Include only clinically relevant information. Avoid superfluous language — where necessary, sacrifice grammatical completeness to reduce word count."
If your instructions aren't being applied consistently, try strengthening the language — use "always", "never", or "without exception". You can also include an example of exactly what you want written.
We're here to help if you have any questions. Reach out to our support team for a same-day response at [email protected] or click the blue chat widget on the bottom right.