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Creating and Using Custom Annotations

John Austin Updated by John Austin

This article will show how to create custom annotations.

The Annotations menu is in the Actions panel in the Filing, Tasks and Patient Documents screens, so you are able to annotate a document wherever you find it. Custom Annotations can support processes in your practice to simplify capturing information to aid patient care.


Annotation Types

Annotation tools like highlighting, stamps, and shapes offer a versatile way to mark up text. Highlighting can emphasise key information, while stamps can be used to categorise or flag specific sections. Shapes, such as circles or boxes, can draw attention to particular areas or group related ideas together. These visual cues can make it easier to identify important information, track changes, or add personal insights to a document.

The following annotation types can be used in your documents:

Annotation Type

Description

Stamps

These are configured phrases, text that can be set by colour, size, and can include date and time.

Highlight

Similar to scribing a document with a highlighter pen, this allows you to colour blocks of a document with a configured colour to suit practice process.

Circle / Line

Similar to the Highlight, however these are drawn in the named shapes. You can still configure colours to suit your processes.


Creating a Highlight, Circle or Line Annotation

To create a custom Highlight, Circle or Line annotation:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Filing > Annotations. Your system's annotations will appear here.
  2. Select Create.
  3. Enter a Description.
  4. In Type, select Highlight, Circle or Line.
  5. Choose the Colour.
  6. Select Create.


Creating a Stamp Annotation

Stamp annotations are a quick way to add a stamp to an unfiled document, showing the current date and time, as well as the text you'd like to show.

To create a custom Stamp annotation:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Filing > Annotations. Your system's annotations will appear here.
  2. Select Create.
  3. Enter a Description.
  4. Select Stamp.
  5. Choose the Colour.
  6. Choose the Font size.
  7. Enter the Stamp text that you'd like to see when someone uses the stamp.
  8. The current Date and Time can be added to any stamp by selecting the checkbox below the Stamp Text field. This will display the current date and time when the stamp is used.

An Annotation Preview will be displayed below the settings.

  1. Once you have defined the stamp as required, select Create to save the changed.

The stamp will be available from the stamps drop-down menu in the annotations panel.


Using Highlight / Circle / Line Annotations in a Document

Using a custom Highlight / Circle / Line annotation:

  1. Open Annotate from the Action panel.
  2. Select Highlight.
  3. Choose a colour, and a Shape.
  4. On the document, drag your cursor to the shape and size to use the defined annotation.
  5. Select Save.


Using Stamp Annotations in a Document

Using a customer Stamp annotation:

  1. Open Annotate from the Action panel.
  2. Select Stamp.
  3. Choose a colour.
  4. Select the Font Size and enter the Text.
  5. On the document, drag your cursor to the shape to show the Stamp clearly on the document.
  6. Select Save

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