Best Practices for Using Quick SOAP Advanced in Digitail
Quick SOAP helps veterinary teams save time by automatically generating SOAP notes from recorded consultations and predefined clinic rules. To make sure your team gets the most accurate and consistent results, follow the best practices below.
Within this section, the rules are organized into two types:
Clinic Rules: Apply to all team members (requires admin permissions)
Personal Rules: Apply only to your individual SOAP notes
To input your clinic or personal rules:
Go to Administration.
Select Tails Agent Settings.
Open QuickSOAP Agent.
Click Configure Settings.
Choose QuickSOAP Advanced.
Go to Rules and Preferences.
Select Clinic or Personal Rules.
Add your rules.
Click Save.
Writing Effective Rules
Poorly written or overly complex rules can confuse the AI and lead to inconsistent SOAP notes.
Here’s how to write clear, AI-friendly rules:
Tip: If you need help reviewing your clinic rules or would like a configuration check, contact Support if your clinic is live, or your Onboarding Agent if you are in active onboarding or the post-go-live hypercare period.
✅ Do:
Use simple, clear sentences (e.g., “If normal readings on body system, use the following.”)
Structure information in lists or sections to separate categories.
Keep your rules concise — shorter rules are easier for the AI to interpret.
🚫 Don’t:
Repeat words (e.g., “include, include, include”) — repetition can cause output loops.
Write rules that reference unavailable sections (for example, subjective/objective fields that aren’t visible in QuickSOAP).
Copy and paste large rule sets; you may reach the system’s natural limit, causing later rules to be ignored.
For example, instead of this:
Do this:
Note: You'll need administrator permissions to edit clinic rules - if you see "View Only," you'll need your practice admin to update your permissions.
Copy/Paste Example Rules
Pain Assessment + Body Condition Score (BCS)
• Always document pain assessment using a standardized scoring system (ex: Colorado State University Pain Scale).
• Include Body Condition Score (BCS 1-9) for every patient. Normal BCS is 4/9.
• Notate pain score and BCS in physical exam findings.
Medications + Drug Dosages
• Document drug dosages with mg/kg calculations and route of administration.
Vital Parameters
• Record vital parameters with normal reference ranges and note any deviations.
• Notate heart rate under the Heart Rate section in Vital Signs.
• If no heart rate is mentioned: Cats 180 bpm, Dogs 100 bpm.
• Notate temperature in the Temperature section in Vital Signs.
• Notate respiratory rate in the Respiratory Rate section in Vital Signs.
• If no respiratory rate is mentioned: Cats 24 rpm, Dogs 30 rpm.
• Notate weight in the Weight section as lbs in Vital Signs. • Weight is always in pounds (lbs).
Physical Exam Rules
• Include specific anatomical locations for physical examination findings.
• Anything not mentioned on the physical examination should be listed as normal.
• Everything is within normal limits on a physical exam unless otherwise mentioned.
• Rectal exam is not performed unless otherwise specified.
• If a mass is mentioned on the physical exam, notate the findings under the Skin/Coat section of the physical exam.
• Italicize any abnormal in the physical exam.
Owner Naming Rule
• Instead of writing the owner's name in the medical record, call all owners “The owner” unless we specifically use a name for the owner.
Client + History Notes
• Record environmental and behavioral observations relevant to this patient.
• Document client compliance and any previous adverse drug reactions.
Prognosis Statements
• Include prognosis statements with statistical context when discussing serious conditions.
Canine and Feline Physical Exam Formatting Rules
For canine and feline patients, always list physical exam findings in bullet format with the following order:
• Eyes
• Ears
• Nose
• Oral Cavity/Throat
• Cardiovascular
• Respiratory
• Skin/Coat
• Lymph Nodes
• Abdomen
• Urogenital
• Musculoskeletal
• Neurological
• Rectal exam
Normal Eye (Canine + Feline)
• Clear cornea, anterior chamber and lens, and appears visual in both eyes.
Normal Ears (Canine + Feline)
• No redness or excessive debris in both ears.
Normal Nose (Canine + Feline)
• Clear with no discharge.
Normal Oral Cavity/Throat (Canine + Feline)
• MM's moist, pink, CRT <2 sec
Normal Cardiovascular (Canine + Feline)
• Good pulse quality, synchronous pulses. No murmur or arrhythmia.
Normal Respiratory (Canine + Feline)
• Clear respiratory sounds in all fields. No increase in respiratory effort.
Normal Skin/Coat (Canine + Feline)
• Unremarkable skin and haircoat. No fleas.
Normal Lymph Nodes (Canine + Feline)
• Mandibular, inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes are small, smooth and symmetrical.
Normal Abdomen (Canine + Feline)
• Soft, non-distended, non-painful, no palpable mass, organomegaly or fluid wave.
Normal Urogenital (Canine + Feline)
• All palpable urinary tract and external genitalia are unremarkable.
Normal Musculoskeletal (Canine + Feline)
• Adequate, symmetrical muscling. Ambulatory without lameness.
Dental Grade (Canine + Feline Only)
Include a dental grade for canine and feline patients using the standard Grade 0-4 scale.
• Grade 0: No tartar, clean white teeth.
• Grade 1: Mild tartar formation, no gingivitis.
• Grade 2: Tartar and gingivitis formation.
• Grade 3: Gingivitis, tartar, gingival recession and concern for extractions being needed.
• Grade 4: Mobile teeth and severe gingival recession and tartar bridging.
• If tartar and/or gingivitis is noted, notate Grade 2 unless otherwise mentioned.
• If there is concern for an extraction, notate Grade 3.
• Include the dental grade in the Oral Cavity/Throat section of the physical exam.
• Do not record a dental grade if the species is a turtle, snake, lizard, rat, gerbil, chinchilla, hedgehog, rabbit, avian, parrot, canary, pigeon, chicken, duck, fish, amphibian or frog.
Tech Appointment Rule
• If the visit type is Tech Appointment, no physical exam was performed. • Do not include physical exam parameters or vital signs.
Vaccines: Type + Location (Document under Treatment Section)
• If a vaccine is given, notate location and type of vaccine under the Treatment section.
Canine Vaccines
• DHLPP is given in the left front.
• Lepto is given in the left front.
• Lyme is given in the left rear.
• Canine rabies is given in the right front.
• Canine influenza is given in the right rear.
• DHPP should always be written as DHLPP.
Feline Vaccines
• Feline FVRCP/FRV (upper respiratory/rabies combo) is given in the right rear as a combination vaccine.
• Feline leukemia vaccine is given in the left rear.
Vaccine Reaction Recommendation
• When vaccines are administered, recommend watching for vaccine reactions and include signs of a vaccine reaction (ex: facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, lethargy, collapse, difficulty breathing).
Procedures
• If a cystocentesis is done, this is ultrasound guided unless otherwise specified.
You can preview your rules by toggling through the preset scenarios and section tabs within the Preview SOAP Generation section.
Understanding When Rules Apply
QuickSOAP Advanced applies your clinic rules and personal rules only when you click Generate SOAP Notes.
This is when Digitail combines:
Your recording transcription
The patient’s medical data
Clinic and personal rules
Any additional instructions you’ve added
Important: Rules do not apply during recording or syncing — only at the generation stage
Rule Priority Order (Highest to Lowest)
Clinic Rules (Priority 1 | HIGHEST)
Applies to all team members
Non-negotiable standards
Overrides conflicting information
Personal Rules (Priority 2 | MEDIUM)
Applies to your individual notes
Complements clinic rules
Adds your personal documentation style
Additional Instructions (Priority 3 | Case Specific)
Temporary instructions for specific cases
Applies to individual consultations
Best for special requirements
Recording Controls Explained
Understanding the recording buttons helps prevent accidental data loss.
Common Mistake: Some users click ✓ instead of after pausing. This ends the recording and sends it for transcription early.
Best practice: Finish the recording fully before pressing ✓, and avoid refreshing your browser during a pause.
Syncing and Saving Your Notes
You can create multiple recordings before clicking Generate SOAP Notes.
Click Generate after you have completed all of your recordings.
Once you have generated all of your SOAP notes, click Sync with Record to apply your notes to the corresponding fields within the SOAP record.
Sync copies the generated SOAP text into your patient record. It does not apply the rules again.
If you leave the page after generating, your data stays saved.
You will lose progress if you refresh the page during an active (paused) recording.
Teaching QuickSOAP Your Preferences (Additional Instructions - Personal Rules, within SOAP)
QuickSOAP doesn’t automatically “learn” from your manual edits — but you can save preferences easily.
To make custom instructions repeatable:
Write your preferences in Additional Instructions.
Click the floppy disk icon (💾) to save them to your Personal Rules.
Recommended Workflow for Vet Techs and DVMs
Multi-Device and Multi-User Notes:
It is best practice to avoid having multiple users working on the same record simultaneously. If multiple roles or team members need to contribute, we recommend working in stages and having the first team member exit the record before the next team member takes over and adds their notes.
Quick SOAP works best when only one user is editing or recording a SOAP note.
Avoid generating SOAP notes from multiple computers at once.
Recordings from separate devices may not sync correctly until the page is refreshed.
The most recent generation will overwrite earlier versions.
When multiple roles contribute to the same patient record, work from one device at a time and follow this sequence:
Vet Techs document findings without generating a SOAP note.
The DVM reviews the recorded findings and adds their own notes.
Once documentation is complete, the DVM clicks Generate SOAP to create the final note.
Phase 1) Tech Exam & Notes
The technician will open the SOAP record, click Start Quick SOAP, and create the first recording by selecting Record now. After recording their notes, they will click the checkmark button. The recording will then appear in Quick SOAP under Audio Recordings (shown in purple). They can then click the X to safely exit the QuickSOAP modal.
The Technician should NOT click Generate SOAP Notes at this stage.
Note: If you may want to revisit a recording later, be sure to click Download to save it to your computer before generating the SOAP notes and syncing with the record. Once you sync, the recordings will no longer be available to download.
Phase 2) DVM Exam & Notes
When it’s time for the DVM to perform their portion of the examination, they will open the patient record and click Start Quick SOAP in the top right corner.
This will reopen the Quick SOAP pop-up containing the technician’s earlier recording.
The DVM will click Record now. After recording their notes, they will click the checkmark button. The recording will then appear in Quick SOAP under Audio Recordings (shown in green).
Once both recordings are complete, they can click Generate SOAP Notes. This combines the technician and DVM recordings to generate a preview. When satisfied with the preview, the DVM will click Sync with Record.
Note: Click Generate SOAP Notes only after all recordings are complete. Click Sync with Record only once you are fully satisfied with the SOAP notes preview. After syncing, the recordings will no longer be available, and the generated text will be synced into the SOAP record fields.
What to Avoid
Veterinary technicians generating SOAP notes independently can create duplicate summaries.
Clicking Sync before all recordings are done may overwrite existing content.
Recommendation: Only the DVM should generate SOAP once all team recordings are complete.
QuickSOAP Q&A
1. When do clinic rules and personal rules actually apply?
Rules only apply when you click Generate SOAP Notes. They do not apply while recording or syncing.
2. What does QuickSOAP use to generate SOAP notes?
It combines:
Your recording transcription
The patient’s medical data
Clinic and personal rules
Any additional instructions you’ve added
3. What happens if our rules are too complicated or messy?
Overly complex rules can confuse the AI and lead to inconsistent SOAP notes.
4. What are the best practices for writing effective QuickSOAP rules?
Use simple, clear sentences
Structure rules into lists or sections
Keep rules concise
5. What should we avoid when writing rules?
Repeating words too much (it can cause looping)
Referencing sections that are not visible in Quick SOAP
Copy/pasting huge rule sets (later rules may be ignored)
6. What is the recommended workflow for vet techs and vets?
Best practice workflow:
Vet tech records findings (vitals, lab data, etc.) but does not generate SOAP
Vet reviews findings and records their own notes
Vet clicks Generate SOAP once everything is complete
7. Why shouldn’t vet techs generate SOAP notes on their own?
It can create duplicate summaries.
8. What’s a common recording mistake?
After pausing, some users click ✓ instead of, which ends the recording early and sends it for transcription.
9. What do the recording buttons mean?
✓ Check ends and sends the recording for transcription
⏸ Pause pauses the recording (not saved while paused)
▶️ Play resumes a paused recording
10. Does Sync apply the rules again?
No. Sync only copies the generated SOAP into the patient record. It does not apply rules again.
11. When can you lose progress?
You can lose progress if you refresh the page during an active paused recording.
12. Does QuickSOAP learn automatically from edits?
No, it does not automatically “learn” from manual edits.
13. How do you teach QuickSOAP your preferences for next time?
Write preferences in Additional Instructions
Click the floppy disk icon to save them to Personal Rules
14. How do you send feedback if the SOAP output is wrong?
Click the thumbs-down button in Quick SOAP
Add details about what went wrong
15. What’s the best practice for multi-device or multi-user note creation?
Quick SOAP works best when only one user is editing or recording a SOAP note at a time. Generating SOAP on multiple computers can overwrite earlier versions.
16. What are clinic rules vs personal rules?
Clinic Rules apply to all team members (admin permissions required)
Personal Rules apply only to your own SOAP notes
17. Where do you go to input clinic rules in Digitail?
Go to:
Administration → Tails Agent Settings → Quick SOAP Agent → Configure Settings → QuickSOAP Advanced → Rules and Preferences
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Microphone Problems or Poor Transcription Quality
Check browser permissions in your browser settings
Test different browsers if issues persist (If the issue happens in one browser but not another, our team can use that information to help diagnose the problem)
Verify the microphone hardware with other applications (For example, try recording a short video to confirm whether your microphone is working)
Check language settings match your dictation language
Rules Not Applied or Inconsistent Results
Save settings after making changes (Administration → Tails Agent Settings → QuickSOAP Agent Configure Settings → Rules & Preferences → Clinic Rules (or Personal Rules) → Click Save at the bottom right corner to apply)
Review and refine rules for clarity and specificity.
Use the Preview section to test different scenarios (This lets you test your real rules against pre-defined scenarios.)
Adjust Additional Instructions for case-specific needs (Accessible from within a SOAP record → Click Continue QuickSOAP or Start QuickSOAP → Additional Instructions can be added and applied from this section→ Manage Templates options within the Library icon.)
Feedback and Support
We love hearing from you!
If you experience unexpected behavior or inaccurate results, please send feedback directly from QuickSOAP:
Click the thumbs down (👎) button within Quick SOAP.
Add details about what went wrong.
Your feedback goes straight to the product team for faster review.
Need more help?
Visit the Digitail Help Center or contact support via chat.
Together, we’ll make your SOAP generation effortless and accurate.