Setting Fields as Pre-Fill Fields in Patient Forms

Setting Fields as Pre-Fill Fields in Patient Forms

Overview

Pre-Fill Fields let your staff populate specific fields on a form before it is sent to the patient. The patient then receives the form with that information already locked in — they can see it, but they cannot change it. This is ideal for details the office controls and the patient shouldn't edit, such as the appointment date, the treating provider's name, or an internal reference number.

This article covers the supported field types, the limitations to be aware of, how to configure a Pre-Fill field on a form, and the two ways staff can enter pre-fill information when sending forms.

Who Is This Article For?

Practice administrators who build forms, and front-office staff who send forms via Quick Text or the Patient Card and need to complete pre-fill information before sending.

Benefits

  • Reduces patient data entry — Patients aren't asked to fill in details the office already knows.
  • Ensures critical information is included — Key details like appointment dates and provider names are guaranteed to be on the form, entered accurately by staff.
  • Supports internal workflow requirements — Office-use-only information can travel with the form without relying on the patient to supply it.

Supported Field Types

Pre-Fill can be enabled on the following field types:

  • Single Line Text
  • Date Fields
  • Multi-choice checkboxes

Important Limitations

  • Pre-Fill fields cannot be marked as Required. The Required toggle is not compatible with Pre-Fill, since the patient is not the one completing the field.
  • Patients cannot edit Pre-Fill fields. The information staff enters is read-only on the patient side.
  • Empty Pre-Fill fields remain blank after submission. If staff skip a pre-fill field before sending, the patient cannot fill it in — it will simply come back empty.

Part 1: Setting Up a Pre-Fill Field on a Form

Step 1: Open Form Manager

  1. Navigate to the Patient Forms module in Adit.
  2. In the left navigation menu, click Form Manager.
  3. Edit the desired form by clicking the Form Name or the Edit icon.

Step 2: Enable Pre-Fill on the Field

  1. Select an existing Single Line Text or Date field on the form (or add a new one from the toolbar). The field properties panel opens on the right.
  2. Enable the Pre-Fill Field toggle in the properties panel.
  3. Click Save in the top navigation.

The field is now configured for pre-fill functionality and will be presented to staff for completion whenever this form is assigned.


Part 2: Entering Pre-Fill Information Before Sending

Once a form contains Pre-Fill fields, staff complete them at the time the form is assigned. Pre-Fill entry is available when assigning forms through:

  • Quick Text
  • Patient Card → Assign Form

Understanding the Pre-Fill Status Indicators

Adit shows a colored status icon so staff can see at a glance whether the pre-fill information has been completed before the form goes out:

IndicatorMeaningAction Needed
🟧 Orange IconOne or more Pre-Fill fields are still incomplete.Click the icon and complete the outstanding fields before sending.
🟩 Green IconAll Pre-Fill fields have been completed.None — the form is ready to send.

Option 1: Individual Entry

Best when assigning a single form to a patient.

  1. Click the Pre-Fill icon on the form assignment.
  2. Enter the required information into each Pre-Fill field.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Send the form to the patient.


Option 2: Bulk Entry

Recommended when assigning multiple forms at once — outstanding pre-fill fields across all forms are completed from a single review screen.

  1. Click Send or Assign.
  2. On the review screen, complete all outstanding Pre-Fill fields across the assigned forms.
  3. Submit the forms.

Key Reminders

  • Only staff can edit Pre-Fill fields — patients cannot modify pre-filled information in any way.
  • If a Pre-Fill field is left empty when the form is sent, it remains blank after the patient submits — the patient cannot complete it on your behalf.
  • Pre-Fill fields cannot be designated as Required.
  • Watch the status icon: send only when it turns green if you need every pre-fill value populated.

Common Use Cases

  • Appointment dates — confirm the visit date on consent or pre-visit paperwork.
  • Provider names — identify the treating provider on treatment-specific forms.
  • Internal reference numbers — case, claim, or chart numbers used by your office.
  • Office-use-only information — any detail your workflow requires on the document that the patient should not supply or alter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why can't I make my Pre-Fill field Required?
By design, Pre-Fill fields cannot be marked as Required. The patient is not the one completing the field, so a Required validation on their side would not make sense.

Q: We sent a form and the pre-fill field came back empty. What happened?
The field was likely not completed by staff before sending. Empty Pre-Fill fields remain blank after submission — patients cannot fill them in. Check for the orange status icon before sending next time.

Q: Can patients at least see the pre-filled information?
Yes — the information is visible to the patient on the form, but it is read-only and cannot be edited.

Q: Which sending methods support pre-fill entry?
Pre-Fill fields can be completed when assigning forms through Quick Text or via Patient Card → Assign Form.

  • Mapping Fields in Your Patient Form to the EHR (PMS Field Mapping)
  • Toggling Auto-Import ON or OFF


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