Coco, CoVet’s AI Template Assistant, is here to help you create and customize your templates.
You can tell Coco what you want using text, audio, or files, and Coco will help turn that information into a structured template. Once Coco creates a first draft, you can review it, make changes, test the template, and continue refining it until it works the way you want.
For most users, the easiest and most effective way to create or edit templates and custom instructions is through Coco’s AI workflow. You can also edit template instructions manually, either while working in Coco or directly in CoVet. The prompting practices in this guide are useful in both cases: they can help you communicate more clearly with Coco and write stronger instructions when making manual edits.
If you’re new to Coco, start with our guide How to Use Coco - AI Template Assistant.
Start by describing what you want
You don’t need to write a perfect prompt.
Start by explaining the document you want to create and how you plan to use it.
For example: “Create a template for an emotional medical record. I want to document the patient’s behavior during the visit, FAS score, triggers, preferred handling techniques, and any medications or calming interventions used.”
Or: “Help me create a client discharge summary for dental procedures. It should explain home care and medications in clear, client-friendly language.”
Coco will use your request to suggest a structure for the template, which you can review and adjust before continuing.
Give Coco the details that matter to you
The more important a preference is, the more clearly you should describe it.
Depending on the template, it can be helpful to tell Coco:
What the document is for. “This is a medical record for hospitalized patients that will be used during daily rounds.”
What information it should include. “Include current medication, overnight changes, diagnostics, assessment, treatment plan, and outstanding tasks.”
How you want the information organized. “Write the history in paragraph format, but use bullet points for medications.”
What should be left out. “Do not repeat information from the treatment plan in the history section.”
Who will read it. “This is client-facing, so use plain language and explain medical terminology as needed.”
Note: You can also mark a template as a Client Facing Document when configuring it in Coco. This helps Covet format the template appropriately for client use.
Refine your template one change at a time
You don’t need to fit every instruction into your first request.
Once Coco creates the initial structure, review what it has produced and ask for specific changes.
For example:
“Add a section for pre-visit pharmaceuticals.”
“Make the physical exam more concise.”
“Move diagnostics before the assessment.”
“Use bullet points for the treatment plan.”
“Make the client summary warmer and easier to understand.”
“Remove sections that aren’t relevant to routine wellness appointments.”
This can be easier than trying to design the entire template in one long request.
Be clear when something is a rule
If there is something CoVet should consistently do, describe the rule specifically.
For example: Instead of: “Include an FAS score.”
Try: “If an FAS score is stated, include the numerical score exactly as provided.”
Instead of: “Include medications.”
Try: “List medications discussed during the visit, including the medication name, dose, frequency, and duration when that information is available.”
Clear instructions help Coco understand which preferences are essential to the template.
Use examples when you have a specific preference
If you want something formatted or written in a particular way, a short example can help.
For example: “Organize each problem using a bold problem name followed by the assessment and plan.”
Or: "Display FAS scores using this format: FAS 2/5.”
You generally don’t need to provide an entire sample record. A small example is often enough to communicate the pattern you want.
Give Coco existing material to work from
You don’t always need to describe a template from scratch.
Coco can use:
Typed instructions
Recorded audio
Attached files
Existing templates imported with a share code
If your clinic already has a form, document, or template that represents the workflow you want, you can provide it to Coco as source material and then refine the template it creates.
Keep client-identifying information out of template names and examples. When you need sample information, use placeholders such as [PatientName], [Species], or [AppointmentDate].
Formatting your template
For most changes, you can simply tell Coco how you want the template formatted.
For example:
“Make each section title bold.”
“Use bullet points for discharge instructions.”
“Create separate headings for Assessment and Plan.”
If you want to manually control formatting, Coco also supports Markdown. For example:
**Bold text**
*Italic text*
# Heading
## Smaller heading
You can also use Markdown when creating reusable Snippets in Coco.
Example: Building an Emotional Medical Record
You could start with:
“Create an emotional medical record for veterinary patients. Include the patient’s FAS score, behavior during today’s visit, pre-visit pharmaceuticals and other calming interventions, likes, triggers, preferred distraction techniques, preferred examination location, and behavior management aids. Keep it clinically detailed but concise.”
After Coco creates the first version, you could refine it with requests such as:
“Make Likes, Triggers, and Preferred Distraction Techniques bullet-point sections.”
Then:
“For FAS Score, include the score stated by the veterinarian when one is provided.”
Then:
“Keep Notes From Today’s Visit focused on demeanor, fear, anxiety, stress, and response to handling. Avoid unrelated medical information.”
Each change gives Coco more information about how you want the template to behave without requiring you to build all of the underlying instructions manually.
Test and keep refining
Once you’re happy with the structure, use Coco’s Test the template feature to see how it performs before saving it.
If the output isn’t quite right, return to the template and refine the relevant section or instruction.
For larger edits, you can also create a Save Point before making changes so you have a version of your work to return to or share with the CoVet Support Team.
When you’re finished, save the template back to CoVet.
Give Coco a clear description of what you want, review what it creates, and refine the details that matter most to your workflow.
