Smart Notes is an AI-powered voice-to-form tool built into Access Care Planning mobile apps. It helps assessors and care leads reduce documentation time by automatically converting care conversations into structured form drafts.
Demo video
How smart notes work
Smart notes are enabled on forms where you'll be able to open the form and tap create voice recording, which then records your conversation, maybe about a care plan, and once you have finished, simply stop the recording and the app uploads and transcribes the audio to the form. This creates a draft form for you to review and submit.
Open the relevant form.
Tap the teal button Create Voice Recording.
Speak naturally though the form questions.
When finished stop the recording.
Review the draft form.
Tap Submit.
Setup and enablement
To enable smart notes, contact your account manager or customer success manager.
Once enabled, make sure all users are on Android and IOS are up to date on version 7.7 or above. Also ensure the users perform regular syncs. Lastly, check for a teal Create Voice Recording button on the forms.
Using smart notes
Start recording only after confirming the form is Smart Notes enabled.
Keep the ACP mobile app open and unlocked during recording.
If your device locks, the recording will pause and resume when unlocked.
Keep the app open (or running in background) while uploading.
Do not force-quit the app until upload is complete.
Audio is one-time use - not accessible after form submission.
Supported form fields
Smart Notes can populate a wide range of common field types in Access Care Planning, but not all.
Supported
Text Box.
Paragraph Box.
Checkbox.
Dropdown List.
Radio Buttons.
Number.
Decimal.
Multi-Select.
Date.
Time.
Customer Picker.
User Picker.
First Row of Tables.
Not supported
Tables (Smart Notes can fill in the first row only - it cannot add additional rows.)
Photo.
Barcode.
Body Map.
Signature.
Hyperlink.
Label.
Limitations
One recording per form.
Only supports English.
Requires an internet connection to commence the recording.
Maximum recording duration: 60 minutes.
Audio can't be re-accessed post-submission.
Mobile only - no web/server support.
Helpful tips
To help Smart Notes perform at its best, we recommend the following:
Add short, clear instructions to each form field.
e.g. "Summarise the client's current mobility concerns here"Avoid generic field labels.
Use "Describe recent sleep patterns" instead of "Comments"Keep your form layouts consistent.
Especially across assessments of the same type or service area
Well-structured forms give Smart Notes more context, helping it return more relevant and complete outputs. While it'll still function without these steps, results may vary based on form design.
Cost
Smart Notes is available as an optional add-on within Access Care Planning, designed to streamline your documentation process.
With usage-based pricing, you only pay for the audio processing hours you need, making it a flexible and cost-effective solution. Our Sales and Account Management teams will collaborate with you to understand your care team's assessment volume, typical duration, and the time spent on administrative tasks.
Based on this insight, we’ll recommend a tailored pricing package that suits your care setting. The result? Less admin, better documentation quality, and more time for what matters most delivering outstanding care.
Technology & AI
Smart Notes uses Microsoft Azure Speech-to-Text to convert voice recordings into accurate transcripts, followed by a private instance of ChatGPT (GPT-4o model) to structure the content into form drafts. We use custom instructions specifically designed for the UK care sector to ensure relevant and compliant outputs.
Is the AI processing secure?
Yes. We use a private ChatGPT instance that doesn't share data with OpenAI's public models. Combined with Microsoft Azure's secure infrastructure, all processing happens within controlled, GDPR-compliant environments designed for healthcare data.
Why GPT-4o specifically?
GPT-4o provides the best balance of accuracy, speed, and context understanding for care documentation. Our custom instructions ensure it understands care sector terminology, regulatory requirements, and documentation standards specific to UK social care.
Can other providers access our data through these AI services?
No. Our private instances ensure your care data remains isolated and secure. Neither Microsoft Azure nor our ChatGPT instance shares your information with external parties or uses it for model training.