What Should a Practice Software Selection Record Include?

Published September 23, 2026 · 2 minute read

A practice software selection record should include what the software will be used for, which forms and records it must hold, how paper frameworks map to its fields, who owns administration and access, where data lives if the practice leaves, and who made the choice. Software is often chosen on price and appearance. The record makes sure the less visible questions were asked before go-live.

The questions that surface too late

Practices commonly discover after launch that the software has no place for a field their paper forms require, that only one person can manage user access, or that exporting records is difficult. None of these are problems with the software in the abstract. They are questions nobody wrote down while choosing.

Mapping before committing

Before signing, list every form the practice uses and check where each field would live. A field with no home becomes a free-text note, and free-text notes are hard to search later. A mapping table, even a rough one, shows the gaps while there is still time to choose differently.

Access and ownership

Record who is the system administrator, who can create and remove users, and what happens to access when someone leaves. Record where the data is stored and how the practice would retrieve it. These answers come from the vendor and should be dated and attributed.

What to record

• Intended uses: scheduling, charting, payments, forms
• Forms and fields that must be supported
• Field mapping gaps found before signing
• System administrator and backup administrator
• User access process for joiners and leavers
• Data location and export method, per vendor
• Decision owner, date, and review date

This fits the opening sequence in How to Open a Med Spa. For the wider vendor view, see the vendor selection record.