Use Google Docs' AI to Build a Documentation Template Library

What This Does

Google Docs has built-in AI writing features that let you create and update documentation templates directly, without switching to another app. If you create a shared Google Doc folder for your peer support templates (progress notes, recovery plan goals, referral letters), you and your colleagues can maintain a living library that stays current and is accessible from anywhere.

Before You Start

• A Google account (free Gmail or Google Workspace)
• Google Docs open at docs.google.com
• You're logged in

Steps

1. Create a template folder in Google Drive

Go to drive.google.com, click New → New folder, and name it "Peer Support Templates." This is where you'll store all your documentation templates so they're easy to find and share.

2. Open a new Google Doc and activate "Help me write"

Inside your Templates folder, click New → Google Docs to start a new document. At the top of the empty document, look for the pencil/star icon in the left margin (may appear when you click at the top) or press Ctrl+Alt+Enter (Windows) / Cmd+Alt+Enter (Mac).

What you should see: A blue "Help me write" box appears with a text input field.

3. Request your first template

In the Help me write box, type: "Create a fill-in-the-blank progress note template for a peer support specialist documenting a phone check-in. Include: date, time, duration, service code (leave blank), client presentation, topics discussed, support provided, plan for next contact. Use [brackets] for each fill-in field."

Click Create (or press Enter).

What you should see: A complete, structured progress note template appears in your document.

4. Review and refine

Read the template. If any section is missing or unclear, select that text, click the AI icon, and choose Refine. Type an instruction like: "Add a section for Medicaid billing documentation" or "Make the client presentation section more specific with examples."

Click Insert when satisfied.

5. Name and save your template

Click on "Untitled document" at the top and name it "Progress Note Template: Phone Check-In." Your template is now saved and accessible from any device.

6. Create more templates using the same process

Repeat steps 2-5 for each template type you need:

• Progress Note: Field Visit
• Progress Note: Group Session
• Recovery Plan Goals Template
• Referral Letter Template
• Incident Report Template

7. Share with your team

Right-click the Templates folder in Google Drive → Share → enter your colleagues' email addresses → set permission to "Editor" (so they can use and update templates) or "Viewer" (read-only access).

Real Example

Scenario: Your agency has 6 peer specialists all writing progress notes slightly differently, and supervisors spend time asking for revisions.

What you do: Create a shared "Progress Note Template" Google Doc using the steps above, share it with all 6 specialists, and set it as the team standard. Now everyone uses the same structure.

What you get: Consistent documentation quality across the team; faster supervisor review; less rework.

Tips

• Keep the Google Docs template as a master. Have each person make a copy (File → Make a copy) for each actual client note, so the master template never gets overwritten
• If your agency's EHR doesn't have good note templates, use Google Docs templates to draft notes before copying them into the EHR
• Review and update templates annually when Medicaid documentation requirements change

Tool interfaces change. If a button has moved, look for similar AI/magic/smart options in the same menu area.