Every clinical note format, side by side
SOAP is the four-part core. The rest — SOAPE, SOAPIE, SOAPIER, DAP, BIRP, PIE, DAR — either extend it or rearrange it for a particular kind of care. Here's what each adds, who uses it, and how to pick.
SOAP and its extensions
These all keep the Subjective / Objective / Assessment / Plan core and add sections after it.
| Format | Full form | Adds to SOAP | Typically used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOAP | Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan | — the baseline | Every discipline; the universal standard |
| SOAPE | … + Evaluation or Education | E — field-dependent: Evaluation (nursing, rehab) or patient Education (pharmacy). Details. | Nursing, rehab, pharmacy, family medicine |
| SOAPIE | … + Intervention, Evaluation | I — the actions performed; E — Evaluation of the response. The Intervention section is what sets it apart from SOAPE. | Nursing; also physio / OT / respiratory |
| SOAPIER | … + Intervention, Evaluation, Revision | R — Revision: changes made to the plan. The most complete extension. | Complex / long-term / multidisciplinary care |
| SOAPR non‑standard | … + Response (informal) | R — the patient's Response. An informal shorthand, not an established format. Why. | Occasional; prefer DAR / BIRP for "Response" |
Related formats you'll also meet
Not every note is a SOAP note. These rearrange the same clinical thinking for particular settings — most often mental health and nursing.
| Format | Full form | How it differs | Typically used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAP | Data, Assessment, Plan | Collapses Subjective + Objective into one "Data" section. Faster, less granular than SOAP. | Mental health, counselling, community |
| BIRP | Behavior, Intervention, Response, Plan | Foregrounds the intervention and the client's Response — a standard home for "Response". | Behavioural health, counselling, substance use |
| PIE | Problem, Intervention, Evaluation | Problem-focused; next steps fold into Evaluation rather than a separate Plan. | Nursing, mental health |
| DAR | Data, Action, Response | Nursing "focus charting". The R is Response by design — the standard format built around it. | Nursing (focus charting) |
There's also free-form — no framework at all — for encounters a structured template doesn't fit.
Pick the one that matches how you work
Start with SOAP. It's the universal standard and the right default for most notes — especially first encounters and anywhere you need a clean, defensible record of the visit.
Add a fifth section when you follow patients over time. SOAPE appends an Evaluation (or, in some fields, Education); SOAPIE adds a distinct Intervention section too; SOAPIER goes further with Revision. These come from the nursing process and suit course-of-care and inpatient charting.
Step outside SOAP when the setting calls for it. DAP is common in counselling; BIRP in behavioural health; DAR in nursing focus charting — the last two being the properly standardised places to record a patient's Response, which is why we'd steer you there rather than to the informal "SOAPR".
SOAP for the record. SOAPE / SOAPIE / SOAPIER to follow a course of care. DAP, BIRP, DAR for how a discipline charts.
One app, the format you choose
SOAP Notes structures your dictation into the framework the visit calls for — choose per note, and switch whenever the encounter needs a different shape. The choice is never a commitment.
Choosing a format, answered
Is one format better than the others?
No — they suit different work. SOAP is the universal default; the extensions and related formats each add or rearrange sections for particular settings. The "best" format is simply the one that captures what your practice needs to record.
What's the difference between SOAPE and SOAPIE?
SOAPE adds one section (E). SOAPIE adds two — Intervention and Evaluation — so it has a dedicated section for the clinical actions performed. That Intervention section is the distinguishing feature.
Which format records the patient's response?
For a standardised home for "Response", use DAR (nursing focus charting) or BIRP (behavioural health) — both include Response by design. In SOAPIER the response sits under Evaluation, and the R stands for Revision. "SOAPR" exists informally but isn't a recognised standard.
Can I mix formats across a patient's notes?
Yes. It's common to write an initial assessment in SOAP and switch to SOAPE or SOAPIE for follow-ups. In the SOAP Notes app you choose per note.