This article explains how to create a plan template and plan template items.
Plan Templates and Plan Template Items allow organisations to design structured, reusable templates for creating client support plans. This ensures consistency, reduces manual effort, and aligns care planning with organisational and compliance requirements. Plan templates allow providers to assess a client's needs and document their care requirements.
Required packages and permissions
Available with: Lumary DC 2.15 and later
Permission: Lumary DC – Set Up permission set
This article covers the following topics:
- what are plan templates?
- what are plan template items?
- out-of-the-box plan templates
- creating plan templates
- creating plan template sections, and
- creating plan template items.
What are Plan Templates?
Plan Templates define the overall structure of a support plan, including:
- Sections (e.g. Health, Goals, Risks)
- Guidance content for users
- The types of items to be completed within each section
Templates can be activated or deactivated depending on organisational needs. It’s recommended to keep the template inactive until it’s ready for use.
What are Plan Template Items?
Plan Template Items sit within template sections and define what needs to be captured. Depending on configuration, items can:
- Link to existing client-related records
- Allow creation of new client-related records
- Allow capture of custom plan information
- Display key information dynamically
- Surface selected client fields
- Include guidance or instructional content
Items support flexible configurations to suit different workflows and service types.
Out-of-the-box Plan Templates
A set of pre-configured templates is available, including:
| Template | Description |
|---|---|
| Community Access | Needs assessment and planning document for participants receiving Community Access support. Captures goals for community participation, social inclusion, transport needs, safety considerations, and skill development objectives. |
| Group Programs | Needs assessment and planning document for participants attending group-based day programs or social group activities. Captures individual support needs within a group setting, participation goals, social inclusion objectives, and risk considerations. |
| In-Home Support | Needs assessment and planning document for participants receiving in-home support (domestic assistance, personal care, daily living assistance in the participant's own home) funded under Core – Assistance with Daily Life. |
| Respite / Short Term Accommodation | Comprehensive needs assessment and handover document for STA participants. Captures essential care information to ensure continuity & safety away from home. Designed to be self-contained and immediately actionable for staff unfamiliar with the participant. |
| Support Coordination | Planning and practice document for Support Coordinators or Specialist Support Coordinators. Captures NDIS plan context, coordination priorities, provider network, capacity building goals and crisis planning. Aligned to NDIS Commission obligations and NDIA guidelines. |
| Supported Employment | Needs assessment and planning document supported employment participants (ADE or NDIS-supported open employment). Captures vocational skills, workplace support needs, health & safety requirements, employment goals. Informs DMI assessment for ADE participants. |
| Supported Independent Living (SIL) | Comprehensive needs assessment and support plan for participants receiving 24/7 or high-frequency in-home support under Supported Independent Living funding. Captures daily living needs, health, behaviour, risk, and roster-relevant care requirements. |
| Therapy | Planning document for participants receiving allied health therapy supports. Captures goals, assessments, interventions, progress, and cross-provider coordination. Aligned to NDIS Therapy Supports Operational Guideline (2024) and AHPA standards. |
These templates align with NDIS Practice Standards and can be used as-is, or customised based on provider requirements. To view these templates:
- Click on the App Launcher nine dot grid icon.
- Click in the Search apps and items... field.
- Type Plan Templates.
- Click on the Plan Templates text link.
- Select the All list view:
If a client receives services across multiple service types, when creating their support plan users should select the template that provides the broadest coverage to capture all required support details.
Creating plan templates
To create a new plan template:
- Click on the App Launcher nine dot grid icon.
- Click in the Search apps and items... field.
- Type Plan Templates.
- Click on the Plan Templates text link.
- Click New.
- Complete the fields below. Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk.
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| * Plan Template Name | The name users will see when creating client support plans and selecting the relevant template. |
| Active | Defaults to unchecked. Check this box when the template is ready for use. |
| * Plan Category | The category of the plan template (e.g. Care Plan). Your system administrator can add other options here if needed. |
| Short Description | The description users will see when managing plan templates. |
- Click on the Save button. You can now create relevant sections and items for the template, following the steps below.
Creating plan template sections
To create a new plan template section:
- From your plan template, click Add Section or Item.
- Select Plan Section.
- Complete the fields below. Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk.
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| * Section Type |
Select from the following options:
|
| * Section Header Name | Only visible and mandatory when selecting the Section Type of Custom. |
| * Sort Order Number | Indicates the position of this section within the overall plan template. Auto-populates but can be overwritten. |
| Description or Details | The description users will see for this section when creating a support plan from this template. |
| Plan Section Guidance | Popup help and guidance available for this section for users creating a support plan from this template. |
| External Guidance URL | Allows you to link to guidance external to Lumary, this could be a process or policy document or other information accessible via a URL. |
- Click on the Save button. You can now create relevant items for the section, following the steps below.
Creating plan template items
To create a new plan template item:
- From your plan template, click Add Section or Item.
- Select Plan Item.
- Complete the fields below. Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk.
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| * Related Section | Select from the list of sections within the plan template. |
| * Item Type |
Select from the following options:
The option selected here may surface additional fields as outlined in the Item Types Configuration section of this table. |
| * Description or Details | This describes the purpose of the item or prompts the user for input when creating a support plan from this template. |
| * Sort Order Number | Indicates the position of this item within the section. Auto-populates but can be overwritten. |
| Plan Item Guidance | Popup help and guidance available to users for this item. |
| External Guidance URL | Allows you to link to guidance external to Lumary, this could be a process or policy document or other information accessible via a URL. |
| Item Types Configuration | |
|
Item Type: Care Need * Care Need Type: Related Record |
Use this item type and care need type combination to link a client-related record to the support plan item. Users can select existing object records or create new records directly from the support plan. * Related Object: Select where the care need is stored:
Accompanying Requirements:
|
|
Item Type: Care Need * Care Need Type: Custom |
Use this item type when the care need is not stored as a structured record. * Custom Care Need Name: Label shown to users Custom Care Need Options:
Accompanying Requirements:
|
| Item Type: Relationship |
Use this item type to capture key relationships relevant to this support plan item. Users can link or create the relationship record directly from the plan. * Related Object:
Accompanying Requirements:
|
| Item Type: Required Plan |
Use this item type when a specific plan must be linked to the support plan item for compliance. Users are prompted to link or create the required plan. * Related Object:
|
| Item Type: Required Assessment |
Use this item type when a supporting assessment is required. Users are prompted to link or create the assessment. * Related Object:
|
| Item Type: Required Consent |
Use this item type when a consent record is mandatory. Users are prompted to link or create the consent. * Related Object:
|
| Item Type: Client Fields |
Use this item type to display and update client profile information within the support plan. This allows users to review and update client details (e.g. contact information, “About Me”) without leaving the support plan. * Client Fields: Select one or more fields to include for this support plan item. |
- Click on the Next button to save the item.
- Create more items for the section as required.
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