Requires Admin permission for the Forms feature. Works with NexHealth Forms and Templates.
This article explains how to set up smart form automation and understand when form requests are — and aren't — created automatically.
Before you begin
Smart form automation requires all three of the following to be in place before NexHealth will automatically create a form request for a patient:
The
APPOINTMENT_REGISTRATIONsmart command is present in your Reminders template (included by default).At least one form has a sending rule that matches the patient's appointment — by patient status, appointment type, procedure code, or other criteria.
The patient has no existing form request already expiring on the same date as their appointment.
If any one of these conditions isn't met, NexHealth will not create a new form request for that appointment — even if your rules are configured correctly. See Why didn't a patient receive their forms automatically? below for more detail on condition 3.
Set up automatic form sending
1. Navigate to Forms → Manage Forms and select a form.
The form builder opens with configurable rules in the right panel. You need Admin-level Forms permission to access Manage Forms.
2. Toggle on Send automatically.
You'll find this above the configurable rules on the right.
3. Click the edit (pencil) icon for each rule you want to configure.
You can set rules for:
Patient status — New or All patients. NexHealth considers a patient New if they have never had a completed appointment. Cancelled or missed appointments don't change this.
Frequency — How often the form repeats. Requires the patient to have completed the form in NexHealth at least once before the frequency timer starts. For example, if set to Every 12 months, the form won't send again until 12 months after that first completion.
Age — Useful for sending different forms to minors (17 and under) vs. adults.
Procedure codes — Multi-select, OR logic: the form sends if the appointment includes any of the selected codes. Available for Athena, Cloud 9, Denticon, Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Dentrix Enterprise, Eaglesoft, eCW, Orthotrac, ModMed, and NextGen Office.
Appointment types — Same OR logic as procedure codes.
4. Select your options and click Save.
Your rule is now active. Patients matching the rule will automatically receive the form as part of the Reminders sequence.
5. Repeat for each form you want to send automatically.
How patients receive automated forms
The APPOINTMENT_REGISTRATION smart command dynamically adjusts what each reminder contains based on the patient's current confirmation and form completion status.
Email reminders: Patients receive both an appointment confirmation request and a link to their forms in the same message.
SMS reminders: Patients first receive a request to confirm their appointment. If they confirm by responding "C", a form link is sent to them automatically right after. If staff confirms the appointment in your health record system instead, forms will be included in the patient's next scheduled reminder.
After confirmation: Regardless of channel, subsequent reminders focus only on any outstanding form requests. Once both confirmation and forms are complete, the reminder sends with no additional call to action.
Why didn't a patient receive their forms automatically?
NexHealth skips creating a new form request if the patient already has a form request expiring on the same date as their appointment. This is intentional — NexHealth assumes your staff may have already created a custom form request for that patient, and avoids duplicating it.
This applies even if the existing form request was already completed. If a patient completed a form request and that completed request expires on the appointment date, NexHealth will not create a new one for the same appointment. The form link will also not appear in the reminder for that appointment.
If you believe a patient should have received forms but didn't, check these three things:
Is the
APPOINTMENT_REGISTRATIONsmart command in your Reminders template? Go to Templates and inspect the reminder message body. This command must be present for forms to be included in reminders.Does at least one form have a sending rule that matches this patient's appointment? Check that the patient status, appointment type, or procedure code rules align with the patient's actual appointment details.
Does the patient have an existing form request — completed or not — expiring on the same date as the appointment? If so, NexHealth intentionally did not create a new one. To send forms to this patient, use manual form sending instead.
Frequently asked questions
How does NexHealth determine if a patient is New or Returning?
A patient is New if they have never had a completed appointment. Cancelled or missed appointments don't change their New status.
Will a patient receive multiple forms if they match multiple rules?
Yes. Rules work as AND conditions — a patient receives every form whose rules they satisfy. For example, a new patient who needs Spanish-language forms will receive both the new-patient forms and the Spanish forms.
Can I automate packets, or do patients get individual form links?
Patients receive a single link that opens all of their relevant forms — not separate links per form. Packets remain useful for manual sending but aren't needed for automated reminders.
Can I use procedure codes instead of appointment journeys to trigger forms?
Yes. Form automation rules with procedure code filters can replace appointment journey mappings for sending forms. You may still want appointment journeys if you need customized messaging tied to specific appointment events.
Does form automation work with all health record systems?
Form automation works with all systems that support NexHealth-integrated forms. Procedure code and appointment type filtering availability varies by health record system.
Will Medical History forms pre-fill for returning patients?
Yes. If a patient previously completed a NexHealth Medical History form, the next one will pre-fill their previous answers. They only need to update anything that has changed.
Do I need to check in a patient before consent forms are sent?
No. Automated consent forms are sent through the Reminders sequence before the appointment, so check-in status has no effect on them. For forms that need to go out at or after check-in, send those manually.
Can I trigger follow-up forms based on a patient's answers?
No. NexHealth cannot automate form requests based on responses to other forms.
How do I cancel a form request if a patient filled out paper forms instead?
In Forms, search for the patient, click the ellipsis (…) next to the request, and select Archive.
Can I stop sending New Patient forms?
To remove New Patient forms from automated sending, edit the template that contains the form placeholder. Look for ALL CAPS placeholder text like INSERT_NEW_PATIENT_PAPERWORK_FORM or INSERT_NP_FORM, delete it, and save the template. Check your Save the Date and Reminders templates too if forms continue sending.
If you'd prefer forms to go out only when a patient has an appointment scheduled (not on patient creation), configure a Smart Forms rule instead:
Navigate to Forms → Manage Forms and select the New Patient form.
Toggle on Send automatically.
Set the Patient status rule to New.
Confirm
APPOINTMENT_REGISTRATIONis present in your Reminders template.
This ensures New Patient forms are sent as part of your appointment reminder sequence rather than when the patient is first created.
Troubleshooting issues with sending New Patient paperwork
If you encounter problems sending forms after adding a new patient, confirm the following:
Install and run the NexHealth Synchronizer — ensure it is installed and actively running.
Log in to NexHealth before creating the patient profile.
Save the patient profile — open it after creation and click Save. This connects the profile properly and enables form sending.
Confirm both that the patient exists in NexHealth and that their appointment is scheduled.
See also
Send a form to a specific patient right now → How do I manually send forms to patients?
Bundle multiple forms into a packet → Can I send multiple forms at once?
Set up the Reminders template where
APPOINTMENT_REGISTRATIONlives → How do I set up appointment reminders?Collect insurance information via a form → How do I collect insurance information via a form?
Automate forms for specific appointment events (consent forms at check-in, post-op instructions) → use Appointment Journeys, not form automation rules.