What a shift note is
A shift note is your written record of a support session: what you did, how it went and anything someone else needs to know. Depending on who you work with, it might be called a shift note, a case note or a progress note. They’re all the same thing. The NDIS doesn’t require a particular name or template. What matters is that the note gives a clear, accurate account of the session.
What to write in NDIS shift notes
Every shift note should cover the same six things. Or skip the checklist: tell Clio about your shift in your own words and it writes the note with all six for you, ready to check and sign.
When, where and what kind of support
The date, start and finish times, how long the session was, where it took place and the type of support. This links the note to the shift you were paid for.
What happened, in plain facts
What you did together and how it went, described the way you saw it. “Emma scanned her own items at the self-checkout” tells the reader far more than “Emma had a good day.”
The participant’s choices
What the participant chose, asked for or said, in their own words where you have them. This is the clearest record that the session was run their way.
Goals, when the session worked on one
If the session worked towards one of the participant’s NDIS plan goals, name the goal and what happened that relates to it. Not every shift connects to a goal, and that’s fine.
Anything that needs follow-up
Incidents, injuries, changes in health or behaviour, use of a restrictive practice, or anything the next worker or the provider needs to know. Write down what you saw and what you did about it. Our guide to incident reporting for independent workers explains what counts as a reportable incident.
Your name and sign-off
Who wrote the note, and when. A note you’ve checked and signed is a record you stand behind.
An NDIS shift note example: the same shift, written two ways
Here’s a note that leaves the reader guessing:
And here’s the same shift with the details in:
Someone who wasn’t there can see what happened, what Emma chose and how the session relates to her plan. That’s what a shift note is for, and it’s what an auditor looks for too. We go through that in what an NDIS audit actually looks for in your notes.
How long to keep your notes
Longer than most people expect. Records of incidents must be kept for 7 years from the day they’re made, under the NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules. There’s no single rule for everyday shift notes, but 7 years is the working rule most providers use.
Your invoices and payment records matter too. The ATO asks you to keep business records for at least 5 years, and the government has announced that providers will need to keep records of NDIS payments for 7 years. We cover that in what the 2027 registration changes mean for independent workers.
That’s years of notes to keep safe and be able to find again. If you work through a provider or a platform, ask what they need from you too. Some want notes lodged in their own system as well.
Where shift notes go missing
Most independent workers start out writing notes wherever is handy: a notebook in the car, the notes app on their phone, a text to the family, the box in a platform’s app, a Word document on a laptop. It works until someone asks for a note from four months ago, a phone is lost or replaced, or a plan review needs a summary of the last year of support. Then the notes are in five places, some are unsigned, and some are gone.
How Clio keeps it all in one place
Clio is built for independent NDIS support workers, so the notes, the reports and the invoices all come from the same record of your shifts.
Write it the way you’d say it
Tell Clio about the shift in plain English, typed or spoken. Clio writes the note with the session details, what happened, the participant’s choices, any goals worked on and anything that needs follow-up, without adding anything you didn’t say. You check it, fix anything that’s not right, and sign it. See how Clio writes your notes.
Every note signed, dated and kept
Every note you sign stays in Clio for as long as you have an account, with the date and time you signed it, and you can find any of them by participant and date. No more digging through a notebook or an old phone. Download or email any note as a PDF, with photos attached if you took them, whenever you need a copy for your provider or your own files.
Reports from the notes you’ve already written
Plan review summaries, incident summaries, goal progress reports and handover reports are written from your signed notes, so a year of support becomes a report in minutes instead of an evening of scrolling.
Invoices from the same shifts
Invoice your shifts with the NDIS item codes built in, and attach the notes for those shifts when you email the invoice to the plan manager. More on invoicing in Clio.
Read-only access for families
Give a participant’s nominee read-only access to their signed notes, so they can see how things are going without you sending each note by hand.
Frequently asked questions
What should be in an NDIS shift note?
The date, times, length, place and type of support; what you did and how it went, in plain facts; what the participant chose, asked for or said; any plan goal the session worked on; anything that needs follow-up, such as an incident or a change in health; and your name and sign-off.
Is a shift note the same as a case note or a progress note?
Yes. Shift note, case note and progress note are different names for the same thing: your written record of a support session. The NDIS doesn’t require a particular name or template. What matters is that the note gives a clear, accurate account of the session.
How long should I keep NDIS shift notes?
Incident records must be kept for 7 years from the day they’re made. There’s no single rule for everyday shift notes, but 7 years is the working rule most providers use. Keep invoices and other business records for at least 5 years for the ATO.
Do I need to write a shift note after every shift?
It’s the safest habit. A note for each shift is the record that the support happened as it was billed, and it’s much easier to write accurately straight after the shift than days later.
What should I leave out of a shift note?
Your opinions, guesses about why something happened, and medical words for things you’re not qualified to diagnose. Write what you saw and heard, and what you did about it.
Can I write NDIS shift notes on my phone?
Yes. What matters is that every note ends up in one place where you can find it again, signed and dated. Clio works on your phone and your computer, and keeps every note you sign for as long as you have an account.
Your records, in one place. Stop keeping notes in five different places. Write them, sign them and find them again in Clio, on your phone or your computer, for as long as you have an account.
Write your next shift note with Clio
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