Best coaching templates for coaches using practice software
Best coaching templates for coaches using practice software
In short:
- The three essential coaching templates are the intake form, the session plan, and the progress tracker with SMART goals. They provide structure, measurability, and clarity in the coaching journey. By integrating them into practice software, you avoid time spent searching and safeguard privacy in line with the GDPR.
The three templates you need right away as a coach are the intake form, the session plan, and the progress tracker. Together they give your practice structure, measurable progress, and clear agreements. Without these three, you lack the foundation for a reliable coaching journey.
- Intake form: captures a new client's background, goals, and expectations before the journey begins.
- Session plan: gives each session a fixed structure with preparation, notes, and action points.
- Progress tracker (SMART): makes goals measurable and ensures accountability between sessions.
If you use practice management software such as Exantur, you can link these three templates directly to client records and sessions. That way you never have to search for stray files, and at the same time you comply with the GDPR (the European privacy law for data protection).
Table of contents
- Which templates are essential and when do you use them?
- What should a good intake form contain?
- How do you structure a session plan before, during, and after the session?
- How do you make goals SMART and track progress?
- How do you put templates live in your practice software?
- Which privacy rules apply to templates and session notes?
- How do you adapt a base template per type of coaching?
- Copyable field lists you can use right away
- Key insights
- Templates only work if you take them seriously
- Exantur helps you set up templates and use them routinely
- Sources and further reading
- Frequently asked questions
Which templates are essential and when do you use them?
Good coaching templates provide structure without making conversations rigid. They help you work toward goals while staying connected with your client.
You use the intake form once, at the start of a journey. You fill in the session plan before and after each session. You use the progress tracker on an ongoing basis: you update it after each session and discuss it at fixed review moments.
The power of templates lies in structure, not in a rigid sequence. Good templates help keep conversations goal-oriented without losing the connection.
Combine intake and session plan right from session 1. That way you immediately have a complete picture of the client and can document the first session well. You add the progress tracker as soon as the first SMART goals have been formulated, usually at the end of session 1 or the start of session 2.
Within practice management software, these templates work best because all data stays linked to the right client. You don't have to search through stray documents or emails.
What should a good intake form contain?
The goal of an intake form is to gain insight into a new client's background, motivation, and expectations, and to spot possible points of attention (such as psychological or medical factors) early on.
| Field | Example question |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Name, email address, phone number |
| Coaching question | What do you want to achieve with this journey? |
| Motivation | Why are you seeking coaching now? |
| Previous coaching | Have you had coaching before? What did you take away from it? |
| Expectations | What do you expect from me as a coach? |
| Availability | On which days and times are you available? |
| Medical or psychological points of attention | Is there anything I should know to be able to support you well? |
| Consent for data processing | Do you consent to the processing of your data in line with the GDPR? |
For intake questions, use open questions that invite the client to answer honestly. Avoid closed yes/no questions on sensitive topics.
- Always explicitly ask for consent to process personal data.
- Save the form in your practice software, linked to the client record.
- Use a separate field for medical or psychological points of attention, so you don't miss this.
How do you structure a session plan before, during, and after the session?
A good session plan has three parts: preparation, recording during the session, and action points afterward. That way you don't miss anything and you can pick up right where you left off at the next session.
Pre-session checklist
- Read back the notes from the previous session.
- Check which action points the client was given.
- Review any check-ins the client has filled in.
- Formulate a goal for this session.
In-session: what do you record?
Good session notes consist of four types of notes: observations (what you see or hear), insights (what the client discovers), breakthroughs (moments of real shift), and action points (what the client is going to do). Record them briefly and factually, not as a report but as a memory aid.
| Component | What you record |
|---|---|
| Session goal | What does the client want to achieve in this session? |
| Observations | What stands out in tone, posture, or word choice? |
| Insights | What new insights has the client formulated? |
| Breakthroughs | Which moment had the most impact? |
| Action points | What is the client going to do before the next session? |
| Follow-up date | When will you follow up on the action points? |
Post-session action points
- Note action points with a concrete deadline.
- Assign responsibility: client, coach, or both.
- Schedule a check-in if the action takes more than a week.
Pro tip: Fill in your session notes within two hours of the session. Details fade quickly, and a good note now saves you a lot of searching at the next session.
How do you make goals SMART and track progress?
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, and Time-bound. A goal like "more self-confidence" is not SMART. "I give a presentation to my team three times a week and ask for feedback afterward, over eight weeks" is.
| Measurement point | Frequency | Responsible party |
|---|---|---|
| Progress on SMART goal | Every session | Coach and client together |
| Check-in between sessions | Weekly or biweekly | Client (via portal) |
| Interim review | Halfway through the journey | Coach |
| Final evaluation | Last session | Coach and client together |
Keep track of which agreements have been kept and where a client needs extra attention. Accountability (keeping agreements and tracking progress) works best when the client also has insight into his or her own scores, for example via the client portal.
- Formulate a maximum of three SMART goals per journey to maintain focus.
- Link each goal to a measurable indicator that the client can track themselves.
- Schedule a fixed review session halfway through the journey to adjust goals if necessary.
How do you put templates live in your practice software?
Templates only really work when they're part of your daily workflow, not as stray documents you save somewhere. Below is a step-by-step plan to make templates operational in a system such as Exantur.
- Define your fields. Determine which information you want to capture per template and create a clear label for each field.
- Create the intake form. Link the form to the client record so it's automatically available for every new client.
- Set up the session plan. Add the four note types (observations, insights, breakthroughs, action points) as fixed fields in your session documentation.
- Set up the progress tracker. Create SMART goal fields and link them to a review rhythm.
- Set access rights. Determine which information the client sees in the coachee portal and what is visible only to you.
- Activate check-ins. Set when the client receives a check-in and which questions it contains.
- Test with a pilot client. Run through the entire journey with a client and note what is missing or unclear.
- Adjust based on feedback. After the first session, ask the client what was clear and what was not.
Pro tip: Start with an existing client as your pilot client, not a new one. That way you already have context and can better judge whether the templates match practice.
Which privacy rules apply to templates and session notes?
Client data is sensitive. The GDPR requires you to collect only data for which you have a clear reason and for which the client has given consent. That also applies to session notes and intake forms.
- Only record what you need for the coaching journey. No unnecessary personal details.
- Always request written consent for processing personal data, preferably via the intake form.
- Use software with EU hosting. That means the servers where data is stored are located in Europe and fall under European privacy legislation.
- Enable two-step verification (MFA) on your account. MFA is an extra security layer where, in addition to your password, you also enter a code via your phone.
- Don't keep data longer than necessary. Set a retention period and delete records after the journey ends.
- Shared documents in the coachee portal are only visible to the relevant client.
Pro tip: Verify whether your practice meets the basic requirements of the GDPR. Using software does not automatically make your practice fully GDPR-compliant.
Exantur uses EU hosting in Frankfurt and offers a data processing agreement. That supports you in GDPR-conscious data processing, but the responsibility for compliance remains with you as the coach.
How do you adapt a base template per type of coaching?
A good base template has a fixed core that works for every type of coaching: contact details, coaching question, goals, action points, and progress. What you adapt are the niche-specific fields.
A template is a framework, not a script. The core always stays the same: what does the client want to achieve, what's standing in the way, and what's the next step? Everything around that you adapt to the context.
Career coaching: add fields for current role, desired role, skills, and CV status. The tone is businesslike and results-oriented.
Mindset coaching: add fields for beliefs, patterns, and emotional reactions. Use open, inviting questions and a warm tone.
Health coaching: add fields for medical limitations, lifestyle habits, and energy level. Be extra careful here with sensitive data and always ask for consent.
The language in your templates partly determines how engaged a client feels. Businesslike language works for career coaches; more personal phrasing fits better with mindset or health coaching.
Copyable field lists you can use right away
Use these fields as a starting point. Copy them into your practice software and adjust whatever doesn't fit.
Intake form (core fields)
- Name and contact details
- Coaching question (open)
- Motivation for coaching now
- Previous coaching or therapy
- Expectations of the coach
- Medical or psychological points of attention
- Consent for data processing (GDPR)
Session plan (core fields)
- Session goal
- Observations
- Insights
- Breakthroughs
- Action points with deadline
- Follow-up date
Progress tracker (core fields)
- SMART goal (specifically formulated)
- Measurement indicator
- Current status (scale 1-10 or description)
- Next review date
- Client comments
| Template | Core fields | When used |
|---|---|---|
| Intake form | Contact, goal, consent, points of attention | Start of journey |
| Session plan | Goal, observations, insights, action points | Before and after each session |
| Progress tracker | SMART goal, indicator, status, review date | Ongoing, review per milestone |
Digital templates in practice software often have a copy button or a function to duplicate fields. Always check whether the access rights are correct before sharing a template with a client via the portal.
Key insights
The three templates that immediately make your practice stronger are the intake form, the session plan, and the progress tracker with SMART goals. Put them live in your practice software and test them with a pilot client.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Three base templates | Intake form, session plan, and progress tracker are the core of a reliable practice. |
| Formulating SMART goals | Link each goal to a measurable indicator and schedule fixed review moments in the journey. |
| Using a pilot client | Test templates first with an existing client and adjust fields based on feedback. |
| GDPR and EU hosting | Store client data in software with EU hosting and always request written consent. |
| Exantur as a system | Exantur links intake, session plan, and progress tracker to the client record in one workspace. |
Templates only work if you take them seriously
Coaches working with templates for the first time often make the same mistake: they fill in the intake form but then forget to keep up the progress tracker. After three sessions, they no longer know exactly what was agreed. The template was there, but it never became a habit.
What I see in practice: the coaches who get the most out of templates use them not as an administrative obligation but as a conversation tool. They open the session plan at the start of the session, discuss the action points out loud with the client, and close with a concrete agreement that goes straight into the system.
The other extreme is also a pitfall. A template that is too long or too detailed backfires. Clients drop off when faced with forms with twenty questions. Coaches lose the overview with session plans that have too many required fields. Start small. Three to five fields per template are enough to get started. Only add something once you notice you're missing something.
And measure regularly what clients think of it. After the second or third session, briefly ask how they experience the structure. That yields more usable information than an extensive evaluation at the end of the journey.
Exantur helps you set up templates and use them routinely
Coaches who want to manage templates professionally need a system that keeps everything in the right place. Stray documents, spreadsheets, or generic tools lack the link between intake, session, and progress.
Exantur is built around the coaching journey. You set up the intake, session plan, and progress tracker once, using the program and session structure, the assessment forms, and the structured session notes, and they're then automatically available for every client. Clients fill in check-ins via their own portal, and you immediately see which action points are outstanding and where someone needs extra attention. Everything is in one place, linked to the right record. See the full overview on the Exantur features page.
More on how those parts come together in one workspace is on the coaching practice management software page. If you want to test the full system, you start with a 14-day trial period.
Sources and further reading
Start with an intake form and a session plan. Once those work, add the progress tracker. Only scale further when you notice you need more.
- 18 life coaching templates for results-oriented sessions — a comprehensive overview of template types with an explanation of each application.
- How do you create your own coaching program? 4 templates — practical examples of GROW, Wheel of Life, and SMART in program design.
- The coaching journey and the importance of contracting — an explanation of written agreements and what a coaching agreement should contain.
- Coaching plan example — an adaptable template for goals, agreements, and responsibilities.
- Writing coaching session notes, a practical guide — guidelines for recording observations, insights, and action points.
- Coaching program software: structure for every journey — an explanation of how templates structurally contribute to coaching journeys.
Frequently asked questions
Which three templates does every coach need at a minimum?
An intake form, a session plan, and a progress tracker with SMART goals. Together they give structure to the entire journey, from the first introduction to the final evaluation.
What is the difference between free and paid templates?
Free templates are useful as a starting point for field ideas, but they lack integration with client records, privacy settings, and accountability features. Practice software such as Exantur integrates templates directly into the coaching journey.
How do I make a goal SMART in a template?
Formulate the goal in a specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, and time-bound way. Add a field for the measurement indicator and a review date, so that progress remains visible.
How do I share a template securely with a client?
Use software with EU hosting and set access rights so the client only sees his or her own data. Always request written consent via the intake form before sharing data.
How do I adapt a base template for different types of coaching?
Keep the core fields (goal, action points, progress) and add niche-specific fields. Career coaching calls for fields for skills and roles; health coaching for fields for medical limitations and lifestyle.