SOAP vs. DAP vs. BIRP vs. GIRP notes
Four common progress note formats compared: what each one emphasizes, and how to choose the one that fits your practice.
Progress note formats all record the same session. They differ in what they put first and how they split it up. Pick the one your practice, supervisor or payer expects, then use it consistently.
The formats
- SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan): separates what the client said from what you observed. The most widely recognized format.
- DAP (Data, Assessment, Plan): folds subjective and objective into one Data section. Shorter, popular in private practice.
- BIRP (Behavior, Intervention, Response, Plan): centers on the interventions you used and how the client responded. Common in behavioral health agencies.
- GIRP (Goal, Intervention, Response, Plan): starts from the treatment goal the session addressed. Useful when every session must map to a goal.
How to choose
- Want the fastest note that still holds up: DAP.
- Need observations clearly separated from the client's report: SOAP.
- Documentation is reviewed for the interventions delivered: BIRP.
- Treatment is tightly goal-driven, or a payer asks for progress toward goals: GIRP.
Whatever the format, the essentials are the same: what happened, what you did, how the client responded and what comes next.