Purpose
The purpose of this article is to explain how to add a new medication within the Medications Setup area. Properly configuring medications ensures accurate inventory tracking, compliant handling of controlled substances, and consistent documentation across counts, usage, transfers, and audits.
Background Information
The Medications Setup area allows agencies to define medications that will be used throughout the Medications module. Each medication must have at least one Form, which defines how the medication is packaged, dosed, and tracked.
Administrators can configure:
Medication forms and default packaging
Dose and volume units
Controlled substance scheduling
Serial number requirements
Accurate medication setup is critical for compliance, reporting, and daily operational workflows.
Required Permissions
To add or manage medications, users must have:
Medication Setup - Active Form -- Allow
Users without setup permissions will not be able to add or modify medications.
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Navigate to Medication Setup
Navigate to the Medications module
Select Setup
2. Open Medications Configuration
From Setup, select Medications
Click Add Medication
3. Select Medication Name
From the Medication Name dropdown:
Scroll through the list, or
Begin typing to filter available medications
4. Add a Medication Form
Once a medication is selected:
A default form is required
Click Add Form to begin creating a form
5. Select Form Type
Use the Form dropdown to select the appropriate packaging type
6. Configure Dose
Enter the Dose as a numeric value
Select the Dose Unit from the dropdown
7. Configure Volume
Enter the numeric value the medication comes in
Select the Volume Unit from the dropdown
8. Save the Form
Once all form information is complete:
Click Save
9. Manage Default and Additional Forms
The first form created is automatically set as the Default Form
To add additional forms:
Click Add Form and repeat the process
If multiple forms exist:
Select which form should be the default
10. Manage Forms
From the Actions column:
Pencil Icon – Edit form information
X Icon – Deactivate the form
Forms can be reactivated using the Checkmark
Trash Can Icon – Permanently delete the form
Recommended: Deactivate instead of deleting to preserve history
11. Configure Controlled Substance Schedule (If Applicable)
If the medication is a controlled substance:
Select the appropriate Class Schedule
12. Enable Serial Number Requirement (Optional)
Enable the Require Serial Number toggle if serial tracking is required
Enter:
Medication Short Code
Last Serial Number
13. Understand Serial Number Behavior
If Require Serial Number is enabled but:
Short Code and Last Serial Number are left blank
The system will use the global department serial number sequence
14. Create the Medication
Once all required fields are complete:
Click Create
15. Confirm Medication Creation
A confirmation message will display indicating the medication was created successfully
Best Practices
Do’s
Create clear and accurate medication forms for each packaging type
Use deactivation instead of deletion to preserve audit history
Verify controlled substance schedules before saving
Don’ts
Do not create duplicate medications with slightly different names
Avoid deleting forms unless absolutely necessary
Tips & Recommendations
Use consistent naming conventions for medications and forms
Configure serial number tracking for high-risk or controlled medications
Review medication setup after policy or regulatory changes
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Unable to add a medication
Verify you have Medications Setup permissions
Form not appearing during usage
Confirm the form is active and not deactivated
Serial numbers not incrementing correctly
Check whether the medication is using a local or global serial sequence
Wrong default form selected
Edit forms and set the correct default before saving changes