Allscripts Keyboard Shortcuts and Hot Keys Guide

Allscripts users often move through busy workflows: scheduling appointments, opening patient records, verifying results, entering notes, managing prescriptions, and completing administrative tasks. Keyboard shortcuts and hot keys can make that work faster, especially in older desktop-style Allscripts products.

But there is one important caveat: there is no single universal Allscripts keyboard shortcut guide.

“Allscripts” now refers to a family of products that has changed over time. Ambulatory products are largely associated with Veradigm, while acute care products are associated with Altera Digital Health. Products such as Professional EHR, Practice Management, TouchWorks EHR, Sunrise, FollowMyHealth, and ePrescribe all have different workflows.

That means an Allscripts shortcut may work in one product, but not another. Some products rely on Windows-style shortcuts. Others rely more on right-click menus, browser navigation, templates, favorites, and configurable text shortcuts.

This guide covers the most useful publicly documented Allscripts keyboard shortcuts, hot keys, quick actions, and productivity patterns.

Allscripts Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

Here is a practical starting point for the highest-value shortcuts and quick actions across the Allscripts product family.

Product | Shortcut or pattern | Common use
Allscripts Practice Management | Alt + Down Arrow | Open lookup lists in supported fields.
Allscripts Practice Management | Alt + S | Schedule an appointment.
Allscripts Practice Management | Alt + K | Use Walk In scheduling.
Allscripts Practice Management | Alt + O | Open the Account tab.
Allscripts Practice Management | Alt + L | Open the Policy tab.
Allscripts Practice Management | Tab | Move through fields or pull a patient into focus after entering a patient number.
TouchWorks EHR | F5 | Refresh or recover from incorrect user/patient context.
TouchWorks EHR | F11 | Toggle full-frame mode in older Internet Explorer deployments.
TouchWorks EHR | Right-click → Q-Verify | Quickly verify results from a worklist.
TouchWorks EHR | Right-click → Q-Verify All | Quickly verify multiple displayed results.
TouchWorks EHR | ~Fn Ln~ | Insert patient first and last name into note text.
TouchWorks EHR | ~dob~, ~age~, ~mrn~ | Insert patient details into note templates.
Veradigm / Professional EHR | User-defined dot phrases, such as .review | Expand saved text in notes.
Veradigm / Professional EHR | Short Lists | Reuse common medications, plan items, or favorites.
Sunrise / RxWriter | Ctrl + click | Select multiple items in supported lists.
Sunrise / RxWriter | Right-click medication row | Open medication actions, such as Renew, Modify, or History.
Sunrise / RxWriter | Tab | Move through fields in form-based workflows.
FollowMyHealth | Tab / Shift + Tab / Enter / Space | Use standard browser keyboard navigation.
Veradigm ePrescribe | Favorites | Reuse common prescriptions faster.

Why Allscripts Shortcuts Vary by Product

Allscripts is not one single interface. It is a portfolio of related systems that evolved over time.

A front-desk user in Allscripts Practice Management may rely on Windows-style shortcuts such as Alt + S or Alt + Down Arrow. A clinician using TouchWorks EHR may save time with right-click result verification or note placeholders. A user in Sunrise RxWriter may rely more on web-style medication row actions and menus.

That is why the best way to think about Allscripts shortcuts is by product:

Product | Shortcut style
Allscripts Practice Management | Strongest support for Windows-style Alt shortcuts and Tab-based data entry.
TouchWorks EHR | Strong support for function keys, right-click workflows, result verification, and note placeholders.
Professional EHR / Veradigm EHR | Stronger support for text shortcuts, Auto Replace, and Short Lists than fixed hotkeys.
Sunrise / RxWriter | More workflow-driven, with right-click menus, toolbar actions, and web-style navigation.
FollowMyHealth | Browser and portal navigation are more important than product-specific hotkeys.
Veradigm ePrescribe | Favorites, help tools, and browser-based workflows are more prominent than fixed keyboard maps.

Allscripts Practice Management Keyboard Shortcuts

Allscripts Practice Management has some of the clearest publicly documented shortcut behavior. Many shortcuts follow older Windows-style conventions, especially Alt key combinations.

Common Practice Management Shortcuts

Shortcut | Action | Where it helps
Alt + Down Arrow | Opens a lookup or search list. | Registration, scheduling, companion windows, and supported lookup fields.
Alt + S | Runs the Schedule command. | Patient Scheduling.
Alt + K | Runs the Walk In command. | Walk-in or same-day scheduling.
Alt + O | Opens the Account tab. | Companion Registration.
Alt + L | Opens the Policy tab. | Insurance and policy workflows.
Tab | Moves to the next field. | Registration, payment entry, scheduling, and data-entry screens.
Tab after patient number | Pulls a patient into focus. | Patient lookup workflows.

Where Alt + Down Arrow Helps Most

Alt + Down Arrow is one of the most useful Allscripts Practice Management shortcuts because it can open lookup lists from supported fields.

You might use it when searching for:

Lookup type | Example use
Patient | Find or confirm a patient record.
Referring provider | Search a referring doctor field.
PCP | Find a primary care provider.
Appointment type | Select a visit type.
Insurance or policy fields | Choose from available values.

This shortcut is especially useful for front-desk and revenue-cycle users who spend much of the day moving through structured fields.

Allscripts Practice Management Scheduling Shortcuts

Scheduling is one of the best use cases for Allscripts Practice Management hot keys.

Shortcut | Action
Alt + S | Schedule an appointment.
Alt + K | Open Walk In scheduling.
Alt + Down Arrow | Open a lookup list from supported fields.
Tab | Move through scheduling fields.
Enter | Select a highlighted option in many Windows-style workflows.

A keyboard-driven scheduling workflow might look like this:

Open the Patient Scheduling screen.

Select the patient and appointment slot.

Use Alt + Down Arrow to open lookup lists where needed.

Press Alt + S to schedule.

Use Tab to move through required fields.

For walk-in workflows, Alt + K can be a useful shortcut when the user is working from the Patient Scheduling screen.

Allscripts Practice Management Registration Shortcuts

Registration and account setup involve a lot of repeated field navigation. Shortcuts can reduce the amount of mouse movement needed.

Shortcut | Action
Alt + O | Open the Account tab.
Alt + L | Open the Policy tab.
Alt + Down Arrow | Open supported lookup lists.
Tab | Move through fields.
Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V | Copy and paste where allowed by policy and system behavior.

For example, if a user is working in the Companion Registration window, Alt + O can move to the Account tab and Alt + L can move to the Policy tab. That can be faster than switching back and forth with the mouse.

TouchWorks EHR Keyboard Shortcuts and Quick Actions

TouchWorks has some of the strongest publicly documented shortcut-adjacent workflows in the Allscripts family.

The most useful TouchWorks shortcuts include:

Shortcut or action | What it does
F5 | Refreshes or helps recover from bad user or patient context.
F11 | Toggles full-frame mode in legacy Internet Explorer setups.
Right-click → Q-Verify | Quickly verifies a result.
Right-click → Q-Verify All | Quickly verifies multiple results.
Verify / Verify All | Opens the Results Verification Dialog for more detailed work.
~Fn Ln~ | Inserts the patient’s first and last name.
~dob~ | Inserts date of birth.
~age~ | Inserts age.
~mrn~ | Inserts medical record number.
~pcp~ | Inserts primary care provider.

TouchWorks F5 Shortcut

In TouchWorks, F5 is one of the most practical troubleshooting shortcuts. It can help when the banner bar shows the wrong user or patient context.

That makes F5 less of a “speed shortcut” and more of a “fix the screen before you keep working” shortcut.

Use it when:

Situation | Why F5 may help
The wrong patient appears in context. | Refreshing can restore the expected context.
The wrong user appears in the banner. | Refreshing may correct the display.
The screen appears out of sync. | Refreshing can reduce confusion before continuing.

Because this affects patient context, users should still verify the patient before taking action.

TouchWorks F11 Shortcut

TouchWorks documentation includes F11 for full-frame mode in older Internet Explorer workflows.

This is important, but also limited. It is not a universal modern TouchWorks shortcut. It is mainly relevant for legacy browser setups where TouchWorks was running in Internet Explorer and users wanted to maximize the usable workspace.

If your organization no longer uses that setup, this shortcut may not apply.

TouchWorks Results Verification Shortcuts

TouchWorks result verification has several high-value quick actions.

Action | Best use
Right-click → Q-Verify | Quickly verify one result when no extra documentation is needed.
Right-click → Q-Verify All | Quickly verify multiple results.
Verify | Open the verification dialog for more detail.
Verify All | Open the verification dialog for multiple results.

The difference matters.

Use Q-Verify when the result can be reviewed and verified quickly. Use Verify when you need to document more, communicate with the patient, create a note, or take another action.

A practical workflow might look like this:

Open the result worklist.

Review the result.

If no extra action is needed, right-click and choose Q-Verify.

If extra documentation is needed, choose Verify instead.

Move to the next result or patient.

Some TouchWorks settings may control what happens after Q-Verify, such as whether the system advances to the next patient.

TouchWorks Note Placeholders

TouchWorks supports placeholder phrases that can insert patient information into note text. These are not keyboard shortcuts in the traditional sense, but they can save time during documentation.

Placeholder | Inserts
~Fn Ln~ | Patient first and last name
~Fn~ | Patient first name
~Mr/Ms Ln~ | Gender-appropriate title and last name
~He/She~ | Gender-appropriate pronoun
~His/Her~ | Gender-appropriate possessive pronoun
~male/female~ | Gender-specific term
~addr~ | Address
~mrn~ | Medical record number
~dob~ | Date of birth
~age~ | Age
~pcp~ | Primary care provider
~Author~ | Author
~Owner~ | Owner

These placeholders are especially useful for templates, standard note language, and recurring documentation patterns.

Professional EHR / Veradigm EHR Text Shortcuts

For Professional EHR, the strongest shortcut evidence is not a fixed hotkey list. It is the ability to create reusable text shortcuts.

These may work like dot phrases.

For example:

Shortcut | Possible expansion
.review | A saved review statement or note phrase.
.followup | Standard follow-up instructions.
.medreview | Medication review language.
.normalexam | Normal exam text, if approved by the organization.

Professional EHR supports user-created shortcuts through Auto Replace. A user can create a saved text entry and then insert it later by typing the assigned shortcut.

This is one of the most important productivity features for clinicians and staff who repeatedly type similar text.

Professional EHR Short Lists

Professional EHR also supports Short Lists, which are closer to favorites than keyboard shortcuts.

Short Lists can help users quickly reuse common items, such as:

Short List type | Example use
Medications | Frequently prescribed medications.
Assessment and Plan items | Common plan language or items.
Orders | Frequently used orderables, depending on setup.
Favorites | Common selections for a user or group.

Short Lists are especially useful because they reduce the need to search from scratch every time. They are not the same as keyboard shortcuts, but they can have the same effect: fewer clicks, less typing, and faster workflows.

Sunrise and RxWriter Shortcuts

Sunrise and RxWriter appear to rely more on workflow actions, menus, and web-style interactions than fixed hotkey lists.

Useful shortcut-adjacent actions include:

Shortcut or action | Common use
Ctrl + click | Select multiple orders in supported lists.
Right-click medication row | Open actions such as Renew, Modify, Discontinue, History, or Drug Information.
Tab | Move through form fields.
Shift while selecting columns | Support multi-column sorting in some list views.
Toolbar buttons | Open Workflow Management or Signature Manager.

Sunrise Workflow Management

Sunrise workflow actions are often accessed through menus and toolbar buttons rather than keyboard shortcuts.

Common workflow actions include:

Action | Use
Open Workflow Management | View, assign, and complete workflow activities.
Open Signature Manager | Sign, refuse, or reassign items.
Filter items | Narrow the list of tasks or signature items.
Complete activity | Finish a workflow task if the user has rights.

Security rights matter. A user may see a workflow item but not have permission to complete, sign, refuse, or reassign it.

Sunrise RxWriter Medication Actions

In RxWriter, the medication list may support right-click or row-level action menus.

Common medication actions may include:

Action | Use
Renew | Renew a medication.
Discontinue | Stop a medication.
Modify | Change medication details.
History | View medication history.
Drug Information | Review medication information.
InfoButton | Open additional information where supported.

This is a good example of how newer Allscripts-related products may not feel like classic “hotkey” systems. The speed comes from knowing the fastest menu path, not necessarily memorizing a function key.

FollowMyHealth Keyboard Navigation

FollowMyHealth is a patient portal, so keyboard use is closer to standard web navigation.

Common keyboard patterns include:

Shortcut | Use
Tab | Move forward through links, buttons, and form fields.
Shift + Tab | Move backward.
Enter | Activate a focused link or button.
Space | Activate certain buttons or checkboxes.
Arrow keys | Move through some menus, lists, or browser controls.

FollowMyHealth may also include portal-specific shortcuts, such as a top-of-screen appointment request shortcut. But we were unable to identify a comprehensive FollowMyHealth product-specific hotkey map.

Veradigm ePrescribe Shortcuts

Veradigm ePrescribe is also more web- and workflow-driven than hotkey-driven.

The most useful productivity features are likely to be:

Feature | Why it helps
Favorites | Reuse commonly prescribed medications.
i-Learn help | Access guides, tutorials, tooltips, and FAQs.
EPCS token workflow | Supports controlled-substance signing.
Version information on login page | Helps users and support teams troubleshoot release-specific issues.

For ePrescribe, the best “shortcut” may be setting up prescription favorites rather than memorizing keyboard commands.

Browser and Windows Shortcuts That May Help

Some Allscripts products run in browser-based or Windows-style environments. Depending on the product and setup, standard operating system shortcuts may still help.

Shortcut | Common use
Tab | Move forward through fields.
Shift + Tab | Move backward through fields.
Enter | Select or activate the highlighted item.
Space | Toggle a checkbox or activate a button.
Arrow keys | Move through lists or menus.
Ctrl + C | Copy selected text where allowed.
Ctrl + V | Paste copied text where allowed.
Ctrl + F | Search within a browser page or document, where available.
Alt + Tab | Switch between open Windows applications.

These are not Allscripts-specific shortcuts, but they can still make daily work faster.

The Best Allscripts Shortcuts to Learn First

If you are trying to build muscle memory, start with the shortcuts that have the broadest practical value.

For Practice Management users

Learn these first:

Shortcut | Why it matters
Alt + Down Arrow | Opens lookup lists.
Alt + S | Speeds up scheduling.
Alt + K | Helps with walk-in scheduling.
Alt + O / Alt + L | Moves quickly between Account and Policy tabs.
Tab | Speeds up field-by-field data entry.

For TouchWorks users

Learn these first:

Shortcut or action | Why it matters
F5 | Helps fix incorrect user or patient context.
Right-click → Q-Verify | Speeds up result verification.
Right-click → Q-Verify All | Speeds up batch result review.
TouchWorks placeholders | Reduces repetitive note typing.
Personalize settings | Helps tailor schedule and workflow behavior.

For Professional EHR users

Focus on:

Feature | Why it matters
Auto Replace | Turns short typed phrases into reusable note text.
Dot phrases | Helps standardize repeated documentation.
Short Lists | Speeds up medication and plan selection.
Favorites | Reduces repeated searching.

For Sunrise and RxWriter users

Focus on:

Action | Why it matters
Right-click row actions | Opens medication or order actions quickly.
Ctrl + click | Selects multiple items where supported.
Tab | Moves through structured forms.
Signature Manager workflows | Speeds up signing and reassignment tasks.

How TextExpander Can Help Allscripts Users Work Faster

Allscripts shortcuts help users move through screens faster. TextExpander can help with a different problem: repetitive typing.

Healthcare users often type the same phrases throughout the day. That might include patient instructions, scheduling messages, referral language, internal notes, support responses, or administrative text. Even when an EHR has templates or favorites, staff may still need reusable language in other fields, documents, emails, portals, and support workflows.

With TextExpander, a short abbreviation can expand into a longer approved phrase.

For example, a user could type:

/apptprep

And expand it into:

“Please bring your insurance card, photo ID, current medication list, and any relevant paperwork to your appointment.”

Or type:

/rxdelay

And expand it into:

“Your prescription request has been received and is being reviewed. Please allow the care team time to process the request before contacting the pharmacy.”

Common TextExpander uses for Allscripts-adjacent workflows may include:

Use case | Example snippet
Scheduling | Appointment reminders and preparation instructions.
Patient communication | Follow-up instructions and standard next steps.
Referrals | Reusable referral status messages.
Results follow-up | General non-diagnostic communication templates.
Internal operations | Standard task notes or handoff language.
Help desk support | Common troubleshooting responses for EHR users.
Training | Standard explanations for workflows and policies.

TextExpander should be used according to organizational policy, especially in clinical environments. It should not replace clinical judgment, required documentation, or approved EHR workflows. But when used properly, it can reduce repetitive typing and help teams keep common language consistent.

Tips for Using Allscripts Shortcuts Safely

Keyboard shortcuts can speed up work, but they should be used carefully in healthcare settings.

Keep these best practices in mind:

Confirm the product first. Allscripts Practice Management, TouchWorks, Professional EHR, Sunrise, FollowMyHealth, and ePrescribe do not all use the same shortcuts.

Check the version. Some shortcut behavior is tied to older versions, browser setups, or release-specific workflows.

Verify patient context. If the wrong patient or user appears in TouchWorks, use tools like F5 only as a first step. Always confirm the correct patient before acting.

Use Q-Verify carefully. Quick verification is useful when no additional documentation is needed. Use the full Verify workflow when communication, notes, or follow-up actions are required.

Treat text shortcuts as documentation tools. Auto Replace, placeholders, snippets, and dot phrases should be reviewed before saving.

Follow local policy. Some organizations restrict copy/paste, text expansion, favorites, or shortcut use in clinical documentation.

Do not assume browser shortcuts are product shortcuts. Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys may work in web-based products, but they are not the same as a product-specific hotkey map.

Final Thoughts

The most useful Allscripts shortcuts depend heavily on which product you use.

For Allscripts Practice Management, the strongest shortcuts are Windows-style commands such as Alt + Down Arrow, Alt + S, Alt + K, Alt + O, and Alt + L.

For TouchWorks, the biggest time-savers are F5, result-verification actions like Q-Verify, and note placeholders such as ~Fn Ln~, ~dob~, and ~mrn~.

For Professional EHR / Veradigm EHR, productivity comes less from fixed function keys and more from Auto Replace, text shortcuts, Short Lists, and favorites.

For Sunrise, FollowMyHealth, and ePrescribe, users should expect more web-style workflows, right-click menus, toolbar actions, favorites, and browser navigation.

The best approach is to learn the shortcuts that apply to your exact product and version, then combine them with approved text shortcuts and reusable snippets. That gives users a faster workflow without sacrificing accuracy or consistency.