How dietitians can record client progress updates

Q: Which computers can run QuickDictate?

QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. There is no Mac or Linux version. It is delivered as an .exe file on GitHub, with a built-in updater that works silently, and it can also be built from source. Check that your computer meets these requirements before you plan a session around it.

A plain guide for dietitians to record client progress updates, with steps, the tools to try and the mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily · 2026-11-03

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Record each update soon after the session, using the same short template every time, and file it under the client's name and date. Speaking the note can be quicker than typing it, and a dictation tool is one way to do that.

Option	What it does for the update
Paper notes	You write each update by hand and file the sheet in the client's folder.
Spreadsheet	One row per session, with columns for the date, the measures and the next steps, makes earlier updates easy to compare.
QuickDictate	QuickDictate types what you say into whichever window you are using. ^[1]

What you need before you start

Recording progress updates takes only a few things, and it helps to have them ready before the first session you record.

A short template. Decide the points each update covers, such as changes in weight, food intake, symptoms and the next goal. A fixed list keeps each note comparable with the last one.
The current plan. Keep the agreed goals and the last update within reach, so the new note can say what changed.
One place to store notes. A records system your practice already uses, or a single folder, works. What matters is that each note lands under the client's name every time.
A few quiet minutes. Record straight after the session, while the details are still clear.
A computer you can dictate on. Only needed if you pick a dictation tool. Check its requirements before you begin.

Step by step

These steps work with any tool, including a pen and a sheet of paper.

Open the client's file. Check the last update and the agreed goals before you record anything.
Note the date and the type of session. Write this first so the note is filed in the right place later.
Say what changed since last time. Start with the facts: weight, food intake, symptoms and any measurements you took.
Record how the client is doing with the plan. Note what they followed, what they found hard and what they said about it.
Name one or two next steps. Keep them specific enough that the next session can check them.
Read the note once. Look for missing dates, unclear figures or a goal that no longer matches the plan.
Save it under the client's name. Use the same place every time, so later updates can be compared.
Compare with earlier updates when needed. A short look at the last few notes shows the trend.

Tools that can do it

You do not need special software for this. Here are options to consider.

Paper notes. You write each update by hand and file the sheet in the client's folder. Nothing is published here about cost or limits, because those depend on what you already have.

A spreadsheet. One row per session, with columns for the date, the measures and the next steps, makes earlier updates easy to compare. The limits and cost of a spreadsheet app are listed on that app's own page.

QuickDictate. It is one option among several. QuickDictate is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using. ^[1] You hold a key while you talk, or press it once to start and once to stop, and you can change both keys. ^[1] With five of the cloud providers, words appear while you are still talking. ^[1]

You can list words and phrases that are sent to the provider to help it recognise them, and a replacement table fixes spellings such as "Chat GPT" to "ChatGPT". ^[1] You can use ElevenLabs, Deepgram, OpenAI, AssemblyAI, DashScope or Google, and that provider bills you directly. ^[1]

Dictation can also run without an internet connection: choose Local in Settings and install a speech model such as Whisper Large v3 Turbo, and dictation then needs no internet connection or API key. ^[1] Saying "scratch that" discards the text you just dictated instead of inserting it. ^[1] You can browse and filter your last 50 dictations in Settings, and the history survives a restart or self-update. ^[1]

If you sign in, you can sync preferences such as hotkeys and language between PCs. ^[1] API keys, audio and transcripts are never synced. ^[1]

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. ^[1] Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[1] From version 0.9.0 on, commercial use needs a separate licence, so check which use applies to your practice. ^[1]

It runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. ^[1] There is no Mac or Linux version. ^[1] It is delivered as an .exe file on GitHub, with a built-in updater that works silently. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Recording long after the session. Details fade, so the note becomes vague. Record soon after, while the session is still clear.

Mixing facts with guesses. Write what the client reported and what you observed in separate lines, so later readers can tell them apart.

Changing the layout each time. New headings make updates hard to compare. Keep one template.

Storing notes in several places. Notes spread across folders are easy to lose. Choose one home for each client's updates.

Skipping the read-through. Dictated text can misspell names or drop a figure. Read it once before you save it.

Saving client details in a shared space. Check who can see a folder before you store client information in it.

Frequently asked questions

How do dietitians record client progress updates quickly?

Record each update soon after the session, using the same short template every time. Speaking the note can be quicker than typing it. QuickDictate is one option for this, a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using. ^[1] Read the note once before you save it, and file it under the client's name and date.

Can QuickDictate work without an internet connection?

Yes, with a local speech model. Choose Local in Settings and install a speech model such as Whisper Large v3 Turbo, and dictation then needs no internet connection or API key. ^[1] Check that your computer can run the model before you plan sessions around it. Using a cloud provider instead means that provider bills you directly for its service. ^[1]

Is QuickDictate free for private practice work?

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. ^[1] Commercial use needs a separate licence, so check which use applies to your practice before you rely on it. ^[1] Cloud providers bill you separately for their service, if you choose one. ^[1]

Which computers can run QuickDictate?

QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. ^[1] There is no Mac or Linux version. ^[1] It is delivered as an .exe file on GitHub, with a built-in updater that works silently, and it can also be built from source. ^[1] Check that your computer meets these requirements before you plan a session around it.

Does QuickDictate sync dictated transcripts between PCs?

If you sign in, QuickDictate can sync preferences such as hotkeys and language between PCs. ^[1] API keys, audio and transcripts are never synced. ^[1] Dictated notes still need a proper home in the records system or folder your practice uses. Check that place's own rules for client information before you save anything there.

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[1]

Try QuickDictate

Sources

QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)