ABC Data Sheet Template (Printable PDF & GoodNotes)
An ABC behaviour log with six columns: date and time, initials, antecedent, behaviour, consequence and notes. Record what happened before, during and after a behaviour to find out what's driving it. It uses initials only.
- Printable US Letter8.5 × 11 in, white paper
- Printable A4210 × 297 mm, white paper
- iPad / GoodNotesAlso Notability and Noteshelf
- E-ink tabletreMarkable, Kindle Scribe, Boox
Free PDF, 1 page, undated. No sign-up needed.
Shown for iPad in the Sage Botanical theme. Printable downloads use white paper (there's a dark mode preview below); the e-ink version is black and white.
One page, ready to fill in.
- A table with columns for date / time, initials, antecedent, behaviour, consequence and notes
- Undated, so you can print or duplicate it as often as you need
Who it's for
Special education teachers, behaviour specialists, teaching assistants, parents of children with additional needs, and early years staff trying to understand a child's behaviour. Childminders, nursery staff and home educators use it too, especially when they need to describe a pattern clearly to a parent, a health visitor or a specialist.
Getting the most from a abc data sheet.
Describe what you saw
Write observable behaviour: "threw pencil, left seat" rather than "was angry". Anyone reading it should picture the same thing.
Antecedent: what happened just before
A demand, a transition, a noise, being told no, a change in routine. Antecedents are where patterns usually show first.
Consequence: what happened just after
What did adults or peers do? Was a task removed, attention given, a break allowed? The consequence often explains why the behaviour continues.
Record at the time
Fill in a row as soon as possible after the behaviour. Memory of the antecedent fades fastest.
Look for patterns after a week or two
Same time of day, same task, same consequence? Bring the sheet to team or IEP meetings to plan support.
Agree definitions as a team
If several adults record data, agree exactly what counts as the behaviour, in observable terms. Consistent definitions make the data trustworthy.
Included in 2 planners
This template is a page in each of these planners. Open one to see everything else that comes with it.
Get it inside a full hyperlinked planner
The special education teacher planner includes this page alongside dated month and week pages for your year, with side tabs and links between every page. Pick your device and theme, preview it free, and pay only when it's right.
- Dated pages for the whole year
- Tap a tab or a date to jump there
- GoodNotes, Notability, Samsung Notes, e-ink and print sizes
Opens the special education teacher planner with the Special Education section switched on.
Or read about the special education teacher planner first.
What is ABC data?
Antecedent, behaviour, consequence: a simple way to record what came before a behaviour, the behaviour itself and what followed. It's widely used in schools and behaviour support to understand why behaviours happen.
Can parents use it?
Yes. It's included in our IEP parent binder too. Parents use it to share patterns at home with the school team.
How many entries fit on a page?
Around 15 to 20 rows, depending on the paper size. Use a sheet per student.
Is this a functional behaviour assessment?
ABC data is often part of one, but a full assessment is carried out by trained professionals. This sheet helps gather the information.
