By the RxReflex Content Team · Last reviewed August 6, 2026
Every prescription has the same skeleton: the inscription (drug and strength), the sig (directions), the subscription (quantity to dispense), the refills, and a DAW code saying whether a substitution is allowed. Order entry is the process of moving those five fields into the system correctly — and it is 22.5% of the 2026 PTCE.
| Part | What it holds | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Inscription | The drug name, strength, and dosage form | Lisinopril 10 mg tablet |
| Sig | The directions — becomes the patient label | 1 tab PO daily |
| Subscription | The quantity to dispense | #30 |
| Refills | How many times it can be refilled | Refills: 5 |
| DAW code | Whether a generic substitution is allowed | DAW 0 |
Around those five you'll also find the prescriber's information (including a DEA number if it's a controlled substance), the patient's name and date of birth, and the date written. Any of those can be the thing that's wrong in an exam question.
Order-entry questions are usually shaped as "what should the technician do FIRST?" The answer is almost never "dispense." It is verify, clarify, or escalate to the pharmacist — because a technician cannot make a clinical judgment call.
DAW stands for Dispense As Written. The code records why a brand or generic was dispensed, which is what the insurer prices against. Choosing the wrong one is a billing problem, not just a paperwork one.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DAW 0 | No product selection indicated — substitution allowed. The most common code by far. |
| DAW 1 | Prescriber says brand is medically necessary — no substitution |
| DAW 2 | Patient requested the brand |
| DAW 3 | Pharmacist selected the brand |
| DAW 4 | Generic out of stock |
| DAW 5 | Brand dispensed, priced as a generic |
| DAW 6 | Override (for example, a prior authorization) |
| DAW 7 | Brand mandated by law |
| DAW 8 | Generic not available (manufacturer shortage) |
| DAW 9 | Plan or insurer requested the brand |
The two the exam leans on are DAW 0 and DAW 1. DAW 0 is the default and should be on the large majority of claims. DAW 1 requires the prescriber to have said brand is medically necessary — a patient asking for the brand is DAW 2, and coding that as DAW 1 misrepresents the claim.
The National Drug Code identifies exactly what is in the bottle. It is 10 digits in three segments:
| Segment | What it identifies |
|---|---|
| Labeler | The manufacturer or distributor — assigned by the FDA |
| Product | The specific drug, strength, and dosage form |
| Package | The package size and type |
The FDA assigns segment lengths in one of three formats — 4-4-2, 5-3-2, or 5-4-1. For billing, the code is padded with a leading zero in the appropriate segment to a uniform 11 digits (5-4-2). That padding step is a common exam question, and a common real-world rejection.
The product segment is where strength lives. Two bottles of the same drug at different strengths share a labeler code and differ in the product segment — which is exactly why "same drug, wrong strength" errors are caught by scanning, not by reading the front of the bottle.
| Field | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Lot number | The batch ID. This is what a recall is issued against — it tells you whether your stock is affected. |
| Expiration date | "EXP 06/2027" with no day means good through the last day of that month. |
| Manufacturer | Who made it — matters for substitution and recall notices |
| Storage | Room temperature, refrigerated, protect from light |
| Bar code | The scan that verifies the NDC at the point of fill |
The expiration convention is worth memorizing precisely because it is counter-intuitive: a product marked EXP 06/2027 is usable through June 30, 2027, not June 1.
A technician may not clarify a clinical question with the prescriber on their own judgment, and may not decide a dose is fine. "Ask the pharmacist" is a real answer on this exam, not a cop-out.
The inscription (drug, strength, form), the sig (directions), the subscription (quantity to dispense), the refills, and the DAW code. Prescriber and patient identifiers sit around them, including a DEA number on controlled-substance prescriptions.
DAW 0 — no product selection indicated, meaning substitution is allowed. It belongs on the large majority of claims. DAW 1 is reserved for when the prescriber has specified that the brand is medically necessary.
DAW 1 is the prescriber requiring the brand. DAW 2 is the patient requesting it. They are billed differently, so using DAW 1 for a patient preference misrepresents the claim.
Ten digits in three segments (labeler, product, package), assigned as 4-4-2, 5-3-2, or 5-4-1. For billing it is padded with a leading zero to a uniform 11 digits in 5-4-2 format.
It is good through the last day of that month — June 30, 2027. An expiration with no day always means the end of the stated month.
It identifies the manufacturing batch. When a recall is issued it names specific lot numbers, so the lot is how you determine whether the stock on your shelf is affected.
RxReflex drills Order Entry & Processing as scenario questions — DAW selection, NDC checks, label reads — each with a rationale for every answer option. Premium unlocks the full scenario bank and the DAW-code and stock-label cheat sheets. Free to start on iOS and Android.
Controlled Substance SchedulesC-II to C-V rules, refill limits, and DEA forms — the law block that grew most in 2026.
Sig Codes Cheat SheetEvery abbreviation you'll see on a prescription — plus the ten you must never write.
High-Alert Medications ListThe six drug classes that cause the most harm when something goes wrong — and the safeguards that stop it.Prefer a printable version? Grab “The PTCB Pass Code” free PDF — the highest-yield facts, formulas & traps on 22 pages.
Last reviewed August 6, 2026 by the RxReflex Content Team. Educational use only — not medical advice. Exam policies and fees are set by PTCB — always confirm details at ptcb.org. Verify clinical specifics with your pharmacist or a current label source such as DailyMed. RxReflex is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).