Practices that offer boarding services know this requires a great deal of resource management and organization. The Boarding module allows the practice an intuitive way to manage your boarding needs.

You can use the hyperlinks below to jump to specific sections of this article:

Setup Boarding Inventory Cage Types Reservation Types Boarding Appointment Types Boarding Visit Statuses

Use & Management Scheduling a Boarding Reservation Checking In a Boarding Reservation Checking Out a Boarding Reservation Running the Boarding Report

FAQs How can I reserve one cage for two or more pets? How can I quickly check to see if I have any boarding availability? How can I quickly check to see if I have any boarding availability? A cage is shown as available on my calendar, why won’t the system let me use it to make a reservation? Why are my boarding invoices incorrect? How do I store boarding reservation notes in a patient medical record or on a check in sheet?

 

Setup

Watch the video:

The Boarding Reservation Type sets the pace for automatic charging. The Cage Type (linked with an inventory item) sets the price of that pace, and the visit status will initiate or end the whole process.

 

Enabling Boarding

In order to use the Boarding module, you must first make sure it is enabled for your site.

• Navigate to Menu > Settings > Practice Setup > General. 
• Scroll down and expand Miscellaneous Settings.
• Make sure Enable boarding is toggled on. 

• Click Save

 

Add Boarding Fees to Inventory

Once Boarding has been enabled you will need to add your boarding cage fees as an Inventory billable item. This billable item will be linked to your boarding reservations and the charge will be added to the invoice based on the length of the patient's stay. Styles of charges may vary from a flat rate per day/night or based on the size of the patient. You can also include any fees for additional patients or special cage styles. 

• Go to Menu > Inventory > Inventory Management.
• Click Add next to the Category drop-down list.

• Create a category specific to Boarding. Optional: You can add a description and discount for all items in that category.
• Click Save when done.

Once you have created your new Boarding category, you can start adding inventory items to it. 

• Sell Measure should be "each."
• Cost is typically $0.
• Price should reflect a daily or hourly rate. If both are used, you will need to Name the items accordingly. Examples: Daycare - Hourly or Daycare - Daily

Here is an example of a boarding inventory item:

Once you are done, click Save and repeat the process as needed. 

You can use this article for a more in-depth look at adding inventory items - Adding an Inventory Item.

 

Set Up Cage Types

Next you will set up the styles and quantities of boarding "cages" you have available. 

Cage Types allow you to assign the inventory items that contain your boarding prices to actual cages in your facility. Cage Types and Reservation Types are then combined to set the pace of pricing.

• Navigate to the Menu > Boarding > Cage Types.
• Click Add Cage Type.

You will need to fill out the following fields for each Cage Type:

• Name - This is the name of the cage type you will assign to a patient.
• Color - Enter in the name of the color to represent the cage or use the link to Free Color Picker to select a color.
• Text Color - Enter the name of the color of text that will show well against the background color. Use the Free Color Picker link to select a color.
• Number of Cages - This is the number of this type of cage available. This does not have to be the exact number if you are not tracking the actual cages and are just using the system to track cost for invoicing.
• Number of Overbookings - This is the number of other cages you could use if you run of out this cage type. Example: We have five small dog cages and two overbookings. This means that a small dog could fit in two other cages (perhaps two large dog cages not being used for large dogs).
• Require Cage Assignment - Turning this setting on will not allow staff members to move forward in the Boarding Reservation process until they assign the patient a cage. If you have run out of cages and overbookings, then this cage type will not be available to reserve. 
• Inventory Item - Here you will link the inventory item(s) to the cage type. This determines what the price of this cage will be. More than one inventory item can be associated to a cage type and the proper inventory charge can be selected during the scheduling process.
• Click Save.

Once created you can further customize your Cage Names. This is not required. The system will automatically name them C01, C02, etc. There is no save button on this screen so, as soon as you change the name, it will be saved to the database.

Example:

 

Set Up Reservation Types

Reservation Types allow you to dictate how often the client will be charged for boarding (by the visit, hour, day, etc.)

• Go to Menu > Boarding > Reservation Types.
• Click Add Reservation Type

Number of times to charge for cage:

• Once per visit - Will charge the price on the inventory item only once no matter how many days/hours the patient is boarded. This is best used for daycare patients when there is one charge no matter how long the patient is boarded that day.
• Once each hour - Will charge the price on the inventory item once every hour the patient is boarded. Typically, this is used for boarders who are charged an hourly rate. 
• Once each day - Will charge the price on the inventory item once every day the patient is boarded.
• Once each time it passes the cutoff time - Will charge the price on the inventory item once every day the patient is boarded past the cutoff time.

Booking Type: This is purely for your classification purposes and will not affect pricing.

• Hotel Style - best used for reservation types that require multiple day stays (typically "once each day" and "once each time it passes the cutoff time" charging methods).
• Daycare Style - best used for reservation types that are hourly or a set price for the day (typically "once per visit" and "once each hour" charging methods).

Once you have filled out all the information you can click Save and create as many different Reservation Types as you need.

Example:

 

Set Up Boarding Appointment Type(s)

Now you will create an appointment type specific to Boarding. When scheduling within the Boarding tab of the Calendar, only the Appointment Types for Boarding will appear. This will also insert the boarding questions into the appointment when it is being scheduled. This will alert the person scheduling the appointment that they need to ask for all the boarding specific information.

• Navigate to the Menu > Settings > Calendar > Appointment Types.
• Select Add Appointment Type
  
  • Color/Text Color: This will not override the color coding set up in Cage Types. 
  • Check-In Report: If you want a Check-In report created for this appointment type, select the type from the drop-down list.
  • Is Boarding?: Make sure this box is checked. The Type field will display only Appointment Types for Boarding. It will insert the boarding questions into the appointment when it is being scheduled. This will alert the person scheduling the appointment they need to ask for all the boarding specific information.
  • Has Extra Instructions?: This does not need to be enabled as the Boarding instructions are the same.
  • Include with Nightly Tasks (Appointment Reminders)?: If your site is set up to send email reminders and you would like to send email reminders for Boarding Reservations, you will need to check this box. 
  • Exclude from automatic text messaging during appointment creation?: - If your site is set up to send SMS messages, you can turn this feature on to alert owners when a Boarding Reservation is scheduled. 
  • Show on Kiosk?: If your practice has a Kiosk set up that will allow clients to check in for their appointment in the clinic, this will allow this appointment type to show up on the kiosk. 
  • Click Save.

 

Set Up Boarding Visit Statuses

To utilize the automated invoicing feature within the Boarding Module, you must create Check-In and Check-Out Visit Statuses. These statuses will trigger the system to start and stop charges according to the assigned Reservation Type (per visit/per day/per hour/by cutoff time). 

Click on Menu > Settings > Calendar > Visit Status.

• Name: You will need to name these very distinctly to differ from the usual “Checked In” status name for appointments to avoid user error (i.e., BOARDING Checked-In). 
• Calendar Icon: If desired, associate a calendar icon to be displayed on the appointment calendar for when this visit status is set. Note: When an appointment is marked as complete, a green check icon will appear on the appointment. Keep this in mind when choosing a Visit Status icon as there is also a green check option available to choose for a status. 
• Print check-in report: Will prompt users to print a Check-In report once this visit status is selected.
• Place on Whiteboard: Changing a patient's status to a status with this box checked will place the patient on the Whiteboard. (Not typically utilized for Boarding)
• Remove from Whiteboard: Changing a patient's status to a status with this box checked will remove the patient from the Whiteboard. (Not typically utilized for Boarding)
• Check in boarding reservation: This MUST be enabled in order to start the reservation automated charges. 
• Check out boarding reservation: This MUST be enabled in order to end the reservation automated charges. 

Example:

 

Use & Management

Now that you have successfully set up your boarding workflow, you are ready to begin utilizing your Boarding Module. 

Scheduling a Boarding Reservation

Boarding Reservations can be scheduled using two methods:

• From the Appointment Calendar - Click on the Boarding tab, select the preferred arrival date and cage type.

• From the Boarding Module - Go to Menu > Boarding > Reservations > Create New Reservation.

In each method the following information may be filled in: 

Note: The Boarding Reservation Type sets the pace for automatic charging. The Cage Type (linked with an inventory item) sets the price of that pace, and the visit status will initiate or end the whole process.

• Type: This will be any appointment types specific to Boarding. 
• Resource: The Resource this appointment belongs to. 
• Patient: If the Reservation is for an existing patient, you can type their name in the Patient box. If not, the Click to quickly create client and patient link will allow you to create a new client or patient.
  NOTE: If you are adding a new patient to an existing client, you can search for that client's name in the Client Search box and select them before adding the new patient information.
• Arrival: Set the Date and Time for the patient's arrival. 
• Departure: Set the expected Date and Time for the patient's departure. 
• Reservation Type: Sets the pace of automatic charging. Select the appropriate type for this patient. 
• Cage Type: Assigns the patient to a specific Cage Type. Depending on your practice's setup, this may be based on patient size or rooms. 
• Cage: This is the specific cage this patient will be assigned to. If this cage type has "Require Cage Assignment" enabled, you cannot move forward until choosing a cage. 
• Inventory Item: Select the appropriate charge for this reservation based on the options in the drop-down list. 
  • Note: To double check your reservation's billing setup, review the overview of the charges listed in Green below the inventory selection. 
• Has Bath?: Check this box if your practice offers bathing as an added service for boarding patients and the owner has requested this.
• Reservation Notes: Any special notes relevant to the boarding reservation.
• Feeding Instructions: Food type, amounts, and frequency can be documented here. 
• Equipment: Commonly used for identifying personal items such as details about blankets, toys, leashes and collars.
• Medications: Medication(s) name, dose, frequency, etc. 

• Once the reservation is made it will display within the Boarding tab of the calendar.

 

Checking In a Reservation

When the patient arrives, they can be checked in using the following methods:

• From the Appointment Calendar - Click on the Boarding tab, right click on the Reservation and select the Visit Status configured for boarding check in.

Note: Make sure the status you select is intended for Boarding Check In. If any other status is selected, the automated charging will not begin. 

• • Once checked in, the automated charging for this reservation will begin. This will create an invoice showing the total price of what it will cost the owner for the boarding reservation.
    
    
• From the Boarding Module - Navigate to Menu > Boarding > Reservations.
  • From the Reservation List, use the Filter Options to search for the appropriate reservation.
  • Click the Edit pencil to edit the selected reservation.
  • From here you can check in the client by clicking "Checkin" at the top of the page. You also have the option to update the reservation notes with any new information from the client. 

• • Once checked in, the automated charging for this reservation will begin. This will create an invoice showing the total price of what it will cost the owner for the boarding reservation.
  • From this point you can click any of the blue links at the top of the screen shown above to print the cage card, cage sheet, and check-in sheet.

 

Checking Out a Reservation

To check out the patient you will follow the same instructions as above.

• From the Appointment Calendar - Click on the Boarding tab, right-click on the reservation and select the Visit Status configured for boarding check out.
  Note: Make sure the status you select is intended for Boarding Check Out. If any other status is selected, the automated charging will not end. 

• • Once checked out, the automated charging for this reservation stops, and the invoice will show the total price of what it will cost the owner for the boarding reservation.
    
    
• From the Boarding Module - Navigate to Menu > Boarding > Reservations.
  • From the Reservation List, use the Filter Options to search for the appropriate reservation.
  • Click the Edit pencil to edit the selected reservation.
  • From here you can check out the client by clicking "Checkout" at the top of the page. 

Note: Any additional services will need to be charged as Treatments. Boarding charges are the only thing automatically charged by the Boarding module.

 

Running the Boarding Report

Go to Menu > Reports > create or edit the Boarding Report.

• The Boarding Report generates a list of boarding reservations based on the selected filter criteria.
• Once the report is generated, clients with boarding appointments can have postcards generated or emails sent manually from the report Distribute List link.  The Distribution Logs link can display any communication sent out.

A new run of the Boarding Report can be filtered on the following criteria:

Additionally, the report can be sorted by check in date, check out date, client name, or patient name.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I reserve one cage for two or more pets?

To reserve one cage for more than one household pet there are two recommended options:

Option 1: In the Cage Type setup (permissions-based), turn off the Require Cage Assignment toggles.
Create a separate reservation for the additional pet without assigning a cage.
Once the reservation is on the boarding calendar, you can drag and drop the reservation to “double book” that cage.

Option 2: Create a Cage Type (permissions-based) named “Shared Cage.”
Create a cage to match each available for shared boarding.
For additional customization, the cage names can be adjusted to indicate which cage will be shared.

 

How can I quickly check to see if I have any boarding availability?

The Boarding Calendar can be utilized to assess availability based on current reservations. This calendar reviews your openings by cage type per hour. The Boarding Calendar can be accessed by selecting the Tab titled Boarding within the Appointment Calendar module.

 

A cage is shown as available on my calendar, why won’t the system let me use it to make a reservation?

The most recent reservation within that cage was not marked as Complete or the Visit Status was not marked as Checked Out.

The Boarding Module considers two factors when reading a cage as available or unavailable:

1. The reservation Visit Status is marked as Check out Reservation. This will update the Boarding Calendar.
2. The reservation is marked as Complete. This will update the cage availability in the Boarding Module.  

Note: Both the Visit Status and Complete status can be updated through the Appointment options or in the Checkout window. See Checking In a Reservation or Checking Out a Reservation.

 

Why are my boarding invoices incorrect?

The Boarding module allows for automated invoicing using the checked-in and checked-out reservation statuses.

Review your setup for the following sections:

The Boarding Reservation Type sets the pace for automatic charging. The Cage Type (linked with an inventory item) sets the price of that pace, and the visit status will initiate or end the whole process.

 

How do I store boarding reservation notes in a patient medical record or on a check in sheet?

When you set up a boarding appointment there are boxes to fill in for reservation notes, feeding, equipment and medications. You can store this information from boarding reservations into the patient medical record and on your boarding check in sheet by having the following conditions apply to your current set up:

1. Document Template for Check In Report
   • You need to have a document template set up as:
     • Template is used for? - Patient Report (Check-in Report)
     • Store generated document into the patient's medical record? * 
     • Merge field needs to included as %visitdesc_includeextra%
2. Appointment Type for Boarding
   • Settings to be enabled on this appointment type: 
     • Is Boarding?
     • Has Extra Instructions?
     • Check In Report - assigned to a document template for check in report
3.  
4. Visit Status for Boarding Check In
   • Settings to be enabled on this visit type:
     • Print check in report

 

If you are experiencing trouble that cannot be resolved using this article, please reach out to our support team via chat or email.