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How do I set up nightly tasks to send appointment or patient reminders?

  • Updated

Nightly Tasks allow a practice to automatically send out email reminders to all clients who have an email address and are not marked as "Do Not Email" or "Do Not Send Patient Reminders" on the client record.

  • To navigate to Menu > Settings > Practice Setup > Nightly Tasks from the sidebar.
  • The Nightly Task Management window will open.

Nightl_tasks.png

  • There are two different Nightly Tasks: Appointment Reminder, used to remind clients about upcoming appointments and Patient Reminder to remind clients about patient services due.
  • To edit the email content and when the content will send, click on the Edit pencil to the left of each task.
  • If the task is Active (green circle under active) the Nightly Task will run each night around 3am (EST) and send emails out to any client scheduled to receive one.
  • If the task is Inactive (circle is Red), simply click on click to turn it green for "Active."

Nightly_Tasks_Edit.png

 

Editing the Appointment Reminder Nightly Task

  • Appointment reminders will only be sent for appointment types chosen to Include with Nightly Tasks.
  • Click the Edit pencil to the left of the appointment reminders within nightly tasks. Scroll down to the Additional Task Settings.

Additional_Task_Settings.png

    • Days prior to date: This date determines how many days before the appointment date the first reminder is sent to the client. Note* an option to send a second notice is available.
    • Email Template: The clinic can choose from an existing email template; however, this is not commonly used.
    • Subject: This is the description the client will see when they open their email.
    • Body: The content of the email. The content is editable in this section if the clinic would like to change it.
  • Next, scroll to the bottom of the screen and decide whether or not to send a second notice.

Second_Notice.png

    • Send second notice: If elected, a second notice will be sent. (if the appointment was scheduled last minute, the second notice may be the only notice they receive because they didn't have the appointment scheduled in time to receive the first notice)
    • Second Notice - Days prior to date: This is how many days before the appointment the client will receive the email.
    • Second Notice - Email Template: This is the email that will automatically send the client(s) when scheduled. (can be edited)
    • Second Notice - Subject: This is the description of the email that will client will see when they access their email
    • Body: The content of the email.
  • Click Save.

NOTE: Only create one Nightly Task per type; therefore, all appointment reminders despite the appointment type will receive the same email template. Make the Nightly Tasks emails generic so they can apply to all types of appointments.

 

Editing the Patient Reminder Nightly Task

  • Patient service reminders will only be sent for EXTERNAL (General, Wellness, or Recheck) patient reminder types.
  • Click the Edit pencil to the left of the appointment reminders within nightly tasks. Scroll down to the Additional Task Settings.

Patient_Reminder_Nightly.png

  • The biggest difference between the patient reminders nightly task and the appointment reminders nightly task is when the first reminder is sent.
  • The first reminder is sent on the "When to remind" date on the general, wellness, or recheck reminder type.

Reminder_Second_Notice.png

    • Send second notice: A second notice can be scheduled however long after the first reminder is sent. (if the reminder has expired before the second notice would be sent, then the second notice will not send to your clients).
    • Number of days after first notice: This is how many days after the first notice the client will receive the email.
    • Second Notice - Email Template: This is the email that will automatically send the client(s) when scheduled. (can be edited)
    • Second Notice - Subject: This is the description of the email that will client will see when they access their email
    • Body: The content of the email.
  • Click Save.

NOTE: Only one Nightly Task per type can be created; therefore, all patient service reminders despite the service type will receive the email above. It is recommended to create the Nightly Task email template so it will apply to all types of service reminders.

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