🚀 New Features & Capabilities!
Payments | Multi-Location Shared Payment Transfers
You can now enable a new setting within the Group Platform that allows payments to be shared across locations. Payment transfer can occur during invoice and payment acceptance, or later from a credit balance.To use this feature, your group account must be configured to share both clients and patients across locations.
When transfers occur, they are recorded as Payment Transfer entries in reporting and payment interfaces, with clear “to” and “from” location identifiers
The original payment remains recorded under its actual payment type
If the setting is disabled, funds remain location specific and any transferring of payments requires manual configuration and processing.
We've improved client balance visibility in shared client and patient configurations to ensure you can easily recognize location originations for any balances
This feature gives your team greater flexibility when managing payments across multi-location practices.
SOAP | Introducing Quick SOAP for Streamlined Visits
Quick SOAP is a new option designed for brief, straightforward visits - so you can document faster and with less effort. The original SOAP is now called Comprehensive SOAP, making it simple to choose the right workflow for every case.
What’s New
Default SOAP Type per Appointment Type – In Admin -> Scheduling -> Appointment Types, you can now set the default SOAP type as Comprehensive, Quick, or SOAP Type Selection at Check-In for each defined appointment type.
Quick SOAP Layout – A simplified, single-page SOAP with vertical scroll, featuring:
Summary & Vitals (title, location, supervising doctor, assigned user, weight, vitals)
Visit Notes (large free-text field, consistent with SOAP note fields)
Treatments (order treatments and view treatment history, without scheduling capabilities)
Invoicing (SOAP invoicing summary with invoice total clearly displayed and linked to invoice workflow)
Navigation Tools – A static header with icons and breadcrumbs for each core area makes navigation faster.
Action Menu – Includes options like Convert SOAP, Export, Email, Print Cage Card, Edit Check-In Time, and Delete SOAP, consistent with Comprehensive SOAP permissions.
Convert to Comprehensive SOAP – Users can convert a Quick SOAP to Comprehensive at any time. All existing entries transfer into corresponding fields. This action cannot be undone and is logged in the SOAP activity log.
Quick SOAP simplifies documentation for routine visits, ensuring cleaner, more accessible patient histories. For complex cases, Comprehensive SOAP is still the best choice. Learn more about Quick SOAP.
🛠️ Existing Feature Updates!
Admin Settings | Redesigned for Easier Navigation
We’ve refreshed the Admin → Clinic Settings experience to make it faster and more intuitive for administrators to manage system configurations. The new design reduces clutter, consolidates menus, and introduces clearer navigation, helping you find what you need without digging through fragmented tabs.
What’s New
Streamlined Layout – Settings are now grouped into clear sections like Clinic Profile & Operations, Financial Settings, Practice Management, Clinical Settings, and Label Management.
Search Across Settings – A new search bar makes it easy to locate any setting or description instantly.
Cleaner Setting Rows – Each option now includes a clear description and easy-to-use toggles.
Reorganized Menus – Common items like Physical Exam Templates and Diagnoses Lists have been relocated into more logical categories.
Improved Usability – A consistent card-style interface, clearer icons, and grouped options make scanning and updating settings much simpler.
This update is the first step in a broader effort to enhance the Admin Settings experience as Shepherd continues to grow.
Appointment Notifications | Smarter Subject Line Customization
We’ve extended subject line customization for appointment notification emails to make the behavior clearer and more intuitive.
What’s New
Pre-Filled Subject Field – When creating or editing appointment notification emails, the Subject field is now pre-filled with the system’s default subject line:
“New Appointment Scheduled for [patient name] at [time] on [date]”
Clearer Tooltip – The tooltip has been updated to:
“Subject over 60 characters may be cut off in some email apps.”
Blank Subject Option – If the Subject field is cleared and saved, the resulting email will have no subject line, instead of reverting to the default.
Merge Field Support – Default and custom subject lines still render correctly with patient and appointment details.
Activity Log Tracking – Any changes to the Subject field, including clearing it, are now recorded.
These changes give you full control and clarity when customizing email subjects, reducing confusion while making it easier to align reminders with your clinic’s communication style.
Group Platform | Dark Mode Now Available
Dark Mode is now available in the Group Platform, giving you the same sleek, eye-friendly experience already available in Shepherd. This update ensures a consistent look and feel across both platforms, making it easier to work comfortably in low-light environments while reducing eye strain.
Invoices | Easier Access to Notes & Payment Information
We’ve refreshed the invoice page layout so that important details are easier to find at a glance. Internal notes, invoice notes, and payment information are now more visible and organized for smoother workflows.
What’s New
Tabbed Layout – Notes are organized into tabs for faster access.
Quicker Note Tools – Adding or editing notes is now simpler with streamlined tools.
Unread Note Alerts – Notes with new or unread content are highlighted so your team doesn’t miss critical information.
Payment Information – Key payment details are easier to locate, ensuring faster reviews during billing conversations.
These updates reduce clutter and give your team clearer visibility into both client communication and financial details, making invoice handling more efficient.
Message Center | Clearer SMS Read Tracking
We’ve improved how SMS conversations are handled in the Message Center to give your team better visibility and control.
What’s New
Read Activity Logging – When a user opens an unread SMS conversation, an entry is now added to the activity log showing the date, time, user, and action (“Marked conversation as read”). This ensures a clear audit trail of who has viewed client messages.
Unchanged Unread Logging – Activity log entries for marking a conversation unread remain unchanged and continue to function as before.
No More Auto-Read on Load – The first SMS conversation in the Message Center is no longer automatically marked as “read” when the page opens. Users now have full control over which conversations are marked as read.
These updates improve accountability, reduce confusion, and ensure message status accurately reflects team activity.
Pet Portal | More Hero Images to Match Your Brand
You now have a wider selection of Hero Images for the Pet Portal landing page, making it easier to align the look and feel with your clinic’s clients. 10 New Images have been added to the existing selection in Admin -> Client Communication -> Pet Portal -> Customization
This update gives your team more flexibility to present a welcoming, on-brand experience for clients visiting the Pet Portal. Learn more about our Pet Portal.
Reporting | Controlled Drug Report Column Updates
To support more accurate compliance tracking, the Controlled Drug Report now includes key updates:
New “Supervising Doctor” column shows the provider responsible at the time of drug administration
“Administered By” has been renamed to “Entered By” to clarify that this reflects the user who recorded the entry
If no supervising doctor is assigned, a dash (“-”) will appear in that field
These changes improve clarity around drug administration records and help ensure better regulatory compliance. Learn more about our Controlled Drug Report
Schedule Calendar | Improved Readability
We’ve updated the font color in Light Mode for client names, appointment times, and visit reasons in the schedule calendar. These adjustments restore clearer contrast and ensure consistent formatting across the calendar.
Why It Matters
Easier Scanning – Appointment details are now quicker to pick out at a glance.
Consistent Display – Fonts are aligned in style and contrast, reducing visual strain.
Better Workflow – Improves the overall readability of the schedule, especially for busy days with multiple appointments.
This update helps your team move through the calendar more confidently, with less chance of missing key details.
SOAP | Clearer Alerts for Locked Invoices
We’ve updated how alerts display in SOAPs when an invoice is marked as Charges Complete or Checked Out. Previously, a single generic warning appeared multiple times, which could be confusing. The alerts are now more specific to each section and easier to understand.
What’s New
Plan → Order Treatments – New alert placement under the header, above the product search:
“You cannot order treatments at this time. The invoice must be in an active state in order to make changes.”
Plan → Tx Schedule – Updated alert:
“You cannot edit Scheduled Treatments at this time. The invoice must be in an active state to make changes.”
Plan → Tx History – Updated alert:
“You cannot edit Administered Treatments at this time. The invoice must be in an active state to make changes.”
Rx Tab – Updated alert:
“You cannot edit Prescriptions at this time. The invoice must be in an active state to make changes.”
These changes add in clear, context-specific alerts. This helps teams quickly understand what actions are restricted and why, reducing confusion and saving time.
✨Integrations & Data Connection Updates
Otto | Integrated Client Communication Platform
Otto is an all-in-one client communication platform that helps practices grow while supporting team balance. With automated reminders, digital forms, AI-powered tools, and seamless Shepherd integration through Vetsource SyncVet, Otto streamlines communication and reduces administrative workload. Learn more about Otto
Pawlicy Advisor | Integrated Pet Insurance Education
Pawlicy Advisor integrates with Shepherd through Vetsource’s SyncVet service to help clinics automate insurance education, provide personalized client advice, and simplify communication. With Pawlicy Advisor, veterinary teams can offer trusted insurance resources without liability, while clients receive personalized recommendations backed by licensed experts. Learn more about Pawlicy Advisor
🤖 OpenAPI Updates
🆕 Here's What's New