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New Features
Cash Rounding
Clinics that accept cash without relying on pennies can now turn on Cash Rounding under Admin > Clinic Settings > Financial Settings > Invoice Settings. Shepherd still calculates the exact invoice total — that number never changes — but then adjusts the cash amount that physically changes hands. Cash Rounding only affects cash payments; cards, checks, Shepherd Pay, CareCredit, and all other payment types still process to the exact cent.
Two rounding methods are available:
Symmetrical Nickel Rounding — rounds the cash total to the nearest $0.05 (the default when first turned on).
Round-Down-Only — always rounds payments down and refunds up, so the difference always favors the client.
A breakdown showing the Total Before Rounding, Rounding Adjustment, and Cash Total appears on payment screens, invoice summaries, receipts, and PDFs. Rounding adjustments are also reflected in End of Day, Summary, Transaction, Cash Reconciliation, and QuickBooks Journal Entry reports.
Feature Enhancements
Time Clock Improvements
Time Clock has been updated across the administrative and employee experience.
Redesigned Timesheet Management
Admin timesheets are now organized by Year > Pay Period > Employee.
Pay Period Controls & Approvals
Pay periods now have a clearer path from active tracking to closure. The new Approve All Timesheets action approves all eligible timesheets at once.
Consistent Hours & Leave Calculations
Hour totals are now consistent across all Time Clock views and exports: Pay Period Total = Hours Worked + Overtime + Paid Leave. Unpaid Leave is tracked separately and doesn't count toward the Pay Period Total.
Employee Timesheets in My Profile
Employees can now view their own timesheet history directly in My Profile > Time Clock.
Guided Setup for New Time Clock Clinics
Clinics turning on Time Clock for the first time now get a guided setup with three steps: Payroll Schedule, Leave Types, and Preferences.
Reorganized Time Clock Settings
Time Clock Settings are now organized into five sections: Work Week, Payroll Schedule, Sorting, Leave Types, and Notifications.
Email Quick SOAP Discharge Instructions
When emailing a Quick SOAP, staff can now choose whether to include Discharge Instructions. A new Include Discharge Instructions checkbox appears in the email dialog — it's unchecked by default.
Pet Portal: Clearer Date Availability in Direct Booking
The Pet Portal booking calendar now shows pet owners which dates have open appointment slots before they select one. This applies to both Direct Booking and slot requests that need clinic approval.
Shepherd AI Enhancements
TranscribeAI Workflow & Ask AI
TranscribeAI has been updated across four areas of the clinician workflow.
Physical Exam Templates Earlier in the Workflow
Clinics can now set a default Physical Exam Template for TranscribeAI. When a recording is stopped, that template is automatically selected so it gets processed along with the recording. This doesn't apply to Quick SOAP.
Ask AI Can Now Update Field Review
When a clinician 'Asks AI' to make a specific change — like adding something to the treatment plan, rewording a note, or updating discharge instructions — selecting Sync for Field Review now sends that change to the right field in Field Review. Existing notes are kept and added to, not replaced. Nothing goes into the patient's SOAP until Save to SOAP is selected.
Easier Session Exit & Discard
There's now an X on the TranscribeAI recording widget to quickly leave a session without going through the full stop recording process. Tapping it gives the option to Discard Session — which permanently deletes the session and its transcript — or go back to the recording.
Clearer SOAP Save Behavior
The old "Transcript saved to user profile" message has been removed, since transcripts are already being saved throughout the session anyway.
Integration Updates
Permanent IDEXX Imaging Result Links
IDEXX imaging results now save with permanent links instead of temporary ones that expired after about 60 days. This update also applies to existing image links, so previously generated links should now be and remain accessible. The permanent links show up in SOAP Assessment notes, Patient Lifecycle, and any Medical Records that are downloaded or emailed.
B&L Labs Now Available
B&L Reference Laboratory is now available in Shepherd. B&L offers reliable diagnostic services for veterinary practices with flexible pricing and fast turnaround times. Learn more.
Bionote Now Available
Bionote is now available in Shepherd. Bionote provides fast, accurate in-house diagnostic results to help veterinary teams make confident decisions and deliver great patient care. Learn more.
National Bio Vet Lab Now Available
National Bio Vet Laboratory is now available in Shepherd. NBVL has worked with veterinary practices for over 30 years, offering species-specific diagnostic services with fast turnaround times and hands-on support. Learn more.
Parasight System Now Available
Parasight System is now available in Shepherd. Parasight offers comprehensive in-clinic diagnostics — including hematology, chemistry, immunoassay, fecals, and urine analysis — without sending samples out and waiting for results. Learn more.
OpenAPI
NEW Shepherd Developers Newsletter
Introducing the Shepherd Developers Newsletter! — a new way to stay current on Shepherd's OpenAPI. Subscribe for updates on new and changed endpoints, integration-impacting changes, and developer resources.