Navigate to: Admin > Clinic Settings > Financial Settings > Client & Patient Discounts to create client/patient level discounts.
Navigate to: Admin > Products to apply default discounts to products.
What You Need to Know
Client discounts must be added to a client's profile before the appointment begins.
If products or services are already administered before the discount is assigned, the discount will not apply to those items on the invoice.
Products and services must be marked as Client & Patient Discount Eligible for a client or patient discount to apply.
If this setting is not enabled on the product, the discount will be skipped even if the client's or patient's profile has a discount assigned.
Default Product Discounts cannot be combined with client discounts, patient discounts, or the Pet Assure discount.
When multiple discounts are eligible for the same item, Shepherd applies whichever discount is highest.
Discounts are not combined or stacked — only one discount applies per item.
Discounts can only be edited on active invoices.
If an invoice has been checked out, move it back to Active status before editing or removing a discount.
Types of Discounts
Shepherd offers five ways to discount products and services on an invoice:
Client Discount — attached to a client's profile; automatically applies to all eligible items on their invoices
Patient Discount — attached to an individual patient's profile; applies independently of any client discount
Invoice Line Item Discount — applied manually to a single line item on an open invoice
Amount-Specific Discount — a custom discount product added to an invoice to apply a specific dollar amount off
Default Product Discount — configured on a product or service; automatically applies whenever that product is added to an invoice
Client Discounts
A client discount is a reusable discount attached directly to a client's profile in Shepherd. Once assigned, it automatically applies to all discount-eligible items on that client's invoices.
Client discounts must be created in Admin before they can be assigned to a client profile.
Creating a Client Discount
To create a new client discount, navigate to Admin > Clinic Settings > Financial Settings > Client & Patient Discounts.
Select + Add New
Name the discount
Set the discount:
To apply a single rate across all product types, enter the Default Discount %
To set different rates by product type, toggle on Define Discount % by Product Type, select the relevant Product Type(s), and enter the Discount % for each
Select Save
Marking Products and Services as Discount Eligible
For a client or patient discount to apply to a product or service, that item must be marked as Client & Patient Discount Eligible. Pet Assure has its own separate eligibility setting — Pet Assure Discount Eligible (25%). A product can be marked eligible for both, but if the client is a Pet Assure member, the Pet Assure discount will take precedence at invoicing and any other client discounts will be excluded.
You can update eligibility individually on each product or in bulk.
To update eligibility on a single item, navigate to Admin > Products, select the item, and check the appropriate eligibility setting under Product Price Settings.
To mark items as eligible in bulk, navigate to Admin > Bulk Edit > Products, select the relevant products, and set Client & Patient Discount Eligible or Pet Assure Discount Eligible (25%) to True. Services are included in this list because services are a product type in Shepherd.
Adding a Discount to a Client's Profile
There are two ways to assign a client discount in Shepherd: from the client's profile or from Clinic Settings. Both methods result in the discount being automatically applied to eligible items on the client's invoices.
From the Client Profile:
Navigate to Clients/Patients and open the client's profile
Select Edit
In the Client Settings section, select the appropriate discount from the Client Discount dropdown
Select Save
From Clinic Settings:
Navigate to Admin > Clinic Settings > Financial Settings > Client & Patient Discounts
Locate the discount and click Edit
Under Client with Discount, search for and select the client
In the confirmation pop-up, select Yes to confirm
Select Save
Patient Discounts
A patient discount is applied at the individual patient level, independent of any client discount or Wellness Plan enrollment. Patient discounts are configured directly on the patient's profile.
To add a patient discount, navigate to the patient's profile and select Edit > Patient Discount.
When a patient discount and a client discount both apply to the same item, Shepherd automatically applies whichever discount is highest. Discounts are not stacked.
Invoice Line Item Discounts
An invoice line item discount is applied manually to a single item on an open invoice. This discount type is used when you want to adjust the price of one specific service or product for a particular visit, without creating a standing discount on the client or patient profile.
To add a line item discount:
Open the invoice containing the item you want to discount
Locate the line item
Select the discount field in the item's row.
Select the discount type (% or $)
Input the discount amount
Add a note (required)
Include a production user (optional)
Click Save
Line item discounts reduce the production credit recorded for any assigned production user on that line. If you need to apply a credit without reducing a specific provider's production, see the FAQ below.
Amount-Specific Discounts
An amount-specific discount lets you apply a fixed dollar amount off an invoice using a custom discount product. This method is useful for one-time coupons, promotions, or adjustments that don't fit a percentage-based or profile-level discount.
This approach requires two steps: first create a discount product in Admin, then apply it to the invoice.
Use the Product type when creating a discount item. Service is also acceptable.
Name discount items specifically enough to be useful in an audit. Generic names make it difficult to identify the source or intent of a discount after the fact.
Wellness Plan Adjustment rather than Account Adjustment
Dental Month Discount rather than Discount
Hill's Discount Coupon rather than Food Coupon
Step 1: Create a Discount Product
To create an amount-specific discount product, navigate to Admin > Products > Add New.
Give the discount item:
A Type
A Category
A Name (e.g., "Hill's Discount Coupon," "Employee Discount," "June Promotion")
A Selling Price of $0.00
The Included on Invoice setting enabled
You can create multiple discount products for different discount types.
Step 2: Apply the Discount to an Invoice
Open the invoice
Add the discount product in the Add Invoice Items section
Click + Add button to confirm
Select the discount field in the item's row.
Select $ as the discount type
Enter the discount amount
Add a note (required)
Include a production user (optional)
Click Save
The discount will be applied to the invoice automatically once saved.
Default Product Discounts
A Default Product Discount is configured directly on a product or service in Shepherd. Once set, it is automatically applied to the invoice whenever that product is added — no manual action is required at checkout.
Default Product Discounts are well-suited for recurring rebates, food coupons, and manufacturer promotions.
To add a Default Product Discount, navigate to Admin > Products, select the item to edit, find the Default Product Discount toggle, and turn it on.
From here you can:
Set the discount type (% or $)
Enter the discount amount
Add a Discount Note (e.g., "instant rebate," "coupon")
Once configured, scroll down and click Save.
Default Product Discounts cannot be combined with other discount types. When a Default Product Discount and another eligible discount apply to the same item, Shepherd applies whichever is highest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't a client discount apply to the invoice?
A client discount will not apply if any of the following are true:
The discount was not yet assigned to the client's profile when products or services were administered
The product or service is not marked as client discount eligible
The line item discount value was manually changed to 0 on that item
If items were already added, assign the discount to the profile, then remove and re-add the affected line items.
Can I bulk mark products and services as discount eligible?
Yes. Navigate to Admin > Bulk Edit > Products. Services are included in this list because services are a product type in Shepherd.
How do I correct an overcharge or wrong charge after checkout?
To correct an overcharge after an invoice has been checked out:
Reactivate the invoice by moving it back to Active status
Correct the line item price, or add a discount to bring the invoice to the correct amount — this will create a negative outstanding balance
Click the blue Issue Refund button
Choose to refund to the client's credit balance or back to the original payment method
For full details on credit balances and refunds, see the Credit Balance article.
Can I apply a credit without reducing a provider's production?
Yes. Create a $0 discount product (see Amount-Specific Discounts above), add it to a quick invoice with no production user assigned, apply the dollar amount via the three-dot menu, and refund the resulting negative balance to the client's credit balance.
Do discounted invoice items still accrue finance charges?
Yes. Invoice items with discounts applied can still accrue finance charges. The finance charge itself cannot be discounted. Finance charges are not retroactive — they apply based on when the feature is turned on.