User Role Permissions

A breakdown of user role permissions and the capabilities they give to each user/role.

Updated over a week ago

Some functions and features of Shepherd are permission-based. Start by using our default roles or create new roles with different permissions, giving each team member or type of employee (think tech, doctor, front desk) custom permissions in Shepherd.

If you'd like more info on creating users and applying user roles, follow this link to check out our clinic login and users guide.

Permissions

There are four categories of permissions:

  • Admin: allow users to add/edit administrative settings or options

  • Invoices: give users the ability to void payments, process returns, and more

  • Records: impact a user's ability to edit a patient's SOAP and patient history

  • Reports: enable the user to view and run specific reports

Admin

Bulk Edit

(Edit)

We recommend keeping a conservative approach when assigning this permission to a role.

This permission allows users to access Shepherd's bulk edit feature. This is where owners or practice managers would make mass edits to the clinics settings, services, and more.

Manage Announcements

(Create, Update, Delete)

Users with this permission are able to create announcements that are published within the pet portal.

Clinic Settings

(Update)

Users with this permission can make changes to:

  • Practice contact info & logo

  • Communication preferences

  • Locations within the practice

  • Referral sources

  • Client discounts

  • Shepherd Pay credentials

Diagnoses

(Update)

To maintain a consistent diagnosis database, Shepherd doesn't allow users to delete or add diagnoses (we use to the AAHA, AAEP, and SAS SNOMED codes).

This permission allows you to update a diagnosis in a few ways:

  • Activate or Deactivate a diagnosis

  • Attach automatic discharge instructions/files

Manage Forms

(Create, Update, Archive)

Users with the forms permission are able to create, edit, and send out forms to clients. These forms can be anything from new patient forms to consent for euthanasia.

Integrations

(Set up, Edit)

This is a more technical part of setup

This permission allows a user to set up an integration with services like IDEXX and Shepherd Pay.

Inventory Management

(Access)

Users with this permission are able to manage inventory including setting up new items, creating purchase orders, and receiving items.

Messaging

(Access)

We recommend adding this permission to roles that could benefit from 2-way SMS messaging.

This allows a user to access the messaging portal, where a user can communicate with clients through text. This is particularly useful for confirming/updating appointments. Users with this permission can also access all closed conversations.

Physical Exam Templates

(Create, Edit)

We recommend assigning this permission to a more senior member or staff to avoid redundancies or duplicate templates that may result in less consistent care.

Creating, updating, and deleting physical exam templates.

Helpful guides for users with this permission:

Products

(Create, Edit)

Not a common occurrance, and best left to office or inventory manager.

With this permission, you're able to create/update products, product categories, bundles, and dispensing fees.

Reminders

(Create, Edit)

Limiting the number of users that have this permission ensures consistent communication and lessens the risk of duplicate client notifications.

This permission allows a user to create a reminder that's triggered when a specific product is administered in a patient's record.

Roles

(Create, Edit)

This is a task best left to practice managers and doctors.

Create/assign/update roles—and, by extension, permissions users with those roles have. Meta, right?

For more info, see our guide to roles.

Scheduling

(Create, Edit)

This is something best left to a practice manager, or perhaps an office/practice administrator.

Create/edit appointment types, as well as provide practice and provider hours.

Need more details? Here's our scheduling guide.

Users

(Create, Edit)

With this permission, you’re able to update and add new users to Shepherd and assign user roles to those users.

Invoicing

Discounts

(Apply)

Because Shepherd allows you to give a discount to any line item in any invoice, this permission is off by default.

Note: any product/service with an automatic discount will have that discount applied, regardless of user permissions.

Invoices

(Unlock)

Useful for team members that process returns and refunds.

Unlocking an invoice allows a user to make changes, even after it's been closed out.

Payments

(Edit, Void, Delete)

This doesn't give the user access to a practice's payment processor.

This permission allows users to edit an already-made payment's date, as well as void a payment or a refund.

Note: this does not allow a user to refund a returned item. See "Process Refunds."

Production User

(Change)

Changing a production user is performed in an invoice. This allows the sale/discount of certain items to be added to another user's production count/commission.

Refunds

(Process)

Processing refunds allows a user to refund a purchase. This is separate from the "Product Returns" permission.

Return

This allows a user to take back a product from a client. This will be tracked in inventory management if the product is set up with the system.

Note: this is a separate permission from "Process Refunds," which allows a user to issue the monetary refund after a return has been made.

Records

Chronic Condition

(Delete)

This permission allows a user to delete a chronic condition from a patient's profile.

Chronic Condition Notes

(Update)

This permission allows a user to update the notes associated with a chronic condition.

Note

(Delete)

Every user in Shepherd can add notes and edit notes they’ve written, but this permission allows users to delete notes.

Notes can’t be edited if the SOAP is locked, regardless of permissions.

Patient

(Transfer)

This permission allows you to transfer a patient profile to another owner (client profile) within Shepherd.

Here is our guide on patient transfers

Patient Weight Entry

(Update, Delete)

If you didn't get an accurate weight, this allows you to update or delete the original entry

Prescription Refills

(Approve/Deny)

This allows a user to approve or deny an Rx refill request.

Prescription Refills

(Cancel/Delete)

This allows a user to cancel and delete a Rx from a record, as well as from the patient profile.

this permission does not allow a user to change specific fields within the Rx. See "Prescription and Refills (Update)".

Prescriptions

(Create)

This allows a user to create an Rx from a record, as well as from the patient profile.

Prescriptions & Refills

(Update)

Allows user to change specific fields for a Rx (the dose, amount, exp. date, and instructions).

SOAP

(Unlock)

Sometimes, closed SOAPs need to be revisited—whether it's adding addendum information, new lab results, etc. This permission allows a user to unlock a locked SOAP.

SOAP

(Delete)

If there's a duplicate SOAP in a patient's record, this allows a user to remove an entire SOAP from the patient's profile.

This action will be tracked in the patient's activity log.

Vaccinations

(Update)

This permission allows a user to make changes to a patient's recorded vaccination history.

Reports

Permissions associated with reports allow a user to see, run, and download individual reports. For more information on what each report contains, check out our guide.

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