Each practice offers different types of services. Each service type (AKA appointment type) can have its own unique client SMS and Email notifications for a more custom client experience. You will link the appointment types when creating a new notification or by editing the notification after it's created.
How might you use this?
Say your practice offers annual wellness visits, but also surgery appointments. It may not be appropriate for both to receive the same notification. If you include specific instructions for all surgery appointments, you can include those in the custom notifications sent to your clients with that appointment type!
Setting Up
Navigate to Scheduling under Admin in your Shepherd menu
You'll be navigated to the Appointment Types tab by default
Select Edit
Make sure Appointment Notifications is toggled on in the Edit Appointment Type screen. This will be toggled on by default when creating a new appointment type.
Now navigate to Client Communication under Admin in your Shepherd menu. To link appointment types to a specific notification, follow these steps:
Navigate to the SMS Notifications or Email Notifications tab
(The functionality is the same for both; however, if you want both SMS and Email notifications to be sent for a particular appointment type, you'll need to set that up under each notification)
Select Edit icon next to the notification you wish to be sent for the appointment type
Under the Appointment Types dropdown, select the appointment type(s) the notification should be sent for
You can send the same notification to one, some, or all appointment types
If an appointment type is not assigned to an appointment notification, then no notifications will go out to the client. This includes when that appointment is created, rescheduled, and appointment reminders.
Edit Notifications by Appointment Type:
From within Admin > Client Communication > Appointment Notifications
To edit the notifications by appointment type for a specific notification, click Edit on the notification from the SMS or Email notifications tab.
Add or remove appointment types
Update the content or notifications associated with the template
From within Admin > Scheduling
Click on the appointment type:
Remove the notification from the appointment type: Use the pink (-) symbol under actions in the Linked Appointment Notifications Templates to remove it
Notifications for Appointments
From the Add New or Edit Appointment Type screen, you'll toggle off or on the Appointment Notifications, Adjacent to the section title. The toggle needs to be on for any appointment notifications to be sent for the appointment type.
If an appointment type is not assigned to an appointment notification, then no notifications will go out to the client. This includes when that appointment is created, rescheduled, and appointment reminders.
Appointment Types
Your appointment types are indicative of the services your practice offers. If you haven't already, you'll link these appointment types to specific services offered by each individual provider (an individual or a practice role, like Technicians). Learn more about that here.
SMS & Email Notifications
You can use Shepherd's default appointment notifications OR create custom text message and email notifications. These settings are found under Admin > Client Communication > Appointment Notifications > SMS Notifications and Email Notifications tabs.
Learn more about Scheduled Appointment Notifications, default messages, and creating custom messages here.