Reduce time spent on the phones by allowing existing clients to book appointments while controlling what can and cannot be booked online.
Key Features
Direct Booking is now available for new and existing clients and patients.
If needed, you can exclude new clients from booking appointments.
You must select between Direct Booking or Appointment Requests and cannot choose a combination of the features.
Enabling Direct Booking will remove the option for new clients to request appointments via the Pet Portal.
Clients can book one appointment type at a time for up to three pets maximum.
You will determine the following for Direct Booking:
Allow clients to book appointments directly or require approval
Appointment types
Provider availability
How soon clients can book appointments
How far in advance clients can book appointments
Take a Look
Enabling Direct Booking
To enable Direct Booking on the Pet Portal, complete the following steps.
Step 1: Enable and Select Direct Booking Type
Enable the new' Direct Booking' toggle under Admin > Client Communication > Pet Portal tab > Client Settings tab.
Note: If the Appointment Requests toggle is enabled, you must resolve all pending appointment requests before disabling the feature. Disabling Appointment Requests will allow you to enable the 'Direct Booking' toggle.
Once the 'Direct Booking' toggle is enabled, select from one of the following options.
Option 1: Allow client to request specific appointments slot and require approval
This allows existing clients to view and select from available time slots for specific appointment types enabled for Direct Booking. You will receive requests for each booking and must approve them to finalize it.
Option 2: Allow client to book appointments directly
This allows existing clients to book appointments directly from the Pet Portal without requiring approval from your staff.
Step 2: Set Minimum and Maximum Timeframe
Once enabled, under the 'Direct Booking' toggle, enable how soon and far in advance a client can book an appointment.
For same-day appointment bookings, enter 0 days in the minimum time field.
The maximum timeframe setting is optional. Leave the field blank if you do not wish to limit how far in advance a client can book an appointment.
Step 3: Confirm New Client Scheduling Option
Enable the "Allow New Clients" toggle to allow new clients to create Pet Portal accounts and book appointments.
New clients can create their own Pet Portal account and will automatically have a profile created in your Shepherd account.
Once the new client creates their profile, they can book appointments.
Note: If you do not wish new clients to book appointments independently, disable this toggle.
Step 4: Modify Scheduling Settings
Click the 'Modify scheduling settings' link or navigate to Admin > Scheduling to create or modify appointment types and provider availability for direct booking.
Appointment types will have a new 'Enable Direct Booking' toggle option.
If you have Shepherd Pay, you will also see a 'Require Deposit' toggle. Once this is toggled on, you can set a Deposit Amount and clients will be required to pay this deposit at the time they book the appointment in the Pet Portal.
Providers will have a new 'Edit Direct Booking Hours' section, and providers must have assigned appointment types with direct booking enabled.
Once all three steps are complete, clients can book appointments via the Pet Portal.
Note: Time slots in the Pet Portal correspond to the Schedule interval set in Clinic Settings.
Booking Appointments via the Pet Portal
Once Direct Booking is enabled:
Existing clients can log into the Pet Portal and book appointments.
New clients can create a profile that will automatically appear in your Shepherd account to log into the Pet Portal and book appointments.
Once they are logged in, clients will select 'Book an Appointment'
Select up to 3 pets maximum to schedule an appointment
Note: Clients can add new patients to book an appointment.
Select:
'Reason for Visit' - list of appointment types with direct booking enabled
Preferred Doctor - list of providers with direct booking availability for the selected appointment type
Optional notes can be added in the Additional Information section
Select a date and time
Confirm their appointment details and click Book Appointment/Request Booking
Approval Required
No Approval Required
Clients will receive an email confirmation with specific phrasing depending on your Direct Booking settings.
Clients can cancel appointments that are pending to be approved on the Pet Portal. Once the appointment is confirmed, they will be directed to call to cancel or reschedule.
Approving/Denying Appointments
Once clients book appointments, if you have elected to require approval in your Direct Booking settings, you will see a red dot next to 'Schedule' on the main menu.
Under Schedule > Requests, you can review all appointment booking requests.
You'll have an option to:
Approve/Modify Appointment - review appointment details before approving the booking. The Provider and Duration fields can be modified when approving the request. If the 'Date & Time' and 'Appointment Type' fields need to be modified, we recommend contacting the client and creating a new appointment so it is accurately reflected via email communications and the Pet Portal.
Decline - Add an optional note to the email notification that is sent to your client before declining the appointment booking
Delete - Remove the request from your Shepherd account completely
Once the appointment booking is approved or declined, they will appear in their respective 'Scheduled' or 'Canceled/Declined' tabs.
Viewing Appointments on Schedule
Appointments booked directly from the Pet Portal appear on the Schedule > Appointments calendar view.
Approval Required
Requests appear on the calendar with the status 'Pending Request'
No Approval Required
Appointments appear on the calendar with the status 'Upcoming'
You may view each appointment 'History' to see how the appointments were booked.
New Client Appointments
Direct booked appointments for new clients will have an indication badge when viewing the appointment block from the main appointment calendar for easy identification and visibility.
Adding the Pet Portal Link to a Website
You can link your customized Pet Portal to an external website so clients know they can book appointments online.
Under the 'Admin' menu > 'Client Communication" > 'Pet Portal' tab, the Overview page contains the URL you can copy and paste to a website outside Shepherd.
This will direct users to your Pet Portal, where they can book appointments.
