The Vetcove Integration connects Shepherd with the Vetcove ordering platform to reduce the need to switch between systems. By linking inventory items and syncing orders automatically, practices can streamline purchasing while keeping inventory accurate in Shepherd.

We've partnered with Vetcove to integrate the ordering experience within Shepherd's workflow. The integration aims to reduce the steps to navigate between two systems, saving you valuable time.

With the Vetcove integration connected to Shepherd, you can:

To use this integration, you’ll need:

As part of the Vetcove Closed Beta, we’ve made improvements to how Shepherd handles Unit of Measure (UOM) information from Vetcove, particularly for products purchased in packs, boxes, or other fixed quantities. We’ve also added additional guidance within Shepherd to help clinics confirm their UOM configuration in Vetcove.

Vetcove can represent packaged products using fractional unit conversions. Shepherd now correctly interprets this information so the quantity, cost per Unit of Measure, and Purchase Order total remain aligned when an order is brought into Shepherd.

For example, if a box contains 10 vials, Vetcove may send a quantity of 10 with a unit multiplier of 0.1. Shepherd will now correctly interpret this as 1 box and assign the appropriate cost to that box.

This update also improves handling when Vetcove does not provide a unit multiplier, helping prevent Purchase Orders from failing because of missing or zero unit information.

We’ve added a reminder under Admin → Integrations → Inventory → Vetcove to help clinics remember to configure Unit of Measure for linked items within Vetcove.

The unit selected when ordering in Vetcove determines the quantity transmitted to Shepherd, so it is important to confirm that the appropriate unit is selected based on how your clinic tracks the product.

For example:

To confirm the connection from Vetcove:

Once your inventory items are created in Shepherd, you can sync them to Vetcove.

If an inventory item is inactivated in Shepherd, it will be removed from Vetcove the next time a sync is run - either during the automatic sync (every 6 hours) or by manually clicking Sync Inventory with Vetcove.

Vetcove supports two methods for linking items to Shepherd.

Once linked, the Shepherd item will display in the cart.

If you do not want to link certain items, you can hide them in Vetcove.

Hidden items are moved to the Hidden Items folder and will not appear in lists or critical shortage views.

Once items are linked, you can shop and place orders as usual in Vetcove.

Orders placed in Vetcove automatically create a purchase order in Shepherd.

If items on the order are not yet linked, you’ll be prompted to link them to existing Shepherd items or create new inventory items before receiving.

When placing an order in Vetcove, confirm that the unit selected for each item matches how you track that inventory item in Shepherd. The unit selected in Vetcove determines the quantity that is transmitted to Shepherd when the purchase order is created.

In Vetcove, Each represents the smallest trackable unit of a product. It does not necessarily represent one container, bag, box, or other purchased package.

For example:

If you track the entire container or package as a single inventory unit in Shepherd, selecting Each may result in a larger quantity being transmitted than expected.

Purchasing Unit is available by default for all Vetcove items and represents the product as it is purchased.

When Purchasing Unit is selected, ordering a quantity of 1 in Vetcove transmits a quantity of 1 to Shepherd.

If you track the purchased package or container as a single unit in Shepherd, select Purchasing Unit or an appropriate container-level unit, such as Jar, rather than Each.

Before completing checkout in Vetcove, review the selected unit and confirm that it matches how the item is tracked in Shepherd.

Shepherd inventory syncs to Vetcove automatically every 6 hours.

To trigger a manual sync:

After syncing, you can review linked items in Vetcove to confirm accuracy.

To disable the integration:

Improperly disabling the integration after items are linked may result in purchase order receiving issues that require manual correction.

In Shepherd, credentials can be removed from: Admin → Integrations → Vetcove

Contact Vetcove Support:

Why can’t I inactivate an inventory item or product code?

If an inventory item is still linked in Vetcove, it must remain active because it can still be ordered from the Vetcove side. Unlink the item in Vetcove before attempting to inactivate it in Shepherd. Similarly, if a Shepherd product code is linked to an inventory item that is still connected to Vetcove, the product code cannot be inactivated until the link is removed.

I disabled the integration but still see associations or receiving errors

Open any affected inventory items in Shepherd and select Save. No changes are required. This forces Shepherd to reapply the updated integration state.

Can I manually add Vetcove-linked items to a purchase order for another vendor?

No. Inventory items linked to Vetcove must be ordered through the Vetcove integration. Adding them manually to a purchase order for a different vendor is not supported and may cause receiving errors.

To resolve this, unlink the item from Vetcove.

I have a Vetcove order in Shepherd but items aren’t linked. How do I fix this?

On the purchase order in Shepherd, select the link icon next to each unlinked item. You’ll be prompted to map the item to an existing Shepherd inventory item or create a new one.