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ClientTracker Manual Version 4.0
© Entire contents 2011 Ginkgo Software.
All Rights Reserved.


Welcome to the ClientTracker Online Manual



0. Using This Manual / Glossary : Using This Manual

Welcome to ClientTracker!

This online documentation is intended to help you become familiar with the basic functions of ClientTracker software, version 4.0.  ClientTracker is published and copyrighted by Ginkgo Software, at www.ginkgosoftware.com.


ClientTracker Online Documentation

The Table of Contents (TOC) runs along the left side of the web page.  Click on a chapter to expand it and show sections within that chapter.  You can open more than one chapter in the TOC by clicking the small plus [+] symbol next to each chapter.  Click a section to display its details on the reading panel (right side) of the screen.

Throughout the online documentation or "User's Manual," you will see many links to see more information about a certain topic, like those shown above.  Click a link to quickly go to that part of the manual.  In some cases, you will have a link to return, but you may find it easier to return to where you were by using the TOC or clicking the Back button on your browser.

At the end of each detail, or topic, in a section, there is a Back to Top link that will scroll the reading panel of the web page back to the top, or beginning of that section.

You can always use the Back and Fwd buttons on your browser to see other pages in your current session.


Find Information

There is an index of topics available in Using This Manual / Glossary> Index - Where to Find It.  A glossary of terms used in the manual can be found at Using This Manual / Glossary> Glossary.

To find information by keywords, type one or more words into the search field and click the Go button.  A summary of details matching the search will be displayed, with a link to each detail just above.  Your options are:


Tips, Notes, and Warnings

Throughout the online documentation, you will see special information in colored boxes.  A "Tip" is a suggestion about making ClientTracker easier to use, for example:

Tip:  For faster results, consult the online documentation first before contacting Ginkgo Software support.

A "Note" is an advisory or alert about information important to a function, for example:

Note:  After clicking a link, using the Back button on your browser will return you to the last section viewed.

A "Warning" is critical information that could significantly alter how the program works, for example:

Warning:  Do not eat while using ClientTracker, because you might spill food on your keyboard and temporarily disable your computer.

If you have any questions about using ClientTracker or this online documentation, contact   info@ginkgosoftware.com.


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Accessing the Manual Offline

The Online Manual is available free to anyone without a support plan.  This includes the right to make an offline copy, PDF, or printouts of the Manual as needed, using your own software tools.  We do not provide a PDF or other file copy as a standard, because the manual is changing and improving all the time.  The online method of providing documentation has become the industry standard for software.

Note:  To make an offline copy, you will need Internet access to the Online Manual, even if only temporarily.   Without a Support Plan, Ginkgo Software does not provide any files, shortcuts, or assistance for making an offline copy, other than the information below.

Tip: Having a Support Plan is a useful way to optimize your ClientTracker experience. We will be happy to provide a copy of the manual that can be viewed in your browser, IF you have a valid Support Plan.

Save As an Offline Copy (easiest)
Using your Browser software (usually under "File" at the upper left), you can save save the Online Manual as a "Complete Web Page" in most browsers, so you can open it and read it offline.  Check your browser's Help pages.

Tip:  Save it from the title page: http://www.ginkgosoftware.com/documentation/

Warning:  Links embedded in the manual will not work offline. Use the Directory on the left to read the entire manual in offline mode.


Printing the Manual

As the ClientTracker Manual is online, you can print any section by using the Print button on your browser.  This will print everything you see in the one section.


Making a PDF
If you have the software to print as a PDF, you can try this when printing.  Or, with more sophisticated PDF software, you can save an entire web site as a PDF. 

Note:  The above options are explained in your own software's Help pages, and are not part of ClientTracker or our support.

Warning:  Links embedded in the manual will not work in a PDF.  You will need to scroll through the pages or make your own bookmarks to read the entire manual in offline mode.


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0. Using This Manual / Glossary : Glossary

The ClientTracker software and manual use terms that may already be familiar to practice management software users.  To assist in understanding important concepts, we offer a limited glossary below. Words in blue are defined in this glossary.

Ad Hoc - A manual data entry that bypasses a Drop-down List, and does not become part of the Value List for that Field.

Area - A group of several screens about the same type of Record, e.g. the "Clients Area."

Button - A clickable object that loolks like a button, which executes an action.  The names of Buttons are Green in this manual.

Chart Note - See SOAP Note

Comm Panel - A group of four or five Buttons that will access the Communications Module.

Control Panel - The left side of the Functions Bar in a specific area.

Detail Screen - A screen with the most information about a Record.

Dialog or Message Box - A pop-up gray box that requires a response from you.

Drop-down List - A Value List that opens when a field is clicked; from which to select an entry.  You can also enter an ad hoc value by clicking the field a second time.

Field - A place to type or enter data in ClientTracker.

Find - The process of searching for Records by specified criteria.

Found Set - A set of Records resulting from a Find.

Functions Bar - The main horizontal panel of Icons located at the top of most screens.

Icon - A large Button with a graphic, which performs an action or navigates to another Area.

Insured - The policyholder of an insurance policy (may be someone other than the client).

Line Item - An item that appears in a Portal on an invoice as a diagnosis, procedure, product, or payment.

Link - In ClientTracker, this is appears as an underlined blue link that acts like a Button, and usually performs an action.  In this Manual a ClientTracker link is represented in bold blue so as not to be confused with links to other parts of the Manual.

List Screen - A screen showing a Found Set, or list of records arranged in rows.

Main Menu - The gray, horizontal menu of ClientTracker functions, e.g. "Edit" or "Help."  Clicking a menu item opens a submenu of choices.

Navigation Panel - The right side of the Functions Bar, composed of seven navigation Icons that, when clicked, will take you to another Area of ClientTracker.

Payment On Account - A pre-payment, or payment made by a client or insurer to be applied to existing charges or retained as a credit.

Payment Palette - A group of Fields and Tabs for use in entering a payment

Pop-up Menu - A Value List that pops up when a field is clicked, and offers a menu of choices including "Other..." as a way to enter a value that becomes part of the list.

Pop-up Window - A small ClientTracker window that opens on top of the screen you were on.  It may be moved, but requires and action from you to close it.

Portal - A small list of records and information related to the current record, which often have actions associated with them.

Posting - An action that transfer "funds" from a Payment On Account to pay an invoice or an adjustment to an invoice.

Print Palette - A small Pop-up Window that opens each time something is printed, with a set of Buttons and controls to preview, print, or cancel the print job.

QuickFinder - A type-ahead method of finding one or more matching records in a Portal or list of records.  Available as a Pop-up Window to select a single record, or at the bottom of List screens that have a lot of records.

Radio Buttons - A set of clickable small circles that will select only one from a choice of values

Record - A single unit in ClientTracker, such as a client, company, or communication.

Record Navigator - A small panel of buttons to move to the first, previous, next, or last record in a Found Set.

Scroll Bar - A small handle that slides in a vertical bar on the right edge of a Portal or the main window of ClientTracker to show additional items.

Search Operators - Symbols that can be combined with text, dates, or numbers to express dynamic search criteria in an Advanced Find; e.g. ">100" or "John *smith."

SOAP Note - An acronym for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan, which are the main tabs of the SOAP Note; used in ClientTracker to record clinical info from a client's visit.

Sort - A temporary rearrangement of the order of records in a Found Set, e.g. alphabetical order of clients.

Tab and Subtab - A set of layered panels with clickable tabs that display the contents of the panel.  A subtab is a set of tabs within a tab.

Tabbing - The act of moving from Field to Field on a screen by using the "Tab" key on your keyboard.

Third Party Payer - A company or other person who makes a payment on a client's charges.

Value List - A list of values that can be entered in a field by means of a Drop-down List or Pop-up Menu.
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0. Using This Manual / Glossary : Index - Where to Find It

What's the fastest way to find something in ClientTracker?
Note:  The main areas of ClientTracker are accessed via the icons in the Navigation Panel of the Functions Bar at the top of most screens (see below). The icon names are in Green.






1500 - (see Insurance Claim Form)

Appointments - Create an appointment for a client, or view appointments
Appointment Confirmation Email - Set up how these are used (or not) for your practice
Backup - Use Local Backup to protect your data
Calendar - Make an appointment or view/edit any day's schedule
Clearing Houses - Create or edit clearing houses and electronic billing
Clients - Find or enter clients and their personal, insurance, and financial details
Client History - Record the clinical medical history of a client or view Diagnoses, Procedures, and Products used for that client in ClientTracker
Communication - Compose, send, or save letters, emails, forms, and phone notes
Communication Templates - Set up templates to create communications
Diagnosis Codes - Create or edit diagnosis (ICD-9) codes used most often by your practice
Email Settings - Select an email sending method and other details
Envelopes & Labels - Print one or more envelopes or labels
Families - Group clients into families and share their payments
Files - Link electronic files to clients or their SOAP Notes and view them
Insurance - Create or edit insurance companies or other Third Party Payers
Insurance Claim Form (or 1500) - Fill out and send paper or electronic claim forms
Insurance Policy - Enter or manage insurance policies for clients
Insured - Enter and manage info about a policy holder
Inventory - Manage inventory levels and reordering
Invoice - Create or edit invoices in Simple, Superbill or 1500 formats
Invoice Settings - Set up how invoices are created, printed, or displayed
Payment - Enter a payment on a client's account
Photos - Link digital photo files to a Client's record or SOAP Notes and view them
Practice Info - Basic info about your practice, used throughout ClientTracker
Practitioners - Create and edit records for practitioners in your practice
Print Settings - Includes customizable headers for letters, reports, SOAP Notes, etc.
Procedure Codes - Create or edit procedure (CPT) codes used most often by your practice
Products - Enter or edit products sold by your practice
Providers - Enter or edit providers who refer clients to your practice
Refunds - Where and how to refund a payment made by a client
Register - Set up and use (or not) a reconciled bank account register for your practice
Registration Code - If you need a new Registration Code for some reason:


Reminders - Create or edit a reminder to show on the schedule
Reports - Run a report for financial or marketing purposes
Rooms - Create a list of rooms in your practice to be used on the schedule
Sales Tax - Set sales tax rates used by your practice for products and services
SOAP Notes - Create and fill out SOAPs
SOAP Templates - Set up templates and assign them to practitioners to create SOAPs for different types of appointments
Statements - Generate and print a client statement of account
Superbill - (see Invoices)

Thank You Letters or Email - Create and send thank-you communication to those who refer clients to you
Troubleshooting - If something isn't working for you
Value Lists - Control what shows in selected drop-down lists throughout ClientTracker
Vendors - Create and manage records of companies that sell you products

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1. QuickStart Guide : Introduction / Demo Mode

Details in this section include:

This QuickStart Guide will help you quickly install, configure and become familiar with the basic functions of ClientTracker software, version 4.0.  ClientTracker is published and copyrighted by Ginkgo Software, at www.ginkgosoftware.com.

ClientTracker is a practice management software solution designed for health providers in a small office. It enables you to manage the following types of information:

• Clients, Families
• Appointments
• SOAP Notes
• Invoices, payments and insurance claims
• Payments on account
• Practitioners
• Inventory of retail supplies and vendors
• Insurance companies and payments
• Clearing Houses for e-billing
• Communications
• Register for a bank account

If you have any questions about using ClientTracker or this online documentation, contact user support at support@ginkgosoftware.com.

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Demo Mode

The "Demo," or Demonstration Mode, lets you try the features of ClientTracker before you buy.  

The installer runs like any program.  A ClientTracker shortcut or alias will be placed on your computer's desktop.  Click this to open the Demo.

When the program opens, click the Try Out button to try out ClientTracker.  Other choices are:

Register- Click if you have a new Registration Code, after having used Demo Mode before.

Purchase- Naturally, we hope all who try out ClientTracker in Demo Mode will purchase the full version of the program!  If you have any questions about purchasing ClientTracker, visit our web site at www.ginkgosoftware.com, or contact us at support@ginkgosoftware.com.

Note:  While in Demo mode, you can test almost all features.  You are limited to entering 10 new clients, 30 new appointments, and 10 new invoices.  Printing is disabled, but the Floating Preview Palette shows how a printout would look.

WARNING: All Demo Mode data, including any changes you make, will be deleted when you register, and any templates provided with the program will be restored to their system data.

Demo Mode contains enough sample data to show how your practice can use ClientTracker's features.  You can add or edit data (within the restrictions noted above).

Note:  Some Demo data is set up differently than it will appear after you register. See Demo Data below for more info.

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Demo Data
The following parts of ClientTracker are set to work differently in Demo Mode, to give you a sense of how some of the features work.


New Clients and Communications Templates

Communications Templates can be set to "auto-create" when a new client is created.  This can be useful, for example, to generate forms or other communication that your practice would like to make sure new clients read or sign.  These Communication templates are set to auto-create in Demo Mode:
Note:  When you register, any changes made in these Templates will be lost, the text will be restored to the system default, and all 3 will be set to NOT auto-create.


Photos and Files

Files can be linked to ClientTracker, including digital photo files.  These can be linked to the Client record, or SOAP Note.  To demonstrate this process, the main ClientTracker folder installed on your computer has a sub-folder called ClientTracker Files-Photos.  This is a built-in place to put all the files linked to ClientTracker. You can move this folder elsewhere or you can choose your own folder location as well.

For more info on linking files and photos, see:
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1. QuickStart Guide : Installation / Registration

Details in this section include:

Use the following information to download and install ClientTracker.  If you have any trouble, contact us at support@ginkgosoftware.com.

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System Requirements - Windows

Having enough computer power to run a mission-critical program like ClientTracker is essential.  These are minimum requirements... more power is always helpful to run your business efficiently.  If ClientTracker is running slowly for you, see How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Program Speed - Is ClientTracker too slow? for more info.
Note:  An Uninterrupted Power Supply (aka UPS) is strongly recommended for your computer. This is not a function of the software, but is an important hardware safeguard.

To install:

  1. Download the ClientTracker demo version for Windows from www.ginkgosoftware.com/download.
  2. Double-click on the file you downloaded to start the installer.  When the installer has completed, double-click on the ClientTracker icon on your desktop. 
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System Requirements - Macintosh
Yes!  ClientTracker is compatible with the new Lion OS 10.7, as of November 2011. 

Having enough computer power to run a mission-critical program like ClientTracker is essential.  These are minimum requirements... more power is always helpful to run your business efficiently.  If ClientTracker is running slowly for you, see How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Program Speed - Is ClientTracker too slow? for more info.

Note:  An Uninterrupted Power Supply (aka UPS) is strongly recommended for your computer. This is not a function of the software, but is an important hardware safeguard.

To install:

  1. Download the ClientTracker demo for Macintosh from www.ginkgosoftware.com/download. This is the installer.
  2. The installer window may open on its own after the download is complete.  If so, skip to step 4.
  3. Go to the folder on your computer where you first downloaded the package.  Find a file called ClientTracker.dmg.
  4. You will see a window containing a folder called ClientTracker.  Drag the ClientTracker folder to your Applications folder.  To make the icon appear in your dock, open the ClientTracker folder and locate the 'ClientTracker' file with the round green icon.  Drag this to your dock.
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Register and Start Using ClientTracker

Once you have purchased ClientTracker and received your registration code, go to the Settings area at the bottom of the Program screen, and click the Register ClientTracker link.  

This takes you to a screen where you enter your practice name and registration code.  These must be entered exactly as they appear in the email you received after purchasing ClientTracker.  We recommend that you copy and paste these items from the email to the boxes on the Registration screen for accuracy.  Be sure there are no extra spaces or other characters or it will not work.


STEP 1 - Enter your Practice Name and Registration Code exactly as you received it in your registration email.

Note:  Be careful of the differences between the letter "O" and zero, and the letter "I" and number 1.

STEP 2 - Set the starting number of your invoices (this can only be done once).

STEP 3 - Enter the name of one practitioner and one room to start.

That's it!  You can now begin using ClientTracker as a registered user.  Next, you will see the QuickStart Tips screen.  To learn more about this and get off to a smooth start, see QuickStart Guide> QuickStart Tips.

IMPORTANT:  Your license allows you to install ClientTracker only on up to 2 computers. Multi-user access (i.e. sharing data between multiple computers) is not supported in Version 4.0. If you install on 2 computers they will have separate sets of data.  Installation on a network or server is not supported.

After successful registration, you  have the opportunity to enter optional passwords to protect your data to prevent unauthorized access to your data.

If you choose to enter passwords at this time, more info can be found at How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Passwords.

To enter Required Information and start using ClientTracker, click the Start button.

Note:  If you have trouble registering, or need a new Registration Code for any reason, see Technical Information> Password or Registration Code Issues.


Let Us Help You

As part of your initial ClientTracker set up, you should make sure that your email program's spam filters are set to send direct to their inbox any email from ClientTracker support:

This is so you can easily receive our emails with specific support issues or upgrade info, and also our newsletter.

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Safeguard Your Data

Follow the below for the safety of your business-critical data:

Some features in ClientTracker are dependent on your own computer environment:

Note:   You may need to set your firewall to allow ClientTracker to access the Internet. Consult the documentation for your firewall program. Access to the Internet is not covered by ClientTracker support.

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1. QuickStart Guide : QuickStart Tips

Details in this section include:
QuickStart Tips can be accessed from the Settings or Registration areas by clicking the button.  These tips will help you have a smooth start using ClientTracker.  The tips assume that you have registered and have had all the Demo data deleted - starting with your own copy of ClientTracker.

Note:  The deletion of Demo data when you register does not change any of the Program Settings or Practice Information you may have already entered in the Settings area. If you have valid data there, you can use it going forward or change it as you see fit.

Tip:  To access Start-up Tips anytime, go to any Settings screen and click the Start-up Tips button at the bottom of the screen.  The Start-up Tips screen has an additional link where you can Take a Tour of ClientTracker, and see the main areas and features.

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Customize Your Practice Information
From the QuickStart Tips layout, click Take Me There to view and edit your practice information.  From most other screens in ClientTracker, click the Settings icon at the far right of the Functions Bar.  For more info see Settings> Practice.
Note:  SOAP Templates can be set up in advance with diagnoses, procedures, and products that will show up on the invoice generated for a client visit.  By doing this, even if you don't use ClientTracker's SOAP Notes, you can create templates for invoices.
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Customize Your Program Settings
ClientTracker has many ways in which you can customize how it works for you.  We recommend you take a few minutes to review the entire Settings/Program area to get familiar with the available settings, and decide which ones will need to be customized for your practice.  Or you can scan this section and go to just those that interest you.

From the QuickStart Tips layout, click Take Me There to view and edit the Settings/Program area.  From most other screens in ClientTracker, click the Settings icon at the far right of the Functions Bar; then click the Programs tab.  from there, select a subtab to view specific settings.

Defaults Subtab
Financial Subtab
Print Subtab
Utilities Subtab
Value Lists Subtab
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Set Up ClientTracker for Use

Other Areas Where You Might Want Starting Information
  1. Diagnosis Codes and Procedure Codes - ClientTracker is shipped with standard diagnosis (ICD-9) codes and procedure (CPT) codes used for billing.  To customize these lists, click the respective tabs in the Settings area, and see Settings> Diagnosis and Procedure Codes for more info.

  2. Calendar - Check to make sure your active practitioners and rooms show up on the Calendar, get familiar with the different views and ways of finding a date, and practice making a few appointments.  See Calendar> The Calendar Area for more info.

  3. Clearing Houses - If you use electronic billing, set up the Clearing Houses that you will use and their billing info.  See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies for more info.

  4. Insurance - Enter the companies you know are being used by your clients, and assign Clearing Houses as needed.  As you create client records, you will look up Insurance Companies to create polices for clients.  See Insurance & Billing> Clearing Houses for more info.

  5. Vendors - Enter the companies that are selling products to you.  You may also want to set up office charges - using "vendors" as categories - or edit the ones already provided by ClientTracker.  See Inventory> Vendors for more info.

  6. Inventory - Create a list of any products sold by your practice so they will be available to put on invoices.  Assign Vendors, set up beginning and reorder levels, and designate sales tax.  See Inventory> Inventory Setup for more info.

  7. Register - If you choose to use the Register, you may want to enter a beginning balance as the first entry.  See Invoices & Payments> Using the Register for more info.
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Set Up Automatic Functions

Optional Automatic Functions
  1. Email Appointment Confirmation - If you want an email to be sent to the client when an appointment is made, go to Settings/Program/Defaults.  See Calendar> Appointment Confirmation for more info.

  2. Communication Templates - If you want any communication to auto-create for new clients, go to Reports/Templates & Marketing and check the "Auto" box in the template row.  See Communication> Templates & Segments for more info.

  3. SOAP Templates - If you want to use SOAP Templates as an option when filling out a SOAP Note, set these up by clicking the SOAP Templates button on Reports/Templates & Marketing.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info.

  4. Practitioner Designated SOAP Templates - If you would like to designate SOAP Templates for use by certain practitioners, go to each practitioner's Detail screen (from the Settings/Practice tab) and assign the template for Initial and/or Subsequent visits.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Default SOAP Templates for Practitioners for more info.

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1. QuickStart Guide : Getting Around in ClientTracker

Details in this section include:
ClientTracker is set up intuitively with many areas and places to perform tasks.  Chances are, you have explored these in demo mode, or have used a similar program before.  This section lists where to find more information.  To see what to do first after installation and registration, see QuickStart Guide> QuickStart Tips.

Take a Tour of ClientTracker

On the Start-Up Tips screen is a link, Take a Tour of ClientTracker, which opens a pop-up window with Back and Next buttons that show you a few highlights of the program.

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Navigation Tools

Most ClientTracker screens have a set of navigation tools called "The Functions Bar."

                                               Functions Bar




                   Control Panel                                                             Navigation Panel


Navigation Panel - Click an icon to go to a main area of ClientTracker.  All but Calendar and Settings will show all the records in that area.

Control Panel - These icons perform different functions, depending on which area you're in.  In the example above, there are functions for New Client, Find Client, Clients List, Print, and Manage Families.  


Back & Forward Buttons - If you get lost, or want to return somewhere where you just were, use the Back and Forward buttons, which function just like a web browser.

Note:  The Back and Forward buttons retains any lists and sorts you were working with, and will also return you to any tabs that were open on a screen.

Record Navigator - This shows how many records you are looking at in a set, called the "Found Set" in this manual.  Clicking the First, Prev., Next, or Last buttons in a List screen moves you up or down the list.  In a Detail screen, you see the different records like turning the page of a book.

For more info about the key concept of a Found Set of records, see How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information.

Main Menu








ClientTracker's Main Menu runs across the very top of the window, and has 7 choices:

File | Edit | View | Records | Insert | Help

Each Main menu choice opens a drop-down menu of additional choices.  Some menu choices offer keyboard shortcuts, e.g. Copy (Ctrl + C).  Notable choices include:

For detailed information about using the Main Menu when working with ClientTracker, see How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Main Menu.

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1. QuickStart Guide : Basic ClientTracker Functions

Details in this section include:
Each main area of ClientTracker having multiple records will show them in a List screen.  Use the main window scroll bar or the Record Navigator to move up and down through the records in the list.

Current Record Highlight



On a List view, the currently selected record is highlighted by a yellow box around the row.

Portal List


A smaller list of records is called a "portal" because it is looking at records related to a single, main record being viewed - for example, the portal of Phone Numbers for each client.  These usually have small scroll handles on the right for viewing all of the portal list.


Sort Records

The records of many portals and List screens can be sorted by the contents of the columns.  Click the column to toggle the sort by ascending or descending, depending on whether the data is text, a date, or a number.  To undo all sorts, hold down the Shift key and click the column.

Tip:  A sortable column is noted by a small 3-bar graphic to the left of the column header.  Many List screens are sorted automatically by name.

Found Set

In any List screen, the current set of records is known as a "Found Set."  This can be modified by performing a Find, using the QuickFinder (if available), or omitting a record temporarily from the visible list.  (See below.)

For more info about the key concept of a Found Set of records, see How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information.

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Find Options

Finding information in ClientTracker is discussed in more detail in another section, How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information.

QuickFinder - for finding one matching record



A small version of the QuickFinder appears as an orange-bordered field with a magnifying glass next to it (see above).  It appears on full screens and pop-up windows.

Type any information into the field, or pick a category from the drop-down list, and the portal of available choices will adjust to show records matching what you entered.  This method is used to select one record; for example, finding one client or adding a procedure or product to an invoice.

See How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information>Using the QuickFinder to Find and Select a Single Record for more info.

QuickFinder - for finding one or more matching records on a list screen




A bigger QuickFinder is in the footer of most List screens where a large number of different records are expected, for example, the Diagnosis Code screen.  This creates an instant "Found Set" of records in response to information entered into its fields - including powerful "Search Operators."  The resulting set can be worked with in many ways.

See How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information>Finding Records with the QuickFinder for more info.


Find Screens


Click the Find icon in the Control Panel of an area to access a more detailed method of finding a group of records, or even just one.


In a Find screen, you enter one search criterion, or a combination of criteria, and click Continue.  The results of the search are displayed on another screen, usually a List.  This method is also used to generate reports, and can be used with "Search Operators."

See How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information for more info.

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Tooltips

A "tooltip" is a brief message that pops up when your mouse hovers over some fields or objects in ClientTracker.  A tooltip lasts for about 5 seconds, and informs about a choice, or displays more information about the field.





The contents of tooltips cannot be copied, pasted, or held open for longer than the 5 seconds.  To see it again, move your mouse away and back again.

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Value Lists

Definitions

Value List - A list of values, such as words or phrases, that can be inserted into a field.










Drop-down List - A function that opens a Value List when a field is clicked.  (If the list is long there is a scrollbar.)



Pop-up Menu - A function that opens a Value List like a menu when a field is clicked.




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1. QuickStart Guide : QuickStart for Insurance Billing

Note: This list is provided as a guide only. Insurance billing requirements may differ in your area. If you follow all these steps, you will be ready to bill insurance companies for services provided to patients, which are called "clients" in ClientTracker.

STEPS TO SET UP INSURANCE BILLING

1. Register ClientTracker using the Practice Name that is the "Service Facility" (i.e. the place where the patient received services)  See Settings> Practice>Practice Information

2. Enter practitioners and their insurance address, NPI, Social Security or EIN number, license number, and other 1500 info.  See Settings> Practice>Create and Manage Practitioners

3. Create a clearing house account (outside of ClientTracker) and set up the company information.  A few popular clearing house records are already entered in ClientTracker.  See Insurance & Billing> Clearing Houses

4. Enter referring providers and their NPI, license number.  See Settings> Practice>Referring Providers

5. Create insurance company (Insurer) records as needed to represent client policies.  The insurance company's info is usually found on the insurance card presented by the client.  See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies>The Insurance Company Detail Screen

6. Set up each Client's record and their Client Insurance Policy by selecting the Insurer and filling out the info needed for the 1500.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab

7. Create 1500 claim forms as invoices for client visits, and all the above information will automatically transfer to the proper boxes.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices
  1. Create an E-Billing batch in ClientTracker and save it as a file to your computer.  This alone does not send the batch file!  See Insurance & Billing> E-Billing>Create an E-Billing Batch File

  2. Go to your user account on the clearing house website and upload the above file to send it for processing.

Tip:  Set up your account with a clearing house before you process an E-Billing batch in ClientTracker.  Contact the clearing house directly to find out their guidelines for accepting electronic files.

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All About the 1500 Insurance Claim Form

Formerly known as the HCFA 1500, or CMS-1500, this is the main claim form used in ClientTracker for billing insurance.


For details about the 1500 Claim form and where the ClientTracker  "source info" can be found for each Box in the form, see the following sections of this Manual:

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2. How ClientTracker Works : Program Functions

Details in this section include:
ClientTracker is designed so that its main functions are intuitive and easy to remember.  In case you want or need more details, start here.
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Program Speed - Is ClientTracker too slow?

If you have repeated "slow" experiences with ClientTracker, this may be due to the overall speed of your computer... even if other programs seem to be working properly.  The Minimum System Requirements are at least 2.0 GHz processor speed and 1 GB RAM.  This is average speed for a computer nowadays... a faster processor and more RAM are always helpful. We strongly recommend at least a 2.66 GHz processor, because this has more to do with overall program speed than the RAM, although 3-4 GB of RAM is recommended if you typically run ClientTracker while other programs are open on your computer.

Minimum System Requirements
Often, if you are running other programs at the same time, they could be using processor speed or memory.  If ClientTracker is a mission-critical program for you, it's best to allow it to run with the full resources of your computer at its disposal.  Having a computer that's fast enough to run your business-critical software is a wise investment.

Things That Slow Down ClientTracker

Running a system backup - these should be scheduled for times when ClientTracker is not running.  We strongly recommend shutting down ClientTracker every night so it can be backed up.

File Transfers - If you are uploading or downloading a file, this takes a lot of memory and will slow down overall performance.

Graphics and other programs - If you have fancy, graphics-heavy customizations for your desktop or OS, this can take a lot of memory to maintain.  Basic desktop settings are recommended.  Closing other non-essential programs is also recommended while ClientTracker is running.

Online connections - Some online functions can use a lot of memory.  Just displaying graphic-heavy web pages, or having many tabs open in your browser can slow down overall performance.

Experiment with a Faster Computer
Here is an experiment to try:  If you copy your the entire ClientTracker 4.0 folder (or download the Demo) to a flash drive or other portable USB drive, you could try this eye-opening experiment:

1. Take the USB drive with ClientTracker on it to a computer store (or a friend's new computer) and say you want to "test drive" on a new computer a program that is critical to you.

2. Plug in the USB drive and find the ClientTracker 4.0 folder in the new computer's directory.

3. Inside the Program folder, double-click the ClientTracker.exe program, and you will be able to run ClientTracker on the new computer and try a few things... like (state reported problem)

You may see how much faster the experience is on other computers!

Note:  With some computers, running ClientTracker from an external drive (as in the experiment above) can slow down the program. If this happens, try installing the free Demo on a 2nd computer and compare the speed of the Demo vs. the speed on your other computer.

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Main Menu








ClientTracker's Main Menu runs across the very top of the window, and has 6 choices:

File | Edit | View | Records | Insert | Help

Each Main menu choice opens a drop-down menu of additional choices; explained below.  Some menu choices offer keyboard shortcuts, e.g. Ctrl + C for Copy (for Macintosh, use the Ctrl or Command key).  For more information about keyboard and mouse shortcuts when working with ClientTracker, see Keyboard & Mouse Shortcuts.

File

Edit (menu choices change as you work with data in fields)

View


Tip: You can also Zoom In and Zoom Out by clicking the scale buttons in the lower left corner of the main ClientTracker window.

Format

Records

Tip:  The total number of records in the current Found Set can be seen in the Record Navigator, located in the top Functions Bar on most layouts.  Click the buttons to move forward and backward through the records.

Note:  Menu choices for Records apply to the main record being viewed; not records in a portal.  We do not recommend using Record choices when a pop-up window is open.

Insert

Help

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Keyboard & Mouse Shortcuts

Keyboard & Mouse Navigation Shortcuts (Windows)

Note:  Macintosh users most of the time substitute COMMAND (cloverleaf or Apple logo key) for "Ctrl" for Windows. Some Mac keyboards also have a separate CTRL key that may sometimes be used. Consult your keyboard or system documentation for help.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Many keyboard shortcuts are available for Main Menu functions.  See Main Menu for more info.

Windows:

On long Detail screens (like the invoices), use these keys when your cursor is not in a field:

On List screens, some keys behave differently:


Data Entry

Dates - Enter in M/D/YY format.  If the date is in the current year, the year will enter automatically; e.g. 6/11 becomes 6-11-10.

Dollar Amounts - No need to enter a dollar sign, or a decimal if a whole number.  For example, entering "100" will display as $100.00 when you exit the field


Mouse Shortcuts

Note:  One click is usually all that is needed to select an item from a portal or QuickFinder.  When the cursor is in a data entry field, the double- and triple-clicks will select text as usual.

Right-Click - Displays a small menu of options when the cursor is in a field: Suggested Spellings, Cut, Copy, Paste Unformatted Text, Insert (current date), and Export Field Contents.

Mouse Wheel - Scrolls through records in List screens or portals.  In List screens, the mouse wheel moves through the list of records (i.e. scrolls the main window), without changing the active record.  In large text fields (e.g. communications), the mouse wheel will scroll the text up or down.

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Passwords
ClientTracker allows you to set Admin and Staff level passwords, or use no passwords at all. When passwords are used and you are logged in as Admin, you have access to setting up and changing passwords, financial reports, and invoice totals -- areas which are not available to those who log in with the Staff password.

After successfully registering, you next have the option of setting your passwords.   If you don't want to set your password(s) now, you can do it later.  You can always change your passwords at any time.

Initial Setup of Passwords




To activate password protection: Go to the Settings/Program/Defaults tab.  Click the Set Admin Password button, which is at the bottom next to your registration info.
Changing a Password

You can change a password at any time with Admin access, by clicking the Password Setup button on the Settings/Program/Defaults tab.  On the Admin Setup screen, click either button to change a password. You will be asked to enter the current Admin password, and the new password (twice to confirm).

To set ClientTracker not to use any passwords, leave the new password fields completely blank for both Staff and Admin, and click OK.

Note:  If you remove the Admin password, the Staff password will also be cleared automatically.

Opening ClientTracker with Password Protection

If you have set any passwords, a Login dialog box will prompt you to enter a password. ClientTracker will know if what you enter is for Admin or Staff.  Other Login options are:

Recovering a Lost Password

When purchasing ClientTracker, users will set up their security question and password. Only the security question info will be available to Ginkgo Software.

If a you forget your password, click the Lost Password button on the initial Login dialog box. These instructions on how to request a temporary password will show:
Once Ginkgo Support confirms your identity by using the security question and answer, you will be provided with a temporary password.  This will allow you to login to ClientTracker, but will not provide any password protection.  You will need to set passwords again after recovery if you want password protection.
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ClientTracker Program Windows

The ClientTracker program has one main window open at a time.  Additional, smaller windows may open as pop-ups.

Closing a window: During use of most programs, clicking on the red X (Windows) or dot (Mac) usually closes a window. ClientTracker has this function disabled. The only way to close a window is to finish the process if it is a small pop-up window. To exit the main ClientTracker window, completely Quit or Exit the program from the Main Menu.


Macintosh Computers Only

The Macintosh feature Expose allows you to change windows. You can use F10 to change window back to the main window (from the small pop-up). However, while you can change to the main window, as soon as you click anywhere on this new window, you will be brought back to the small pop-up to finish your task.

Tip: If your ClientTracker program window winds up off screen, one thing you can always do is go to System Preferences -> Displays -> Gather Windows, which should bring every open window back onto the screen.

Windows Computers Only

If your ClientTracker window winds up off screen:

First make sure you’ve alt-tabbed to the window, or clicked on it once to bring it into focus. Then right-click on the taskbar and choose Move.

At this point, you should notice that your cursor changes to the “Move” cursor, but you still can’t move anything.

Just hit any one of the arrow keys (Left, Right, Down, Up), move your mouse, and the window should return onto the screen.

Tip:  For keyboard savvy people, you can just alt-tab to the window, use Alt+Space, then M, then Arrow key, and then move your mouse.

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Formatting Text
Formatting text is possible only on selected screens.  Whatever text you format in ClientTracker will print that way (if compatible with your system printer).
1. The SOAP Note detail
2. The SOAP Template detail
3. The Communications Compose screen (when writing a letter or form)
4. The Communications Template detail, or Compose screen
5. The Program/Print tab. for the header used for reports and invoices (in the Settings area)
When you are on one of these screens, an additional menu choice appears in the top, or Main Menu, called "Format." 

To format text, highlight what you want to format and expand the menu for additional choices.




Tip: Click the Text... choice at the bottom of the menu to open the Text Format for selected text dialog, where more choices are available.






Note:  The choices are standard for text formatting. The best way to learn what options are available is to make a Communications Template or SOAP Template and try the different formatting options before using them.

Formatting a Paragraph

Click the Paragraph... button on the Text Format for selected text dialog to open the Paragraph dialog, where you can apply alignment, indents, or line spacing to the currently selected paragraph of text.



Tip: You can also use the Text Ruler to format indents and see where tabs are set in the current field. You must be clicked in the field to see the Text Ruler.





Formatting Tabs

Click the Tabs... button on the Paragraph dialog to set tabs for the currently selected paragraph.


















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2. How ClientTracker Works : Main Areas of ClientTracker

The Main Areas of ClientTracker are represented by buttons on the Navigation Panel of the Functions Bar and are explained in more detail below.




Clients - See Clients Area.

Calendar - See Calendar Area.

Financial - See Financial Area.

Reports - See Reports Area.

Insurance - See Insurance Area.

Inventory - See Inventory Area.

Settings - See Settings Area.

Each area contains multiple screens, tabs, and controls to display information as efficiently and clearly as possible.

Take a Tour of ClientTracker

On the Start-Up Tips screen is a link, Take a Tour of ClientTracker, which opens a pop-up window with Back and Next buttons that show you a few highlights of the program.

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Clients Area





Clients - This area is for finding clients, and adding or editing their information.  When you click this icon, a QuickFinder list of clients is displayed, including basic information such as age, category, next & last appointments, and phone.   The clients area is discussed in its own chapter, Clients> The Clients Area.

The Client Control Panel


You can also access the Client QuickFinder from all screens in the client area by clicking the Find Client icon in the Control Panel.

New Client

To add a new client, click the New Client icon on the Control Panel.  This pops-up a small window for you to enter the client's name which checks to see if this person may already be in ClientTracker. 

After entering the name, click Create New to insert this name into a blank client record  where you can add all the client's information, including contact information, referrals and linked files, and even an optional photo of the client.

Creating a client record is necessary in order to schedule appointments for a client -- this can also be done from the Calendar.  See Calendar> Create New Appointments>Appointments for New Clients.

Clients List

Clicking the Clients List icon displays a list of all active clients in ClientTracker, initially sorted in alphabetical order. You can change the sort order by clicking on any of the column headers. Three other List views are available.  For more info, see Clients> The Clients Area>The Client List Screen.

When on the clients List screen, the Show All Clients icon is used to display all clients in ClientTracker (including inactive).  This will replace the current found set.

Tip:  To retain a found set of records, use the Back and Forward buttons to navigate.

Print

The Print icon opens a pop-up Print Menu of choices - depending on where you are - for printing client records in list form, their personal records, reports, or just a set of labels & envelopes.  For details, see Clients> The Clients Area>Client Print Menu.


Manage Families


The Manage Families icon allows you to group clients into families for shared billing.  See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Manage Client Families for more info.


Client Area Tabs

There are five main screens in the Clients area, represented by five navigation tabs:

Note:  The tab titles are gray if there is no information in them.

For more information about adding and editing clients, see Clients> The Clients Area.

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Calendar Area





When you open ClientTracker, the Calendar can be the first screen you see, if you have selected that choice on the Settings/Program/Defaults tab (see Settings> Program/Defaults).

You can choose which screens to view the Calendar.  Your favorite can be set on the Defaults tab above, and you can also use the View Selector to switch between views from any Calendar screen.  Each view can be modified to show all appointments for that view, or just those for one practitioner (and some for rooms, as well).

View All Appointments...

*Available as a Defaults view choice

The Calendar Control Panel

The Calendar shows all appointments, time and duration, as well as reminders.  It first opens showing the current day's appointments and allows you to easily move to any day to check upcoming or past appointments.

Create Appointments


To create appointments or recurring appointments from any Calendar view, just click the New Appt or Recurring Appt icon to open the a pop-up scheduling window.  From there, enter the client name, appointment date(s), time, and other optional info.

A pop-up window with vital information will open when any appointment is clicked on a Calendar view.

For more info, see Calendar> Create New Appointments or Calendar> Recurring Appointments.


Just like appointments, a reminder can be scheduled at any time by clicking the New Reminder or Recurring Reminder icon.  Use this feature for any reason that is meaningful to your practice.  Reminders will show on all views and printed schedules (except Month).  Reminders can be made for one practitioner or all practitioners.

For more info, see Calendar> Calendar Reminders.

Print


A different schedule will print from each screen when the Print icon is clicked.  The schedules may be sorted by day, practitioner, or room, depending on the current view.

For more info, see Calendar> Printing Calendar Information.

See Today's Schedule


Click the Today button as a quick way to return to your chosen default view to display the current day's schedule.


Calendar Area Tabs





Find a Date


Use the small "date selector" calendar to quickly locate and display any date in the past or future.  Simply click on a visible date, or use the navigation bar to select a different month.  To locate a date directly, enter it in the QuickFinder just underneath.


Note:  The Prev. and Next buttons in the Control Panel will go to the previous or next day or week; depending on the current view.  The Month view has navigation bars to go to the previous or next month or year.
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Financial Area





The Financial area shows a complete list of invoices for all clients.  This is a good way to view billing summaries from all clients without having to look in each client's record, and is useful for spotting anomalies such as unpaid invoices.  If you have checked the box to use the optional Register, on the Settings/Program/Financial tab, it is available via a main tab.  If you entered a date to Archive Old Invoices, on the Settings/Program/Financial tab,then only invoices created after this date will show and all unpaid invoices regardless of their date.

The Financial Control Panels

Control Panel for Invoices

The New Invoice icon first asks you to select a client and invoice type.  Then creates an invoice that is NOT yet linked y to a SOAP Note - although you can quickly create one from the Invoice detail screen.

Find an Invoice

Click the Find Invoice icon to enter detailed criteria to find one or more invoices and display them on this List screen.  You may also use the QuickFinder at the bottom of the screen for many searches (see below).




List Options

Available only on the List screen, the Show All Invoices icon will show all Invoices in ClientTracker, with the highest invoice number first.  This replaces any found set of invoice records that was displayed and/or sorted.


On other screens, the Invoice List icon is in this place shows as and which takes you to the List screen with your current found set.



Clicking the Print icon has different actions depending on the screen:



Duplicate Invoice


Available only on Invoice detail screens, this create a new invoice with all the same information as the current one (except date, invoice # and payments).

For more info, see Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices>Automatic & Duplicate Invoice Entry.

Control Panel for Register



The Register Entry List has a set of icons in the Control Panel for register functions.


Financial Area Tabs


Note:  The tabs will show only if the Register is set for use on the Settings/Program/Financial tab


Invoice List Functions

For more info, see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area.


Filling Out an Invoice

Select an invoice type (see below), and if the client has an active insurance policy, it will be loaded for Superbill or 1500 types.  If the invoice is generated from a SOAP, the procedures and products (and diagnoses if applicable) will be transferred automatically to the invoice, after which the SOAP and invoice are "program_linked," and a change in one would change the other as well.

On the invoice detail screens, you can click New to enter a line item for diagnoses, procedures, and products sections.  Discounts can be entered for line items or for all the procedures, or all the products.   Payments are entered in the "Payment Palette."


Invoice Types

Simple - This invoice type is intended for simple transactions not involving insurance.

Superbill - This may be used for insurance or client billing, and has the diagnosis codes.

1500 - This claim form is used for billing insurance companies on paper or electronically.

For more info, see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area>Invoice Types.

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Reports Area





This area enables you to generate a variety of reports from your data.  There are two main tabs in the Reports area: Reports and Templates & Marketing, which can be accessed via the tabs on the upper right side of the screen.

Note:  Reports are naturally more useful when you have plenty of data in your ClientTracker software.  For this reason, the QuickStart only gives a description of what each reports are available.  For more information about running reports, see Reports & Marketing> The Reports & Marketing Area.

Reports Tab

This area is divided into sections for Invoices, Inventory, Appointments & Visits, and financial reports.
For more info, see Reports & Marketing> The Reports & Marketing Area.


Templates & Marketing Tab

This area allows you to manage Communications Templates, access SOAP Templates, and perform marketing-related tasks.
For more info, see Reports & Marketing> The Reports & Marketing Area.
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Insurance Area




This is where Insurance Companies and Clearing Houses are added, and electronic billing, or "E-Billing" is performed.

Insurance Area Tabs


Insurance Companies Tab

Control Panel




Actions Available Insurance Company List Screen


Click the Payments button to view the Payments screen for a company
Click to Omit a company temporarily from the list; e.g. before printing


For more info, see Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies.

Insurance Company Detail Screen (Company Subtab)

For more info, see Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies>The Insurance Company Detail Screen.

Insurance Company Payments Screen (Payments Subtab)

For more info, see Insurance & Billing> The Insurance Payments Screen.


Clearing Houses Tab

Control Panel




Clearing House List Screen Actions

Click the E-Billing button to view the E-Billing screen for a clearing house


Click to Omit a clearing house temporarily from the listFor more info, see Insurance & Billing> Clearing Houses.


Clearing House Detail Screen (Company Subtab)
For more info, see Insurance & Billing> Clearing Houses>Manage Clearing Houses.

Clearing House E-Billing Screen (E-Billing Subtab)
For more info, see Insurance & Billing> E-Billing.
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Inventory Area




This is where you enter products that you sell as Inventory, and the Vendors that sell them to you.

Inventory Area Tabs

Inventory Tab

The Inventory Control Panel





Actions Available on the Inventory List Screen


Click the Go button to view the Detail screen for any product
For more info, see Inventory> Inventory Setup.

The Inventory Detail Screen

For more info, see Inventory> Inventory Setup>Inventory Detail.


Vendors Tab

The Vendors Control Panel




Actions Available on the Vendors List Screen


Click the Go button to view the Detail screen for any vendor


Click to Omit a vendor temporarily from the list; e.g. before printing


The Vendor Detail Screen

For more info, see Inventory> Vendors>Vendor Detail.

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Settings Area





This is the area where you can customize ClientTracker to suit your practice. Program defaults can be set here, as well as backup settings and other details.  By clicking on the various tabs in this section you can also configure data related to your Practice, as well as Diagnosis Codes and Procedure Codes.

Before getting started with most ClientTracker activity, we recommend that you fill out information about your practice, practitioners, and rooms in the Program and Practice tabs.

Practice Settings Available
Program Settings Available

Defaults tab
Financial tab
Print tab
Utilities tab
Value Lists tab

For a more detailed description of Settings, see Settings> Introduction.

Note:  As soon as you have mission-critical data stored on your computer, you should begin a regular backup schedule~not just with ClientTracker's built-in backup system, but also to an external drive.  Don't wait until you've lost hours of of work entering data before you start safeguarding it.
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2. How ClientTracker Works : Printing Information

Details in this section include:
Printing information from ClientTracker is available for several types of output:
The appearance of printouts is largely set by the program; however, you can customize information in the header.  See Settings> Program/Print>Select and Format Your Print Header for more info.

Tip:  If you have Adobe or comparable software, you may be able to print nearly all ClientTracker output in PDF or other electronic formats.  This depends on the software installed on your computer and is not a part of ClientTracker.
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Print Choices and Setup
The best way to print information from ClientTracker is to use the print menus and button included with the program.

ClientTracker should automatically use the printer you have set as the default for your computer.  If it doesn't, you can choose a printer (or other output) and set the paper size and source for the program; use the Main Menu (at the top of the window).  Go to File --> Print Setup and try different options until you are satisfied with the output.


When printing with ClientTracker's buttons, you will see a "Floating Preview Palette" that controls how you preview the document, which is seen in a preview mode just underneath.

The Floating Preview Palette can be moved (just like any pop-up window) so you can see what's underneath.
Available options are:



When you click Print, your computer's Print dialog will open, where you can choose the printer (or other output if available), pages, copies, etc.  The appearance of the final printout depends on the settings of your own computer and printer.

Note:  All ClientTracker printouts are formatted for 8 1/2" by 11" paper, with at least a 5/8" margin for all sides. For printouts with headers, the first page header area is about 2" high.  The second sheet is about 1" high.


Your Computer's Print Dialog

When you click Print on the Floating Preview Palette, you will see a new Print window, called a "dialog" because it can accept instructions from you about which printer to use, how many copies, etc.  In Windows, the Print dialog looks like this:






























IMPORTANT:  Make sure the top choice Print: is always "Records Being Browsed."

Other Choices:

Printer Name - Select from a menu of your computer's available print options.  The example above shows "Adobe PDF" becayse Adobe Acrobat is installed on the computer.  Your system default printer should show automatically.

Print Range - Should always be set to "All" unless you want just selected pages of a report, for example.

For more info about your computer's Print dialog, consult your computer's Help resources.  Ginkgo Software does not provide support for using the Print dialog, except as noted above.

Print Setup

For most Windows computers, you can preset the print choices that will appear in your Print dialog.  Whether a ClientTracker printout prints in portrait or landscape is governed by the Preview Palette described above.  However, if you have multiple printers, you can select which one will show in your Print dialog.  To do this, go to Print / Print Setup in the top Main Menu of ClientTracker.

Note:  In Macintosh computers, selecting a printer in either the Print Setup or Page Setup dialogs may not change what will be shown as the default printer in the Print dialog.
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Customize Print Headers

You can customize the default print headers for all printouts, including communication, reports, and SOAP Notes.  When you print a letter or form, you can also choose to use your pre-printed stationery or plain paper, and the printout will reformat accordingly.  All other printouts are intended for plain paper and will print the default header.

On Settings/Program/Print there are two subtabs, each representing a choice of how you want your default print header to look throughout ClientTracker for Invoices & Reports, or Letters & Forms.  Formatting a header for one of these selects the header used on the first page of all print layouts.  By choosing different options, you can format how your practice information and logo are displayed.

For more info, see Settings> Program/Print>Select and Format Your Print Header.

Invoices & Reports - the Text Header is composed of the following text:
Letters & Forms - the Graphic Header is an option available only for printed communication.  Select which option to use:

For more info, see Settings> Program/Print>Select and Format Your Print Header.

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2. How ClientTracker Works : Finding Information

Details in this section include:
There are several methods for finding information in ClientTracker.

The QuickFinder - The small QuickFinder appears with selected portals in a pop-up window; used throughout ClientTracker to select a single record.  For example, the pop-up QuickFinder is used to choose a product for an invoice, or a client to make an appointment.  See Using the QuickFinder to Find and Select a Single Record.

A larger QuickFinder is available on most List screens, and is a fast way to find one or more matching records based on criteria entered about the information displayed in the list.  In this tyope of QuickFinder, special search operators can be used to enhance your search.  See Finding Records with the QuickFinder.

Tip:  For all QuickFinders, the match results in the portal or list will change with each keystroke, so often you only need to type a few characters to get what you want.

Find Icon - Some areas have a Control Panel button, or icon, to search for records in that area by multiple criteria.  Each of these are specific to the area, and are discussed in the corresponding section of the manual.

Find Clients - The Find icon available on Client Area screens will offer a more detailed set of options for combining search criteria to locate one or more clients.  See Clients> The Clients Area>Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria.
Search Operators - These are optional symbols that add meaning to the criteria you enter in the InstantSearch or Advanced Find options.  See About Search Operators.


About The "Found Set"

When one of the methods for finding information returns more than one matching record, you have a "Found Set" of records.  This is a very powerful tool for running reports, customizing printed lists, comparing like (or unalike) records, or crunching numbers.


The contents of a Found Set are usually displayed on a List screen.  The Record Navigator (shown here) will indicate how many records are in the Found Set, and which record is active in the sequence.

For example, you could find a set of Invoices with a similar status, and then view any Invoice's Detail screen.  From there, use the Record Navigator's Prev. or Next buttons to go through the records in the Found Set like pages of a book.

Most List screens have an Omit button with which to temporarily remove a single record from the Found Set.  A record omitted from a Found Set is not deleted from ClientTracker.  To see all records not included in the Found Set, select Records --> Show Omitted Only from the Main Menu at the top of the ClientTracker window.

Note:  A Found Set is retained if you use the Back and Forward buttons in the Functions Bar to navigate.   If you select an icon for a Main Area from the Navigation Panel (right side) of the Function bar, or click a "Show All" icon, the Found Set will be replaced by all the records in that area.
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Finding Records with the QuickFinder




A large QuickFinder is in the footer of most List screens.  It is comprised of two oval entry fields, a help button, and a text display showing the current Found Set.  The smaller oval on the left defaults to "All," meaning all the records are showing.  Click in this field to see a drop-down list of the searchable columns.  Choose "All" to search in all the fields listed.

First choose a column on the left, then enter one or more characters in the right oval field to display records that match the search text for the selected column.  Choosing "All" columns will display search results that match any of the columns in the drop-down list.

As you type your criteria, the records in the list above are immediately changed and the find results are displayed below the oval fields, telling you how many records are found and the total number of records in ClientTracker.  For example it might say, "308 records found, in a total of 954." Each time you type a new character, the find results are updated.

Find results are known as a "Found Set" (see above for more info).

Note:  the Record Navigator in the Function Bar can still be used to navigate through any found set of records. The number on the right of the Record Navigator changes to reflect the number of records in the Found Set.

The Found Set resulting from the use of a QuickFinder can be sorted, printed, or used for other output.  When you type any new character or select a different column, ClientTracker sees this as a new find request, and any existing sort order is cleared.

To clear the QuickFinder fields and show all records, click the white X that appears on the right when any search text is entered.  Otherwise, the find text and results will be retained in the List screen until you clear them.

Tips for Finding Information with a QuickFinder

Text - Any text you type will display results with each keystroke. 

Note:  Text matches are made with any word in the field. In the example above, both "apple pie" and "red apple" would be found.

Advanced Search Options for a List Screen's QuickFinder

Dates - Date fields will start finding as soon as the first number is entered.  For example "9" gives you all September dates; for all years in ClientTracker.  Similarly, "9-15" would display 9-15-07, 9-15-08, 9-15-09, etc.   The most reliable results are from using full dates, or in combination with Search Operators.

Numbers - Enter dollar amounts without the dollar sign.  Numbers will find one digit at a time. Whereas "A" finds all text values that begin with A, "1" will find only exact matches for the numeral 1 -- not all numbers beginning with 1.

Phone Numbers - Only works if phone numbers are entered in the format: 702-345-7777 (i.e. no parentheses)

FOR ALL TYPES OF DATA

  • A new column heading is selected

  • A new character is typed in the search criteria field

  • The reset (X) button is clicked

  • Shift+click on the column header

For more information, see Search Tips or About Search Operators below.
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Using the QuickFinder to Find and Select a Single Record



A smaller version of the QuickFinder works with small lists, or portals.  It searches almost always on text, and does not use Search Operators.  In other words, it works like a type-ahead list, where typing the first few letters of a name or word will show only matching records.  Some QuickFinders allow you to search by a drop-down list of values, e.g. client Category.

The QuickFinder is used when selecting a single record for a specific purpose, i.e. to add a product to an invoice, or to make an appointment for a client.  The QuickFinder is an orange-bordered field with a small magnifying glass, and is found in many places.

EXAMPLE:  Using a QuickFinder is when selecting a client for an appointment.  When you click the New Appointment icon in the Calendar area, a small pop-up window appears, with a portal of all active clients.  Each time you type a letter in the QuickFinder above the portal, its contents change to show clients whose first, middle, or last name matches the typed letters.  The best way to learn how the QuickFinder works is to try it!
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Search Tips

> finds any alphanumeric value greater than that entered

< finds any alphanumeric value less than that entered

* acts as a "wild card" symbol:

"*p" finds any word with a p that does not begin with p

"p*" finds any word that ends in p

  • EXAMPLE: "1" will find the number 1; but not 10, 100, 111, etc.

  • If only one item is found, you go to its detail screen.

  • If >1 found, go to List

  • If none found, error message & return to Find screen

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About Search Operators

Search operators (also referred to as "symbols" in ClientTracker) can be very useful when performing a search using the Advanced Find button.

Use a symbol before a value to define the search criteria:

=     match whole word or match empty

  • =Smith returns Smith, Smithey & Smithson
  • = returns all records with no values

==   match entire field

  • ==Smith returns only Smith

!     find duplicate values

  • !Smith returns all records with Smith

>     greater than value

>=   greater or equal to value

<     less than value

<=   less than or equal to value

...  range

  • 20...30 for Age returns all ages 20 thru 30
  • 5/1/10..5/31/10 returns all for May 2010

//   todays date
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2. How ClientTracker Works : File & Folder Sturucture


The necessary files and folders for the proper function are contained inside the main ClientTracker 4.0 folder.

Location of the ClientTracker 4.0 folder

Unless you placed it somewhere else when you installed the program, this folder will be in:

















Note:  If your computer is a Vista 64 bit or Windows 7 64 bit, the folder where Ginkgo Software is installed is called C:\Program Files (x86).

Contents of the ClientTracker 4.0 Folder - Both Windows and Macintosh
Your computer settings may or may not display any "extensions" on a file name, i.e. the  .ctr .exe or .app that follows at the end of the file name.

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2. How ClientTracker Works : ClientTracker and QuickBooks


ClientTracker does not have a way to export all the information that is part of an invoice. However, many people successfully use ClientTracker in conjunction with Quickbooks. Many people use the ClientTracker reports for all that tax reporting needs.  It's up to you and your accountant for what is best for your practice.

ClientTracker keeps the details of clients/patients, their invoices and payments, and sales of herbs and supplements. Using ClientTracker to manage these details provides the additional benefit of having all the clients' electronic medical records, in one place: including financial data which is connected to all the scheduling, SOAP notes, insurance information, 1500 form, electronic billing, and marketing information.

ClientTracker has a very simple check register for one bank account to track checks and ATM charges from that one account.  It will give a simple report by category of Income and Expenses.  It doesn't have a payroll function or provide you with a balance sheet. ClientTracker does not claim to be a full accounting software.  Depending on the practice, many small offices do find it sufficient to provide reports to their accountant for taxes purposes.

To use QuickBooks for your full accounting needs, we recommend keeping your invoices and their payments, and inventory in ClientTracker. Create a Customer in QuickBooks called "ClientTracker."  Then run the ClientTracker report(s) you  need for the time period: Transactions, Payments Log, Posting Log, Liabilities, Accounts Receivable,  Sales Tax, and possibly the inventory reports. Take the total(s) and enter them manually into QuickBooks.  Now you can run the balance sheet and profit and loss reports from QuickBooks.

This saves the hassle of double entry of all the detail, in both ClientTracker and QuickBooks.

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3. Settings : Introduction


Before you enter clients and appointments and use ClientTracker, you should go to the Settings area and set up basic information and options related to the program, and to your practice. You can also customize diagnosis and procedure codes, and customize the look and functions of your ClientTracker program.

Settings has the following areas; divided into main tabs and subtabs:

Practice Tab- See Settings> Practice

Program Tab

Diagnosis Codes Tab or Procedure Codes Tab - See Settings> Diagnosis and Procedure Codes

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3. Settings : Practice

The main Settings/Practice tab is where you enter contact information, sales tax options, and other information about your practice.  Choices include:

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Practice Information

Enter the contact information for your practice in this area, including practice name, address, phone and fax numbers, email address, and web site.

Note:  In order for the Practice Address to show on invoices, you must go to the Program/Print tab and click the Reset Address button.  This should be done if you want to change the address, too. See Settings> Program/Print>Select and Format Your Print Header for more info.
Tip:  Beginning with version 4.0.20, you can click on the ZIP link, and a web site will open for looking up the ZIP+4 Code for your address. You can edit the URL of the web site in Settings area, on the Programs/Utilities tab.
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Create and Manage Practitioners

On the Settings/Practice/Practitioners tab, there is a portal where you can manage a list of practitioners that work in your practice.  You can have as many practitioners as you want; however, there must always be at least one.

Note: ClientTracker uses the term "practitioner" for caregivers who work in your practice, and "provider" for outside caregivers who refer clients to your practice. For information about referral providers, see Referring Providers below.














Create a New Practitioner

On Settings/Practice/Practitioners, click the New Practitioner button to begin. This takes you to the Practitioner detail screen, where practitioner data is managed.

For other important information, you have the option of filling it in later:

The fields above will be a pink color if blank, to alert you to fill in the information.  Other information on this screen includes:

Click the OK button when you are finished, and if you haven't yet entered the practitioner credentials or billing info, choose "Do Later" to return to the previous screen.

Note:  You can quickly enter basic information about any practitioner and that will be enough to use them in the Calendar, SOAPs, and some other parts of ClientTracker. However, it is essential to 1500 and Superbill invoice functions to enter a practitioner's license, Federal ID and NPI numbers. You can also track practitioner contact information, email, etc.




Practitioner Details

When you click a row in the practitioner list on Settings/Practice, you will access the Detail screen for that practitioner.

Top Section - Enter the practitioner name, suffix (or credentials), and designate as Active and/or Primary within ClientTracker.

Active - This will make the practitioner's name show in drop-down lists and on the Column Views of the Calendar, so appointments can be scheduled for that practitioner (see below).

Primary - (There must be one primary practitioner.) If a client does not have a default practitioner specified on their Personal/Default tab, the Practitioner designated as Primary will be automatically assigned to an appointment, SOAP or invoice. Of course, you can always change a practitioner on an appointment, SOAP or Invoice.

Display Initials - These are used in ClientTracker to assist you in choosing or identifying a practitioner in a few places, so they should be unique.  As an example, consider two practitioners named Elaine Smith and Edward Sterling. Both initials will display as ES. You would need to modify one or both to be unique, so their display initials might be ELS and EDS.

Address - A practitioner address must be entered if the 1500 form is to fill properly in box 33. If you enter just one address in the front (Address) tab, it will automatically be designated as the primary and insurance address. 

Tip:  Beginning with version 4.0.20, you can click on the ZIP link, and a web site will open for looking up the ZIP+4 Code based on the Practitioner's address. You can edit the URL of the web site in Settings area, on the Programs/Utilities tab.

Contact Information - Phone and email addresses are added in the tab in the center of the screen.

Defaults for SOAPs and Invoices

Billing and Other Information - The right panel of the screen contains optional information for invoicing (if applicable for that practitioner), ClientTracker functions, and personal data.

For an Invoice with No SOAP - Set your choice for how line items are auto-entered when an Invoice No SOAP is created.  This choice is enacted automatically when there is just one practitioner in the office so you don't have to select each time a new Invoice No SOAP is created.

Other Info

Personal Info - Enter practitioner Date of Birth, Gender, or Marital Status, if desired.

Click the blue links near the top of the screen to see:

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Inactivate or Delete Practitioners

Active vs. Inactive

Only practitioners with the Active box checked will show on the Calendar Column Views and drop-down lists used to make appointments and other functions in ClientTracker.


Tip:  Often, a sensible option to deleting a practitioner is to deactivate them. You can check or uncheck the Active box in the Practitioners tab on Settings/Practice, or on the Practitioners Detail screen.  This will not affect their being the practitioner of record for past or future appointments, reminders, or invoices.

The process of deactivation is governed by these rules:

To deactivate a practitioner, simply uncheck the Active checkbox. To re-activate a practitioner, click the same checkbox.


Delete a Practitioner

If you want to delete a practitioner, click the Delete this Practitioner button on the details screen. You will not be allowed to delete a practitioner if any of the following are true:

Warning: Deleting a practitioner is permanent, and if you re-enter a practitioner with the same name, he/she will NOT link up to any existing records in ClientTracker.

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Create and Manage Rooms

In ClientTracker, you can create as many rooms you need to manage your practice, but there must always be at least one room.  Rooms have no detail information, and are managed on a portal on the Settings/Practice/Rooms tab. If you want to make a new room, click the New Room button. When you create a room, it is automatically designated as "Active" so it will show in drop-down lists and on the Column View of the Calendar (when View by Room is chosen).














  • The number indicates how many appointments can be scheduled for that room; for the same time slot (including overlapping times).  The default is a capacity of 1, which means only one appointment can be scheduled.  If a room is used for more than one client at a time (e.g. groups), set the capacity accordingly.
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Delete or Deactivate a Room

Similar to the rules for deleting and deactivating practitioners, there are rules that govern the management of rooms. You will not be able to delete or deactivate a room if any of the following are true:

Warning: Deleting a room is permanent, and if you re-enter a room with the same name, it will NOT link up to any existing appointments in ClientTracker.

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Other Practice Info

At the bottom of the Settings/Practice area, you can enter the following information:

The SOAP Template List button takes you to a sortable list of SOAP Templates used in ClientTracker, including the System Default plus any new SOAP Templates you create.  For more info, see SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates.

The Referring Provider List button takes you to a sortable list of providers that refer clients to your practice, and can be used on the 1500 form, Box 17.  (See Referring Providers below for more info.)

The Non-Client Insured List button takes you to a sortable list of people who are not clients in ClientTracker, but are designated for use as "Insured" on client insurance policies.  For more info, see Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Manage the Insured Person On the Policy.

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Referring Providers

Referring Providers List

To view a sortable, printable list of providers that shows client referrals, click the Referring Provider List button near the bottom of the Settings/Practice tab.

On the list, you can perform the following actions:

Referring Providers Detail Screen

On the left side of the screen, enter the provider name, address, phone numbers, email, and optional notes.  On the right side is insurance information such as License Number, Federal Tax ID, and NPI.

On the far right is a Specialty field with a drop-down list.

Communications tab - Providers can also be recipients of communications.  On this tab, you can view a portal of the communications sent to this provider or generate a new one with the Comm Panel just above it.  You can also view a Complete List of these communications, in a larger, sortable list.

For more information on how communication works, see Communication> Create Communications.

Clients Referred tab - This tab shows a portal of all clients who have been referred to your practice by this provider.  For each client, you can click the arrow button or row to view their Personal screen, view the date of their first appointment, or enter a date when a Thank You was sent to the provider for that client's referral.  The number of invoices and Total for that client shows on the right.

Just to the left of the tabs is a Send TY button, which will generate a Thank You letter or email to thank the provider for all the client referrals that do not yet have a TY Letter Sent date.  You can also view a Detailed List of the referred clients.

1500 tab- ClientTracker automates many of the tasks of filling in a 1500 claim form. A referring provider can be chosen before an invoice is made (on the Clients/Personal screen), or at the time you fill out the 1500. To automatically fill info on the 1500 claim form, the following info needs to be entered for the referring provider:

  • Box 17 Provider Name
  • Box 17a Qualifier and State License Number (or optional identifier, below)
  • Box 17b NPI

Tip: If a provider doesn't have a License Number, then fill in the 1500 tab info on the provider's Detail screen; for example, if a different number needs to show in Box 17a (Qualifier + Identifier). For more information, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices>Filling Out the 1500 Claim Form - Visit and Diagnosis Info.

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Sales Tax Overview

ClientTracker's sales tax system is set up to accommodate the varied reporting requirements for the USA and in Canada.  You can enter sales tax rate or rates you are required to charge on taxable products and/or procedures.  You can also control how and for what items those rates are charged when they appear on an invoice.

Warning: If you need to set up Sales Tax rates, you should set them up before creating any invoices, as any settings would affect only new invoices created from that point forward -- even if you create a new invoice for a past date.

Before You Begin

The first thing is to determine what are your sales tax requirements for your practice location.  Most practices know this already, and will simply need to set up ClientTracker with the correct information.

ClientTracker allows the entry of single or multiple rates.  One or two rates can be entered and assigned to different Inventory items (a.k.a. "Products" on an invoice) and Procedures, as required in your area.  Each rate can be made of up to two compound parts that will show the total tax charged for each part on invoices and reports.

All rates and their parts can be given a name of your choice, to make selection and interpretation of reports easier.

Sales Tax Options - Available to select for Products and Procedures:

Note:  Even if your state has multiple rates, you can usually enter their total as One Rate.  If the total tax in your area is made up of different rates, e.g, state, county, city, the tax reporting form guides you in specifying these amounts.

Check your state tax laws for the collection rules in your area, or check with your accountant.  Usually, you are required to collect sales tax only for the rates that apply in your area, regardless of where the client lives.  If you sell products by mail, you may not have to collect sales tax for out-of-state sales.

Tip:  The ClientTracker program has built-in examples of how your Sales Tax choices will appear on a printed invoice.  To see these, click the Set Rates button on Settings/Practice, and look at the Examples tab.


How to Set Up








To Begin: Click the Set Rates button to enter the Sales Tax Rate Setup screen.  

Review: We recommend you explore the 3 tabs on the Sales Tax Rate Setup screens, to get familiar with the process:






Optional Info for Sales Tax Report

As an optional reference, enter your tax account number in the box marked "Resale #" at the bottom which shows on the Sales Tax report.

Tip: After you have made a few sales, print out the Sales Tax report as an example for your accountant, to be sure that it will provide the totals needed when filing time comes. This can be found in the Reports/Financial area. See Reports & Marketing> Financial>Sales Tax for more info.
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Sales Tax Rate - 5 Steps to Setup

ClientTracker's sales tax system can accommodate many varied reporting requirements. Once you set up or change your rate(s) and assign a default to products and/or procedures, then this rate is used for all future invoices.

Look at the Example tab to see how the different Rates show on an invoice.

In the Sales Tax section of Settings/Practice, click the Set Rates button and follow the 5 steps. Use these steps to set up your tax rate for the first time in ClientTracker or to change an existing rate.

Step 1 - Choose Your Tax Rate

One Rate or Two Rates - Most locations will enter their rate on the One Rate or Two Rates tab because  the invoice only needs to display the tax total. This works for those who have:
-- one tax rate for products and/or procedures
-- a different rate for products and procedures
--a second rate for some items

The Sales Tax report gives the total tax collected for each rate, and from that you can fill out your taxing agency’s reporting form.  If your area has the total tax subdivided into percentage for State, County, etc, the form guides you in specifying those amounts.

Compound Rates - If your reporting agency requires an invoice to display the names and amounts of the tax parts, choose the Compound Rates  to enter tax rates.  Fill in the name for Rates 1 and 2, and set up the two parts for each, or at least two parts for Rate  1 and one part for Rate 2.  The Sales Tax report provides each of the four parts.

Tip:  Look at the Example tab to see how the different Rates show on an invoice.

Step 2 - Enter Your Tax Rate for Products and/or Procedures

The Tax Rates are referred to as Rate 1 and Rate 2.  Each has a Rate Name, and a percentage Tax Rate, and using Compound Rates, the Part Name.
Steps 3 & 4 - Choices

Select a default rate for both Products and Procedures. If no tax is to be the default, choose (none).  This will be assigned automatically as new Products and Procedures are created. If you are updating existing tax rates, it will also replace the former corresponding rate with the new one.  For example, the new Rate 1 Rate Name + Tax Rate will replace any existing Rate 1 Rate Name + Tax Rate
  • Optional:  Check the "Change all that have the other Rate" box to apply this rate to existing Products and/or Procedures that have the other Rate.

  • Optional:  Check the second box to apply the Rate to existing Products and/or Procedures that are set to (none).
Depending on your choice, the item will either have no tax charged on invoices, or the default Rate you have chosen.

Step 5 - Set the Rate

When finished, click the Set Rate button to complete the process.

Notes:
 -- For any individual Product or Procedure, you can change the default tax rate on the master list for Products and Procedures.
 -- The tax charged on all future invoices will be the new rate. Any invoices created in the past keep the old rate that was in effect at the time the invoice was created.
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Sales Tax Rate Setup - Detail

DETAIL 1 - One Rate - the most common option


Step 1 - Select One Rate as the setup option on the left.

Step 2 - Enter the Rate Name & Tax Rate for Rate 1.

-- Enter a Tax Rate either with the whole number or with 2 decimal places.  No need to enter the % sign.

Step 3 - Set the default Rate Name for new Products (either "none" or the one Rate Name you entered).

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to Products that have another Rate Name.

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to all Products currently set to "none"

Step 4 - Set the default Rate Name for new Procedures (either "none" or the one rate name you entered).

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to existing Procedures that have another Rate Name.

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to all Procedures currently set to "none"

Step 5 - Click the Set One Rate button.  Your changes will not be applied until you click this button.




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DETAIL 2 - Two Rates - no compound "parts" needed

If you have to collect two different Tax Rates, use the Two Rates option, for example, if you have one rate for Products, and another for Procedures.


Step 1 - Select Two Rates as the setup option on the left.

Step 2 - Enter the Rate Name & Tax Rate for each Rate 1 and Rate 2.

-- Enter a tax rate either with the whole number or with 2 decimal places.  No need to enter the % sign.

Step 3 - Set the default Rate Name for new Products (either "none" or one of the Rate Names you entered).

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to existing Products that have the other Rate Name.

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to all Products currently set to "none"

Step 4 - Set the default Rate Name for new Procedures (either "none" or one of the Rate Names you entered).

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to existing Procedures that have the other Rate Name.

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to all Procedures currently set to "none"

Step 5 - Click the Set Two Rates button.  Your changes will not be applied until you click this button.



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DETAIL 3 - Compound Rates - 1 or 2 rates with named parts

If your practice is required to track different parts of the tax rates, use the Compound setup.

Step 1 - Select Compound Rates as the setup option on the left.

Step 2 - Enter the Rate Name for Rate 1, plus the Rate Name & Tax Rate for its Part 1 and Part 2.  If needed, do the same for Rate 2.

-- Enter a tax rate either with the whole number or with 2 decimal places.  No need to enter the % sign.

Step 3 - Set the default Rate Name for new Products (either "none" or one of the Rate Names you entered).

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to existing Products that have the other Rate Name.

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to all Products currently set to "none"

Step 4 - Set the default Rate Name for new Procedures (either "none" or one of the Rate Names you entered).

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to existing Products that have the other Rate Name.

-- (Optional) Choose whether to apply this rate to all Products currently set to "none"

Step 5 - Click the Set Compound Rates button.  Your changes will not be applied until you click this button.




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Technical Info - Sales Tax Calculations

Invoice - ClientTracker calculates the sales tax on each item individually. This is to accommodate the states which tax some products or procedures and not other products or procedures, or have different tax rates for the items. 

Depending on your sales tax and the amount being taxed, the actual sales tax may result in 3 or more decimal places, which needs to be rounded up or down to be two places. The tax on an a ClientTracker invoice is the sum of the tax for these individual items.

If the sales tax calculation was postponed to be on the total of all taxable items, this tax might be a small amount more or less than the tax on calculated individual items. This is due to the rounding effect.

Sales Tax Report - This gives the totals of the taxable items and tax collected. From this you can fill out your taxing agency’s reporting form. If your area has the total tax subdivided into percentages for State, County, etc, the form guides you in specifying those amounts.  The actual amount owed to the state or other entity is calculated from total Taxable Products and Taxable Procedures that you enter on the form.

The Collected Tax on the Sales Tax Report may be different from the sales tax calculated on the Total Taxable.
When you fill in the tax reporting form, you'll calculate the sales tax on the Taxable Products or Taxable Procedure listed on ClientTracker's Sales Tax Report.  The result may be different from the tax you collected.  This is due to the rounding mentioned above.

Your business is collecting Sales Tax.  Your tax agency just wants to know the tax on total gross taxable sales for the time period, which can't be known at the time of each sale.
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3. Settings : Program/Defaults

Section Details - Defaults Subtab

In this section, you will find details on the following parts of the Defaults tab:

The main Settings/Program tab has five smaller tabs, called subtabs:

Defaults

Set default information for how ClientTracker will function, and what information it will show.  (See Client Default Information below.)

Financial

Choose options for invoices, 1500 forms, and use of the Register feature.  See Settings> Program/Financial>Payments on Invoices for more info.

Print

Create a custom header for use as letterhead and headers on invoices, and choose other printing options.  See Settings> Program/Print for more info.

Utilities

File management and backup options.  See Settings> Program/Utilities for more info.

Value Lists

Define the contents of drop-down lists from which field values can be chosen throughout ClientTracker.  See Settings> Program/Value Lists for more info.


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Client Default Information

Enter an optional city, state, zip code and area code to be automatically entered in new client address record.  You can enter partial information if you like; for example, you can enter "913" for a default ZIP code, and then enter the last two digits when filling out client address.






If your practice uses a client ID or  chart number, you can choose your preferred name for this system.

To use ClientTracker's Automatic Email Confirmation system, set up the following:






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Email Sending Method
Note: The sending method for email is discussed in greater detail in Communication> Email Setup>Set the Email Sending Method.













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Calendar Defaults

















Appointment Duration

Standard - The number of minutes that appears in this box is the default duration for all new appointments that are created. Set it to the duration that is most common for your appointments (you can always change it for any appointment).

Maximum - ClientTracker will alert you if an appointment is made over this duration.

Calendar View

Day View - Enter your preferred view of the Calendar when looking at a single day's schedule: Column View by Practitioner, Column View by Room, or List View

Start Time - (for Column View only) Enter the time you would like the schedule to start each day.  The schedule is programmed to automatically end each day 12 hours later.  Appointments can be made for any time; however, if they are made outside of the start and end times for the Column View, they will be visible only in List View and on printed schedules.

Reminders

Start Time - Enter a default start time for new Reminders.

Rooms

Use Room Capacity feature - Check this box to check the Room capacity each time an appointment is made.  See Settings> Practice>Create and Manage Rooms for more info.

Time Zone

Set your time zone if you plan to export appointments to other calendar applications or devices, to synchronize the times accurately.

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Startup Screen

Enter your choice for which screen you would like to see first whenever you start ClientTracker.  (Ginkgo Software recommends you shut down ClientTracker at the end of each work day, to minimize the possibility of data corruption.)

Inventory - Checking this box will notify you when ClientTracker is opened if items in your inventory need restocking.  For each inventory item you can choose an Order Level, and when your stock of the item reaches that level, ClientTracker alerts you when the program is opened.

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SOAP Note Default

Temperature - Values entered on the SOAP note will default to be marked as F (Farenheit) or C (Celsius).  This can be changed on any individual SOAP note.

The appearance and contents of SOAP notes can also be customized by using SOAP Temmplates.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Manage SOAP Templates for more information.

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Password Setup & Registration Info

ClientTracker is shipped without passwords.  Passwords are optional. You can set one or two passwords: the Admin has access to every part of ClientTracker .  The Staff level cannot set or change passwords or run financial reports. Correct entry of a password will be required every time ClientTracker is opened if you set one or both passwords. 

Password Setup




Click the Password Setup button to go to the Admin Settings screen to set Admin or Staff passwords. Make sure to write down the passwords and keep them in a safe place. If you forget your password, ClientTracker support can provide you with a temporary password.






Access Privileges


If only an Admin password is set, the only way to open ClientTracker is with the Admin password, which has access to everything.  However, use of a Staff password will restrict access to the following areas:

-- Settings/Program Tab - Password Setup; Set up defaults for email

-- Finance Data - Invoice List totals, Register

-- Admin Reports - All Financial and Reconcile reports, including Sales & Profitability for inventory.

Other restrictions not noted above:

Reports
-- Inventory Valuation Detail
-- Reset Inventory Balances
-- Diagnoses Given
-- Procedures Performed

All other areas of ClientTracker would be accessible after Staff login.


Changing a Password

Change a password at any time with Admin access by clicking the Password Setup button on the Settings/Program/Defaults tab.  On the Admin Setup screen, click either button to change a password. You will be asked to enter the current Admin password, and the new password (twice to confirm).

To set ClientTracker not to use any passwords, leave the new password fields completely blank for both Staff and Admin, and click OK.

Note:  If you remove the Admin password, the Staff password will also be cleared automatically.


Opening ClientTracker with Password Protection

If you have set any passwords, every time you open ClientTracker a Login dialog box will ask a password. ClientTracker knows if it is for Admin or Staff.  Other Login options are:

Lost or Incorrect Password

If you have lost or forgotten your Admin password, click  Lost Psword button in the Login box for for instructions on how to request a temporary password.

Once you receive your temporary password, open ClientTracker again and click Lost Pswrd.  In the next box, click the Reset button and enter the temporary password EXACTLY as it was received.  Next, you will be asked to enter a new password of your choice.

If anyone tries to login more than 5 times with an incorrect password, they will see a warning box with the choice to close ClientTracker or contact Ginkgo Software for a temporary password.


ClientTracker Registration Information




Click View Registration Information to see the current info, including Practice Name and Registration Code.  If passwords are set up, this can only be accessed by those with Admin privileges.

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3. Settings : Program/Financial

The Financial subtab in Settings/Program has the following options:
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Payments on Invoices









You can set default data to appear in Method field when creating payments - a time saver if this is usually the same thing.  As with all defaults, this can be changed to something else on individual invoices.

When creating payments, if you leave the Check # or Credit Card # blank, you have the option of being reminded to fill it in before continuing.  Check the appropriate box to enable these reminders.

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Display Old Invoices





Enter a date to restrict how invoices are displayed in lists throughout ClientTracker.  Leaving this blank means that ALL invoices will be displayed - which can make lists very long and slow the program's performance.  Invoices with a date before the date entered will not show on the following lists and portals:

You can always change the date (or delete it entirely) to view invoices for past dates.

Note:  Invoices with an outstanding balance will show regardless of any date entered.
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Client Screen Displays




Checking this box will display the client's account balance on the headers of client screens.  The amount shown (if any) would be the total of the amounts due from the client, and any applicable insurance.  These amounts can be viewed separately on theClients/Invoices tab.

A small "CR" will also show if the client has available credit for his/her account.

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Use the Optional Register




Checking this box enables use of the register. If it is checked, the Register tab appears when you click the Financials icon to view the main list of invoices.  Use the optional Register to track withdrawals & deposits, and reconcile bank statements for one account.
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Printing Invoices














Default Notes

The Simple and Superbill invoice types have spaces for Notes and Terms.

Display a general note - Check the box and enter text to display a default note.  Invoice notes are editable on a per-invoice basis, which you can do on the respective entry screen.

Display your Terms - Check this box to display default invoice Terms used by your practice.  Terms are also editable on a per-invoice basis.

Note:  Your text should not exceed the size of the entry fields, which represent the amount of space available on the printed invoices.

Show Practitioner Federal Tax ID Number

Check Simple invoice or Superbill invoice to display and print the Federal Tax ID Number (if any) of the practitioner for that invoice.

1500 Forms

Choose whether to print on Blank Paper, or on a Pre-printed Form.  The Pre-printed form should be the Health Insurance Claim Form approved by the National Uniform Claim Committee on 08/05.

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3. Settings : Program/Print

Details in this section include:

ClientTracker allows you to enter practice address, logo, and other information in one place, and provides flexible choices for how they will look on printed documents. If you have pre-printed letterhead, you can use that. You can change the print header settings at any time. ClientTracker ships with the default choices and placement that most closely resemble those in v3.41.  See Select and Format Your Print Header below for more info.

The Settings/Print tab is also the place to make choices about the footers of printed SOAP notes, and provides info about pre-printed envelopes.  See Footers & Envelopes.

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Select and Format Your Print Header











On Settings/Program/Print, there are two smaller tabs; each representing a choice of how you want your print headers to look throughout ClientTracker.  Selecting one of these selects the header used on the first page of print layouts for Invoices & Reports, or Letters & Forms.

Additionally, for Letters & Forms, the "second sheets" (i.e. all pages after the first page) will print with a smaller text header and no practice info.  The "second sheet" text header includes:

Note:  All ClientTracker headers extend across 8 1/2" by 11" paper, with a 1/2 to 3/4 inch margin for all sides. The first page header area is about 2 inches high.  The second sheet's header area is about 1 inch high.


Invoices & Reports - Text Header

Text header information originates from the Address Info or Split Address Info areas, depending on your choice in the Placement of address info box.

Note:  To change your Practice Name, you will need to obtain a new registration code from the Ginkgo Software web site.  Copy & paste this URL into your browser: http://ginkgosoftware.com/registration/request_code.php

On the Invoices & Reports tab, you can change your address and other practice info as it is displayed and printed on the Invoices & Reports header only, by typing whatever you want in the Address Info box, and choosing its placement within the Text Header.

Note:  The Reset Address button must be clicked the first time you enter your Practice Address and other info, or if you want to change any of that info and have it show on your invoice and report headers.

If you choose a split address placement (e.g. Middle-Split or Bottom-Split), any text changes should be made in the Split Address Info area at the bottom of the tab.

Tip:  The placement of the Practice Name and Address Info are separate, and some combinations may cause overlapping.  Choose any combination, and the results of your choices will display above.

Tip:  You can format the text in your address fields, or even format your Practice Name, and the formatting will print in your Text header.  See How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Formatting Text for more info.


Letters & Forms - Graphic Header

The Letters & Forms tab lets you use a graphic of your choice as a "letterhead" for the first page only of your Letters and Forms printed from ClientTracker.  The Header Preference must be set to "Graphic above" for it to be used.

Like other images and files used in ClientTracker, the source file must already be located on your computer, so its location can be referenced, or "linked" in ClientTracker.  If you move the source file, the link will be broken, but can be re-linked easily.

Link to a Graphic - Click link to your header graphic to begin.  Browse your computer to locate the graphic; then double-click it to link.

Tip:  Once linked, the graphic file path will show at the bottom of the tab. click to copy path and paste it as needed; e.g. to find that location in your computer.


Select Header Preference for Letters & Forms

The default you set here will be auto-selected in the Print Options pop-up window whenever you choose to print a Letter or Form.  You can always select another option to print.

Pre-printed stationery - Will print no header on the first page, so you can use your practice's pre-printed stationery.  Use blank sheets or additional stationery as desired for "second sheets" or additional pages.

Invoices & Reports Header - Will print the Text Header that you set up in the Invoices & Reports tab.

Graphic Header - Will print the Graphic Header that you have linked or left blank.

Tip:  It is a good idea to test-print and review your selected Print Headers - especially for Letters & Forms - before you produce any "real" communication, invoices, or reports.
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Footers & Envelopes

Footers - Check the box to show the "printed on" date & time in the footer of printed SOAP Notes.  Once selected, this info will come from your computer's system date and time.  Leave this box unchecked to NOT print this information.

Envelopes - Whenever you print envelopes, you will have a choice of using:

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3. Settings : Program/Utilities

The Utilities subtab on Settings/Practice has the following options:
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Backup
The options for Backup are described in detail in the Security & Backup chapter of this manual.

Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>Local Backup

Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>External Backup - Your Additional Location & Fire Drill

Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>Restore from Additional or External Backup
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Default Path for Files & Photos

ClientTracker allows you to link existing files and photos on your computer to client and SOAP records.  The files themselves must be stored in a special folder called "ClientTracker Files-Photos."  This folders starts out within the main ClientTracker folder and can be moved to any location on your computer or network. With basic file management skills of renaming and moving files to this folder, you can:


Setting The Default File Path

To link files or photos to ClientTracker, you must use the Default File Path.  This is set up on installation, but may need to be set for some computers after installation.  Files and photos must always be in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder, which is located within the ClientTracker 4.0 folder on your computer.
IMPORTANT: If you choose to link any electronic file or photo to ClientTracker, it will be placed in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder.  It is best practice to name your files according to a systematic file management protocol.  See File Management Tips below.

You can move the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder to another location at any time, but do NOT change its name.  If you move the folder, you can must reset the Default File Path in order to keep the files and photos linked to their respective clients and SOAP Notes.

To link a File or Photo:  Click the appropriate New button as described in the different sections of this Manual (see above).  Browse the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder until you find the target file, then double-click it or select and click Open.

Note: If you move the folder containing your files after they have been linked, a message will appear: "The link to this file is broken."  To remedy this, reset the Default File Path immediately to its new location, and all the links will be restored.

Note: A file or photo with odd characters like $ in its file name will not work with the ClientTracker system. Standard file name characters like a period or hyphen are acceptable.

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File Management Tips

Good file management skills are essential in this age of electronic medial records.  We strongly recommend establishing a file naming protocol that makes it easy to identify the client, guarantees unique file names, and is easy to remember for those times when you're naming files "on the fly."  Consistency is key.

IMPORTANT: File names must always be unique if they are in the same folder.

Tip:  It is helpful to name your files so they are grouped and sorted within the folder.

EXAMPLES:

To sort by last name:

To sort by chart number:

To sort by date:
Tip:  When entering dates in file names, it's a good idea to use YY-MM-DD convention so that they will be in chronological order when sorted by date.  In other words, put the year first, or May 12, 2009 (5-12-09) could sort before September 12, 2007 (9-12-07).


Warning:  If you ever receive an alert that the file name already exists, USE EXTREME CAUTION not to overwrite the existing file with the new one, or you could wind up with the wrong file linked to the wrong client. This is why unique file names are so important.

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Window Control - Zoom Level & Window Size
Customize the size of the ClientTracker, either by the Zoom or Window Size. Experiment to find the best viewing options for your computer and its screen resolution.

Zoom Settings
If you find ClientTracker's text to be too large or small, try adjusting this setting, then click the Apply button to effect the change.






When Zoom Level is set to 150%, the main window of the ClientTracker program will adjust proportionately to the larger screen objects. In other words, the entire program will appear 150% larger.

IMPORTANT:  In some Mac OS 10.6, Snow Leopard, ClientTracker's Zoom 150% setting can sometimes cause instability such as program "freezing" or "crashing."  If you experience any problems in your computer, please do not use the 150% Zoom; set it back to 100%.


Window Control
Beginning with v4.0.12,  ClientTracker  will stay the size you choose.








The Full Screen option will fill the screen so you will see blank space at the bottom and right side of ClientTracker.

Note:  The fonts and graphics are not scalable, and will not increase in size if the window size is changed.  ClientTracker is designed for the smaller window setting.  To increase the size of all ClientTracker elements, use the Zoom Settings above.

Tip:  You may also want to adjust your screen resolution (e.g. 1024 v 728 pixels), OS display settings, or even the monitor itself to find the ideal size for your monitor and viewing preferences.
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ZIP+4 Lookup









Beginning with version 4.0.20, every place where you enter a ZIP Code has a ZIP link that when clicked will open in your browser a web site.  ClientTracker comes with the current URL for the USPS ZIP+4 lookup page, so you can enter the address and find the proper ZIP+4 Code to ensure a valid address for billing insurance.
Tip:  To add a ZIP+4 Code to an already-created 1500 claim form, you must first enter it in the ZIP field of the person's Address tab, and then go to the 1500 and click the Refresh Information button.

Whatever URL you enter will be opened when you click a ZIP link elsewhere in ClientTracker.  If you use another lookup site or the URL changes, simply update it here.

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3. Settings : Program/Value Lists

Details in this section include:

Value Lists are a finite list of possible choices for entering data in a field. ClientTracker lets you customize what you see as choices in some lists. Customizable lists are located in Settings/Program, in the Value Lists tab.  For more info, see Managing Value Lists or Data Entry with Value Lists below.

The sources of Value Lists are:

  1. Permanent System Lists of choices provided by ClientTracker (e.g. payment types).  These are not modifiable.

  2. Modifiable System Lists populated from records you create and manage in ClientTracker (e.g. names of active practitioners).  These are customizable because they act like a list of whatever you have entered into that field.

  3. Modifiable Value Lists display every value you have entered into the field.  These are a pop-up menu of existing values only.  To add to the list and enter a new value into the field, select "Other..." at the bottom of the list.

  4. Custom Value Lists display alphabetically from values you enter in the Value Lists tab:

Practitioners and Providers

SOAP Types

Staff Members

Contact Types - for general contact use

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Managing Value Lists

On Settings/Program, use the Value Lists tab to access the Custom Value Lists. Simply type any values used by your practice into the respective lists; separated by a Return (Enter). The list fields are scrollable, and set to the maximum display width for the values.

Note:  Removing a value from a list does not remove it from any records where that value was used. Some values are available as search criteria in finding records, creating reports, etc. If you want to be able to find records with a certain value; it must be available on the list.

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Data Entry with Value Lists

When available for data entry, the Value Lists function in two different ways:


Optional use of the list - Drop-down List

Some value lists that allow ad hoc entry of data in the field; without using the list (e.g. phone or email type).  Ad hoc values are not added to the lists.  To enter an ad hoc value, click the field again after the list drops down.

In large lists, use the scroll bar to see more values, or you can type ahead to access values beginning with a certain letter.

This type of value list is called a "drop-down list" in this manual.


Mandatory use of the list - Pop-up Menu

Some Value Lists only allow entry of data from a pop-up menu (e.g. Inventory Type).  These you can recognize because there is no option to click the field itself -- you must select a value from the menu.  For large menus, you can scroll up or down using the small handles at the top or bottom of the menu.  After you choose one, if you re-open the menu there is a small check mark next to the value already in the field.

This type of list can be added to by selecting "Other..." and typing the new value in the small pop-up window.  The new value gets entered into the field, as well.

This type of value list is called a "pop-up menu" in this manual.

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3. Settings : Diagnosis and Procedure Codes

This section contains information about:

ClientTracker comes with standard diagnosis (ICD-9) and procedure (CPT) codes pre-entered. The Diagnosis Codes and Procedure Codes tabs in the Settings area allow you to edit these codes, or add your own codes using the New Code button. 

While some codes are provided, the actual codes you use on claims and invoices are your responsibility.



Note:   If your office charges No Show and Invalid Cancellation Fees, create a record for these in either a Procedure Codes or an Inventory. Then you can add them to a client's invoice.

As with most lists, you can click on the header text of each column to sort the visible records by that column, in ascending or descending order. The dates when diagnosis and procedure codes were updated and modified are displayed, as well as a button to delete codes. The updated date refers to the date the codes were imported into ClientTracker from the Ginkgo Software website. The modified date is when they were modified by a user.

You can also mark the diagnosis codes or procedure codes you use most frequently, and these will come to the top of lists where you choose one during data entry.

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Managing Diagnosis and Procedure Codes

To edit information in the diagnosis or procedure code List screens, you can click on the description, category, price, or any other field in a code (other than dates), and type new information. If you edit your codes or download updates, the new codes can be entered in new invoices, but previously created invoices are not affected.

The New Code button on the diagnosis code and procedure code list screens allows you to create a new code for your practice.  There are also buttons to Show All Codes following a search, and Print your code lists.





The List screens can be sorted by any column that has a sort symbol.


Use the Delete button to permanently remove a code from its list.  (Certain restrictions apply - see info on each type of code below.)


QuickFinder

You can search for specific codes with the QuickFinder at the bottom of the screen, by selecting a target column and typing the words or partial words you want to find in the description.  For example, typing "neurological" in a category search displays all records in the neurological category.




Note:  When a list is filtered by using the QuickFinder, the Print icon will print only the codes in the current found set.
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Diagnosis Code Information

For Diagnosis Codes, you can set the ICD-9 or other Code and Description that will be used when the code is selected on an invoice.  For your own information, you can optionally set Category, Pain designation, and/or Modality.  Codes can be designated "Frequent," and will sort first alphabetically in lists.




If you use certain Diagnosis Codes regularly for a type of visit, you can set default codes in a SOAP Template.  For more information on SOAP Templates, see SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Manage SOAP Templates.


Deleting Diagnosis Codes




Use the Delete button to permanently delete any single code from the list.

Note: If the code has been used on a SOAP Template or any SOAP Note or invoice (including in the future), it would not be deleted from those areas.


Tip:  If you need to delete large numbers of records, use the Select checkbox for each, then click Delete Selected at the bottom of the screen. There are also Select All and Deselect All links to assist you.

Free Diagnosis Codes
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Procedure Code Information

For procedure codes, you can set the default modifiers, quantity, price, and tax rate class If any) that will be used when the code is selected on an invoice.  You should enter your practice's price for each procedure in the Price column before generating any invoices.  For more information on setting the tax rates, see Settings> Practice>Sales Tax Overview.

Note:  A negative Price cannot be entered.Tip:  When you change the price on a Procedure Code, it will be updated on any SOAP Template or future SOAP Note on which it is being used. The same is true if you change the tax rate. (Past procedures on SOAP Notes and invoices will not change in price.)




If you use certain procedure codes regularly for a type of SOAP note, you can set default procedures in a SOAP Template.  For more information on SOAP Templates, see SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Manage SOAP Templates.


Deleting Procedure Codes


Use the Delete button to permanently delete any code from the list. 

IMPORTANT:  Procedure Codes cannot be deleted if they have been used on a SOAP Template, or on a future SOAP Note.
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Download or Import Diagnosis Codes

You can download updates to standard diagnosis codes from Ginkgo Software's Web site.  You can also import your own lists from other compatible sources.



Step 1 - Choose Source Codes

To begin, select File --> Import Diagnosis Codes from the top menu while connected to the Internet. You will be presented with a choice:

  1. Import a file that comes from Ginkgo Software.

  2. Import your own list of codes.  To be imported, a file must be in Comma Separated format (.csv), and can be located anywhere on your computer.


Step 2 (if needed) - Download Codes

A pop-up message asks, "Do you have your own Diagnosis Code list to import, or would you like to import one from Ginkgo Software?"

Note: Before downloading a new file from the Ginkgo web site, check the "updated" date for your codes. There is no need to download and install the update unless it is more recent than your current codes.


Step 3 - Select Any Existing Codes to Keep

The Update screen will show all codes, and provide an opportunity to keep the ones that you don't want overwritten with update info; i.e. custom codes that you have created for your practice.  Check the box next to each code you want to keep, and then click Continue.

Warning:  Codes not selected to keep will be deleted by the Update process.  You may want to print a list for reference, which you can do at the bottom of this screen.


Tip:  You may want to use the Print List link at the bottom of the screen to preserve any customized info before the Update process.

Click Continue at the bottom of the Update screen once you have selected any codes you want to keep, and proceed to Step 4, where you will browse your computer for the file to be imported.


Step 4 - Find and Import the Codes

In the Open File dialog, search your computer for your file.  This is a standard dialog from your computer's operating system.  You may want to change the "Files of Type" option at the bottom to locate your file.

Note:  It is strongly recommended to import only Excel or other spreadsheet files, because of their compatibility with ClientTracker. Each row in the spreadsheet will become a new record in ClientTracker. If one of the records is just column labels, you can easily delete it.

When you click Open to select a file, you will be shown a complex series of import dialog boxes.  The functions on these dialogs are advanced options not covered in this manual.

Tip: It is strongly recommended to click the default buttons without making any changes or selecting any options. It's easier to manage the data once it has been imported into ClientTracker.

If you get an error message that says "ClientTrackerDATA_1 could not be opened. (Not Found)" click OK, then Cancel.

You will return to the diagnosis codes list with the new codes isolated as a Found Set.  Once a code has been updated or imported in this way, you can edit it on the main list and use it to create invoices.

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Download or Import Procedure Codes

You can download or import procedure codes from Ginkgo Software's Web site when a newer version is available.  You can also import your own lists from other compatible sources.  This process will ADD codes to the list already in Ginkgo, and nothing will be deleted.  You can manage or delete the codes you don't want after completing the import process.



Step 1 - Choose Source Codes

To begin, select File --> Import Procedure Codes from the top menu of the procedure codes list while connected to the Internet. You will be presented with a choice:

  1. Import a file that comes from Ginkgo Software.

  2. Import your own list of codes.  To be imported, a file must be in Comma Separated format (.csv), and can be located anywhere on your computer.


Step 2 (if needed) - Download Codes

A pop-up message asks, "Do you have your own Procedure Code list to import, or would you like to import one from Ginkgo Software?"

Note: Before downloading a new file from the Ginkgo web site, check the "updated" date for your codes.  There is no need to download and install the update unless it is more recent than your current codes.


Step 3 - Find and Import the Codes

In the Open File dialog, search your computer for your file.  This is a standard dialog from your computer's operating system.  You may want to change the "Files of Type" option at the bottom to locate your file.

Note:  It is strongly recommended to import only Excel or other spreadsheet files, because of their compatibility with ClientTracker. Each row in the spreadsheet will become a new record in ClientTracker. If one of the records is just column labels, you can easily delete it.

When you click Open to select a file, you will be shown a complex series of import dialog boxes.  The functions on these dialogs are advanced options not covered in this manual.

Tip: It is strongly recommended to click the default buttons without making any changes or selecting any options. It's easier to manage the data once it has been imported into ClientTracker.

If you get an error message that says "ClientTrackerDATA_1 could not be opened. (Not Found)" click OK, then Cancel.


Step 4 - Confirm the Newly Imported Codes

After the data has been imported as new records, these will be isolated on a simple confirmation screen for your review and confirmation before they are added to your procedure codes list.










At the bottom of the screen, click Cancel to abort the import process and delete these records (in case you made a mistake), or Continue to keep them and return to the main procedure codes list.

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4. Calendar : The Calendar Area


The ClientTracker calendar is a system of schedules on which you can create manage client visits to your practice.   There are many ways to use it, including list or graphic views, printouts, reminders, and communications. 

Details in this section include:

For information on setting up the calendar in ClientTracker, see Settings> Program/Defaults>Calendar Defaults.

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Select a Calendar View or Date

When you first open the calendar, the current day is displayed in the default view you set in Settings/Program.  The main choices of view are:  Column View (by Practitioner or by Room), or List View (by Practitioner or by Date Range).

The Day, Week, and Month tabs allow you to switch the scope of the schedule.  This is handy for looking at upcoming or past appointments, and for seeing when to schedule new appointments.




Each view is explained in more detail below.

Select a View

Each view screen has one or two drop-down View Selectors to the right of the day and date near the top of the screen.  By selecting a view from the drop-down menu, you can choose to view the schedule as appropriate to the chosen view screen.

An appointment can be made easily in any view (see Calendar> Create New Appointments for more info).  In a List View, the appointments and reminders appear as rows of separate lists.  In a Column View, appointments and reminders appear as "bubbles" on the schedule, spanning from their start time to their end time, and displaying the client's name. Depending on the actual view screen, the room or practitioner's initials may also be shown.


Select a Date

There are several ways to select a date, all of which appear on both list or column Day views.  There are slight variations for Week or Month, which are discussed below.

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List Views

Single Day List

Select View "As a List" from the drop-down menu at the top of the column view by Day to display the calendar as separate portals of all appointments and reminders for that day. The portals can be scrolled up or down, and seen for just one practitioner or All.














All Appointments 

The View "All Appointments" choice in the drop-down view selector will display all future, present, and past appointments in a selected Date Range; with all reminders in a separate portal.  This list will default to all appointments from 30 days ago to the current date, to save time loading what might be a long list.  You can change the Start and End dates to show any time period.














Similarities

In either List view, the Control Panel has the same five main icons as other screens in the Calendar area.  For more information on their functions, see the referenced details.




Similar Functions in Portal Rows

Appointments - Click on a portal row to open the Appointment pop-up window for the scheduled visit,

Reminders - Click on a row to open the Reminder pop-up window, or check the Done box (optional) to show the event has been taken care of.

Color Coding of Appointments - When an appointment is displayed in any view, the client name will be in a different color to signify various events.

  • Blue = Appointment falls on client's birthday.
  • Green = Initial Visit
  • Red = No Show
  • Red = Canceled Invalid (List view only)
  • Gray = Canceled Valid (List view only)
Other Similar Functions

Differences

Day List View

Tip:  List View by Day is usually best for reviewing a day's appointments, or checking in clients, as it displays all appointments for one day in a sortable portal that includes sorting by time.


All Appointments View

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Column Views

Select View "By Practitioner" or "By Room" from the drop-down view selector, and ClientTracker provides an interactive, graphical display of an appointment book, which can be viewed by Day or Week.  The left and right sides represent times of the day, and are called the "time line."  The columns can be displayed by practitioner or by room; each with its own column.  The View by Room display can also be viewed by practitioner.















If there are two or fewer active practitioners or rooms listed in Settings/Practice, only two columns are displayed.  If there are three or more listed, five columns are displayed.  The five column view can be scrolled horizontally left or right to accommodate larger numbers of practitioners or rooms, by clicking the narrow horizontal scroll button shown at left.  The button for horizontal scrolling will display only if there are more than five practitioners or rooms; depending on the selected view.

In the column views, appointments show as a gray "bubble" spanning a vertical portion of the column from start time to end time.  Reminders show as a green bubble, and any bubbles can overlap in the same column.


Note: When appointments and/or reminders overlap on a column view schedule, a small red asterisk [ * ] will show in that time slot. 


Scrolling the Column View Display

In the Day and Week views, regardless of the number of columns, the entire "page" of the calendar can be scrolled up and down in either 1 or 3 hour increments by use of the time line.


To scroll 3 hours, just click the orange triangle at the top or bottom of the time line


To scroll 1 hour, hold down the Shift key while clicking an orange triangle

Tip:  If appointments or reminders exist outside of the viewable area, the orange triangle has a white triangle inside it, as shown. 

The graphic column view starts with the topmost hour being the one selected in Settings/Program, and can be scrolled up (earlier) or down (later) until 12 midnight.

If there are more than five active practitioners or rooms, each will have its own column in the respective Practitioner or Room view, and new horizontal scrolling controls will appear.  Only five columns are visible at a time.  The columns will scroll as many as five at a time.


Printing from a Column View


In a Column View, clicking thPrint icon will open the Visit Print Menu pop-up window, from which a variety of appointment schedules can be printed, depending on the view.  See Calendar> Printing Calendar Information>Using the Visit Print Menu for more info.

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Day Views

There are a variety of Day Views that show one day's appointments and reminders only.  When you first open the calendar, it will show the current day in the view selected as the default in Settings/Program (either column or list view).  You can change the view as follows:


Select a Date

There are several ways to select a date, all of which appear on both list or column Day Views.  There are slight variations for Week or Month, which are discussed below.

Note: The green highlight color in the calendar displays signifies the selected day; that is, the day you are currently viewing/working on. In week view or month view, it is the date that will be automatically entered in the new appointment dialog box. By contrast, "Today" is highlighted in peach.

Click a day in the small "date picker" calendar on the left to go to that day.  This small monthly calendar indicates the selected day and month, and Today (if appropriate).





Use the previous [<] or next [>] arrow buttons in the Navigation Bar just above the date picker calendar to view the same day in an adjacent month.


Click the date showing just below the monthly calendar for a drop-down calendar date picker.  Or, click it a second time to manually enter the target date; then click the small magnifying glass to display it.



In the Control Panel of a Day or Week view screen, click the Prev. or Next arrow buttons to move to the previous or next day or week.




In the Month view, there are two Navigation Bars that go to the previous or next month or year.




In the Control Panel, click the Today icon to quickly return to the current day.




Note:  When on a Day View, clicking the Print icon will result in a variety of choices and formats for printing a single day's schedule of appointments and reminders. See Calendar> Printing Calendar Information for more info.
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Week View




Click the Week tab to view the schedule for a whole week in column format.  It looks much the same as a column view by Day, except that now there is one column for each day of the week (but only five columns show at a time).  The Week view is also scrollable horizontally and vertically.  Scroll left to view Monday through Friday.  Scroll right, and it shifts to Wednesday through Sunday.  Scrolling up or down with the time line works the same way (see "Column Views" above.)

The display can be viewed only by practitioner, showing one or all practitioners. Appointments and reminders for different practitioners and/or rooms may overlap in the display. (If they do, a small red asterisk will appear next to the client name.) This view is most useful when looking at a week's schedule for one practitioner.

When first accessed, the Week view will show Monday through Friday of the week containing the currently selected day, unless the selected day is a Saturday or Sunday, in which case it shows Wednesday through Sunday.  The selected day shows with green text in its black header, and the current day shows with orange text.

The Week view displays in different ways than the Day view:


From the Week view, the Print icon will print a week's schedule of appointments and reminders for the selected practitioner, in a simplified column format.

Tip:  To print a week's schedule of appointments in a variety of formats, enter the week Start and End dates in the date range QuickFinder fields on the All Appointments view.
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Month View




Click the Month tab to view the Calendar schedule for the entire current month.  The Month View looks like a standard calendar, displaying dates with only the first four appointments of the day showing. If there are more than four appointments in that day, a small blue "more" shows at the bottom of that day. Also, if there are reminders for that day, a small green "Reminders" message will show.















Clicking on a date will take you to the default Day View for that date (the default is set in Settings/Program). Clicking on the yellow dot to the right of any week will take you to the Week View for that week.

In the Functions Bar are month and year navigation bars with previous [<] and next [>] buttons to display a different month and/or year.  The month navigation bar also has a drop-down menu in the middle where you can quickly choose to view another month in the same year.

In Month view, you can display a month's worth of appointments for any single practitioner, or all practitioners (within the limitations of the display).  Use the drop-down view selector in the top banner next to the tabs.

Clicking the Print icon in Month view will print a representative calendar page, showing only the first few appointments for each day in the current month.

Tip:  To print a week's schedule of appointments in a variety of formats, enter the week Start and End dates in the date range QuickFinder fields on the All Appointments view.


Notes:

When you switch to a Day View, ClientTracker will always load the default view, which you set in Settings/Program Settings.  If needed, simply select the same practitioner from the drop-down filter in the new view as needed.

Appointments and reminders can be created from the Month View screen, but their details cannot be viewed or edited except on other calendar screens.

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Tips for Finding an Open Appointment
ClientTracker's graphical Column Views make it simple to search for open appointments broadly, or in a more focused way.

Note: The List and Month views show only scheduled appointments; not open time slots. Use the Day or Week Column Views to look for open appointments.

In the Day or Week view, you can see the columns (and their open appointments) by Room, by a selected Practitioner, or for All Practitioners.  If there are more columns than the 5 displayed, use the horizontal scroll bars (explained above) to see more.  The selected time range will stay the same as you scroll left or right through the columns.

Use the date picker calendar to go to a new day or week.

For more info about making appointments once you find an open slot, see:
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4. Calendar : Create New Appointments

There are two main starting points for creating appointments in ClientTracker.

  1. From the calendar (see below)
  2. From the Client/Personal screen (see New Appointments from the Client Record)
Other details in this section include:


Types of Appointments

Single - Create one appointment for a client

Recurring - Create multiple appointments for one client, sharing practitioner, room, start and end times, SOAP Templates, and other appointment info.  See Calendar> Recurring Appointments for more info.

Tip: See Calendar> The Calendar Area>Tips for Finding an Open Appointment for some suggestions for finding open appointments in the Calendar.


Three Basic Steps to Create a Single Appointment from the Calendar

STEP 1 - Open the Appointment Pop-up Window from one of two places:

1. In a Column View screen by Day or by Week, click the New Appt button in the Functions Panel or an empty time slot in a column to begin.

Note: A new appointment can be made in a Column View screen either by clicking an empty time slot, or Shift-click if there is already an appointment there. Ctrl-click will create a new reminder.

2. In a List View screen, click the New Appt button.

STEP 2 - Use the Appointment QuickFinder to Locate a Client


The first pop-up Appointment window you see will tell you to "start typing a name to choose a client."  Type a few letters in the QuickFinder, and the portal below will change with each keystroke to display only those clients who have the text as part of their name. 

To select any client and continue, simply click on their name.

To see matching non-client Insured persons (if any), click the blue link that appears below the clients portal, e.g. "3 matches in insured." 

Note: Insured persons are used for Client insurance policies, and cannot be scheduled for appointments. However, you can turn an Insured person into a client by selecting them in the QuickFinder to access their Detail screen.  See Clients> Client Invoices Tab for more info.

If you are sure that the person you are looking for is not displayed, click New Client to create an appointment for a new client (see Appointments for New Clients).

Click Cancel to close the pop-up window and abort the process.

STEP 3 - Enter Basic Appointment Information (see Enter Appointment Information below for more detail)

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Enter Appointment Information

Enter appointment information in the main Appointment pop-up window.  Required information is marked below with an asterisk (*).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 






Client* - Selected from the QuickFinder, client record, or created as a new client.  Click the client icon in the pop-up window's banner next to the current client's name to change the client (see example at left).

Date* - Auto-entered from the currently selected date on the calendar.  Click the date to change it.

Note: There is no restriction on how far in the future or past an appointment date can be, but if it's in the past, a pop-up message will ask for confirmation.

Practitioner* - Auto-entered from the schedule if you clicked a time slot from a specific practitioner's column to begin.  Otherwise, the auto-entry options below will apply.  Select or change the practitioner from the pop-up menu.

     Practitioner Auto-Entry Options

Room* - Auto-entered from the schedule if you clicked a time slot from a specific room's column to begin.  Otherwise, the auto-entry options below will apply.  Select or change the room from the pop-up menu.

     Room Auto-Entry Options

Start Time* - Auto-entered from the schedule if you clicked a time slot from a specific column to begin.  Otherwise, select or change the time from the pop-up menus.

End Time* - The end time will be automatically set for the default duration according to your choice in Settings/Program.  You may also select or change the time from the pop-up menus.

     Time Entry Options

Appointment Notes - (Optional) This is automatically filled with text from the client's Check-In Info from their Personal screen.  The text can be added to or edited as needed, and when printing schedules you will have the option to print the notes or not.

SOAP Template - (Not editable in the Appointment pop-up window) If a SOAP Template is set up for the chosen practitioner, it will be assigned to the appointment.  This can be changed from the SOAP note.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Manage SOAP Templates for more info.

Hide Initial Visit Flag - (Conditional) This checkbox shows only if a client is seeing the chosen practitioner for the first time.  Checking this box will hide the Initial Visit flag that appears on the calendar, printed schedules, and visit information.  See Calendar> The Calendar Area>List Views for more info.

Button Choices

Create Recurring - Apply all the current appointment information to create a series of recurring appointments.  See Calendar> Recurring Appointments for more info.

Cancel - Abort creation of the appointment without warning, and lose all information entered.

Save - Create the appointment in the schedule, and display more info and options on the Appointment pop-up window.  When you click Save, the following events will occur:

After saving, the pop-up window provides options to:

Simply click Close this Window to close the Appointment pop-up window without any further changes.

Note: In Column Views, the appointment may overlap with other appointments or reminders for a practitioner, as this is allowed by ClientTracker. If this happens, a red asterisk [ * ] will appear next to the client's name.  Use List View to see all appointments and reminders in a time slot.  See below for more information.

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Appointments for New Clients

When creating an appointment, you may know you are dealing with a new client (i.e. one never seen before at your practice), or you may need to check if they are already in ClientTracker.  The goal is to avoid duplicate entries of clients as much as possible.

ClientTracker allows you to create a new client "on the fly," without leaving the calendar area.  Simply click the New Appointment button or a slot in the calendar to access the QuickFinder in the Appointment pop-up window (see above).

If you are unsure whether a person has been seen before, enter his/her name in the QuickFinder, and see if there are any matches.  (Be sure to check for Insured matches in the blue link below the list, if you bill insurance.) 

If there are no matches, or if you are certain this is indeed a new client, click the New Client button to switch to a quick entry pop-up.

Tip: A tooltip will display additional information for each match in the QuickFinder portal. If you need to view a client record to see more information, click Cancel to close the Appointment window, then go to the Clients area and search for the client the usual way.


The New Client button will provide a small screen for entering vital information about a new client, as the the appointment is in the process of being made.

Enter at least the first and last name, and a phone number. You can enter more info in the spaces provided, or make the appointment first; then go to the new client's record to add more.

Clicking Cancel on this screen will abort both the creation of a new client and the appointment.

Note: If a new client is created from the Appointment pop-up window, clicking the Continue button creates the client record - which will remain in ClientTracker even if the appointment creation is canceled, or the appointment is subsequently deleted.

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Initial Visit

When a client is seen by a practitioner for the first time in ClientTracker:


The client's name is colored green in the Column view calendar, and either an "Initial Visit" or "IN" flag will show in other parts of the Calendar and throughout ClientTracker.




Tip:  Whenever the first appointment is made for a client, the Appointment pop-up window has a checkbox: "Hide Initial Visit Flag."  Select this, for example, for clients you have been seen before, but are scheduling their first appointment in ClientTracker.  If this is checked, the client's name will not display in green on the schedule; nor will any other Initial Visit flags show.

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New Appointments from the Client Record

Click the Clients icon in the Functions Bar, and select the client for whom you wish to make an appointment.

From the Clients/Personal tab, click the New Appointment button. This displays the Appointment pop-up window. Follow the process described above to create an appointment.

Differences are:


You can see all past, present, and future Appointments & SOAPs for a client by clicking that tab. From there, you can create a new appointment in the same way as above by clicking the New SOAP icon in the Control Panel.  This method is also available on the SOAP Detail screen.

Tip:  A SOAP Note is the same as an appointment in this regard.  Creating a new SOAP Note will begin the New Appointment process; after which you can access the SOAP Note by clicking the SOAP button in the final Appointment window.
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Double-Booking, Groups, and Overlapping Appointments

When creating or editing an appointment, a pop-up message will alert you if there are any scheduling conflicts if the same Room is used.  Reminders and appointments can be scheduled in the same time slot according to the guidelines below.


Double-Booking (or Group) Appointments - Multiple appointments for the same room, practitioner and/or time slot are possible using the following guidelines:

For each of these methods, when the Appointment window pops up, fill out the overlapping times and other info for the second appointment as usual, then click Save.


Overlapping Appointments in Column View


When a Practitioner or Room time slot has more than one appointment, one or more red asterisks [ * ] will appear at the left of each time slot.  However, only the most recent appointment made is visible in the Column view screen.

Click the time slot to open the Appointment info pop-up for the visible appointment.

Shift-click the time slot to create a new appointment beginning in that same time slot.

Hover your mouse over the time slot to see a tooltip containing info about all the appointments in any time slot.

To see all overlapping appointments in a time slot, use the List view.

Tip: To track clients who want a cancellation for certain times, create a practitioner called "Waiting List" and create appts for any client wanting an appt at that time.

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4. Calendar : Manage Appointments

The Appointment Info Pop-up Window
Details in this section include:















The Appointment pop-up window appears right after a new appointment is created, or opens when you click on an existing appointment. It displays key information about the appointment and provides access to other related functions.  

You can also open this Appointment pop-up window from both the SOAP Note list and detail screens. Click on the small yellow Notes image that is left of the appointment date (see example below). Some practices use this to identify why a client is being seen.



Throughout this manual, this is referred to as the "Appointment Info pop-up window."

Information

Many details about the appointment or client are displayed, depending on the type and conditions of the appointment.  Most information is not editable from this pop-up.  To change anything, click Edit (see Edit an Appointment below).

Tip:  Appointment Notes are auto-filled from the client's Check-In Info field on the Personal screen for every appointment. You can add a note for an individual appointment when you create or edit the appointment.

Tip:  Appointment Notes can be seen in 3 places:  in tooltips, on printed schedules and on the Appointment Info pop-up window.  You may want to put life-threatening issues in all caps to stand out.


Buttons & Links

The Appointment info pop-up window gives you several options:

Variable buttons:


Communication Buttons - There are five buttons and one blue link available for creating a communication to the client.  All of these buttons will close the Appointment pop-up window as well.

Note: An appointment confirmation email may already have been sent automatically.  If the client has a valid email, a Resend Confirmation Email link will show.  Clicking this will create a new email confirmation message and record in the client's Communication portal.


The blue Pen Nib button will take you to the Communications List screen, and show all communications for that client.


Click Close this Window to close the Appointment Info pop-up window.

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Edit an Appointment


Editing an appointment includes deleting, rescheduling, canceling, changing status, or making other changes to an existing appointment.  You can edit a past, current, or future appointment (if in the past, you will be asked to confirm the changes).

The Appointment edit window is only accessible from the Appointment Info pop-up window by clicking the Edit button, after which you can perform the following actions:

Delete the Appointment - Click the Delete button, and a message will ask for confirmation. Choose Yes, and the appointment will be permanently deleted from ClientTracker with no history.  If there is already an invoice for this appointment, you will have to void that first before you can delete the appointment.

Appointments that already have an invoice created or linked to the SOAP Note cannot be deleted.  The remedy is either to click the Unlink Invoice link on the pop-up, or go to the SOAP Note to review it and unlink the invoice from there.  See SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes for more info.

Warning:  Deleting an appointment will permanently delete any SOAP Notes associated with that appointment, which are part of the client's medical record if the client was seen.


Reschedule the Appointment - You can change any schedule parameter: date, time, room, and practitioner.  Once you click OK, the appointment will move to the new location on the  calendar.  There will be no record of the change, and you will be given the option to send a new appointment confirmation email to the client.

Tip:  If desired, make a note of the rescheduling in Appointment Notes before you save it.


Cancel the Appointment - Check Canceled Valid or Canceled Invalid and click OK, and the appointment will be removed from the Column and Month views of the calendar, but will still appear in List views and the client's Appointments & SOAPs screen; with a status of Canceled Valid or Canceled Invalid. (The client's name will be dimmed in the List views.)

Tip:  Some practices use "Canceled Valid" to indicate when an appointment was canceled by the office, or by the client within an acceptable time frame. "Canceled Invalid" is intended to be used, for example, if your practice charges for last-minute cancellations.


Flag a No Show - Check No Show and click OK, and the appointment will remain in the all views of the calendar, and will appear in the client's Appointments & SOAPs screen with a status of No Show. (The client's name will also be colored on the List view.)

Tip:  The cumulative statuses of a client's appointment history is tracked on the Client's Personal screen (SOAP Info tab), and from Reports/Templates & Marketing as the Clients' Visit & Invoice Summary.


Making Other Changes - You can always open the Appointment edit pop-up window to add to the Appointment Notes.  Be sure to click OK to save any changes. 

Tip:  Appointment Notes are auto-filled from the client's Check-In Info field on the Personal screen, or you can add to them manually.  They can be seen on the Appointment Info pop-up window, in tooltips, and on printed schedules.  A small yellow Notes icon will appear next to appointment listings if there are any Appointment Notes to read (see example below). Some practices use this to identify why a client is being seen.


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Find Existing Appointments

In ClientTracker, finding appointments is the same as finding SOAP Notes or visits.  All are synonymous as records of clients who will be or have been seen in your practice.  An appointment becomes a "visit" in terminology after the appointment time passes.  A SOAP Note is a medical record of a client visit.

To find any past, current, or upcoming visits & appointments, go to the Reports screen and run the "Find" report under Appointments & Visits. This opens the Find Appointments & Visits screen, where you can specify a variety of criteria.













You can also specify the title of the displayed results of your find, (also known as a "found set"), which will show as a sortable, editable list. From this list screen, you can choose to print the results with or without a title.


Printing Found Appointments or Visits

Before printing, you can omit any unwanted appointments/visits from the report by clicking the Omit button.  When ready, click the Print icon in the Control Panel to open a pop-up window of "Visit Print Menu" choices.  Change or delete the title of the printout as needed, then select one option:

Print as Appointments List = Like a schedule; sorted by date and time; with appointment-related information.

Note:  The appointments option is also available via the Calendar. Clicking Print from any Day view of the calendar gives you a preview of the Appointments List, which you can then print.  See Calendar> Printing Calendar Information for more info.

Print as Visits/SOAPs (sorted exactly as you see in your displayed results)

Click Cancel to abort the printing process.

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4. Calendar : Recurring Appointments

Details in this section include:

Recurring appointments are defined as a related series of appointments, with each starting out having all the same information except for the date. Recurring appointments in a series can be defined to repeat on one or more days per week; separated in increments of one week.  This may be useful, for example, when you have a client who will be seeing the same practitioner on the same day(s) of the week; at the same time; on a regular schedule -- such as once every week.

EXAMPLE 1 - Jane Smith will be seen every Tuesday at 1pm, in the exam room.  Her insurance pays for six visits, so this would be repeated six times, at a chosen frequency of every 1 week.

EXAMPLE 2 - Bob White needs to be seen twice a week for extended treatments.  He is available on Monday and Friday afternoons only.  Schedule recurring appointments on Monday and Friday at 1pm, and repeat once a week for 4 weeks.  (A total of 8 appointments.)

EXAMPLE 3 - Mary Jones wants to be seen twice a week for a month, but is only available on Tuesday and Thursday; at different times.  Because these appointments would not share the same time, they could be scheduled as either two separate series of recurring appointments, or as one - after which some of them would be individually edited to be at different times.

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Create Recurring Appointments
Recurring appointments are made in much the same way as a single appointment.


The Recurring Appointment pop-up window works much the same as for a single appointment.  There is, however, additional information that must be added.

The date of the appointment (in the upper right of the Recurring Appointments pop-up window) is referred to as the "First Appointment Date"

Note: The Recurring Appointments pop-up window will change to show additional displays that list the appointments being made (when sufficient info has been entered), and any conflicts that may result (after Save is clicked).

Additional information required for a series of Recurring Appointments:

EXAMPLE

  1. In the Recurring Appointment pop-up window, select a client, date, time, practitioner, and room as usual.  The First Appointment Date will be the current date, or the selected date on the calendar.

  2. Set the Frequency, i.e. "Every __ weeks."  This will set the interval between recurrence of the appointments.  The number should be at least 1, which is entered automatically.  For this example, enter 2.  This field cannot be blank.

  3. Select the day(s) of the week on which you want the recurring appointments to repeat (the First Appointment Date is preselected).  For this example, select Monday and Wednesday.

  4. Set a Duration to establish the number of recurring appointments in the series by defining the time period by end date ("Or until ____"), or in weeks ("For __ weeks").  For this example, enter "for 6 weeks."

  5. After Duration is set, the "Recurring" display (example below) will list the appointments that are part of the series, based on the parameters you have chosen.  In this example, a total of 6 appointments will be made.  You can change the parameters, and the displayed list will change, too.

  6. When you click Save, a pop-up window will confirm the dates and times of the appointments that will be made.  Click Confirm to make the appointments, or Change to go back and change something.

  7. If there are any room conflicts, a warning message will appear, and you will be taken back to a display of the conflicts.  Change the room and/or dates/times to resolve the conflicts.

Recurring Appointment Notes

Once a Recurring Appointment series is saved, all its appointments are treated as single, unrelated appointments for editing purposes -- with the exception of the Delete option, for which you can choose to delete just the one appointment, or all in the series.

A small R will appear next to each appointment info on calendar and other displays throughout ClientTracker, to signify that this is a recurring appointment.

The same SOAP Template (if any) assigned to the selected practitioner will be applied to all the Recurring Appointments in a series.  Changing the practitioner may change the SOAP Template.

Tip:  Type either a number, e.g. "For 6 weeks" or a date, e.g. "Or until 7/24/2008," but not both.  Clicking either field will delete any data in the other field.

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Edit a Recurring Appointment or Series

The details of each recurring appointment are viewed in the same Appointment Info pop-up window as for regular appointments.  The entire series can be viewed by clicking the Recurring Appointment link in the pop-up window.

Each appointment in a recurring series is treated as an individual appointment by ClientTracker.  Editing recurring appointments is mostly like editing a single appointment (see Calendar> Manage Appointments>Edit an Appointment).  The following special conditions apply:


Clicking one of the above links will show a portal of all appointments in the recurring series.  This is for informational purposes only, and cannot be edited.

Recurring appointments that have a linked invoice will show with purple text in this list.  These cannot be deleted until the invoice is unlinked.

Click View List to see all the recurring appointments in the portal as a printable, sortable list, or Close to return to the previous view.




Remove an Appointment from a Recurring Series

Another link in the pop-up window, Remove from Series, will ask when clicked, "Are you sure you want to remove this appointment from its recurring series?"  

Tip:  To see a list of all appointments (single or recurring from the past, present, and future), go to the client's Appointments & SOAPs tab.

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4. Calendar : Appointment Confirmation

Details in this section include:

If enabled, ClientTracker will send an automatic email confirmation to clients, immediately after an appointment is created and Save is clicked.  The time that an automatic email confirmation is sent cannot be customized in this version.  To enable this feature,








To disable this feature, go to Settings/Program, and Set all Clients' email confirmation to Off, and make sure the checkbox for "Default: Turn on for all new Clients" is unchecked.  You can temporarily disable this feature at any time, and re-enable by selectively or globally checking the clients' Enable appt confirmation by email box.






If you need to resend the appointment confirmation email, this can be done anytime up to the day before an appointment, if the above conditions still apply.

Tip:  Use the calendar List view to send reminders to all scheduled clients a few days before their appointments.

You can keep track of when an appointment has been confirmed by entering a date in the "Confirmed" field that appears on the calendar List view, or on the Appointment Info pop-up window.  Sending or resending an appointment confirmation email will not automatically enter any date into this field; it is intended only as an optional method to be used if your practice finds it helpful.

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The Appointment Confirmation Email Template

The appointment confirmation email comes from a Communication Template that can be customized (except for the Subject line and actual appointment information, which is generated by ClientTracker as part of the email).  To edit this, go to the Reports area and click the Templates & Marketing tab.






When the automatic sending of appointment confirmation emails is enabled, it is important to keep the following in mind:

For more information about using Communication Templates, see Communication> Templates & Segments.

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Add a Google Map to Your Confirmation Email
There is an optional Merge Field that will add a Google map to your practice address as part of the automatic appointment confirmation template.  To include this, simply add the merge field to the body of the email.
  1. Go to the Reports area, on the Templates & Marketing tab, and select the  Communications Template called "Appointment Confirmation."

  2. In the Composer screen for the Appointment Confirmation template, click theMerge Fields tab, locate your cur in the body of the email where you want the link to appear, and click "Practice Map" from the list.
Note: The merge field looks like this, %%practicegooglemapurl%%, but will convert to a URL format of your practice address, as used by Google at the time of this release. If Google changes its format, thiss may no longer work and will be fixed in a future version of ClientTracker.  DO NOT CHANGE THE MERGE FIELD TEXT.

Tip: Some email programs may not convert the text of the merge field URL into a clickable link in the recipient's email. We recommend testing by making an appointment for a "client" who has your email set up. You should also include in your template the phrase, "Note: If the above link doesn’t work, copy and paste the entire URL into your browser."

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4. Calendar : Printing Calendar Information

The Print icon in the Control Panel of all Calendar screens will print appointments in different sets and formats, depending on the current status of the Calendar.


Details in this section include:


List Views

All Appointments - Prints a schedule showing appointments within the entered Date Range for the selected practitioner, or for all of ClientTracker if "All Active Practitioners" is selected.  Uses Visit Print Menu (see Using the Visit Print Menu below).

Day View - Prints a schedule of all the appointments for the currently selected day and practitioner; or All Practitioners.  Uses Visit Print Menu (see Using the Visit Print Menu below).


Column Views

By Practitioner - Prints a schedule of all the appointments for the currently selected day and practitioner (or All Practitioners).  Uses Visit Print Menu (see Using the Visit Print Menu below).

By Room - Prints a schedule of all the appointments for the currently selected day, with a choice of printing one page for each room, or all the day's appointments sorted by room.

Week View - This will print on a static 1-page format with 7 columns for the days of the week.  Additional pages may print if the schedule is heavily booked.  Appointments are listed in time order, with minimal information about each.

Tip:  You can also use the Date Range option in the "All Appointments" view to print a schedule for any week, month, or other period.


Month View

The Month View prints in a static 1-page format that closely resembles what you see on the screen.

Calendar printouts are organized like a schedule (unless otherwise noted above), and the appointments are sorted by date and time.  The following information is on the schedule:

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Using the Visit Print Menu
Visits are synonymous with appointments in ClientTracker.  To print an appointment schedule from the Calendar, the following screens access further options in The Visit Print Menu:


Options available on this screen include:

-- Changing the title of the printed schedule from the one suggested by ClientTracker

-- Selecting the sort order (see below)

-- Choosing to print appointment notes or not





Tip: To print a day's schedule for each practitioner in your practice, select to view each practitioner's schedule in Day View, and print each schedule individually. This will save paper in case updates need to be printed for just one or two practitioners.


Appointment Schedule Sort Order

Date & Time - Prints with sections for each Date, with Reminders at the top and appointments sorted by time within each section.

Date, Practitioner, and Time - Prints with sections for each Date, with Reminders at the top of each section.  Within each Date there are subsections for each Practitioner selected, with appointments sorted by time within each subsection.

Practitioner, Date, and Time - Prints with sections for each Practitioner, with Reminders at the top of each section.  Within each section there are subsections for each Date selected, with appointments sorted by time within each subsection.

Note:  Reminders will be shown in aggregate for all practitioners in a date, or just for each practitioner; depending on the starting view and selected sort order.  Reminders for All Practitioners will show in each practitioner's section.
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4. Calendar : Calendar Reminders


ClientTracker's calendar allows the entry of custom reminders for any time displayed on the calendar.  Reminders can be created singly or in a recurring series, and edited or printed just like appointments. Ultimately, you will decide how best to use reminders for your practice.

Details in this section include:

Reminders have no function other than to appear on the calendar and printed schedules.  It is possible to mark a reminder as "done."

Tip:  Reminders can be used to show when a time slot is unavailable and why, e.g. "Lunch." However, the existence of a Reminder used in this way will not prevent scheduling an appointment, in case one is needed at that time.

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Create Reminders

From the different Calendar screens, you can create a reminder in 2 different ways:

  1. Column Views only: Ctrl+click on any time slot. (Even if it already has an appointment or reminder.)
  2. All screens: Click the New Reminder button in the Control Panel.


In the pop-up Reminder window, fill in the reminder information.

-- Date should be auto-filled, but you can change it as needed.

-- Practitioner will auto-fill if created from a practitioner column.

-- Start and End time.  Each reminder has a duration, just like an appointment. The default is 15 minutes. A reminder must have an end time in order to show up on the calendar.

-- Reminder text - This text will show on the calendar, up to the space allotted.

-- Click Cancel to abort and erase the reminder, or Save to keep it.






Saved reminders will show as a green bubble on the calendar Column Views, and as a row at the bottom of the List View. On the Month View, a green text flag, Reminders, will show if any have been created for that day. In addition, a flag will notify you if a reminder appears before or after the time range displayed on a Column View.






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Edit a Reminder
Click on a reminder in the calendar Column or List views, and a pop-up window will allow viewing & editing of any reminder information. Reminders can also be marked as Done in this pop-up window, or on the Calendar List View, and they will become dimmed in all views.

Click OK to save the reminder and close the pop-up window.  You can also click Delete to permanently delete the reminder.

Tip:  Use the edit feature to quickly "fast forward" a reminder to another date/time; even if it is in the past (uncheck the Done box as needed).
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Recurring Reminders

The rules for recurring reminders are the same as for recurring appointments.  For more info, see Calendar> Recurring Appointments.

Recurring reminders are made in much the same way as a single reminder.


The Recurring Reminders pop-up window works much the same as for a single reminder.  The only differences are that you also select the day(s) of the week on which reminders will occur, the Frequency, or increment of recurrence, and the Duration, or for how long the reminders will recur

There are additional displays that list the reminders being made (when sufficient info has been entered).


Recurring Reminder Notes

Tip:  Type either a number, e.g. "For 6 weeks" or a date, e.g. "Or until 7/24/2008," but not both.  Clicking either field will delete any data in the other field.

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Edit a Recurring Reminder

Each reminder in a recurring series is treated as an individual reminder by ClientTracker.  Editing recurring reminders is mostly like editing a single reminder (see above).   The entire series can be viewed by clicking the Recurring Reminder link in the pop-up window.

The following special conditions apply:

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Use Reminders to Block Appointment Slots

Reminders can be used on the Column View schedule as a way to "block" appointments, or to indicate unavailable time slots, e.g. Lunch.
















Simply create a Reminder in the time slot(s) that are unavailable, and it can be seen graphically on the Column View schedule.

Tip:  Use Recurring Reminders to create a series of blocked time slots, or to establish the schedule of practitioners if they reoccur in a pattern.  See Recurring Reminders above for more info.

Tip:  The Column View is the best way to view blocked appointments that are indicated by Reminders.

Note:  A Reminder will not prevent the making of an appointment in that time slot, so you can override it as needed for your schedule.


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4. Calendar : Export Appointments

Details in this section include:

From any calendar column or list layout, click the Export Appointments button to export appointments from the calendar to a choice of either .vcs (vCalendar) or .ics (iCalendar) format file on your computer's desktop. 

From there, you can use the file as you wish.  For example, you may import it into an PDA or other program where you need to see your schedule.

Note:  If passwords are enabled, this action can only be performed by someone with Admin privileges.


A pop-up window will open with a drop-down calendar from which you can select the Starting Date and Export Format.  All appointments from that date forward will be exported to a file on your desktop with the file name and type indicated.

Select a time zone to prepare the file correctly, and click Export.  The file will be created on your desktop without confirmation.

Click Cancel to abort the export process.

Tip: The first time you export ClientTracker calendar data, only do a days, in case you make an error on your first try. You may also want to make an additional "ClientTracker" calendar in your Google or other calendar program.

You can perform the Export Appointments process as often as you like.  The issues regarding how the data in the .vcs or .ics file will be handled by your other calendar program should be explained in its own documentation.  Google calendar wants the .ics (iCal) export.

Tip: If you change any info in an existing appointment in ClientTracker, and that appointment has already been exported, the changes should be updated in your other calendar upon import.  ClientTracker has been programmed to support this; however, the action may or may not be supported by your other calendar program.

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Technical Information About Exporting Appointments

For your appointments to export correctly, you must set the time zone for your practice.  Do this in Settings/Program, Calendar Defaults, or when you export the appointments.

Note:  The Time Zone for your practice needs to be updated with the change to and from daylight savings. Note:  ClientTracker only produces a .vcs or .ics file. How this is imported into other programs is not supported by Ginkgo Software. If you have any questions, consult the documentation for your other program.
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5. Clients : The Clients Area


The Clients icon  in the main Functions Bar will take you to the Client List screen, where you can quickly locate a single client from a list of all active clients.  This is also an optional startup screen, which can be selected under Settings/Program/Defaults.

This section of the manual has the following details:

The Clients Control Panel has five main icons:




Once you have accessed a specific client's record, there are five main screens in that client's area; represented by five navigation tabs:




Note:  The tab titles are gray if there is no information in them.

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The Client List Screen

This is a sortable list of all active client records in ClientTracker that is accessible by clicking the Clients List icon in the Control Panel of the clients area.  It is also the screen on which results of an Advanced Find are displayed.















Tip:  Inactive clients are omitted from this list when it first displays.  You can toggle between a list of all inactive and all active clients by using the "Show Omitted Only" command in the Records main menu selection at the top of the screen.


List Functions

Control Panel - This functions as described above.

The list is sortable by clicking headers marked with the sort symbol.  Toggle between ascending or descending sorts, and Shift+click to reset.






View Selector

On any Clients List view, click the Clients icon to open a view selector at the far left of the banner (just below the Back button).  When selected, different information about the same found set of clients will be viewable.  The four List views are also used to display the results of searches and reports.

Available views include:


Row Actions (Left to Right)


Click the Go button or the left side of a client's row (or the whole row) to see the detail, or Personal screen of any client

Click the Email icon to send an email to a client (this does not show unless there is a valid email address marked as 'Use' on the client's Personal screen)


Click Omit to remove a record temporarily from the list, for example, before printing


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Create a New Client

Click the New Client icon in the Control Panel of any client screen to open a pop-up window, where you can enter all or part of the client's name.  This pop-up window has two small QuickFinder portals that will show any existing Clients or Non-Client Insured people who match what you have typed.  This is an important step to reduce the number of duplicate entries, and to avoid having to enter unnecessary information.

Tip:  Hover your mouse over any name in a portal, and a tooltip will show more information about that person.


If you see a match, click the person's name:

Client - Will go to that client's Personal screen, where you can verify the client's identity and use the record, or click the New Client button again

Insured - Will go to the detail screen for the Non-Client Insured person, where you can click the Turn Into a Client button to use their information as a client, or the Done button to return to the Clients area.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Manage the Insured Person On the Policy for more info.

If you are sure that there are no matches, you can click the Create New button at any time.  Any text you have entered will be used in the new client's name fields.

A new client record must have a first and last name, and at least one phone number to be used.

Note:  A new client can also be created "on the fly" during the creation of an appointment in the Calendar. For more information, see Calendar> Create New Appointments>Appointments for New Clients.

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The Client QuickFinder

This utility at the bottom of the Clients List screen is the fastest way to find a single client.  Its display and functions are intended to help you narrow your search, and to see more information about a single client, or a found set of clients.  For additional search criteria, or to find a group of clients matching combined criteria, click the Find Client icon in the Control Panel.  See Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria below.



Tip:  Begin typing any part of a client's name in the QuickFinder, and the list will change with each keystroke, showing all clients whose first, last, or middle names match the typed text.  The list can be sorted for better viewing of the results.

The left, or "Target" field of the QuickFinder has a drop-down menu of the column headers on the List.  Select a column from the pop-up menu, and start typing search criteria in the right field to filter the list results.

When you see the matching client(s) in the list, you can perform any of the same functions as described for the Client List above.

Tip:  To return to the full Client List after using the QuickFinder, click the (x) button at the right of the QuickFinder panel.

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Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria

Click the Find Client icon on the Control Panel, and you will be able to find one or more clients that match multiple, flexible criteria.  This is the method for creating a Birthday List in v4.0.


The Choose Criteria selections involve four decisions, or categories:


Status - Select if you want to find Active or Inactive clients, or both (all clients).  One of these must always be selected.

Criteria - Choose up to four criteria from the drop-down menu, and enter a pertinent value.  For example, the criterion "Birth Month" expects the name of a month.  Use a symbol before a value to further define or limit your results.  You can combine up to four criteria, and search for clients who match (or do not match) all of them.  Use optional search operators to define your values (see below).

Criteria Match - Check this box only if you want to find clients who DO NOT match the above criteria.

Type of Find - Select if these criteria will be a New Find, will Narrow the found set, or Extend the found set.

Optionally, you may enter Search Criteria to expand your search criteria.  See How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information>Search Tips for more info.

Tips About Finding Clients:
-- A "found set" is a set of records that results from a Find. The resulting found set will be displayed on the main Clients List screen, from which you can print labels, lists, envelopes, etc.
-- Make a Birthday List by finding clients whose birthdays fall in a chosen month. Searching on the specific DOB is not possible in this version. The DOB will show on the "Basic List," which can be printed from the Client List screen.
-- To make a reusable Birthday Letter template in v4.0 and send it as a letter or email, you would create a Communications Template, then create a new communication with multiple recipients. Clients whose birthdays fall in a specific month can be added as a group of multiple recipients. See Communication> Create Communications>Multiple Recipients for more info.


Type of Find - Use these choices to determine the effect your search will have on the previous found set (if any).

You can go back to the Advanced Find screen repeatedly, and narrow or extend your found set as often as needed.

When you are ready, click the Continue button to view the Advanced Find results.  If there are no records that match your criteria, you will get a message box, and be returned to the Advanced Find screen.

Tip:  The number of records in the found set will display on the Clients List in the Record Navigator, along with the total number of records available (e.g. 25 of 50). Another display is in the QuickFinder on the Clients List, e.g. "25 records found, in a total of 50." In addition, the results display as "Found Set 25/50" near the bottom of the Advanced Find screen.

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Client Print Menu

Click the Print icon from most client screens to open the Print Menu pop-up window, from which a variety of information about one client (or a list of clients, if you are on a List screen) can be printed.

Print Options for All Screens

Client Personal Options (available only on the Personal screen)












Financial Reports
  • Transactions - Goes to the Transactions Report setup screen, with the client already selected

  • Payment Log - Goes to the Payment Log Report setup screen, with the client already selected

Client List Options (available only on client List screens)







Note:  Printed lists include only the current "Found Set," or those clients shown on the List view at the time of printing.

Other Options (available only on client screens other than List)

Note:  When viewing the list of client Appointments & SOAPs, these print options will not be available. Instead, the Print icon will print a list of the appointments & SOAPs.

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Export Client Info or Email

Beginning with version 4.0.15, you can export a preset list of data about any group, or "found set" of clients.  In other words, the data will be exported not just for the client you are currently viewing, but for all in the found set.
Tip:  Create the desired found set with the Advanced Find feature or the QuickFinder at the bottom of the Client List, then export the data. See Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria above for more info.

The data to be exported cannot be changed, except in the export file you create.  You can edit your export file any way you choose, and that's not part of ClientTracker's functions.


How To Export Client Data
  1. On the top Main Menu, select File, and then Export Client Data
  2. A new window will open, "Export Records to File"
  3. Select the type of file you wish to export to, its name, and location
  4. Click Save to create the file and export the data
Tip:  The export file has a lot of columns of data, and one row for each client. Delete the columns you don't need to use in your export file to protect patient privacy.


How to Export Client Email

Exports all client records in the current found set as a tab-separated or other type of file.  Choose the location and type of file in the dialog box that opens.  The file will contain only client names and email marked "Use" (if any).
  1. On the top Main Menu, select File, and then Export Client Emails
  2. Follow steps 2-4 above


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Manage Families

The Manage Families icon in the Control Panel takes you to the Families list screen, where you can view all families in ClientTracker, create a new family, or access other details about families. See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Manage Client Families for more detail on family functions.

Tip:  The Manage Families functions are often more meaningful and direct when accessed from a specific client's record. 
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5. Clients : Client Personal Tab

The Client Personal tab contains fields for all usual personal information: name, address, date of birth, social security number, gender, and so on.  You should fill out this screen as completely as needed for your practice.  ClientTracker uses this information for sorting information and generating reports.

Index of Fields and Functions on the Client's Personal Screen:


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Client Identifiers

Name

Prefix - Optional prefix available for communications (user-defined list)*

First, Middle, Last Name - Used throughout ClientTracker

Category

This is an optional, user-defined list* used for sorting or finding clients

Client ID

If you choose to use a Client ID, a field and label of the name you entered will appear next to Category.  After that, you can enter the value manually in the space provided for each client.  To set this up, see Settings> Program/Defaults>Client Default Information.  If you haven't set this up, you won't see it.

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Client Addresses

Clients can have multiple addresses, but only one can be designated as Primary.  The first address tab, called Primary Address, shows the address that will be used for communication -  including labels and envelopes.  To create this first address, click in any field or click the +New button.

Tip: a default city, state, and zip can be set up for all new clients in Settings> Program/Defaults>Client Default Information.


The second address tab shows the primary, plus any additional addresses entered for that client.  It will change its title to show how many addresses there are.  This second tab is invisible until there is at least one address.  The addresses are stacked in a portal like a strip of film, and can be scrolled up or down if there are more than two.

Note: When marked as Primary, any address info (even if incomplete) will print for chosen labels and/or envelopes. Tip:  Beginning with version 4.0.20, you can click on the ZIP link, and a web site will open for looking up the ZIP+4 Code based on the Client's address. You can edit the URL of the web site in Settings area, on the Programs/Utilities tab.

The first address created is automatically marked as the Primary and Insurance address, and can only be unmarked or switched to another address on the second tab.  When an address is designated for insurance use, it will be used on insurance policies and/or 1500 forms.

When there is no primary address at all, the first tab will say, "Primary Address Needed."   This is intended to be an alert during check-in or editing a client.

The Location field shows a user-defined list of descriptors, such as Home, Work, etc.  ClientTracker adds to this list a "bad" tag  [xBADx], which can be used to mark an address as bad, or  not to be used.  Choosing this tag will result in an alert on the tab that says, "BAD ADDRESS."  A xBADx or incomplete primary address shows on the Client List in italics for an additional alert.  It will, however, print on your invoices.

To delete an address, click the delete button on the second tab.  An address marked as primary cannot be deleted, but it can be designated xBADx.

Tip:  Your practice will decide how to best manage addresses and other client contact information, using the tools provided by ClientTracker.  For more tips, see Suggestions for Managing Unusable Client Contact Info below.

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Client Phone Numbers










Client phone numbers are displayed on a portal in the Phone - Email tab.  A row for the first phone number is automatically created for a new client, because at least one phone number is needed for a client to be valid.  Click the +New button to enter additional phone numbers.

Tip:  Phone numbers should be entered in the format 123-456-7890 for best display in ClientTracker, The area code can be set up to enter automatically. See Settings> Program/Defaults>Client Default Information.

The first phone number created is automatically marked as the Primary and Insurance phone number, and can be unmarked at any time.  A phone number designated as primary cannot be deleted. 

When a phone number is designated for insurance use, it will be used on insurance policies and/or 1500 forms.  When there is more than one phone number, you can choose which one to mark as primary, and which to use for insurance, by checking the boxes on its row.

There is a drop-down menu for each Phone Type, where you can choose from a list you set up, or click again in the field to enter an ad hoc descriptor.

Tip:  Do not list any phone numbers that you or the client do not want to be called.  Phone numbers in this portal show throughout ClientTracker, and "do not use" numbers can be stored in the Notes field, if desired.

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Client Email





When you create a new client, there is a blank row for their email.  Enter a Description, and when you click the Email Address field, a small pop-up box will open for data entry and validation.  After entry, the email address will be checked for validity according to common standards for email.  See Communication> Email Setup>Email Address Validation for more info.

IMPORTANT:  You can mark an email address as "Use" or uncheck the box to designate it as "do not use."

Tip:  You can keep as a placeholder any email that is determined to be invalid, e.g. to await further information, but you cannot mark an invalid email as "Use."


Enable Appointment Confirmation by Email

Check this box to enable a client to receive automatic email confirmations of scheduled appointments. If this is enabled, a confirmation email can be sent automatically at the time an appointment is made.  See Communication> Email Setup>Set Up Automatic Email Appointment Confirmation for more info.

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Suggestions for Managing Unusable Client Contact Info

Address

ClientTracker provides a "xBADx" value for Address Location (or Description), which will show a "BAD ADDRESS" flag on the client's Personal screen.  When mail is returned or an address is unusable, mark its Location as xBADx to alert your staff.






Note:  Do not change the xBADx value once it is entered, or it won't show the alert.

Other, optional things you might want to do:

  • If the xBADx address is marked as Primary, uncheck it so it won't be printed.
  • Add a note to the Check-in Info field, which will be used for appointment notes and can serve as a reminder to get a new address from the client.


Phone Number

If a phone number is unusable, we recommend you remove it from its place, and perhaps save it in the Notes field.  Optionally, you can enter into the Phone Type whatever you want, e.g. "BAD," or some other value of your choosing.  The value lists for client or company Phone Types are on Settings/Program/Value Lists.

If a Phone Number still exists in the portal, it displays in tooltips.  You may want to simply delete unusable phone numbers.  You can uncheck the Primary designation for any or all phone numbers, but be aware that ClientTracker uses the primary phone number in printed Appointment Lists and list screen displays.


Email Address

Only email addresses marked "Use" will be used in ClientTracker, according to your chosen email sending method.  There is a separate email validation process to reduce the chance of an email bounce-back due to formatting.  See Communication> Email Setup>Email Address Validation for more info.
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Client Practitioner & Invoice Defaults

Setting client defaults on the Defaults tab is optional, but can make data entry and processing faster.  Whenever a default is applied, it can be changed if needed.


Invoice Type - Select  Simple, Superbill, or 1500 as the type of invoice that will be generated for a client.

Practitioner - Select the practitioner who will see this client most often.  The practitioner will be automatically designated when the client makes an appointment, unless it is made directly on another practitioner's schedule.

The client will also show on that practitioner's list of assigned clients.  If the practitioner is inactivated, the default will remain in effect until changed.
Note:  A practitioner cannot be deleted if he/she is designated as the Default for any client. You would have to first remove these defaults before you can delete a practitioner.

Non-taxable products (for resale) - check this box, and taxes will not be added to any products added to invoices for this client.

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Client Photo

If you have a picture of your client on your computer, you can add it to the client record by clicking the +New Photo button at the top of the Photo tab.

Note: Before you link the photo, name it properly for placement in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder.  This folder is found in the Default File Path located in Settings/Program/Utility. See Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos

When you click +New Photo, it opens the "Please choose a photo" pop-up window and shows the contents of the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder. Select the desired photo.  If it is not in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder already, a pop-up message will ask you if you want to move or copy it to its new location.


Click the Delete button to delete the photo link.  This removes the link, but does not delete the actual photo file from its location on your computer.

To replace an existing photo with a new one, simply click the +New Photo button and repeat the process.  The new link will override the old one, and the original photo will remain in its folder.

Photos can also be added to specific client SOAP Notes.  For more information, see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Link & View Photos from a SOAP Note.

Warning:  The photo will no longer display if you: rename the photo, move the photo outside of ClientTracker Files-Photos folder, or move the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder. The remedy for the latter is to reset the Default File Path in Settings/Program/Utilities, or relink the photo.  See Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos for details.

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Client Referrals

The Referrals tab has two small subtabs inside it: Referred By for tracking information about who referred this client, and Referrals Made to show other clients that have been referred by this client.


Referred By tab

There are four fields for entering optional information about how the client was referred to your practice.

Client - Clicking this field will open a pop-up QuickFinder window, where you can choose another client from your practice who referred this client.  This information is intended for processing Thank You communication and reports.

Provider - Click this to select the referring provider from a list of those who are already entered in ClientTracker.  Click the Edit List link if you need to add a new Provider.  This information is also intended for processing Thank You communication and reports.

Note:  When using a provider for a referral, their information may used in other areas of the program. For instance, the referring provider's license number is required for 1500 forms.

When either a client or provider is entered in the Referred By tab, a small TY Letter needed link will appear under their name.  Click this to generate a Thank You letter or email at any time, or you can choose to run a report to show all clients or providers who need Thank You letters on Reports/Templates & Marketing.  This link will change to show the date a Thank You letter or email was sent, and will open the letter when clicked.  See Communication> Marketing with Communications>Send a Referral Thank You Communication to a Provider or Communication> Marketing with Communications>Client Referral Thank You for more info.

Note:  A new Thank You communication will always include the names of all eligible referred clients, i.e. those who have not yet been included on a Thank You for that referrer. You can choose which clients to include in the Thank You (see above).

After a Thank You has been sent for a referring Client or Provider, the blue link under their name changes to: TY Sent (date).  Clicking on this will show the completed communication.  For more info on functions regarding completed communications, see Communication> Create Communications>Completed Communication.


Referrals Made tab


This subtab shows a portal of clients that have been referred by this client.  The total number shows in the tab title.

Click the portal row or gray Go button to access the record of the referred client.

The date a TY Letter was sent will show automatically.  You can also enter this date manually to override ClientTracker's handling of referrals needing a Thank You letter.  For example, you may enter a date for a thank you made outside of ClientTracker, and this will show on the Referred By tab, under the name of the referring person.


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Client Files

Client files are actually "file links" because ClientTracker links to a file that already exists on your computer.  These file links are stored on the client Personal screen, in the Files tab.  If you have the application for a file, you can click a linked file in ClientTracker and open it in its application. You can view a PDF or view and edit a word processing document.

Note: Before you link a file, name it properly for placement in ClientTracker Files-Photos folder. This folder is found the Default File Path located in Settings/Program/Utilities. See Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos


To add a file to the Files portal, click the +New File button. This opens to the "Please choose a file" pop-up window and shows the contents of the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder. Locate the file, or click Cancel to abort the process.  You can store a link to any type of file.

If you select a file that is not in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder, Default File Path folder, a warning message asks you if you want to move or copy the file to its new location.



The Files Portal

After adding a file link, the name of the file shows in the Files portal. 

  • To see file details in a tooltip, hover your mouse over the small Go button to the left of the file name.

    • Click this button to access the File Link pop-up window, where any information such as notes about the file can be managed.

      • Choose to enter an optional category (e.g. letter, lab report, form, etc.) and/or a brief description of the file.

      • Write any Notes you need for the file, which will show in the tooltip described below.

      • Click Replace File Link to re-open the Please choose a file pop-up window, and browse your computer's file directory for another file, which will replace the existing file as a link.

      • Click Done to save the file link and any additional info.

  • The file name in the list serves as a link to the actual file.  A tooltip shows its filepath.  If you click the file name, the file will open in its parent application so you can view it, change it, etc.

  • Click Complete List to view all of the file links for this client in a sortable list.

To delete a file link, click the small delete button to the right of the file name.  This will delete the link to the file, but will not delete the actual file from your computer.

Warning: The file will no longer be linked, if you rename the file, move outside of the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder or move the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder to a new location.  The remedy is to reset the Default File Path in Settings/Program/Utilities, or relink the file.  See Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos for details.
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Manage Client Families

When a parent or spouse pays for treatment for another family member, it can be useful to organize clients into families in ClientTracker.  Payments on Account entered under one family member can be disbursed to invoices for other family members.  The Family tab on the Client Personal screen enables you to manage families.  A message in italics will tell you whether a client has been added to a family, and any family members will show in the list below.  Click the row of any family member to view their Personal screen.

A list screen of Family records can also be reached by clicking the Manage Families icon in the Control Panel.

To add a client to a family, click Add to an existing Family, or Form a new Family under the portal to begin.


Add to an Existing Family - This displays a list of families to choose from.  Click a row to select, or click Cancel to abort.  You can also Form a New Family if you don't see the right one.

When a client is added to an existing Family, any available credit can be used for that client's invoices.  See Clients> Client Invoices Tab>The Payments On Account Subtab for more info.

Form a New Family - This opens the Families screen, and creates a new record to be filled out.


























Tip: To quickly access families, use the Manage Families icon on the Control Panel of client screens, or the Edit Family link that appears on the Family tab after a client has been added to a family.

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The Communications Portal

The Communications Portal on the right side of the client's Personal screen shows a sorted list of all communications created for which that client is a recipient.

The portal is sorted to show Pending communication first (light orange highlight); sorted by the Date last modified.  Completed communication is grouped next; sorted by Date completed.  The Type column shows an icon representing what kind of communication it is: a Letter, Form, Email, or Phone call.  Hover your mouse over a row to see the first few lines of the communication. 

Click on any row to view the communication, based on its status.

Pending - Go to the Compose screen to edit or complete the communication.

Completed - Go to the Info screen to view, reprint, resend, or edit the communication.

Just above the Communications portal are four of the Comm Panel buttons, to create a new Letter, Form, Phone, or Email for the client.

Click the Complete List link to view all the client's communications in a sortable list.

When a new client record is created, any Communication Template marked as auto-create will be made, and added to the Communications portal as Pending - to serve as a reminder. 

For example, ClientTracker includes System Templates for the Receipt of Privacy Practices form and the Consent to Treatment form.  It is assumed that your practice needs to have these forms signed by each new client.  For more information on Communication Templates, see Communication> Templates & Segments>About System Templates & Segments.

For complete information about how to manage communications in ClientTracker, see Communication> The Communications Module.


Date HIPAA Forms Signed

HIPAA requires all patients to sign separately for the Privacy Notice and Consent to Treatment.  These can be combined on one form or you can have two separate forms.  ClientTracker provides a Communications Template for each; which you can modify for your use.   When your  client signs for both of these, enter the date in the lower right corner of the client’s Personal screen.   If you have existing forms that you use for your clients to sign, when you get all required documents back signed you would enter the date signed.

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Client Notes, SOAP Info, and Personal Data

Client Notes

There is a large field for notes about any client, in a Notes tab just below the Address.  In addition, you can add text to the Check-In Info field, and this will be added to the appointment notes whenever an appointment is made for that client.


SOAP Info


The SOAP Info tab displays statistics and other information about each client's SOAP history, including:

Information about the client's next appointment
Date, SOAP Type, and Chief Complaint for the client's last appointment

Number of appointments Kept, Canceled (both valid and invalid), and No Shows.


Personal Data

Enter personal data about the client that will be used in other places throughout ClienTracker, such as:

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Client Action Buttons

The Comm Panel and three other buttons can be found at the bottom of the client's Personal screen.

Comm Panel - This will create a communication with the current client as a recipient, or show a list of all communication for that client.

New Appointment - This creates a new appointment for the client, and prompts you for the date and duration of the appointment.  The practitioner listed on the Defaults tab is used for the appointment; otherwise one would have to be selected.

New Invoice no SOAP- This is useful for creating invoices that are not related to an appointment, such as for products only.  To generate an invoice for an appointment, it is better to do so from the Appointment pop-up window or the SOAP Note itself.

Delete this Client- Will permanently delete a client record after confirmation, if the following conditions are met:

Tip: It is wise to manage clients by making them Inactive instead of deleting them. Only clients who have never been seen should be deleted, and then only if there is no chance of them coming back, or if you do not need to save any information entered. Deleting a client is permanent. Inactivating them gives you the option of reactivating them later, and saving data entry time.  An inactive client will not show on many lists, or will appear with their name in gray.

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5. Clients : Client Insurance Tab

The client's Insurance tab is the place to add one or more insurance polices for the client, and to fill out information used on the client's insurance forms (1500s) for those policies.

This sections contains the following details:
























The Insurance tab is organized into helpful sections:

(1) Select Policy – This shows a list of all insurance policies created for the client. If you select one from the list, the information for that policy appears on the right.

(2) Edit Policy for (Name of Policy) – This is a blank area for clients with no insurance policies.  When you create a policy, it shows information about the "Insured" and the insurance company for the policy selected in (1).

Note:  In these instructions, "Insured" is used as a noun to represent the policyholder on the insurance card; not as an adjective.  The Insured can be a client or non-client.

The information is divided into sub-sections.
Information to be used for all policies (from the client's record) shows on the lower left.

For more info on creating 1500 claim forms, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices.
Tip:  A good practice is to create insurance polices for clients before creating claim forms (a.k.a."1500s"). This will save time and ensure the correct data is in place.

Self-Pay vs. Insurance
This is a small, optional feature that does not affect any billing.  Marking one of these choices will display an initial on appointment screens and printouts in the Calendar.
To blank out the field and display nothing, select one or the other and then press Delete on your keyboard.
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Information for All Policies
The lower left of the screen shows client (patient) info that will be used on all insurance policies  including:
Note:  If the Date Signed field is empty, a message will say, "Patient Signature Needed" on this screen, and on any 1500 claim forms created for the client.
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Adding and Editing Insurance Policies

Add a New Policy

To add an insurance policy to a client record, click on the New Insurance Policy button, then select an insurance company by clicking its name in the "Select Insurance Company" pop-up window that appears.  You can type all or part of the name in the QuickFinder to filter the list. 

Tip:  If the desired insurance company does not show in the list, you will need to create it before proceeding by clicking the small blue link in the pop-up window just beneath the QuickFinder portal. After setting up the new insurance company, use the Back button to return to the client's Insurance tab, and select the new company as above.

Once selected, the insurance company's information will show in the Company Contact Info section.  Continue by filling out the Policy 1500 Info and optional Policy Details (see below.)
The display of some information for a policy may be affected by preferences set for the Insurance Company.  For example, the Insured's address may display as "Same" if the client is also the Insured, or the info might display in all caps.  This can be changed on the Insurance Company record.


Edit an Existing Policy


To edit an insurance policy, click on the policy name in the portal under (1) Select Policy.  Active policies show in blue and inactive policies in gray.  When you select a policy, it will move to the top of the portal and be highlighted in yellow, as shown.  The right side of the screen (2) will show the information for the selected policy, where you can edit the information as needed. 


Tip:  To avoid losing information, it is often preferable to mark policies inactive if they are not to be used any more.  Deleting is permanent.
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Policy 1500 Information
Prepare the policy for use in auto-filling 1500 claim forms by completing the left column of section (2).


Box 6 - Patient Relationship to Insured

-- Selecting "Self" will fill the boxes referring to "Insured" with info from the client record

-- Selecting anything else will open the Select Insured pop-up window, from which you can select a client or other person to be used as Insured, or create a new Insured record (see Manage the Insured Person On the Policy below for details)

-- Depending on the insurance company preferences, the Insured info might say "Same" or be in all caps.

Box 1a - Insured's ID Number

Box 4 & 7* - Insured's Name & Address

Box 11 - Policy Group or FECA

Box 11a* - Insured's Date of Birth

Box 11b* - Employer's Name or School Name

Box 11c - Insurance Plan Name or Program Name
-- Enter information from the insurance card or policy of the insured person.

Note:  Sections marked with an asterisk above will auto-fill from the source indicated in Box 6. The info is not editable in these fields; however, clicking Box 4 or 11a will open the record of the Insured.

Box 11d - is there another Health Benefit Plan?
Box 13 - Insured's or Authorized Person's Signature
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Manage the Insured Person On the Policy
On the Client's Insurance tab, if Box 6 is clicked to be anything other than Self, a QuickFinder pop-up window opens, where you can select the insured person (a.k.a. "policyholder") from a portal of:

Type in any letters to filter the list, and click on a name to designate that person as the "insured" on the client's insurance policy.  The information used to fill Box 4 address would be from their address (if any) that has been designated as "Insurance."

If the required person is not on the list, click Create New to add a new Insured record, or Cancel to close the pop-up window.

To view a list of all Insured people, click the Non-Client Insured List link in Box 7.

Note:  In these instructions, "Insured" is used as a noun to represent the policyholder or person on the insurance card; not as an adjective.


Non-Client Insured Records

ClientTracker provides the option to create records of people who are not clients; whose info will be used solely in the role as Insured.  One Insured record can be used on as many client insurance policies as needed.  When you click Create New, the screen to "Enter info for new Insured" looks very similar to a client's Personal screen, but naturally focuses only on information that is needed for the 1500 claim form.

Note:  A Non-Client Insured person may be part of the client's family, but is different from a Family Member in ClientTracker. The former are just used for insurance purposes, while the latter must also be a client so they can share payments. See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Manage Client Families for more info.


















Fill out the Insured's name, address, phone numbers, date of birth, and gender – all of which function like those for a client, and will be used on the 1500.  Optionally, you can add email addresses to facilitate contacting the Insured if any questions come up.

Tip:  Beginning with version 4.0.20, you can click on the ZIP link, and a web site will open for looking up the ZIP+4 Code based on the Insured's address. You can edit the URL of the web site in Settings area, on the Programs/Utilities tab.

On the right is a list of Insurance Policies for which this person is designated as the Insured. You can edit this information as needed; however, keep in mind:
Info entered into the Insurance Policies tab will be used on the specific policy for the client named in that policy's area.  Scroll up or down to view multiple policies using the Insured's info.  When all info has been filled in, click Save to finish.  Clicking Cancel will abort the creation of a new Insured, and return you to the client's Insurance screen.

To delete an Insured record, click the Delete button on the lower right of the Insured screen.  The Insured must not be used on any client Insurance Policies.  To delete an Insured record that is used on policies, first click the Go button for each policy, replace the Insured on the client's policy with the correct information or click clear next to Box 6, (thus removing the Insured from that policy), and then click the Back button to return to the Insured.


Using the Insured on the Client Insurance Screen

Once an Insured has been selected or created, the information pertinent to a 1500 will show in the boxes on the client's Insurance screen.  Click the Insured info (e.g. name & address area in Box 4) or Edit Insured to open the Insured screen for viewing or editing.

To change to a different Insured person for any Client Insurance Policy, simply click the Box 6 area as other than Self, and the Select Insured pop-up window will reappear.  Click on any name, and that person's Insured info will replace whatever was there.  Remember to also change the other information: Box 1a Insured's ID Number, and most of the 11 boxes.


Turning an Insured Record Into a Client

During creation of a new client, if you see a new client is already in ClientTracker as an Insured record, you should use the info already entered to create a new client record.  This is important to retain the link between the client's Personal info and that used for 1500 claims as the Insured.

To find a Non-Client Insured person, go to any Client's Insurance tab and click the Non-Client Insured List link to access a sortable list.  From there, click the Turn into Client button on the right of their row, and the Insured info will be transferred to a new client record, and the former Insured record will be deleted.  Any Client Insurance Polices on which that person was used as Insured will still be connected to the new Client record.
In addition, the link between the Client with the Insurance Policy and the new client created from an Insured record will be updated, so that the Insured info links to the new client record.

Tip:  If you first create a new client, and realize that they are also in ClientTracker as an Insured record, go to the Insurance tab for the Client using them as Insured, and follow the instructions above to delete the obsolete Insured record for that person. Then re-select the Insured to be the new client record.
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Policy Details
At the top of the right column in section (2) are details about the selected policy:

Policy Name - Defaults to the name of the insurance company.  Change it as needed.

Active – This must be checked for the policy's insurance company to show in the pop-up menu of available policies on the 1500 form data entry screen.  You may choose to have inactive policies for an insurer that remains active; or vice versa.






The rest of the fields are optional - you may use them for your reference:
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Insurance Company Information
Information for the Insurance Company is displayed when a policy is selected.  A small indicator informs whether the company is Active or Inactive.


Also displayed in portals are phone numbers and email contacts. These are for reference only, and can be edited on the portal rows, or on the Insurance Company record by clicking the blue link, Edit.

For information on adding or editing insurance company information, see Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies.







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5. Clients : Client History Tab

The Client's History tab shows information about a client's history in two ways:
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Initial History

This screen can be used to record the client's medical history, medications, allergies, and so on. If you need a paper copy, click the Print button in the upper left. To add notes to the client history, click on any area and type.  This screen can be accessed via the client's History tab.














There are optional fields for you to enter the date the client history was taken, or updated.

Click Customize This Form to edit the standard text that appears on the History/Initial tab for new clients.  This text will be used to create a new, blank History form for each new client, but will not change those created before you make these changes.

Note: Your changes to the History form do not affect any existing SOAP Notes, because the info is part of the client's permanent record.  The History tab can be accessed from any SOAP.

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Clinical History
The History/Clinical tab has three portals that display separate lists of all the SOAP line items used for a client, e.g. diagnosis codes, procedure codes, and products.  They show a cumulative record of everything entered in ClientTracker, so they will show if the same line item has been used more than once.  The portals themselves are not functional, except that you can scroll up or down each list to get an idea of any usage patterns.






















To display the portal contents for a specific time period, enter the Start and End dates in the Date Range fields at the top of the tab.  The portal contents can be printed by clicking the Print link at the top.  You can also run other reports to monitor a client's clinical activity:
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5. Clients : Client Appointments & SOAPs Tab

The Appointments & SOAPs tab shows you a list of appointments and SOAP Notes for the client, with the appointment date and time.  Remember that an appointment and SOAP Note are the same record, but have different uses in ClientTracker.

Appointments & SOAPs List

When the Appointment & SOAPs tab is clicked, all of a client's appointments and SOAP Notes display as rows, with the most current dates first.  The list can be sorted by Date, Chief Complaint, SOAP Type, Practitioner, Status, or by Invoice number.

Control Panel Actions




The New SOAP icon will create a new appointment and a new SOAP.  Because a SOAP note comes from a client visit, an appointment needs to be made for ClientTracker to function properly.  Fill in the Appointment window pop-up, and click Save to display the SOAP button, which will take you to the new, blank SOAP note.

The Find SOAP icon will take you to the "Find Appointments & Visits" screen, where you can enter detailed criteria to find any visit, including those for other clients.

The Show All SOAPs icon will reset the list to show all SOAP Notes for the current client; sorted by date and time.

The Print icon will print a list of the currently displayed appointments & SOAPs,


Appointments and SOAPs List Actions








Clicking on the appointment bubble will open the Appointment pop-up window for any visit. 


Click the Go button or row to see a detailed view of any SOAP note (blank, partially completed, or completed).


Click Omit to remove a record from the list temporarily; e.g. to print only selected visits.
 


If there are any photos or files linked to a SOAP note, the respective icons will show


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5. Clients : Client Invoices Tab

The client's Invoices tab is the place for entering Payments on Account made by clients or family members.  Basically, if a lump sum payment is received to be applied to old balances from several invoices, this is the place to do it.  If a payment is received for one specific invoice, you should enter it on the invoice.

Details in this section include:
The client's Invoices tab shows a screen with two large subtabs:






















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The Invoices & Statements Subtab
The Invoices & Statements subtab shows a summary of all invoices for this client, including  Date, Invoice #, Type, Total, Status,and  amount Due.  To view an actual invoice, click the invoice # blue link.  For a more detailed view of this list of invoices, click the Complete List blue link at the bottom of the portal.

















Buttons on the left side of the subtab print statements, invoices, and reports.
Other Statement Functions

Date Last Statement Sent - Fills in automatically when you print a statement, and can be edited as needed.  This date can be used to find clients on the Clients List.

Statement Notes (optional) - Whatever you type here will show on the printed Statement.  The space available on the printout is limited to the size of this entry field.

Tip: You can also print statements from the invoice list for a found set of invoices. This can include multiple clients with their paid and paid invoices.

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The Payments On Account Subtab
Click on the Payments on Account subtab to view the screen for entering and distributing payments made on client accounts.  Payments on account ("POAs") can be used in any situation where one payment is used to pay for more than one invoice.  On this screen the amount due is separated out into amount due in total, and amount due from the client.  This is necessary where third party payer claims are concerned.

The Payments On Account panel at the top of the subtab shows all payments made to the account, the remaining balance available to distribute. You can use the balance available to pay any outstanding invoices listed beneath the panel.





POAs can be distributed across families.  For example, if Homer Simpson and Bart Simpson are in the same family, a POA can be entered in Homer Simpson's record and distributed to invoices for both Homer Simpson and Bart Simpson; from their respective Invoices screens.  There is a small portal at the lower left showing the members of the client's family (if any).





At the top of the screen, the Balance Due is shown.  Also displayed is the total Credit Available for this client (or the shared amount for a family if the client is a member of a family).  The Credit Available is the total of all POAs that remain to be distributed to invoices.
Tip:  You also can pay an invoice directly by clicking on the invoice row and entering the payment in the invoice's Payment Palette.  This is a simpler process and should be used whenever a payment applies to just one invoice.  See Invoices & Payments> Payments, Adjustments, & Credits>Using the Invoice Payment Palette for more info.


POAs from Credit Memos

Usually, a POA is directly entered on this screen.  However, a Credit memo made on an invoice will result in an automatic POA being made for that amount.  A POA resulting from a Credi Memo can be refunded or applied to any invoice with a balance due, just like a regular POA.
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Use the Payment Palette to Enter Payments on Account
To enter a new payment on account (POA) for the client (i.e. one that is intended to be distributed to multiple invoices), click the New Payment button in the upper left area of the Payments on Account subtab.


Enter information about the payment into the boxes in the "Payment Palette," or Payment on Account box, that appears beneath the button.

If Credit Card is chosen as the payment Method, additional fields will appear to enter more info.

Click Cancel at any time to close the Payment Palette, and any info entered will be cleared.



Note:  POAs are credited to the client's account in general, and can be applied to invoices as needed. If the client is a member of a Family, all client POAs are pooled for that Family.
Other credit card blanks:
Note:  ClientTracker does not process credit card transactions at this time, so the credit card boxes are for recording a credit card transaction processed using another means, such as with a swipe machine, or over the telephone.

Once you have confirmed that all information in the Payment Palette boxes is complete and correct, click the Apply button at the bottom of the box.  This adds the payment as a credit on the client's account.  If you want to cancel the process, click the Clear button (this will permanently delete all info in the boxes).
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Manage Payments On Account
Once a payment on Account (POA) has been entered, it will show in the top row of the POA portal, highlighted in yellow.  This is the "selected POA."  Just beneath the selected POA is a small 2-row portal of all POAs available for that client. 

POAs with remaining funds to distribute will sort first.  To select any POA, use the small scroll handles on the far right of the portal to locate the POA, then click its row and it will move to the top and be highlighted as the selected POA.

Note: POAs that have been fully distributed (i.e. have no funds to distribute) cannot be selected, but you can view their details with the [i] button.

The following actions can be performed with the selected POA:

Payment On Account Details

This screen shows the original info about the POA, any funds remaining, and a portal of "what was done with it" - in the form of distributions used to pay invoices, or refunds.  The portal has plenty of lines available, but most POAs will need just a few.  You get here by clicking on the [i] button at the left of a POA record.




















Things you can do on this screen include:
Delete - This will delete the distribution or refund, and change the remaining funds for the payment.  This will also affect the client's balance due, and the Total Due of the invoice to which the POA was distributed.
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Distribute a POA to Invoices
To apply funds from a payment on account (POA) to an invoice or invoices:

Step 1 - Select the POA you wish to distribute
Click on the payment to select it, and it highlights in yellow and moves to the top.  If the client has multiple POAs with funds to be distributed, select and distribute them one at a time.

Step 2 - Allocate payment amounts for invoices

Type the payment amount into the "Allocated Payment" box on any invoice(s) you want to pay.  Next to each box is a button labeled [+]. Clicking this button will automatically enter a choice of:
(a) The full amount due from the client for that invoice, up to the amount remaining in the selected POA.
(b) If the Copay box is checked to the right of the [+] button, one or two payments will be made to the invoice.  One if the amount is equal to the amount of the Copay for the client Insurance Policy selected for that invoice. Two if the amount is greater than the copay: one for the copay and one for the remainder of the amount. (For versions 4.0.15 and greater.)

Continue entering allocated payments until the POA has no more funds, or the available invoices are all paid.  You may leave the POA partially distributed.

Note: The Client column under Balance Due includes the amount due from the client in red numbers, when applicable.  This will reduce as POA funds are distributed to the invoice.

Step 3 - Check the total
The "Total Allocated" box is the sum of all amounts entered for all invoices.  This sum will not be more than the Amount Available for the selected POA.

If you need to clear all Allocated Payments, click the Clear All link at the bottom.


Step 4 - Distribute the Allocated Payments
Click the Distribute button, and all Allocated Payments entered from the selected POA are applied to the corresponding invoices.

If you want to distribute another POA repeat steps 1 through 4.  (The next POA with available funds will auto-select.)  You can partially or completely pay any number of outstanding invoices in this manner, up to the total amount of credit from POAs in the client's account.
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Issue a Refund from a Payment on Account

Any Payment on Account (POA) that has a remaining balance can have all or part of that balance processed as a refund.

In any POA row, click Ref. to open the Issue Refund pop-up window.



















You will be offered the option to print a receipt with a place for the client to sign.

After a refund has been issued, it can be viewed on the POA Details screen (see above).  The date can be changed, but all other info is non-editable.  If needed, the entire refund row can be deleted from the portal on the POA Details screen, by clicking the small delete button at the right of its row.

Tip:  If you are using the Register, a corresponding manual Withdrawal entry should be made in the amount of the refund. This is not done automatically by ClientTracker.
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6. SOAP Notes : Overview

The following details are in this section:

The SOAP Note (aka Chart Note) is an integral part of a client's medical record. This is the place to enter all clinical and other info about the client's visit. It is also the link between a client and the invoice resulting from this visit.

ClientTracker automatically creates a SOAP Note for all appointments. An Appointment contains the initial SOAP info: date, time, and practitioner. So first is the appointment, then the visit, then the SOAP Note containing all the details of the visit.  They are one and the same record in ClientTracker.

Any time before, during or immediately following a scheduled appointment, the practitioner can fill out the SOAP Note by:

Frequently-used templates for SOAP Notes can be set up, so that the clinical details, procedures, etc. will be automatically created to be used as a starting point for a new visit.  Of course, the information on any SOAP can always be edited, and can even be saved as a new template. For more information, see SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates.

From the SOAP Note screen, many actions related to a client visit can be performed.

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The SOAP Notes List

There are two ways to view a list of SOAP Notes.

(1) By clicking the Appointments & SOAPs tab for any client







(2) By performing a "Find" in Appointments & Visits or the "Visits with No Invoice" report on the Reports tab



The list screen displays the selected SOAP Notes, with their appointment dates and times.  Functions on this screen include:




Other options are available in the Control Panel area of the Function Bar:

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Create a SOAP Note

A SOAP Note is created:


Create a SOAP Note with the New SOAP Icon


The appointment information is integral to a SOAP Note, so that must be made first.  On the SOAP Note or SOAP list click the New SOAP icon and create the appointment info for this SOAP.  After the appointment has been made, click the SOAP button from the Appointment Info pop-up window.  


Create a SOAP Note from an Invoice

If an invoice was made without an appointment, a SOAP Note may need to be generated later.  For example, if the invoice was created from the client's Personal screen with the New Invoice No SOAP button, or from the New Invoice icon in the Control Panel of the invoice area, a linked SOAP Note can be created by clicking the Create SOAP Note button on the upper right side of the invoice.


Auto-Fill a SOAP Note from a SOAP Template

When a new SOAP Note is created, it is auto-filled with information from several sources that make it easy and very flexible to customize the client's medical record.

Tip:   To create a completely blank new SOAP Note each time an appointment is made, remove all information from the Default SOAP Template and do not assign any other templates to practitioners.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info.
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Find a SOAP

There are two main methods for finding one or more SOAP Notes:


1) Click the Find Visit icon on the Control Panel of a SOAP Note or list of appointments and SOAPS

2) Run the "Find" report for Appointments & Visits on the Reports tab

Tip:  If you're looking for one particular SOAP on a known date, look for the appointment on the Calendar, and click the SOAP button on the Appointment Info pop-up window.  If you know the client, click the Appointments & SOAPs tab and locate it on their list.

On the Find Appointments and Visits layout, you can search by a variety of criteria.  For more info, see Calendar> Manage Appointments>Find Existing Appointments.  Once the search results are displayed in a list view, click the row (avoiding the appointment bubble), and the SOAP Note will open.

One other way is to run the "Visits with No Invoice" report on the Reports tab, which is intended to let you view a SOAP Note from the resulting list if necessary, and generate invoices as needed.

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Delete a SOAP

Warning:  A SOAP Note has information required to be retained under HIPAA regulations. Once a SOAP is deleted, it cannot be restored.


To delete a SOAP, use the  Delete This SOAP button on the main SOAP screen in the lower right corner.

Remember these important considerations when deleting a SOAP Note:

Tip:  To delete a SOAP Note that is linked to an invoice, first either Unlink the invoice using the link in the upper right of the SOAP Note detail screen, or delete the payments from the invoice itself.  See Invoices & Payments> Payments, Adjustments, & Credits for more info.
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6. SOAP Notes : Fill Out the SOAP Note

Details in this section include:

A SOAP Note can be filled out anytime after an appointment is made - even after it has passed.  The practitioner can access the SOAP Note, or detail screen, in three ways:

1) Click on the SOAP button in the Appointment Info pop-up window that opens from a calendar appointment.

2) Click a row in the list from the client's Appointments & SOAPs tab, or from the list resulting from a search or report.  After accessing the detail screen, click the Record Navigator buttons to move forward or backward in the sequence of SOAP Notes.

3) After an invoice has been created, click the Go to SOAP Note button on the upper right side of the invoice.  For more info on creating a SOAP Note from an invoice, see SOAP Notes> Overview>Create a SOAP Note.

Information is added to the SOAP Note by use of a SOAP Template, typing into the fields of the detail screen, clicking the anatomical chart, or linking other information to it.  Each of these is explained below.

There is no "Save" button on the SOAP Note.  Information is saved automatically as you move from field to field, or go to a different tab or area of ClientTracker.














Parts of a SOAP Note

The SOAP Note detail screen is set up with layers of tabs to move quickly to different parts of the note.  The default order for these tabs, i.e. which one shows on top, is set for the SOAP Template from which the note originated.


Main Tabs - These allow quick access to other areas of client information, including Personal, Insurance, History, and Invoices.

Side Tabs - Different areas of the SOAP Note are accessed by tabs that run vertically along the right edge of the SOAP Note.
-- SOAP, or clinical information, can be entered by using the Acupuncture, Anatomical, or General tabs.

-- Link information to the SOAP Note or create communications related to the visit from the Photos/Files tab.

-- Use the Templates tab to manage the SOAP Template of origin for this SOAP note or view a previous SOAP Note for reference or to apply to the current SOAP.

Sub Tabs - These give access to the different parts of a Side Tab, i.e. Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan.


Appointment information is displayed at the top of the SOAP Note, just under the client's name.  Clicking this appointment bubble opens the Appointment Info pop-up window, from which you can click Edit to change the appointment info.  Changing the practitioner, room, or other appointment information also changes it for the SOAP Note, but not for any linked invoice.

To the right of the appointment info is a button to Generate Invoice, or if one has already been generated or linked, it says: Go to Invoice.  Use this or the Link / Unlink controls to manage the invoice to which the SOAP Note is linked.  A SOAP Note can be linked to only one invoice.  For more info, see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes.



At the bottom of the SOAP Note are the familiar Comm Panel buttons for creating a communication to the client.  The Type field (a.k.a. "SOAP Type") has a pop-up menu of choices that you can manage in Settings/Program/Value Lists, or by clicking the Edit List link.


The Delete This SOAP button is in the lower-right corner.  See SOAP Notes> Overview>Delete a SOAP for important information.

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SOAP Note Data Entry

The five main data entry areas of the SOAP Note screen are accessed via the vertical side tabs along the right edge of the screen.  Three of these tabs are divided into four main areas: Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan. These three tabs are different views (depending on your preference) for entering similar information about the client's visit and can be used interchangeably.  Preferences as to which tab shows on top can be set in the SOAP Template of origin. (See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info.)





Tip:  You can format the text in a SOAP Note; in any field that accepts text.  Your formatted text will transfer to the printed SOAP Note.  See How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Formatting Text for more info.

Acupuncture Tab – The Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan areas are divided into four sections, or panels, on a single tab.

*Note:  If the billing will be done on a 1500 claim form, it only displays a limited number of four diagnoses and six procedures from one or more linked SOAP notes. See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices for more info.















Anatomical Tab – A large, detailed, graphical anatomical chart makes it easy to enter Objective notes for specific areas of the body, and the other Subjective, Assessment and Plan areas are also available.


General Tab – The Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan areas each have larger fields and are divided into subtabs.  Otherwise, the information that can be entered is the same as for the Acupuncture tab.

Tip:  Diagnosis codes, procedures, products, TCM (points needled), and other SOAP Note information can be set up as part of a SOAP Template to be auto-entered for various types of visits.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info.
















Photos/Files Tab – Use this tab to link photos and files to a SOAP note (see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note), or to create the Suggested Communications for the visit. 


Use the delete button to remove a suggested communication from the portal, if it is not needed.
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Apply a Previous SOAP or SOAP Template


Templates tab – Use this tab to apply info from this client's previous SOAP Notes, or to apply a SOAP Template to this SOAP Note.


Previous SOAP Notes





Note: Products from a previous SOAP will not be applied to the current SOAP. However, any existing Products on the current SOAP will be kept when a previous SOAP is applied.

SOAP Templates


The SOAP Templates portal highlights the row of the template of origin for the current SOAP Note. It shows the SOAP Template type and whether it is the Initial or Subsequent default SOAP Template for the practitioner of record.

Click Apply to overwrite the information on the current SOAP with information from the SOAP Template.

Click a row in the portal to view or edit the SOAP Template.  Any changes made to the template of origin in this way will not be applied to the current SOAP Note, unless the Apply function is used.

The colored boxes show default SOAP Templates for the practitioner of record.  These are changed only on the Detail screen of the practitioner, which is accessible by clicking the practitioner's name just above the portal.

See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info.

Warning:  Using the Apply function will permanently overwrite any existing information on the current SOAP Note, and cannot be undone.  There are confirmation messages to help prevent accidental loss of data.


Rules regarding the Apply function:

Tip:  The first few times you use the Apply function, we recommend you first save the current SOAP Note as a temporary SOAP Template.  That way, if you make a mistake, you could always revert to the original data (except for Products) by applying the saved template.


To save the current SOAP Note as a SOAP Template, click the Save This SOAP as Template button just above the portal of previous SOAPs.

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Auto-Fill a SOAP Note
When you make an appointment, ClientTracker will auto-fill its SOAP Note from a previous SOAP or SOAP Template, based on designated templates on the practitioner's Detail screen.  The previous SOAP Note will be indicated on the Appointment window, just beneath the Room.

Each practitioner has a template designated for Initial Visits or Subsequent Visits with the same client.  For  latter, you can choose to "Use previous SOAP/Invoice with same Practitioner."

See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Default SOAP Templates for Practitioners for more info about setting up the designated templates for a practitioner.

For each practitioner, ClientTracker is shipped with the Default SOAP Template preselected.  You can keep this designation, or create new templates and assign them.

Tip:  To make a blank SOAP Note for new appointments, create a completely blank SOAP Template and designate it a practitioner. The Default SOAP Template comes as a blank and can be edited. See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info about SOAP Templates.

When the appointment is made, a SOAP Note is stored in the program for that visit.  Click the SOAP button in the Appointment window after the appointment is made to view or work with the SOAP Note.  If the template or previous visit had line items such as diagnoses, procedures, or points needled, these will be auto-filled on the new SOAP Note.

Products are not auto-filled from a template or previous SOAP Note.

Tip:  Once you are working with the SOAP Note, you can always overwrite it with info from a previous visit or SOAP Template. See Apply a Previous SOAP or SOAP Template for more info.

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Print SOAP Notes

SOAP Notes and lists of SOAP notes can be printed in various ways in ClientTracker.


From the Print SOAP icon on the Control Panel on the SOAP Note detail screen, SOAP Notes will print only the data from the note in a prearranged format; not as a graphical representation of what you see on the screen.



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Print Preferences for SOAP Notes

Beginning with version 4.0.15, you can customize some aspects of how your SOAP Notes will print in the Plan section; both individually and as a default.

On the Files/Photos tab of any SOAP Note is a smaller tab of controls for print preferences:














To keep the system defaults printed by ClientTracker automatically, do nothing.  To revert to the system defaults after you have made changes, click clear all. 

To customize a label for all your SOAP Notes, type a value under Your Custom Defaults, and it will automatically load into the This SOAP Only column, too.  You can also type a unique value under This SOAP Only to make a label for just this one SOAP, and it won't affect other SOAPs.

Where to find the items for which you are changing labels:
Choose to Print Info On the SOAP Note
ClientTracker will print a label on the SOAP Note for different items added on the entry screen, e.g. adding 2 Products will result in a label "2 Products Sold" and an abbreviated list of the products.  The text of these labels can't be changed, but you can choose to print them or not.

Print on SOAP Note
The default is that all the boxes are checked to print on All SOAPs and This SOAP.   Uncheck a box to NOT print the info.  You can also choose to print or not for just This SOAP.
Tip:  You can see the changes in Print Preview before you actually print.

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6. SOAP Notes : Link Information to the SOAP Note

Details in this section include:

The SOAP Note is a record of one client visit and all the events or information associated with it.  ClientTracker supports the association of additional information -- even files stored elsewhere on your computer system -- by linking them all in a display on the SOAP Note itself.  Information linked to a SOAP is not printable with the SOAP Note details, but a notation, e.g. "2 photos linked to this visit" is printed.

As a  medical record, the SOAP and its linked information can encompass the entire cycle of information related to a client visit, including forms filled out ahead of time or brought to the appointment, clinical evaluations, photos, and documents done during the visit, billing records, and follow-up such as lab results, consults, or patient diaries.

The following information can be linked to a SOAP:


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Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes

An invoice shows all the diagnoses, procedures, and products (a.k.a "line items") from that SOAP Note, whether the invoice is created new or linked to a SOAP Note.  Line Items are shared by SOAP Notes and invoices, so a change made in one place will show and print in the other. 

A new invoice can be generated for a SOAP from three places:

Unless the client has a default invoice type, you are asked which type of invoice you want to create (i.e. Simple, Superbill, or 1500).  For more info on invoice types and creating an invoice, see Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices.


Link an Invoice to a SOAP Note


You can also link a SOAP to an existing invoice that resulted from another SOAP.  This way, it's possible to bill for several visits on one invoice, as governed by the rules below.


On the SOAP Note detail, click Link, which appears just below the Generate Invoice button.  If an invoice is already linked to the SOAP Note, the button says "Go to Invoice (number)," and below that, Unlink.  When you click Unlink, the invoice is checked for payments or credits before unlinking.  If an invoice has payments or credits, the SOAP Note cannot be unlinked.

When you click Link, a list appears of all qualifying invoices for the client (see below).

If a SOAP Note is already linked to an invoice and you want to link it to another invoice instead, first click Unlink, which will unlink the SOAP Note (if allowed by the rules below).  The link will change to Link, and you can proceed as described above.

To manage multiple SOAP Notes that are linked to an invoice from the perspective of the invoice, see Invoices & Payments> Simple & Superbill Invoices.


Rules Governing Linked SOAP Notes and Invoices

Tip: For a "ledger style" invoice, i.e. a number of SOAPs are linked to one invoice, AND your client pays in full for each visit. Create a phony Product for just one cent, $0.01. Add this to the first SOAP this on the invoice. Do NOT have the client pay this one cent. Keep this one cent item on the invoice until the last visit for the "ledger style" invoice has been linked, then delete it.
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Link Files to SOAP Notes

ClientTracker supports linking external files to SOAP Notes.  These can be lab reports, documents, email text files – virtually any file on your computer.  A link, or reference, is made to a file that already exists on your computer, after which it can be opened and viewed in the parent application.  There is a separate method for attaching and viewing digital photos (see Link & View Photos from a SOAP Note below).

Files linked to a client's SOAP Note will not show in the list on the client's Personal tab.  To see a complete list of the files for any SOAP Note, click the blue Complete List link above that portal.

Note: The photo will be placed in the Default File Path when you link it. If it is not in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder already, a pop-up message will ask you if you want to move or copy it to its new location. See Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos

The first time you do this in ClientTracker, you will have to browse your computer file directory to locate the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder, located in the main ClientTracker v4.0 folder.  After that, the Insert File dialog should open to that folder automatically.

If you select a file that is not in the Default File Path folder, a warning message will tell you that it must be moved to the folder before it can be linked.


The File Link Process

On any SOAP Note, click the side tab, Photos/Files.  In the center section of the tab is a portal for adding and viewing File Links.


To link a file to the SOAP Note, click the +New File button above the portal.  From there, the process is the same as adding a file link to the list on a client's Personal tab.   From the Insert File pop-up window, browse your hard drive and choose a file associated with the current SOAP Note by double clicking it, or selecting it and clicking Open.  Click Cancel to abort the File Link process.



Warning:  Do not change any of the information in the Insert File pop-up window, especially the box that says "Store only a reference to the file," which is checked automatically.


The File Link Portal

In the center of the Photos/Files tab is a scrollable portal of all files that have been linked to the SOAP Note.


Click the delete button on the right to delete the file link.  This does not delete the actual file on your computer.

The File Link Pop-Up Window


When a file has been linked, its icon, name, and other optional info will appear in this pop-up when the Go button is clicked on the SOAP Note portal.

The following additional functions are available here:

-- Click the file icon to open it in its parent application (i.e. the program that created it).  If the parent application is not available on your computer, the file cannot be opened.

-- Choose an optional Category from the pop-up menu to classify the file, or select "Other..." to enter a new value and add it to the menu.

-- Enter a brief description and/or notes about the file link, which will show in the tooltip on the File Link portal and print on the SOAP Note details.

-- Click Replace File Link to browse your computer again, and replace the file link after confirmation.

-- Click the Delete button to delete the file link.  This does not delete the actual file on your computer.

Note: The contents of files linked to a SOAP Note are not printed with the SOAP Note details, but a message will be printed if there are any, e.g. "2 Files Linked to This Visit" along with each file's category, notes, and filepath.

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Link & View Photos from a SOAP Note

To link a viewable photo to a client's SOAP Note, click the New Photo button on the Photos/Files tab of the SOAP Note detail screen.  Browse your computer file directory to locate the photo.  This process is the same as for linking a file - see above for more info.

Note: The photo will be placed in the Default File Path when you link it. If it is not in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder already, a pop-up message will ask you if you want to move or copy it to its new location. See Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos


After linking a photo, use the portal, "Photos Linked to This Visit" to enter optional photo details, or perform other functions.


After linking, a thumbnail photo image will show in the portal.  


To see a larger view of the photo in a pop-up window with larger fields to enter data, click the Go button

To delete a photo, click the delete button to the right of the photo details, or the Delete button. This does not delete the actual photo from your computer.

Note:  Photos linked to a SOAP Note are not printed with the SOAP Note details, but the info is printed if there are any, e.g. "2 Photos Linked to This Visit," along with category, notes and filepath.

Note:  ClientTracker creates a link, or reference, to the actual file's location on your hard drive or another computer on your network  The link will break if you change the name or location of the file itself, or any of the folders containing the file.  For more info about managing file reference locations, see Settings> Program/Utilities>Default Path for Files & Photos.

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Create & Link Communication

The contents of the Suggested Communication portal on the Photos/Files tab are Communication Templates -- created from the SOAP Template of origin.

The Communication Templates listed in the portal are suggestions for the practitioner to create communication (e.g. a questionnaire) related to the visit.  Unlike photos and files, however, the communication is not automatically linked to the SOAP Note.


Simply click the row to create a communication for the client from the Communication Template listed.  Enter an optional Created date in its row, to show it was done, or use the delete button to remove it from the portal.

This may be a useful system to remind practitioners to have the client fill out forms for certain types of visits, or to send the client a follow-up communication.

To best use this system, follow these steps:

1. Create a Communication Template to be used during a certain type of client visit

2. Create a SOAP Template for that type of visit or go to existing SOAP Templates.

3. On the Template Settings tab, where it says "Communications for This Template," click New and select the Communication Template from the drop-down menu in the new row added.  See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Designate Communication Templates for more info.

4. From the practitioner's Detail screen, assign the SOAP Template to be used for initial and/or subsequent visits.   See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Default SOAP Templates for Practitioners for more info.

5. When an appointment is made, the practitioner's default SOAP Template will be assigned automatically, and the Communications Template will show as a link in the portal of the Photos/Files tab on the SOAP Note detail screen.


Notes to Consider

A SOAP Template can also be applied directly to the SOAP Note anytime, which would overwrite any existing info on the SOAP Note and replace it with that of the SOAP Template; including its Suggested Communications.  This is done on the Templates tab of the SOAP Note detail screen.

A communication created in this way will show in the Communications portal on the client's Personal screen.  It can be started, saved as pending, and completed just like any other communication in ClientTracker.  For more info, see Communication> Create Communications, or Communication> Templates & Segments.

Here are some ideas for linking completed communication to the SOAP Note:

In all the above ideas, the resulting files can be linked to a SOAP Note.  Of course, these are subject to the capabilities of your own computer software and hardware.

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6. SOAP Notes : SOAP Templates


Details in this section include:

ClientTracker provides a time saving function of designing and managing templates you use most often in your practice. You can easily apply one to your SOAP Notes.

Default SOAP Template

ClientTracker comes with one SOAP Template:  "Default SOAP Template."  This template is blank except for its name, type and description.  Leave it blank if you do not want to work with this feature. Otherwise, edit this template to suit your needs.  If you don't assign any Defaults to a practitioner, this template is automatically used.

Tip:  If you don't use ClientTracker's SOAP Notes, you can still use SOAP Templates to set up "Invoice Templates," with different combinations of Diagnosis and Procedure Codes to create an invoice based on a practitioner's preferences or the type of visit. See Use SOAP Templates as Invoice Templates

Warning:  Please avoid the use of the word "default" in any SOAP Type values you create. This word is best be reserved for the Default SOAP Template alone.


How SOAP Templates Are Applied

The hierarchy for automatic application of SOAP Templates is as follows:

  1. If a practitioner has no SOAP Templates designated, the Default SOAP Template will be applied automatically by ClientTracker.

  2. If a practitioner has NOT seen a client before and has a designated template for Initial Visits, this will be used.

  3. If a practitioner HAS seen a client before, and has a designation for Subsequent Visits, this will be used.

Tip:  If your practice does not want to use SOAP Templates and requires only a blank SOAP Note for client visits and invoices, leave the Default Template blank or clear any information you may have added.


To get to the SOAP Templates List, click the SOAP Templates button from

To get to the SOAP Templates detail screen, click:


The SOAP Templates List

The SOAP Templates list is sortable by Name, SOAP Type, Active, or Date Modified.  The Control Panel has icons to create a New Template, Show All templates, or Print a list of the templates on your screen. Click a row to view the detail screen for any template, which looks and behaves in most ways just like a SOAP Note.  The main differences with a SOAP Template are:

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Manage SOAP Templates

Create SOAP Templates

There are three ways to create a new SOAP Template:


1) Go to any screen in the SOAP Templates area and click the New Template icon in the Functions Bar to create a completely blank SOAP Template



2) From the SOAP Template detail screen, copy the existing SOAP Template by clicking the Duplicate Template icon in the Functions Bar.



3) From any client's SOAP Note on the Templates tab, click the Save this SOAP as Template button.

Note:  When saving a SOAP Note as a new SOAP Template, any Diagnoses, Procedures, TCM (Points Needled), Products, Files, and Photos in portals will NOT be copied to the new SOAP Template.  These would need to be added for the new template.


Delete SOAP Templates

To permanently delete any SOAP Template you have created, click the Delete this SOAP Template button on the lower right of the SOAP Template. 

Tip:  You may find it more convenient to make a SOAP Template inactive by unchecking the Active box on the Template Settings tab, and it will no longer show on drop-down lists. Deleting a SOAP Template is permanent and may lose a lot of work. IMPORTANT: The Default SOAP Template cannot be inactivated because it is used by ClientTracker.


Rules about deleting SOAP Templates:

  • The Default SOAP Template provided by ClientTracker cannot be deleted

  • When a SOAP Template is deleted, any of the line items added to the template (e.g. Diagnoses, Procedures, or TCM) will also be deleted

  • A SOAP Template cannot be deleted if a practitioner is using it (see the portal of "Practitioners using this template" on the Template Settings tab)

    • To fix this, click any practitioner name to go to their details page and remove the designation by selecting another template (choose the Default SOAP Template if no other is wanted)

    • Deleting a SOAP Template does not affect any SOAP Notes that have already been made from that template, so you may want to check for any future appointments using that template on each practitioner's schedule
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Set Up SOAP Templates for Use

SOAP Template Info

The SOAP Template detail screen is arranged very similar to a SOAP Note.  Fill out the details for a typical visit, much as you would for an actual SOAP Note.  You may want to enter reminder text, or notes about what to do.  See SOAP Notes> Fill Out the SOAP Note for more info.  The top of the SOAP Template screen can be used to enter information about the template itself:




Tip:  Use the SOAP Type field to group SOAP Templates by intended use, discipline, therapy, or even practitioner, after which they can be sorted on the list screen.


Template Settings Tab













Default tabs for this Template - Select which side tabs and subtabs will show for SOAPs created from this template.

About this Template - Make sure the Active box is checked, if you want to use the SOAP template.  Uncheck this box if you no longer want a SOAP Template to appear in any drop-down lists (instead of deleting it).  You may also:

Note:  For a new SOAP Template, the portal of "Practitioners using this template" will be blank. To designate a new template for use by one or more practitioners, go to the Settings/Practice portal of practitioners. See Default SOAP Templates for Practitioners for more info.

Communications for this Template - Assign ClientTracker Communication Templates (i.e. forms, letters and emails) to any SOAP Template, as a reminder to create them for a client.  See Designate Communication Templates below for more info.


Acupuncture, Anatomical, and General Tabs

Tip:  You can format the text in a SOAP Template; in any field that accepts text.  Your formatted text will transfer to SOAP Notes made from the Template.  See How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Formatting Text for more info.

These tabs work the same way as they do for a SOAP Note, with the following exceptions:

Tip:  Changes to a SOAP Template are saved automatically as you go, and it is available for immediate use.
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Designate Communication Templates

You can also designate Communication Templates to be linked to a SOAP Template.  These serve as a reminder of "suggested communication" that may need to be completed as part of a visit. These entries provide a quick way to create them.

Note:  The reminders are not actual communications, but links to create one from a chosen Communication Template.

Link Communication Templates to SOAP Templates









On the Template Settings tab of the SOAP Template, under "Communications for this Template," click the New button to create a blank row.

Select from the drop-down list of available (active) Communication Templates.  The category of each shows in brackets.

Click the Go button to view or edit the contents of the Communication Template.  A tooltip shows the contents of the communication if you hover your mouse over its name.

Click the Remove button to remove a Communication Template from the portal.  (This does not delete the actual Communication Template.)

Note:  When you link a Communication Template to a SOAP Template in this way, the Communication Template cannot be deleted from ClientTracker until this link is removed by using the Remove button above.

When a SOAP Template is used for a SOAP Note, the Communication Templates will show in a portal on the Photos/Files tab, from which the actual communications can be created for the client as needed.

Once created, the resulting communications are not linked to the SOAP Note or SOAP Template, but will show in the client's Communications portal on their Personal screen. 

Tip:  Completed communications can be saved as a file and linked to specific SOAP Notes.  For more info, see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Link Files to SOAP Notes.

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Default SOAP Templates for Practitioners

Practitioners have specialties and preferences. With ClientTracker, you can cater to these preferences by choosing a SOAP Template as the default for all client initial visits for that practitioner, and for all subsequent visits.

Tip:  The choices for a practitioner are automatically set to the Default SOAP Template until you change them. The Default SOAP Template is blank until you edit it.

Access the practitioner's detail screen from the portal on Settings/Practice.






Tip:  The Automatic Duplication feature can be "turned off" by selecting a blank SOAP Template (that you have set up in advance) for a practitioner's subsequent visits.

Note:  Default SOAP Templates for practitioners are applied only at the time the appointment is made, or at the time an invoice is made if the invoice was created without an appointment.

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Use SOAP Templates as Invoice Templates
SOAP Templates can be used as "Invoice Templates" if you choose to create invoices without SOAP Notes or if you create appointments and do not fill out SOAP Notes.  Set up one or more SOAP Templates according to the instructions in this section, and set them for use by practitioners for different types of visits.

Note: SOAP Templates do not have products line items. Products are not applied to invoices from a previous SOAP Note or template. They have to be added to a linked SOAP Note or on the invoice itself. To use a previous invoice's products, you can duplicate the invoice.

From Appointments
Every appointment has a SOAP Note automatically created with the defaults for each practitioner. This includes the Diagnosis and Procedure Code line items. These line items are shared by an appointment and any invoice created from it.  This sharing of line items enables you to set up "Invoice Templates" to be used as you see fit.

When an invoice is generated from the Appointment pop-up window or SOAP Note, the Diagnosis and Procedure codes and Product line items for that SOAP Note will be used on the invoice.  Just as a SOAP Template can be used to create much of the info on a SOAP Note, it can also be used to generate the Diagnosis and Procedure Code line items on an invoice.
Tip:  Even if you don't fill out the SOAP Notes in ClientTracker, you may find it useful to link them as "blanks" to an invoice.  By doing this, you can access the Templates tab of the SOAP Note, and populate the invoice with line items from any past SOAP Note or SOAP Template.

From Invoice with No SOAP
Create this from a client's record using the New Invoice, no SOAP button or from New Invoice icon in the control bar of any invoice screen.

Diagnosis and Procedure Code line items for an Invoice with No SOAP

On the practitioner's Detail screen, you can choose how the Diagnosis and Procedure Code line items will be applied to an invoice created with no SOAP.  The choice you make will be reaffirmed in the "Generate Invoice with no Appt" pop-up, and you'll have the chance to change it there.

No line items - Will create a blank invoice.

Line items from the selected default - Will apply the line items from the practitioner's default, either the SOAP Template or previous Invoice No SOAP.

Choose when the invoice is created - This sets no default, and you can choose at the time the Invoice No SOAP is created.

These choices show on the "Generate Invoice with no Appt" window, and can be confirmed or changed before you create the invoice:


Other info:

See SOAP Notes> Fill Out the SOAP Note>Apply a Previous SOAP or SOAP Template for more info on the Templates tab of the SOAP Note

See Designate Communication Templates above for more info on the defaults for practitioners and SOAP Templates.





Note:  When you create an Invoice No SOAP and the practitioner is set to "Use previous SOAP/Invoice with same Practitioner," the Diagnosis and Procedure Codes line items will be copied from the previous Invoice with No SOAP, not the invoice which was made from previous appointment/SOAP note.
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7. Invoices & Payments : The Financial Area






The Financial area is where Invoices are created and managed.  It is also where you access the Register, if you have chosen to use it in the Settings/Program/Financial tab.

This section will introduce you to the screens and functions available in the Financial area. Details in this section include:




When you click the Financial icon from any Functions Bar, you see a list of all invoices and two tabs: the Invoices tab and the (optional) Register tab.

Note:  The Register tab is not visible if you have not enabled use of the register in the Settings/Program/Financial tab.  See Invoices & Payments> Using the Register for more info.


The Invoices List Screen






















Clicking the Financial icon or Invoices tab (from the Register) displays a list of all invoices in ClientTracker that are later than the archive date.  Use the scroll bar on the right side of the window to move through the list.
Control Panel Options:

New Invoice - Creates a new invoice by opening a pop-up QuckFinder to select first a client; then an invoice type.  See Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices for more info.
Tip: If you use SOAP Notes, the best way to generate a new invoice is from a SOAP Note related to a client visit, as described in SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes. If you don't need the invoice associated with a SOAP Note, click this New Invoice button on the Control Panel.  An invoice generated in this way has a button allowing you to create a SOAP Note any time you wish.

Find Invoice - Goes to the Find Invoice screen, to search for one or more invoices by your choice of criteria.  See Invoice Types below.




Show All Invoices - Resets the list to show all invoices (after the Archive Date; if any), sorted by invoice number.




Print - Opens an Invoice Print Menu pop-up window, with options for printing for the invoices showing in the list (i.e. the current Found Set).

     Print Options:
  • Optional Title - You may change the title if you choose to print as a List.
  • Invoice List - A simple report listing the invoices and information from the List screen.  (An optional title can be entered for the report.)
  • Individual Invoices - Prints a complete invoice for each row of the List screen; according to type.
    • Note: There is no Floating Preview Palette for this option, and you will be prompted to change paper in your printer if the print job includes a 1500.
  • Client Statements - Prints a statement for each client appearing on the List screen.
  • Insurer List - Prints a list of invoices for one Insurer, with billing info. You should perform a Find for the Insurer's invoices first.
  • Client Envelopes & Client Labels - Select an option to print plain or pre-printed envelopes; or mailing or shipping labels for each client appearing on the List screen who has a valid address.

Other List Functions:

Click the client icon to go to the client's Personal screen.



Omit an invoice temporarily from the list (i.e. to not include it in a printout) by clicking the Omit button at the far right of the row.


Note: Invoices can be voided or deleted. See Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices>Voiding or Deleting an Invoice for more info.

As in most lists, you can click on the column headers to sort the currently visible records by that category.  One click of the header text sorts by that category in ascending order; a second click sorts in descending order.  Shift + click on the header will remove the sort.

To view totals for invoices, click the Show Totals button at the bottom of the screen.

Note:  If passwords are enabled, the Show Totals option is available only to the Admin user.

Use the QuickFinder at the bottom of the list to narrow the visible list of invoices based on criteria you select.  For more info see How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information>Finding Records with the QuickFinder.

Insurance Billing Made Easy: A Step by Step Guide

Interested in better understanding how insurance billing works?  Considering billing insurance in your practice but don't know where to start?  Or perhaps you feel like insurance billing is just too complex and overwhelming?  A devoted ClientTracker user, Rebecca Hurwood, is determined to demystify insurance billing with her ebook - Insurance Billing Made Easy: A Step by Step Guide for Acupuncturists and CAM Providers.  If you haven't checked it out, please visit the book website at www.insurancebillingmadeeasy.com - special offers available!

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Find Invoices





Clicking the Find Invoice icon in the Control Panel of the Financial area takes you to a utility screen where you can enter simple or complex criteria to search for invoices.

Tip:  Use the QuickFinder at the bottom of the Invoice List screen to perform fast, simple searches such as by Invoice Number.





















The Find Invoice screen will show the last criteria used during your current session.  If you log off ClientTracker, the criteria will be reset to the system defaults the next time you log on.  The default criteria are shown in green in these instructions.  Click Reset at any time to restore the default criteria.
When you have entered all desired criteria, click Find to display the results on the Invoice List screen.  If no matching invoices are found, a message will tell you that, and leave you on the Find Invoices utility screen to try again, or click Cancel to abort.
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Invoice Types

Information about an invoice is entered on its Detail screen.  Some information may be automatically generated for an invoice; for example, diagnoses, procedures, and products from a SOAP Note.  ClientTracker will default to apply the line items from a client's previous invoice, if no other information is primary.

Note:  Depending on the size of your computer monitor, you may need to scroll down to see all of an invoice Detail screen. Use the scroll bar on the right side of the main window to see the bottom portion of invoices.


Simple invoices are for accounts paid directly; not involving insurance companies.

Superbill invoices are for accounts to be paid partly or completely by insurance companies, and have additional fields for insurance information.  This is often the type of invoice a practice would print for a client to seek reimbursement from their insurance.

1500 invoices or claim forms (formerly known as "CMS-1500") are a federally standardized form for filing insurance claims for medical services.  Instead of entering diagnosis and procedure descriptions, codes are used to designate items.  ClientTracker makes this easier by allowing you to select diagnoses and procedures from a list, and then filling in the appropriate code.  Always enter insurance account information for clients before creating 1500 forms.

Tip:  You can change the type of the invoice at any time by clicking one of the Change Invoice buttons near the top of any invoice Details screen.  Certain restrictions may apply - see the links above for each type.   You can also set a default invoice type for a client.

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Invoice Settings

Invoice Number

The beginning invoice number is set when you register ClientTracker.  It cannot be changed thereafter.  Invoices can be voided or deleted, with the following effects on the numbers.



Note:  Other invoice settings are available on the Settings/Program/Financial tab.

Oldest Display Date in Invoice List

If you accumulate many invoices in ClientTracker over time, you may not want to show old invoices, and display only those past a certain date.  To do this, enter a date for "Do not show invoices created before."

  • This setting affects all places where a list of invoices display, including the Client/Invoices, Clearinghouses' E-Billing, and Insurance Payments screens

  • If this field is empty, all invoices in ClientTracker will show as appropriate

  • If you perform a Find or use the QuickFinder, the Oldest Display date will be ignored

  • Invoices with outstanding balances will show regardless of the Archive Date
Tip:  You can also filter the Invoice List screen on a temporary basis using the QuickFinder, or producing a report of invoices for a certain date range.


Payments on Invoices

Select a default Method, and each time you enter a payment on an invoice, it will auto-fill your choice.  The pop-up menu of choices is a system value list and cannot be edited.

You can also set ClientTracker to remind you to enter Check # and Credit Card # when entering those methods of payment.


Printing Invoices

There are two kinds of Default Notes you can customize to appear on invoices.  The printing of the text is limited to only what fits in the visible entry boxes.






















Display a general note - This can be edited on each invoice, and can contain any message you like, i.e. "Thank you for using Gentle Touch Acupuncture."

Display your Terms - This is also editable on each invoice, and is intended to display payment terms.

Show Practitioner Fed Tax ID # - Check a box to print this number in the headers of a Simple or Superbill invoices.

1500 Forms - Choose to print the 1500 claim form on blank paper, or a pre-printed form.
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7. Invoices & Payments : Manage Invoices

This section has details about creating or generating invoices, and other details as follows:

Generate an Invoice

The usual order of generating an invoice is:
  1. Create an appointment for a client in the Calendar.  This automatically creates a blank SOAP Note for that client.  For more info, see Calendar> Create New Appointments.

  2. After the appointment is made, access the SOAP Note for that visit by clicking the SOAP button in the Appointment pop-up window.  From the SOAP Note, you can generate an invoice for that treatment by clicking the Generate Invoice button.

  3. OR, you can click the Generate Invoice button direct from the Appointment pop-up.  If an invoice has not been generated yet, you will be offered the option to do so.
This is the best practice, as ClientTracker links together the appointment date, the SOAP Note, and the invoice, making it easy for you view the SOAP Note pertaining to an invoice (or vice-versa).

IMPORTANT:  Any Diagnosis & Procedure Codes and Products (a.k.a. "line items") are shared by the SOAP Note and Invoice, and will appear in both places.

     Notes:
Tip:  Enter all insurance companies and policies for your clients in their Insurance tab before creating invoices.  This will ensure all the up-to-date info is available from the invoice's point of view.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab for more info.


Other Ways to Generate an Invoice

From the list of all Appointments & SOAPs in a client's record, you can easily see which appointments need an invoice.  Click the Generate link that appears on the far right to begin, and select an invoice type from the pop-up window.  For more information on the client's Appointments & SOAPs List screen, see Clients> Client Appointments & SOAPs Tab.

To create an invoice not linked to any SOAP Note:
The client's default invoice type will be used (from their Personal screen, on the Defaults tab).  Otherwise, you will be asked to select from three types of invoices: Simple, Superbill, or 1500.  Choose the type of invoice you need, and it will be generated with the client's personal and insurance info (if any) and displayed on the corresponding Detail screen.


Filling Out an Invoice

Some of the information on an invoice may be entered automatically from the records of a client, insurance company, insurance policy, and SOAP Note.  This may also come from the previous invoice for that client.  (See below for details.)

Often, an invoice needs to be supplemented or filled out manually.  The methods for filling out an invoice are different based on the type.
IMPORTANT:  An invoice does not need to be "saved" when it's complete.  ClientTracker automatically saves all information on an invoice when you print it, or go somewhere else.
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Automatic & Duplicate Invoice Entry

Invoices can be set up for clients so that much of the same information is entered each time.  Invoices share their diagnoses, procedures, and products (collectively known as "line items") with SOAP Notes.  When a SOAP Note is generated from a SOAP Template, the corresponding invoice -- once generated or linked -- will share the same line items.

Using this sharing system, there are several different methods to create a new invoice with the same line items as a client's previous invoice -- either before, during, or after the SOAP Note is filled out.  There is also a method to duplicate any invoice for the same or different client, which may be done without a linked SOAP Note.
Tip:  The Automatic Duplication feature can be "turned off" by selecting a blank SOAP Template (that you have set up in advance) for a practitioner's subsequent visits. For more info, see SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Default SOAP Templates for Practitioners.
Warning - Applying a previous SOAP Note will overwrite all existing information on the current SOAP Note and replace the line items on its linked invoice.





Duplicate Invoices

Duplicating a qualified invoice will create a new invoice (for the same or different client), with all the same line items and other information from the original -- except for payments and insurance info.  Naturally, any new invoice would add the new charges to a client's account.
Note:  If the diagnoses or procedures have been edited, the edits will be duplicated on the new invoice.  Appropriate discretion should be used when duplicating invoices.

Once duplicated, the new invoice and its line items will all have the current date, and it behaves just like any other invoice.  You can edit the line items or other information as needed, print, and make payments.  An invoice created in error can be deleted or voided.  See Voiding or Deleting an Invoice below for more info.
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Voiding or Deleting an Invoice

ClientTracker allows you to void or delete an invoice that has been generated, according to certain rules.  Once an invoice has been voided or deleted, it cannot be restored.  You would have to generate another invoice instead.


To void or delete an invoice, begin by clicking the Void this Invoice button on the lower right of its Detail screen.


Rules for Voiding an Invoice
If the invoice qualifies for voiding or deleting, a message will ask for confirmation of your action.  Click Delete or Void to confirm.  If you choose to void the invoice, you will be asked to enter an optional text note or "reason" for future reference.

Voiding or deleting an invoice will cause the following things to happen:
For voided invoices only:
Note:  When accessing the Invoice List screen via the Financial icon in the Function Bar, or Invoice List icon in the Control Panel, voided invoices will not be included in the list.


Find Voided Invoices
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Send an Invoice by Email
Beginning in version 4.0.17, you can attach an electronic file to an email.  You need to have PDF software to save a ClientTracker invoice printout as a PDF, or a scanner to scan a printed invoice.
Step 1 - Create a PDF
  1. Click the Print icon for the invoice
  2. Click Print when you are ready to save the image you see in the Floating Preview Palette.
  3. In your computer's Print dialog box, select the option for Printer to be "Print as PDF" or other, similar option.  
  4. Choose the location to print (Save) the PDF and name the PDF file.
You may need to experiment with your own computer's printer set up or PDF software settings to determine the best choices.  This is not a ClientTracker function.

Tip: To easily name the PDF file, hold the Shift key down when you click on the invoice Print button.  This puts data in the Clipboard that you can paste when it is time to name the PDF in #4 above.  The pasted data will look like this: INV 2370 8-29-11 Smith, John $210, and you can edit it as you like before you save the PDF.

Tip:  When you save the PDF, make a note of its location, or create a special folder for all invoice PDFs and name it clearly.

Step 2  Attach the invoice to an email - Use your own email program, or use the Attachment tab for an email sent from ClientTracker.

Track an Invoice Sent by Another Email Program

If you don't want to use ClientTracker to directly email an invoice to a client, you can track an email sent outside of ClientTracker.

1. Create an electronic file of the invoice, either as a PDF or scanned image.

2. Generate an email in your own email program (outside of ClientTracker) and attach the invoice.

3. Create a record of the communication in ClientTracker. 
4. If desired, you can attach the electronic invoice file to the client's record.  However, all invoice's for a client are tracked at each client's Invoices tab, so this is a bit redundant.
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7. Invoices & Payments : Simple & Superbill Invoices

This section discusses how to enter data and manage Simple and Superbill invoice types.  Some of the information also applies to the 1500 invoice type, as well.  Details in this section include:
Simple invoices are for accounts paid directly, not involving insurance companies.

Superbill invoices are for accounts to be paid partly or completely by insurance companies, and have additional fields for insurance information.

Note:  Some functions on a Superbill are not available on a Simple invoice.  These are explained below.  Otherwise, these instructions apply to both types.

Simple type invoices are similar to Superbill invoices except that Simple invoices do not have spaces for insurance company, policy number, and date of birth at the top, or the practitioner's name, license number, or signature line at the bottom.

Superbill Top Section







Invoice Information
Superbill Only - If the client has an active Insurance Policy, the first one in their list will be added to the invoice.  The client's DOB and Policy # will also show if they have been entered.  If they have no active Policy, this area will be blank.
Note: In v4.0, a client's DOB will print on a Superbill invoice only if there is an insurance policy selected for that invoice. The reason for this is to comply with HIPAA, which has evolved since v3.41 was released, and encourages minimizing the exposure of Protected Health Information. The DOB is usually only needed for an insurance claim.
    -- To make the DOB show for a Self-Pay client (i.e. one with no Policy), see Show DOB on a Self-Pay Invoice below

Tip: If you need the client's DOB to show for a particular claim, you can create and assign a mock policy such as "self pay" or "auto accident."

SOAP Note Access

The right side of the Detail screen has a number of controls.  At the top is a button that allows access to the SOAP Note(s) linked to the invoice (if any).
Note:  Creating a SOAP Note from the invoice is treated like making an "appointment" for the client, and as such, the date of the Procedures are used as the appointment date. The date can be changed in the Appointment date as needed, which would change the dates of any line items. Creating a SOAP Note from an invoice with multiple dates is not possible.


Change Invoice Type

In the Change Invoice panel are buttons giving you the option of changing the invoice type at any time, with the caveat that there can be no more than 4 Diagnosis or 6 Procedure Codes on a 1500 invoice.  Changing the type will take you to the appropriate Detail screen.
Note:  Changing the invoice type to a 1500 may require double-checking the accuracy of the information, especially if you are billing for more than one date.


Insurance Payer Information (Superbill only)

If the invoice will be partially or fully paid by an Insurer, click the Insurance Payer checkbox to display the small control panel.

-- Date Claim Sent - This fills automatically when e-billing is used, or you can enter it manually.  This is important, because many invoice functions in ClientTracker are not possible after a claim has been sent for payment.  The date can be removed if necessary.

-- Total Expected - This amount calculates from the total of just the procedures entered on an invoice, minus any Copay amount for the client's insurance policy.  You may also enter a manual amount in the field, as long as it does not exceed the invoice Total Due.  Click the underlined Total Due to revert to the calculated amount.  This is used as a guideline when entering insurance payments.

-- Check the Final Insurance payment made box when appropriate (optional)


Payments

Payment on Account - Click to enter a payment for the client (on the Payments on Account subtab of their Invoices screen).  This would be used for a payment that is considered a pre-payment, or not associated with the current invoice.  For more info, see Clients> Client Invoices Tab>The Payments On Account Subtab.

Insurance Payment (not available on Simple invoices) - Click to enter a payment from the  insurance company of record for the invoice (on the company's Payments tab).  This would be used to enter a payment that is not associated with just the current invoice.  For more info, see Insurance & Billing> The Insurance Payments Screen>Manage Insurance Payments.

Payment Palette - To enter a quick payment for this invoice, begin typing in the small tabs and fields provided in the blue Payment Palette.  For more info, see Invoices & Payments> Payments, Adjustments, & Credits.


Voiding or Deleting an Invoice

Click the Void this Invoice button at the bottom right to void or delete an invoice.  Certain rules and restrictions apply.  See Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices>Voiding or Deleting an Invoice for more info.

Tip:  The five Comm Panel buttons are available on the lower left of invoice Detail screens to create a communication for the invoice's client of record. See Communication> Create Communications>The Comm Panel for more info.
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Diagnosis Codes

Note:  Simple invoices do not have a portal to enter Diagnosis Codes.








Near the top of Superbill invoices is a portal for adding Diagnosis Codes.  Click the New button and pick from the QuickFinder pop-up by clicking the row of the desired code.  You can narrow the portal list by typing part of any diagnosis into the QuickFinder.  Click Edit List to manage your list of Diagnosis Codes in ClientTracker.  See Settings> Diagnosis and Procedure Codes>Diagnosis Code Information for more info.

Power User Tip:  Use Ctrl+Shift+D to enter a new Diagnosis without using your mouse.  (On a Mac use Command+Shift+D)

Tip:  Hover your mouse over an item in the QuickFinder pop-up to see more details about the item, such as Vendor and Current Average Cost. Designate items as "Frequent" to make them appear at the top of the list for faster entry.

Click the small Expand button to see a larger portal of diagnoses.  After you have selected a diagnosis, you can click in its row to change the description, if needed.

Note:  The date of a Diagnosis can only be changed from the SOAP Note or appointment. For convenience, the Appointment pop-up window is accessible by clicking the Date field.

You can enter as many Diagnosis Codes as are needed (up to 30), and they will all show on the printed invoice.  Use the scroll bar at the far right of the portal to view more than four codes.  Diagnoses can also be entered for different dates, if the Superbill is intended to represent multiple client visits.
Note:  If you want to change a Superbill type invoice to a 1500 type, there can only be a maximum of four diagnosis codes.  The remedy is to reduce the number to four or less by deleting the extra line items.

To delete a diagnosis code that has been added, click the delete button at the right of its row.
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Procedures

To add Procedure Codes to a Simple or Superbill invoice, click the New button and pick from the QuickFinder pop-up by clicking the row of the desired procedure.  You can narrow the portal list by typing part of the description in the QuickFinder.  Click Edit List to manage your list of Procedure Codes in ClientTracker.  See Settings> Diagnosis and Procedure Codes for more info.

Power User Tip:  Use Ctrl+Shift+P to enter a new Procedure without using your mouse.  On a Mac use Command+Shift+P.


Click the small Expand button to see a larger portal of Procedure Codes.  After you have selected a procedure, you can click in its row to change or enter information about that item (see below).

You can enter as many Procedure Codes as are needed (up to 60), and they will all show on the printed invoice.  Use the scroll bar at the far right of the portal to view more than four codes.

Note:  If you want to change a Superbill type invoice to a 1500 type, there can only be a maximum of six Procedures.   The remedy is to reduce the number to six or less by deleting the extra line items.








Information for Each Procedure Line Item

Procedure Date - This is the date the procedures were performed. This is auto-entered to be the same date as the invoice, but can be changed (if there is no linked SOAP Note) by picking from the drop-down calendar.
Note:  If the invoice is linked to one or more SOAP Notes, the procedures are presumed to have been performed on the date of the client visit, and can be changed by going to the SOAP Note, or by clicking the Date field to open the Appointment pop-up window.

Description, Code, and Modifier - These all auto-enter from the selected Procedure Code, and can be edited as needed (except for Code).

Quantity - New procedures are given a quantity of "1" by default, which can be changed to a positive or negative number (but not zero).  The Quantity is multiplied by the Price ea. to calculate the Amount.

Price ea. - The set price is entered from the selected procedure, and is multiplied by the Quantity.  The Price ea. itself cannot be edited.

Discount - Enter an optional line item discount in decimal numerals, or a whole number with a percent sign (%).  The discount cannot be greater than the Amount.  See Invoice Discounts below for more info.

Warning:  Changing any line item Qty, Price, or Discount info after an invoice has been paid in full will alter the Invoice Total, which could result in a Total Due that requires further adjustment.

To delete a Procedure Code that has been added, click the delete button at the right of its row.  This will permanently delete any changes entered for that line item, and will reduce the invoice total.
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Products

Use the New button to add any Products which were sold to the client, by picking from the pop-up QuickFinder.  The list of products your practice sells, if applicable, is managed in the Inventory area.  Click Edit List to access this area.  See Inventory> Inventory Setup for more information.

Power User Tips:  Use Ctrl+Shift+G to enter a new Product without using your mouse.  On a Mac use Command+Shift+G.


Click the small Expand button to see a larger portal of Products.  After you have selected a product, you can click in its row to change or enter information about that item (see below).

You can enter as many products as are needed (up to 60), and they will all show on the printed invoice.  Use the scroll bar at the far right of the portal to view more than four.

Tip:  ClientTracker will track the inventory levels of products you sell, and automatically remove products sold from the amount On Hand. It can even alert you to re-order when your products in stock reach a chosen level. See Inventory> Inventory Setup>Beginning Inventory for more information.








Information for Each Product Line Item

Date - The date the Products were sold.  You can change this using a drop-down calendar if the invoice is not linked to a SOAP. 
Note:  If the invoice is linked to one or more SOAP Notes, the products are presumed to have been sold on the date of the client visit, and can be changed by going to the SOAP Note, or clicking the Date field to open the Appointment pop-up window.

Description, Sold By - These enter from the selected Product, and cannot be edited on an invoice.

Quantity - New products are given a quantity of "1" by default, which can be changed to a negative or positive number (but not zero).  Entry of decimal numbers up to 5 characters is supported.  The Quantity is multiplied by the Price ea. to calculate the Amount.

Price ea. - The set price is entered from the selected product, and multiplied by the Quantity.  However, the Price ea. itself cannot be edited.

Discount - Enter an optional line item discount in decimal numerals, or a whole number with a percent sign (%).  The discount cannot be greater than the Amount.  See Invoice Discounts below for more info.

Warning:  Changing any line item Qty, Price, or Discount info after an invoice has been paid in full will alter the Invoice Total, which could result in a Total Due that requires further adjustment.

To delete a Product that has been added, click the delete button at the right of its row.  This will permanently delete any changes entered for that line item, and will reduce the invoice total.
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Invoice Discounts

Discounts can be given to the Procedures and/or Goods line items on invoices in two ways.

1. Enter a line item Discount.
2. Enter a global discount for all line items in a portal.




No Charge Invoice

A No Charge Invoice is defined as one that has charges but no payments, and the Total Due is zero.  An alert message "NO CHARGE INVOICE" will show next to the Invoice Total, but not on any printed invoices.  A No Charge Invoice is accomplished in two ways:



Tip:  You can run a report to find all No Charge Invoices in ClientTracker. See Reports & Marketing> Invoices>No Charge Invoices.

Warning:  Changing a discount after an invoice has been paid in full will alter the Invoice Total, which could result in a Total Due that requires further adjustment.
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Enter Multiple Dates of Service on an Invoice

When you generate an Invoice, ClientTracker assumes you are also using SOAP Notes.  ideally, generate an invoice from an appointment or its SOAP Note whenever possible.  The invoice and SOAP Note will share the "line items," e.g. Diagnoses, Procedures, and Products.

You can link multiple SOAP Notes to an invoice, and the invoice will show all the line items with the dates of their respective SOAP Notes.  When an invoice is generated from, or linked to a SOAP Note, the dates of service are the dates of the respective SOAP Notes (aka appointments), and can only be changed from SOAP Note.  This preserves the integrity of the billed services with the actual clinical procedures performed.
Invoice No SOAP - If you create an invoice with no SOAP Note, the first time you try to change the Date of a line item you will see a warning advising you to first create the SOAP Note (if you intend to).  If you don't use ClientTracker's SOAP Notes, or do not want to link a SOAP Note to the invoice, you can choose Edit Date and change the date to be what you like.
Tip:  New line items created on an invoice will be the same as the date of the invoice. If you want to add new line items to an existing invoice "ledger style," change the date of the invoice first.

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Sales Tax and General Invoice Info

Sales Tax on Invoices

All Procedure Codes and Products can have sales tax rates assigned to them in their respective source records, or be designated non-taxable.  The sales tax (if any) will calculate on the invoice as aggregate subtotals of all taxable line items in the Procedures and/or Products sections; inclusive of any different rates.  The sales tax displays just below each section, and before their respective Subtotals.



A summary of the different rates and their respective totals displays on the invoices near the Total.  You can override the taxable status of all procedures or products for the current invoice only by checking one or both of the No tax boxes.

Sales tax rates are designated for your practice on the Settings/Practice tab.  See Settings> Practice>Sales Tax Overview for more info.

Note:  In order for tax calculations to be correct, you need to set up tax rates for Products and Procedures before creating the invoice.   If the tax rates for an item need to be changed, the item will have to be deleted and re-added to the invoice to show the changes.


Invoice Subtotals and Totals

The invoice is automatically totaled as you add procedures and products.  There is a subtotal for each of the Procedures and Products sections.  Taxes are added to the subtotal to make the Invoice Total (before Payments).

Below the Payments section is the Total Due, which is the total of the invoice minus any payments that have been entered.  See > below for more info on entering payments.


Invoice Notes and Terms

There are two areas for adding notes to an invoice.

1. The tabs labeled Printed Notes and Private Notes are located near the bottom of the invoice, and each behaves differently.


Printed Notes are auto-filled from default text you set up in the Settings/Program/Financial tab, and can be edited for each invoice (up to the space allotted).  As the name suggests, these will be printed on the invoice.

Private Notes are for your practice's use and will not be printed on the invoice.

2. Terms are located near the top of the invoice, and are also auto-filled from default text you set up in the Settings/Program/Financial tab, and can be edited for each invoice (up to the space allotted).  These will show on the printed invoices, as well.  For more info, see Settings> Program/Financial>Printing Invoices.




Practitioner and Signature (Superbill only)

On Superbill invoices, there is a signature line on the lower left, showing the name and license info of the practitioner of record for the visit. 




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Printing Invoices





Click the Print icon in the Control Panel of any invoice Detail screen to print just that invoice.

To print multiple invoices, there are two options:
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Show DOB on a Self-Pay Invoice

In v4.0, a client's DOB will print on a Superbill invoice only if there is an insurance policy selected for that invoice.  The reason for this is to comply with HIPAA, which has evolved since v3.41 was released and encourages minimizing the exposure of Protected Health Information.  The DOB is usually only needed for an insurance claim.

If you need it for a particular patient, you can create and assign a mock policy such as "self pay" or "auto accident."  This is a workaround suggestion, and not an orthodox way of using ClientTracker.  But there should be no harm at all when using it to make the DOB show on a Superbill.
  1. Go to the Insurance area and create a mock "New Company" with a name of your choice, e.g. "Self Pay."  No other info is needed, unless you want to add Notes about how to use this mock company.

  2. Go to the client(s) who need to have their DOB show, and create a New Policy on their Insurance tab.  Select the mock company you created.  No other details are needed unless you want Notes or other Policy Details.

  3. When you create a Superbill for a client, the first Active Policy in their record will automatically be selected at the top of the invoice.  There only has to be a Policy for the DOB to show.
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7. Invoices & Payments : 1500 Invoices

In ClientTracker, the 1500 is referred to as an "invoice."  It is printed on a form called the "1500," or "Health Insurance Claim Form," version 08/05.  For this reason, it is commonly referred to as a "claim form" by many insurers and clearing houses.  The 1500 Detail, or Data Entry screen is designed to look like the form.

Details in this section include:

Note: Complete Instructions for how to fill out the 1500 claim form can be found at this URL:
http://www.nucc.org/images/stories/PDF/claim_form_manual_v4-0_7-08.pdf


Preparing to Fill Out a 1500

To save you time and typing, 1500 invoices are generated with a number of items filled in for you (if you have entered the information ahead of time).  To move around the enterable areas of the form, we suggest using your mouse; not the Tab key.  For more info, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips.

Warning:  A 1500 invoice will be rejected by most payers without complete and accurate information. ClientTracker is set up to facilitate the entry of this info before a 1500 is generated and submitted for payment.  For more info, see Insurance & Billing> Tips for E-Billing with the 1500>Insurance Company Tips.

Here is a summary of information that should be completed before generating a 1500:

If you click on some areas of the form, you are prompted to go to the relevant area in the program to change the information.  This prevents discrepancies between information in the client record or client's insurance accounts records and the 1500 form.  You can also go to these areas using the Insurance Company and Client's Insurance Account buttons at the top of the form.

Tip:  If you change anything about the client's insurance account, you may need to refresh the data on invoices created before the change was made. To do this, click the Refresh Information button at the top of the invoice. If you are experiencing any issues involving old data showing on invoices, give this a try first.  (if you use this button you will lose your current found set and wind up working with just the current invoice.)

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The 1500 Screen Controls




The 1500 screen is divided into two main tabs.
  1. 1500 - Laid out just like a 1500 form, with additional buttons and controls.

  2. Details - Access to 1500 details like line items and the Payment Palette related to the client visit(s) that are linked to the 1500 invoice.  See below for more info.

The Functions Bar of a 1500 invoice has the same choices as a Simple or Superbill invoice.

Printing the 1500 Invoice


The Print icon will print a 1500 claim form when the 1500 tab is open.  Before printing 1500 forms you can choose whether to print on blank paper or preprinted forms as a default.  This is done in the Settings/Programs/Financial tab.  Most companies accept either.

Note:  If the Details tab is open  and there are Products on the invoice, the Print icon will print the information shown on that tab as a Superbill invoice. See The 1500 Details Tab below for more info.

If you are printing on a pre-printed form, and find that your printer is not properly aligning the printed text with the form blanks, you can use the Adjust Printer Alignment link at the top of the page.  It prompts you to enter incremental numbers in a pop-up window to shift the printout horizontally or vertically until it is correct.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Print Options for the 1500 for more info.


Saving the 1500 Form

ClientTracker automatically saves information entered on the 1500 invoice, or form.


Other 1500 Functions

Insurance Company - When you create a 1500 invoice, the first active Insurance Policy in the client's list (on their Insurance screen) will be auto-selected, and the address of the insurance company will show.  See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies for more info.

Client's Insurance Policy - Use this button to access the client's Insurance screen, or to view the insurance policy being used for this 1500.  This would be the first policy marked Active on the client's Insurance screen.  The insurance company issuing this policy is the "insurance company of record" for the 1500.

Insurance Company Detail - This will display the Detail screen of the insurance company of record for the 1500.

Insurance Payer settings and invoice info- See The 1500 Details Tab below, about the Details tab.

Other Functions

Refresh Information - Use this button to update information on the 1500 after it has been updated in any of the source screens, i.e. insurance policy, client or insured info, etc.

Note:  If you use the Refresh Information button, it will update ALL the info linked to the invoice to be whatever is current.   It will also isolate that invoice from any found set you were working with, so you will lose your found set.

Go to SOAP Note - This takes you to a single SOAP Note that is linked to the invoice.  If multiple SOAP Notes are linked, it displays as "Go to x SOAP Notes," with "x" being the number of invoices.  Multiple invoices are displayed on a list from which you can choose which SOAP Note to look at.

E-Billing - This button takes you to the E-Billing screen of the clearing house assigned to the insurance company of record for the 1500.  See Insurance & Billing> E-Billing for complete instructions on this process.

Change Invoice - At any time, you can click a button in this small panel to change the 1500 to a Simple or Superbill invoice type.

Void this Invoice - Use this button at the bottom right of the 1500 to void or delete the entire invoice.  The same rules apply for voiding a 1500 invoice as for Simple or Superbill types; with the addition that a 1500 cannot be voided or deleted if it has been sent as a claim.  See Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices>Voiding or Deleting an Invoice for more info.

Comm Panel - At the bottom left of the screen are buttons to generate a communication with the invoice's client as the recipient.  See Communication> Create Communications for more info.

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The 1500 Details Tab

The Details tab is where payments and adjustments are entered for a 1500 invoice.  It also provides a place to view a summary of charges, discounts, and taxes related to the invoice.  It is the only place to enter Products, although these do not show on the 1500 claim form.


Insurance Payer Information
The Invoice Display

The Diagnoses subtab shows a portal of the Diagnosis Codes that have been entered for the visit, and a display of how they will be printed on the 1500.  You can enter any codes by clicking the New button; however, the 1500 will display and print only unique, non-duplicate codes.  See Filling Out the 1500 Claim Form - Visit and Diagnosis Info below for more info.

The Procedures subtab displays a portal of the Procedure Codes that have been entered for the visit.  You can add, edit, delete, or enter discounts for Procedures on this portal.

Warning: Any changes made to the Procedure or Diagnosis Codes on these portals (except discounts) will also change the corresponding information on the 1500 claim form and SOAP Note of origin.

The Products subtab displays any products purchased during the client visit.  If you need to enter products separate from the visit(s) from which the 1500 is generated, it is a better practice to enter them on a separate invoice.  For more info, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Entering Products on the 1500.

Tip:  Often, when referring to the 1500 as an invoice, the Diagnosis Codes, Procedure Codes, and Products are called "line items." Line Items for more than one visit - even on different days - can be combined on one 1500.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Entering Procedure Codes on a 1500 for more info.

Tip:  When the invoice has Products and you are on the Details tab, the Print icon in the Control Panel will print a Superbill invoice with all line items on the invoice, including products.

The other controls and displays on this tab are similar to those found on a Simple or Superbill invoice.  For more info about the discount and sales tax displays, see Invoices & Payments> Simple & Superbill Invoices>Sales Tax and General Invoice Info.


Invoice Payments


Payments are entered using the Payment Palette and managed on the Payments portal, just like the ones on the Superbill invoice.  For more info, see > .  This system is the best way to enter payments received for a single invoice.

To enter payments made by a client for multiple invoices, see Clients> Client Invoices Tab>Distribute a POA to Invoices.

To enter payments made by an insurance company for multiple invoices (or claim forms), see Insurance & Billing> The Insurance Payments Screen>Manage Insurance Payments.

Tip:  To have the total of payments made on the Payments tab show in box 29 (Amount Paid) on the 1500 form, see the instructions for that box below in Filling Out the 1500 Form - Practice & Practitioner Info.
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Filling Out the 1500 Claim Form - Patient and Insured Information

The 1500 tab of this invoice Detail screen is set up to look just like the 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form.  Each area of the 1500 claim form is numbered.  The numbered areas are referred to as "boxes."  As mentioned above, much of the form is intended to be auto-entered from preexisting, or "source" information.

The auto-filled information from other sources cannot be edited in most areas of the 1500 screen.  These areas have a thin blue border on the entry screen, and the Sources of their info are described below.  If these areas are clicked, a message will ask you if you want to go to the source screen to change anything.  If you do go somewhere else, click the Back button in the Functions Bar to return to the 1500 screen.  Click the Refresh Information button if you have changed any source info, so it will be updated on the 1500 form.

Note:  All of the information on the 1500 is important, but ClientTracker provides special reminders for critical info.  If blank and needing to be filled in, the data entry fields on the form will show as a solid pink box.





Box 1 - Type of Health Insurance
Source = The insurance company's 1500 tab of preferences on its Detail screen
      -- See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies>The Insurance Company Detail Screen for more info


Boxes 1a, 4, 7, and 11a-c - Insured Information
Source = Policy info on the client's Insurance screen, and the Insured's Detail screen.

The Insured's phone number must be checked as "Insurance" to show in its area of Box 7.

      -- See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Manage the Insured Person On the Policy for more info







Boxes 2, 3, 6, and 8 - Patient Information
Source = The client's Personal screen, and/or the Policy info on their Insurance screen.








Tip: The patient's Address and Phone Number must be checked as "Insurance" on their record to show in this area.
      -- See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Client Addresses for more info about addresses
      -- See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Client Phone Numbers for more info about phone numbers


Box 9 - Other Insured Information
This can be filled out, if required, as related to coverage from a second insurance program. Once entered, this data is auto-filled in subsequently created 1500 forms for the same client, and can be changed at any time.  See also 11d below.





Box 10 - Patient's Condition
Enter information here about factors related to the client's condition.












Box 11d - Other Health Plan
Source = Policy info on the client's Insurance screen; or manually check this if the client is covered by a second health benefit plan.  If yes, the insurance company may also require info in Box 9.






Boxes 12 and 13 - Signature on File?
Source = Client and Policy info on the client's Insurance screen
      -- See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Boxes 12 and 13 - Authorized Signatures for more information
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Filling Out the 1500 Claim Form - Visit and Diagnosis Info

Physician or Supplier Information

Note:  The bottom half of the 1500 can also be referred to as the "visit information," as it pertains to one or more client visits.  Remember, an invoice can be linked to more than one SOAP Note.  For more info, see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes.



Boxes 14, 15, 16, and 18
These should be filled out manually, as applicable, with information related to the client's current illness or condition.

Boxes 17, 17a, and 17b - Name of Referring Physician or Other Source
Source - This is auto-filled with the name of the provider in the client's Personal screen, on the Referrals tab.  If this is blank, you can pick from a pop-up menu of active referral providers in ClientTracker.  This list can be managed by clicking the Edit List link.


Boxes 19 and 20 - Reserved for Local Use
These are provided on the form for your own use, and can be filled in manually as needed.


Diagnosis Codes






Box 21, lines 1-4 - Diagnosis Codes
Source - These would typically be auto-filled from the Diagnosis Codes from the client's previous invoice.  You can manually enter up to a maximum of four unique Diagnosis Codes on a 1500 by clicking the New button, and choosing from the pop-up QuickFinder window.  Click the Edit List link to manage the list of Diagnosis Codes. 

ClientTracker displays the description of the code in italics for your reference only.  It doesn't print out or get submitted electronically, only the numerical codes is submitted.

Note: If multiple SOAP Notes share a Diagnosis Code, or if a duplicate code is entered more than once, it will be displayed only once on the 1500 tab, printed form, or electronic billing file for Box 21.

Tip:  Go to the Details tab to access an editable portal of all Diagnosis Codes entered. Codes can be entered on either tab. See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Entering Diagnosis Codes on a 1500 Invoice for more info.

To delete a Diagnosis Code, click the small delete button that appears to the left of its line number on the 1500 tab. This takes you to the Details tab; click on the right of its portal row on the Details tab.  This also deletse the Diagnosis Code from its linked SOAP Note.







Boxes 22 and 23 - Information related to Medicaid (if applicable)
If these boxes need information for billing, you can enter it manually.
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Filling Out the 1500 Form - Procedure Codes & Info

Box 24 - Procedure Codes

Source - Like Diagnosis Codes, the procedures for a 1500 would typically be auto-filled from those on one or more linked SOAP Notes, or from the client's previous invoice.  You can enter up to a maximum of six procedures on a 1500; from one or multiple client visits.  These will show as lines in Box 24 of the 1500, with additional info required that can only be entered there.  For more detailed info, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Entering Procedure Codes on a 1500.

You can manually enter procedures for the client by clicking the New button (in Box 24a), and choosing from the pop-up QuickFinder window.  Procedure information can be edited on the 1500 tab or Details tab, but the 1500 tab is more comprehensive.
Click the Edit List link (in Box 24d) to manage the list of Procedure Codes.

To delete a procedure, click the small delete button that appears just below a line number on the 1500, or on the right of the portal row on the Details tab.  This will also delete the procedure from its linked SOAP Note.












Specific areas for each procedure can be edited in Box 24 (all enterable except as noted):

Tip:  At the bottom of the form, in the area marked "Defaults for boxes," you can enter default data for 24b, 24c, 24h, or 27, to be entered in future 1500 forms.  For more info, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>1500 Invoice Defaults for Selected Boxes.

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Filling Out the 1500 Form - Practice & Practitioner Info

Miscellaneous Info




Box 25 - Federal Tax ID Number
Source - Settings/Practice information

Box 26 - Patient's Account Number
Source - If you use a client ID or patient account numbers, the number assigned to the client will auto-enter here.  See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Client Identifiers for more info.

Box 27 - Accept Assignment?
This is left blank in most cases (see your 1500 instructions for more info).  If needed, you can check either "Yes" or "No."


Invoice Totals




Box 28 - Total Charge
The calculated total of all charges submitted on the 1500 in Box 24f.  This cannot be edited.  To change the total, adjust the units in 24g or the way 24f works for the insurance company.



Box 29 - Amount Paid - The amount the patient and/or other insurance carrier has paid to you already for these services.  By default, this box is blank to handle the different circumstances of when you submit the 1500. 

To display an amount in this box, scroll down a little bit to the Defaults area and see  "This invoice only: Box 29"  below the form. Click in "Show payment"  field to choose one of the following:
Box 30 - Balance Due
Calculated as the difference between Box 28 and Box 29.  This cannot be modified.

Practice & Practitioner Info

Box 31 - Signature
Source - The name of the Default practitioner for the client is auto-entered in this or if the 1500 invoice is linked to a SOAP Note, the practitioner for that visit.

The name and license number of the practitioner of record shows just above the signature line.  Click the practitioner's name to view their Detail screen.  Click the Toggle button to choose a display for the signature line itself:

Tip:  Click the blue link practitioner name to see their Detail screen.  To change the practitioner for the 1500, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Changing the Practitioner on a 1500.

Note:  The date shown in Box 31 is the date of the 1500 invoice.  Click it to use a pop-up calendar to change the date, if necessary.


Box 32 - Service Facility Location
This is the name and address of the facility or place where the treatment was performed, and the NPI number associated with the facility.  All the information in Box 32 auto-fills from the data filled in Settings/Practice tab.

 For a different name or address, click in each of the fields to enter different data.  For the next 1500 for this same client with the same practitioner, this manually entered data will be remembered. To make the practice address show again, click the Reset link.

IMPORTANT  Starting January 2012, the new HIPAA 5010 rule requires the zip to have all 9 digits.

Box 32a - This will auto-fill with the Practice NPI.  If you click in the field and type something, this will replace the Practice NPI for that invoice only.

Box 32b - If the client's insurance company requires a different qualifier and ID for the facility, this can be manually entered. 
Source - The 2-character qualifier can be entered on the Detail screen of the insurance company, for auto-entry as a reminder.

Source - The practice address is filled in automatically, or you can manually enter address information. If you change the practice address, click the Refresh Information button.  


Box 33 - Practitioner who performed the services







Source - This is auto-filled with either the practitioner or the practice name, address and NPI. To auto-fill for the practitioner: on the practitioner's Detail screen,  check the box "Use practitioner's insurance address."   If the practitioner has two or more  addresses, make sure the correct address has the "Insurance" box checked.  Starting January 2012, the new HIPAA 5010 rule requires the zip to have all 9 digits.

Note: Starting January 2012, most insurance companies will require your 1500 to follow the new HIPAA 5010 regulations for Box 33. The Billing Provider must be as follows:

-- If you do business as a corporation, this must be your corporation's name, address and NPI. For most practice's this will be the same as the Practice, Box 32, NPI.  The Practitioner's NPI will still show in Box 24J

-- If the practitioner performs the services and will be paid does business an independent, non-incorporated individual, then the Practitioner's name, address and NPI may be used. 


You have a variety of choices for how information is displayed in Box.33:
Box 33a - NPI Number for the practitioner of record for the 1500 is the default only if you have checked the box "Use practitioner's insurance address"on the practitioner Detail screen.  If you toggle the name for Box 33 to the Practice, the practice NPI displays.

Box 33b - Other number for practitioner that an insurance company may require
Source -  By default this contains the license number for the practitioner preceded by 'OB', which designates the state license number, IF you have set this to be filled on the insurance company's 1500 tab. Not all insurance companies require this.  Other numbers can be entered here manually and will appear on future 1500 forms for that client.
Tip:  Information entered into these boxes will duplicate for the same client when seeing the same practitioner, if you have feature this set up.  See Invoices & Payments> Manage Invoices>Automatic & Duplicate Invoice Entry for more info.
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Sending the 1500 for Payment

When the 1500 is complete and ready to be sent for payment, you have two choices:



1. Electronic billing using a clearing house can be initiated for a single 1500, or in a batch.  Click the E-Billing button at the top of the 1500 data entry screen to get started.





2. Printing the 1500 and mailing it to an insurance company is also an option.  With the 1500 tab showing, click the Print icon and follow the prompts.


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7. Invoices & Payments : 1500 Data Entry Tips

Details in this section include:

Use Your Mouse to Move Around the 1500 Data Entry Screen

If you use the Tab button on your keyboard to move around when you get to the 1500 data entry screen, it takes you to the first enterable field: Box 10b to enter the Place (state).  Continued tabbing takes you to the rest of the enterable boxes, then on to each line of the frequently used Boxes for 24.

The tab doesn't start with Box 1a or Box 2 because these areas, or fields, are not enterable on the 1500 screen.  The data is filled in automatically from other sources in ClientTracker.  If you do use the Tab key, you must use your mouse to check or uncheck boxes -- you can't tab into a checkbox.

For fastest data entry, use of your mouse is recommended on the 1500 data entry screen.
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Insurance Billing Made Easy: A Step by Step Guide
Interested in better understanding how insurance billing works?  Considering billing insurance in your practice but don't know where to start?  Or perhaps you feel like insurance billing is just too complex and overwhelming?  A long-timeClientTracker user, Rebecca Hurwood, L.Ac., is determined to demystify insurance billing with her ebook - Insurance Billing Made Easy: A Step by Step Guide for Acupuncturists and CAM Providers.  If you haven't checked it out, please visit the book website at www.insurancebillingmadeeasy.com - special offers available!
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Entering Diagnosis Codes on a 1500 Invoice

A 1500 invoice can have a maximum of four unique Diagnosis Codes.  These usually come from the SOAP Note for the visit that is being billed for on the 1500.  If there is more than one SOAP Note linked to a 1500, or if a code is entered more than once, any duplicate Diagnosis Codes will show only once.  Any of up to 6 Procedures can be "pointed" to a Diagnosis Code in Box 24e. 






Use the New button on the 1500 or Details tab of the data entry screen to enter a Diagnosis Code.  The new code gets added in numerical order of the Code in lines 1-4 of Box 21; shifting the position of any existing ones.  In other words, the lowest code number would be in Line 1, the next in Line 2, etc.  This may cause any existing 24e diagnosis pointers to be changed or invalid, so it's a good idea to recheck the Box 24e pointers if you add any Diagnosis Codes after Procedures have been entered.

Once added, some information about a diagnosis can be edited, or the entire code deleted, but only on the Diagnosis portal of the Details tab.  If you click the Delete button to the left of a code in Box 21 of the 1500 tab, you will be taken to the Details tab, where you can also add new codes.  Above the Diagnosis portal is a display of how the codes will appear on the 1500.  All codes added will show in the portal; with up to 4 unique codes allowed on a 1500.














To create a new Diagnosis Code or change an existing one and enter it on a 1500, first click Edit List and add the new Diagnosis Code on its List layout.  Click the Back button when finished, and use the New button to re-add the edited code.
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Entering Procedure Codes on a 1500

The 1500 allows for six Procedure Codes per form in the six lines of Box 24.  A 1500 is most often used for a single SOAP Note (or visit), with all the procedure codes having that same date.  If the 1500 invoice is linked to multiple SOAP Notes, it could represent up to six visits if each visit had only one procedure code, or 3 visits with 2 procedures, or any combination.  It is your choice -- up to the limitations of the form.











Note:  Procedures can have different information edited, from the 1500 tab or the Details tab.  They show the same procedures; however, the info on the 1500 tab pertains to the 1500 Claim Form, and on the Details tab is more practice-oriented information.















Box Notes re Procedure Codes on a 1500 invoice from Multiple SOAP Notes

24a - If the 1500 is not linked to any SOAP Notes, you can edit the "Date To" to combine identical procedures performed over multiple, consecutive days.  This is an advanced billing technique, and we strongly recommend consulting the 1500 Instructions.
24a (pink area) - Just above the dates, you can manually enter additional information about the procedure, as required by the Insurer.

24b - Place of Service is a 2-digit code.  ClientTracker provides 11 (office) and 12 (home) as codes in a drop-down list.  You can enter any ad hoc value to add to the list.  The complete list can be found at http://www.cms.gov/PlaceofServiceCodes/Downloads/posdatabase110509.pdf

24c - Emergency Services will toggle as "Y" (Yes) or blank.  Enter a "Y" if the procedure was performed as an emergency service.  You can set "Y" as a default for all 1500s at the bottom of the screen.

24d - The Procedure Code is entered automatically and can only be changed on your Procedure Code list.  Modifiers are optional, and may be stored with the Procedure Code (on your list) so they get entered automatically.  or, you can enter or edit them manually here.  For more info on Modifiers, see the full 1500 instructions at: http://www.nucc.org/images/stories/PDF/claim_form_manual_v4-0_7-08.pdf

24e - Diagnosis Pointer is a set of numbers 1 through 4, in any combination, which indicate for which diagnosis the procedure was performed.  ClientTracker offers a drop-down list of various combinations for your use.

24f & 24g - See Boxes 24f and 24g - Unit or Multiple? below

24h - EPSDT Family Plan will toggle as Y (Yes) or blank.  Enter a Y if the procedure was performed for EPSDT. You can set "Y" as a default for all 1500s at the bottom of the screen.

24i - This optional, 2-character qualifier auto-enters from the record of the Insurer of record for the SOAP Note.  This can only be manually changed on the 1500, and the auto-enter can be set up or changed on the Insurer's Detail screen.

24j - will show information about the practitioner of record for that SOAP Note, if it is has been entered on the practitioner's Detail screen.  For more info, see Settings> Practice>Create and Manage Practitioners.

24l (pink area) - This is a place to manually enter another ID for the rendering practitioner, as required by the Insurer.  See your 1500 instructions for more info.

Multiple SOAP Notes are linked to a single 1500 invoice by using the small Link control on the upper right of the SOAP Note entry screen, below the button that says Generate Invoice, or Go to Invoice.  For more information, see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes.

See also Creating a SOAP Note from a 1500 Invoice below for more info.
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Entering Products on the 1500

Most insurance companies do not reimburse for products or herbs. If they do, they will want a specific Procedure Code -- e.g. for moxibustion sticks used in a procedure.

You can enter enter products sold by your practice in the Inventory area of ClientTracker.  How you do this is completely up to you, and what works best for your practice.  The resulting list of these products is available when creating an invoice.  For more info, see Inventory> Inventory Setup.















A 1500 invoice is usually generated from a SOAP Note.  If there are any Herbs/Formulas in the Plan area of the SOAP Note, these will appear on the Details tab of the 1500, in the Products portal.  You can have an unlimited number of products in this portal, just like on the Simple or Superbill invoices. 

IMPORTANT:  If you click the Print icon from this tab, you will print a Superbill invoice; including all the diagnoses, procedures, and products. For more info, see Invoices & Payments> Simple & Superbill Invoices>Products.

If you are creating a 1500 invoice without a SOAP Note, you have a choice of either creating a separate Simple invoice for the sale of products or adding them to the Products portal in the Details tab of the 1500, by use of the New button.  We recommend creating a separate Simple invoice, as it helps to keep the payments very clear.
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Creating a SOAP Note from a 1500 Invoice

It is usually advisable to create the SOAP Note first, record the clinical findings, and add diagnoses, procedures, and products sold from there.  However, there may be times when you have filled out a 1500 without a SOAP Note, and want to create one.




The primary method is to click the Create SOAP Note button near the top of the 1500.

Diagnoses, Procedures, and Products are shared by invoices and SOAP Notes.  If you have added any of these to a 1500, they would be added to the SOAP Note as well.

If the procedures on a 1500 have been performed by more than one practitioner, these would all be changed to the practitioner of record for the entire invoice, which will become the practitioner of record for the SOAP Note as well.  After creating the SOAP Note, you can return to the 1500 and change the practitioner for any procedure by clicking box 24j.


Information for Billing Multiple Dates on One 1500

If you have entered Procedures with different dates in Box 24, you cannot create a SOAP Note from the 1500.  The button says No SOAP Possible, and if you click it, you will get a message saying this is not possible.  If you enter procedures with different dates on a 1500 that has no SOAP Note yet, you will receive a one-time warning that the SOAP Notes should be created first 9if you want one), and the procedures entered separately on each SOAP Note.  Then, each SOAP Note can be linked to the 1500, using the method described in SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes.
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Copay & Expected from Insurer & Client

The Insurer Payer panel was created to clearly track and report on what is expected and paid from the insurance company versus the client.  On the 1500, the most complete info can be found at the top of the Details tab.  This was designed for when you expect money in from an insurance company, and therefore would most often be used on the 1500.




The Insurer Payer box is checked automatically when a 1500 invoice is created.   You can change that at any time.  On the Superbill, you can also manually adjust this box.  Changing the invoice type to Simple will uncheck the Insurer Payer box.

The Total Expected and amounts are automatically set to be the total of Procedures, less any Copay.  Products are calculated to be due from the Client.  You can manually adjust the "due" amounts in several ways:

The amount "Due from Client" will reflect any Copay that is entered on the Insurance Policy of record for the invoice.

When you create a new client payment in the Payment Palette and click the Copay box, any Copay amount in the Insurance Policy will fill in automatically.  Fill in the Method, Amount, and any other desired Payment fields as usual.













The Transaction Log report in its Detail printout shows what is Due from the Client and from the Insurer.  Both the Detail and Summary views show the grand total due from Client and from the Insurer.


Showing the Co-pay on the 1500 Form

Box 29 is the place to show any patient payments on a 1500.  Most insurance companies don't want to see a number in this box (contact your payers to find out exactly what they want).  If needed, you have several choices as to what would show here.




At the bottom of the 1500 Data Entry screen is a light blue Defaults area.  Set your preference here for how Box 29 displays for the current invoice only. 
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Print Options for the 1500

Blank or Preprinted 1500 Forms

You can choose whether to print on a blank sheet of paper or preprinted forms.  Go to the Settings/Program/Financial tab, and select an option.
Tip:  If you choose preprinted forms, you can check the box in Settings, and ClientTracker will remind you to load the forms in your printer each time you print a 1500.


Save As an Electronic File

If you have PDF software, you can print the image of the 1500 form with data as a .PDF file.  You should select the option above for Blank paper, and when your print dialog shows, select the option to print as a PDF instead of using your printer.


Adjust Printer Alignment




















DO A TEST:  First try adjusting the paper tray in your printer and print on blank paper to see how it prints.  Superimpose the printout on a pre-printed 1500 so you don't waste forms.  (Or make copies of an actual form and use those for testing.)  Your printer may also have other alignment controls you could try.

To adjust the printout in ClientTracker, click the Adjust Printer Alignment link near the top of the 1500 Data Entry screen, and a pop-up window will open.  Enter whole numbers only in the boxes to move the printed data horizontally or vertically on the page.

The system defaults for these settings are different for Windows or Mac:
Windows Defaults
  • Horizontal = 16 (about 3/8" left)
  • Vertical = 20 (about 1/2" down)
Mac Defaults
  • Horizontal = 18 (about 3/8" left)
  • Vertical = 11 (about 1/4" down)
Horizontal Settings
Left - The printed data cannot be moved farther left than zero.
Right - Enter a number no greater than 36 to move the printed data to the right.

Vertical Settings
Up - Enter a number no less than zero to move the printed data higher on the page.
Down - Enter a number no greater than 64 to move the printed data lower on the page.
(Note: Mac systems may not print well with a number over 20)
Tip:  Repeat the TEST above to see the effects of the changes.
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Boxes 24f and 24g - Unit or Multiple?

Boxes 24f and 24g - EXAMPLE





Multiple method - For example in the graphic to the right, we see charges for 2 units of a procedure, which are $145 each. In the Multiple method of calculation, box F shows the unit cost ($145) multiplied by the number of units (2) or $290.





Unit method - This example also shows charges for 2 units of the same procedure.  Now box F shows the unit cost, $145, rather than unit cost times the quantity. The total at the bottom will add up correctly either way.



Tip:  To set how box 24f works for the insurance company of record, scroll to the bottom of a 1500 form and click the white box next to "24.F Charges preference," to toggle between "Unit" and "Multiple". You can also change this on the insurance company's Detail screen.

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1500 Invoice Defaults for Selected Boxes

For procedures entered on SOAP Notes, or on the 1500 invoice, the display fields for Boxes 24b, 24c, 24g, and 24h will be blank unless you have set up defaults on the bottom of the 1500 Data Entry screen.




Select from the appropriate pop-up menu to enter a value that will be used for all procedures that display on a 1500 invoice.  Changing these will not affect any invoices already created, but would take effect on the next invoice.  Of course, the values can always be edited for each Procedure Code line, on the 1500 Data Entry screen.

Box 27 is intended for government claims only (e.g. Medicare, CHAMPUS, etc.), to indicate that the Service Provider agrees to accept assignment under the terms of the insurance program.  Leave this blank if you do not bill government programs.  For more information, see your 1500 instructions.
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Manual Date Claim Sent





If you mail claims instead of e-billing, you can manually enter the Date Claim Sent on the either tab of the 1500, and ClientTracker will perform the following actions:

-- A message "(Date Claim Sent) mailed to (Insurance Company)" is entered as a new line at the beginning of Private Notes.

-- If you delete this date, the Private Notes remain unchanged, and you may edit them as needed.

-- If there is no Insurance Company selected for the claim, a warning message will appear.





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Changing the Practitioner on a 1500

The practitioner of record for the 1500 can only be changed on the 1500 if it is not linked to a SOAP or appointment.  Otherwise, you would change the practitioner in one of those screens.




To change the practitioner, click the field below box 33, and select from the pop-up menu of active practitioners.

Note: If there are practitioners for any Procedures that are different than the invoice's practitioner of record (in Box 24j the Procedure row), these will need to be reconfirmed after this process.
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Boxes 12 and 13 - Authorized Signatures

To submit claims on the 1500 form, you need two authorized signatures (besides the practitioner's).





Box 12 - Patient’s or Authorized Person's Signature
The patient’s or authorized person’s signature indicates there is an authorization on file for the release of any medical or other information necessary to process and/or adjudicate the claim.

If this has been done and recorded in ClientTracker, this box shows "Signature on File," and the date the client signed, from lower right corner of the client’s Insurance screen.  If this says "Patient's Signature Needed," click the box to access the client's Insurance screen and make the necessary changes.  be sure to click Refresh Information when you return.

This is recorded on either the client's Personal or Insurance screen.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Information for All Policies for more info.

Box 13 - Insured's or Authorized Person's Signature
The insured’s or authorized person’s signature indicates that there is a signature on file authorizing payment of medical benefits on the insurance policy.

This is specific to each individual insurance policy, and is tracked on the client’s Insurance screen in area 2 at the bottom in the bottom of the screen.  No date is needed, just click the check box.
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Address and Phone Numbers on the 1500
ClientTracker is very flexible in how you can designate and enter the address and phone numbers that will appear on a 1500.

Address (Client, Insured Person, and Practitioner = "source records")
The address that will show on a 1500 needs to have its little Insurance box checked.  When there is only one address entered, this box will automatically be checked.  If you add more than one, or uncheck that box, you will need to designate which address to use, and refresh the information on any Client Insurance Policies and 1500s where that address will be needed.







Phone Numbers
Phone numbers also have an Insurance checkbox, for the same purpose.  In addition, the 1500 requires an Area Code.  If a phone number is entered without an Area Code, it will be incompletely applied and the Area Code box will turn pink.  (Required fields that need data show as pink on the 1500 entry screen.)





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7. Invoices & Payments : Payments, Adjustments, & Credits

Tip:  It is best to enter payments for a single invoice on the invoice itself.

Details in this section include:
All payments made on an invoice show in a portal at the bottom of the each of the invoice types: Simple and Superbill invoices and the Details tab of the 1500.  Payments are entered for an invoice in three ways:

1. From the Payment Palette, where a payment is entered for just the current invoice.

The Payment Palette is on the lower right of the invoice Detail screen, and is labeled "New Payment" or "Edit Payment" depending on the task.  (Example at left)

2. From the client's Invoices screen Payment On Account (POA) tab, where a payment can be entered and distributed to multiple invoices for that client. 

The Payment on Account button on the right side of the invoice Detail screen takes you to the client's record to make a POA.  See Clients> Client Invoices Tab>The Payments On Account Subtab for more info.

3. From an insurance company's Payments tab, where a payment can be entered and distributed to multiple invoices for different clients.

The Insurance Payment button on the right side of the invoice Detail screen on a Superbill and 1500 only takes you to the insurance company's record to enter a payment.  See Insurance & Billing> The Insurance Payments Screen>Manage Insurance Payments for more info.


Insurance Payer Information Superbill and 1500 only


Click the Insurance Payer? checkbox to open the small panel, shown at left.

Date Claim Sent - This fills automatically when e-billing is used, or you can enter it manually when you mail it.

Total Expected - This amount calculates automatically from the total of the invoice, minus any Copay amount entered for the client's insurance policy. Click in this field to change it to a different amount.

The amounts due from the insurance company and client will display at the bottom of the panel, and in the Status field of the invoice List screen

Check the Final Insurance payment made box when appropriate (optional)

Note:  The Insurance Payer panel shows automatically at the top of both tabs of the 1500 invoice.


Deleting a Payment from an Invoice


To delete a payment, click the delete button at the right of its row in the Payments portal.  Deleting a payment is subject to the same rules as editing.  See Editing an Invoice Payment below for more info.
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Using the Invoice Payment Palette

Making Payments & Adjustments to an Invoice


To begin, select a tab of the Payment Palette based on the source of the payment.  Your choices are: Client, Adj. (Adjustment), Other, and Insurer.  The Insurer tab shows only on the 1500 invoice or on the Superbill if he Insurance Payer box is checked.

Client tab - These instructions are for all the tabs, unless noted.

Date - Click the blue underlined Date to enter today's date, click it again to put in the date of the invoice. A 3rd click blanks our the date, for your entry. Or click the icon to select from a drop-down calendar.

Method - Choose Cash, Check, Credit Card, EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) or Gift Cert.  If Credit Card is chosen, additional entry boxes will appear below.

Copay - The Copay checkbox will show next to Method only there is a selected insurance policy, and it has a Copay set up.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Policy Details for more info.

Note:  If the client is making a copay then always check the Copay box.  This is important because it affects the way ClientTracker calculates the payment.  You may also also want to enter an amount in the 'Total Expected' box on the right side of the screen (see above).  This amount should be the total amount due minus the client's co-pay amount, and minus any Products or other items that would not be covered by insurance.
Amount - Click the blue underlined Amount to enter the Total Due at the bottom of the invoice.  Or, you can enter any amount up to the invoice Total Due.  A warning will appear if you exceed this amount.  The Amount should be a positive number.

Check # - Optional, unless you have selected in Settings/Program/Financial to be prompted to enter this. Displays on the Deposit Slip.

Note - Optional - This will show in the Details column of the Payments portal
IMPORTANT: When all payment information has been entered, click the Apply button, and it will be transferred to a new row in the Payments portal of the invoice, to the left. The Clear button will remove all information entered in the Payment Palette. If you move away from an invoice before clicking Apply, any info entered here will be cleared.


Adj. tab  Adjustments

Use this tab for entering adjustments to the invoice that are not payments; e.g. a Write-off or No Charge Invoice.  The functions are the same as for the Clients tab, except as noted below.

Adj. Type - Select Comp, Trade, or Write-off from the pop-up menu. (this list cannot be modified).  Enter an amount as a positive number, and it will be subtracted from the Total Due and appear in the Payments portal when Apply is clicked.

No Charge Invoice - Clicking this will enter 100% global discounts for Products and Goods on the invoice.  See Invoices & Payments> Simple & Superbill Invoices>Invoice Discounts for more info.


Note:  If you want to make a payment using available credit, or to enter a prepayment, click the Payment on Account button.



Other tab

If the source of the payment is someone other than a client or insurance company in ClientTracker, (e.g. a fund, a parent, friend or caregiver), use this tab to make a payment.

The functions are the same as for the Clients tab; except for Paid by.
Paid by- The name of the person or entity making the payment. The payment will appear in the Payments portal when Apply is clicked. This name also shows on the Deposit Slip and Payments Log.

Insurer tab (Insurance) -- Superbill & 1500 only

Entering a payment from an insurance company here.  The functions are the same as for the Clients tab; except as noted below.
Payer - Preselected as the insurance company for the policy assigned to that invoice.

Method - Only Cash and EFT methods are possible for an insurance payment.
Note:  The Ins. tab does not show on the Simple invoice, or if there is no Insurance Payer selected for the Superbill invoice.
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Editing an Invoice Payment

Once a payment has been entered via the Apply button on the Payment Palette, it becomes part of the invoice.  All payments made directly on the invoice or distributed from a POA will show in the Payments portal, which is not editable.

To edit a payment, click the small Edit link at the right of a portal row.  This will load it into the Payment Palette, where it can be edited.  After making changes (subject to the rules below), click Apply to save the changes, or Clear to leave the payment the way it was.



IMPORTANT RULES

The following rules apply when editing payments:
Note: If you are using the Register, editing a credit card or EFT payment amount will not change the amount that was automatically entered into the Register. You would need to make a corresponding adjustment in the Register and reconcile the corrected amounts.

Warning:  Changing any Payment info after an invoice has been paid in full will alter the Invoice Total, which could result in a Total Due that requires further adjustment.  Changes to a payment will also affect the Balance of a client's account.


When you edit a payment for an invoice that has the Insurance Payer box checked, ClientTracker will recalculate the amounts "Due from" the Client and Insurer in the Insurance Payer panel.  If the edited payment amount is more than what is "Due from" the Client or Insurer, a detailed message will offer you the option to:
  1. Revert the payment to be what is Due (in case you entered a larger amount by error)
  2. Adjust the amount "Due from" the Client and/or Insurer

Tip: You can always manually adjust the Total Expected from the Insurer, to recalculate the "Due from" amounts and rectify any discrepancies.


To delete a payment, click the delete button at the right of its row.  Deleting a payment is subject to the same rules as editing.

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Invoice Reductions and Credits

Definitions:
Note:  It is not possible to enter a payment, make an adjustment, or enter a discount for more than the Total Due, so the only way to achieve a negative Total Due on an invoice is through reduction of Procedures or Products (a.k.a. "line items") on the invoice.


About Reductions




Note: When using the Duplicate Invoice icon to create a new invoice for this or another client, no negative line items will be duplicated.  Nor will negative line items be carried forward to the client's next appointment on the SOAP Note or on a SOAP Template generated from a SOAP Note.


About Credits








How to Generate a Credit


When an invoice has a negative Total Due, the Generate Credit button will be visible at the bottom of the entry layout.

Click Generate Credit, and a confirmation message will show.  Confirm by clicking Generate, or Cancel to abort.

Tip:  To immediately distribute or refund a POA created with a Credit, click the Payments on Account button above the Payment Palette.

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Handling Refunds and Returns

Refunds

Refunds can only be issued to a client from the Invoices tab of the client's record, on the Payments on Account tab.  For brevity, a Payment on Account is often referred to as a "POA" in this manual.  A  POA can be created on this screen or from the Generate Credit button on an invoice.

Returned Products

The optimum way is to process one or more returned items is on the original invoice on which the item(s) were sold. This way you have a history on the invoice and its SOAP of what transpired.  You can create a new invoice and put a negative line item; however, this is not the recommend way.

On the original invoice, enter a new Product line item with a negative number in Qty equal to the quantity of that item being returned (see below).  Both the negative quantity  and the Amount show as blue text with a pink background.








Note:  The Amount Expected from the Insurer (if any) may need to be adjusted after a refund or return. ClientTracker will recalculate this when an invoice's Total Due is adjusted; however, there may be a Copay or other factors that affect the amount actually due from the Insurer and Client.

Tip:  If a Return results in a negative Total Due, that can be made into a Credit for the client. See Invoice Reductions and Credits above for more info.
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Handling Insurance Overpayments

In those rare cases when an Insurer makes an overpayment and you need to make a corresponding adjustment, this can be handled directly on the invoice.
  1. Go to the invoice and open the Adj. tab

  2. If the Insurance Payer box is checked, the pop-up menu for Type will have an additional choice: Overpayment.  Select this and enter the amount of the overpayment as a negative number.

  3. Enter Notes or other info as needed

  4. Click Apply, and the Overpayment amount will show as a negative payment on the invoice, which will increase the Total Due.
Tip: If you need to refund the overpayment amount, you can handle that separately outside of ClientTracker, or if you use the Register you can create a manual entry there.
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7. Invoices & Payments : Using the Register

Details in this section include:
ClientTracker has a very simple Register that tracks deposits and payments for one bank account.  It can be reconciled with the account's bank statement. It prints two reports: a list of payments and deposits and a list of Income and Expenses sorted by Category.  It does not have a Balance Sheet.
This feature is of value for some people. Others will want to keep their records in a full-fledged accounting program. There are no plans to expand the ClientTracker register beyond its current limited functions into a full fledged accounting program.







To enable use of the Register, go to the Settings/Program/Financial tab, and click "Use the Register."  Automatic Register entries will be made by ClientTracker only if this box is checked.


The Financial area will display the Register tab if you have enabled use of the Register.


Note:  This is not a full fledged accounting program.  It tracks one checking bank account. At this time, it can only track deposits and credit cards from the day you activate it; not any earlier payments.

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The Register Area

























The main Register screen is set up like a checkbook register, with the most recent enties made at the bottom.  When you click the Register tab from the Financial Area, you will go to the bottom of this screen with the entries sorted by date.  New entries are added in date order at the bottom.

Functions and information on this screen:


Register Control Panel


New Entry - Creates a new manual entry with today's date, at the bottom of the Register screen.




Find Entry - Goes to the Find Register Entry screen, where one or more entries can be found and displayed as a "found set" on the main screen for printing or processing.  See Manage Register Entries below for more info.



Show All Entries - After working with a found set of entries, click this icon to revert the Register to show all entries.




Print - Offers a choice of printing:
     -- a chronological list of the currently displayed withdrawals and deposits, or 
     -- a report of Income and Expenses sorted by Category



Reconcile - Begins the process of reconciliation.  See Reconcile the Register below for more info.
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Manage Register Entries

How Register Entries Are Created

Automatically with Method = Deposit

1) When a deposit is made using the Deposit Slip report in the Reports area.  Running this report will create a single entry in the Register equal to the amount of the deposit, which should reconcile with your bank statement.

2) Whenever a payment is entered as a client or insurer Payment on Account (POA).

3) Whenever a credit card or EFT payment is entered on an invoice
Note:  Automatic Register entries can be edited manually until they are reconciled. Any changes made in the Register entry will not be reflected in the Payment(s) of origin; or vice-versa.

Manually with Method of Your Choice

4) Click the New Entry icon to create an entry directly in the Register


Editable Fields in a Register Entry

Date - If you manually create an entry, the current date is auto-entered. You can change this as needed with the drop-down calendar.

Method -  Choose a description of the type of entry from the non-editable pop-up menu.  You can choose any combination of Method with other entry info, but each Method is usually for a Withdrawal (W) or Deposit (D).
Payer/Payee - You can manually enter the name of the Payer (for a Deposit) or Payee (for a Withdrawal) in this field.  This may be also be filled for you by an automatic entry.

Category - This field indicates your choice to categorize a transaction, such as income, interest accrued, rent, and so on. Note that there is a Report that will sort Withdrawals and Deposits by Category, so this could be a good way to set up useful information.
Memo (optional) - You can enter notes in this blank. ClientTracker may enter information here when automatically adding entries to the register; e.g. after printing a deposit slip.

Withdrawal - Enter an amount in this column for funds withdrawn or paid out.  Withdrawals appear in red text.

Clr - This is a control for reconciling or "Clearing" entries.  When you click this blank field, a "C" will appear, indicating an entry has cleared the bank.  Click the "C" again to clear it.  You may want to use this function to mark all checks that have cleared when your bank statement arrives.

Note:  When you reconcile the Register, an "R" appears in the Clr column for every entry that has been reconciled. Clicking an "R" will give you the option to un-reconcile the entry.

Deposit - Enter the amount of a deposit or funds received. Deposits appear in green text.

Balance - The balance column will show a "running balance," or the balance after each entry.  This will only show if you click the link at the bottom of the screen,*Click to see Balance.
Delete - You may delete any Register entry, depending on the status of the Clr column:
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Reconcile the Register

Tip:  Reconciling the Register with your bank statement is a process that should be done from start to finish and not interrupted for best results.

This function lets you enter the ending balance from your bank statement in the register, and add bank fees and subtract interest accrued to make the balances equal. After the reconciliation process, you can also generate new entries that are missing from the Register, or correct errors in entries if necessary.
Have your current bank statement handy to begin.


Part 1 - Statement Entry

1.  Click the Reconcile button in the Control Panel, and in the successive pop-up boxes, enter:
Note:  Some of the items above can be edited at the bottom of the Reconciliation screen, up until the Reconcile button is clicked to finish the process.














Part 2 - Reconciliation

2.  On the Reconcile screen, click the "Cleared" box for all entries that appear on your Statement, or click the Mark All Entries Cleared button and unclick the ones you don't see.  As you click each item, it shows as "C" and its amount is added or subtracted from the Cleared Balance at the bottom of the screen.
3.  Click Cancel to finish later, or Reconcile if completed.  If you cancel, you will be given the choice of clearing or keeping any entries marked as "C."


Part 3 - After Reconciliation

4.  If you choose to Reconcile, you will return to the main Register screen, where all the cleared items will be marked with an "R" for reconciled. 

Note:  If the entry was made from an invoice Payment or POA, once it is marked "R" for reconciled it cannot be edited or deleted from other places in ClientTracker.  You can click the "R" on the Register entry to blank the Clr column; after which the Payment or POA (or the Register entry) can be edited or deleted as necessary.

Warning: The Register entry amount is not connected with the amount of its invoice Payment or POA of origin. If you make a change in one place; it is not made in the other. Care must be taken to keep Register entries and Payments reconciled.

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8. Insurance & Billing : Insurance Companies




This section contains the following details:

ClientTracker is set up with the assumption that if a practice is receiving payments from insurance companies, then most likely it submits 1500 claims to the insurance company for reimbursement.

Whatever your practice's preference, there is a method in ClientTracker to handle it.  For best results, you should conform your practice's billing procedures as much as possible to work with ClientTracker.

For more information on how the insurance claim form, or "1500" works in ClientTracker, consult the following areas of this manual:

For the most complete information, consult the 1500 instructions published by the National Uniform Claim Committee.

The Insurance Company List Screen













Click the Insurance icon in the Functions Bar to access the Insurance Companies List screen.  All the main screens in the Insurance Area have three button choices in the Control Panel:

List Screen Functions

Sort the records in the list by Company Name, Clearing House, or Active.

For each row (insurance company) in the list...


Click the Payments button to view the Payments screen (see Insurance & Billing> The Insurance Payments Screen for more info)

Use the QuickFinder to Find a Company

The QuickFinder at the bottom of the screen will narrow the list based on Company name.  Simply type a few characters in the oval to see those that match.  For more info, see How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information>Finding Records with the QuickFinder.

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The Insurance Company Detail Screen















The Insurance Company Detail screen has two large subtabs on the right.  Use these to toggle between the Company information on the Detail screen, or Payments for that company.



For more info on Insurance Company payments, see Insurance & Billing> The Insurance Payments Screen.

On the left side of the Detail screen, enter company name.  All new companies are marked as Active.  Only active companies will show in lists used elsewhere in ClientTracker to select an insurance company.

Note:  For greatest flexibility in billing, marking an Insurance Company inactive does not prevent you from using any client policies for that company, or performing other company tasks, such as processing payments. It simply makes it so the company does not show on the list from which new policies can be made.

There are 3 separate subtabs for Address, Phones, and Email of contact persons, or departments within the company.  For best results, click the New button in each tab, and enter information for the same Description/Contact in each new row. 

Tip:  Enter the same Description/Contact for the Address, Phone, and Email of the same contact person to match up your portal entries, which are sorted by Primary first; then alphabetically.

Enter any Notes you want, just below the Address tabs.  If a proper URL ( for example, http://websiteaddress.com ) is entered in the Website field, clicking on the Go button to the left will open that website in your browser.

In the Payments & Clearing House box, select the Payment Type most often received from this insurance company: Check or EFT.

Note:  For more info on using a Clearing House for E-Billing, see Insurance Company E-Billing and 1500 Info below.


Delete an Insurance Company


To delete a company, click the Delete this Insurance Co. button at the bottom right of the screen.


A company cannot be deleted if any of the following are true:

You can inactivate the company instead (uncheck the Active box), or modify any invoices or policies using that company before deleting the company record.

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Insurance Company E-Billing and 1500 Info


If you do electronic billing, or "E-Billing" as it's called in ClientTracker, select a Clearing House from the Payments & Clearing Houses box. This will cause all invoices associated with this company to appear in E-Billing batches created for the selected clearing house.

Tip:  To avoid unnecessary complication, it's best to designate a primary clearing house before creating insurance companies. See Insurance & Billing> Clearing Houses>Manage Clearing Houses for more info.

If you change the clearing house with which an insurance company is associated after invoices have been created for that insurance company, you can update those invoices that have not yet been submitted to reflect the new clearing house by using the Update existing unsent invoices link. This will cause existing, unsent invoices for this company to appear in the next E-Billing batch for the new clearing house.  Invoices that have already been sent will not be affected.

Required 1500 Information


On the right side of the Detail screen are two large subtabs.  The 1500 subtab contains information needed to correctly fill out a 1500 according to the company's preferences.  If any fields are not filled in, an alert message will show above the subtab.  Information in these fields will be used to fill the corresponding Boxes on the 1500.

IMPORTANT: You should always contact an insurance company directly to find out what are their 1500 preferences, and other billing information.  For more info on the 1500, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices.

Box 1 - Select the type of insurance company this is.

Boxes 4 and 7 - Select the preferred method for displaying the Insured's name, address, city, state, zip, and phone number, if the Insured (or policyholder) is the same as the client.  A company may prefer that your claims:

-- Spell out the same data from the client's record
-- Display just the word "Same" in the space for the Insured's Name, Street, and Phone Number
-- Show no data (blank)

Boxes 24f and 24g - This selection relates to how the company interprets boxes 24f and 24g on the 1500 form; i.e. whether box 24f is the item cost, or the item cost times the quantity (box 24g). In other words, if the number in 24g is more than 1, what does the company want in 24f?

-- Unit - the amount for one unit (e.g. the price for one procedure), or
-- Multiple - the amount of a single procedure multiplied by the number in 24g
For more info, see Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Boxes 24f and 24g - Unit or Multiple?.

Boxes 24i, 32b, and 33b - Fill in the 2-character Qualifier only if required by the insurance company.  (They have to tell you what they want.)  A drop-down list is available with some of the known qualifiers.

Note:  If any data is entered in these fields, they will auto-enter in the corresponding box(es) on the 1500 for that Insurance Company.

Just below this area, you can choose how to display all text on printed 1500 claims. 
-- AS ALL CAPS means each letter will be in its capital form
-- as Entered means it will print as you type it
This choice will also affect how you see the information displayed on the client's Insurance screen, the 1500 Data Entry screen, and of course the printed claim form.

GRP Number - This is optional info you can store for a company as needed.  It is not used anywhere else in ClientTracker.

Note:  If you change any insurance company information for the1500, changes will affect future claim forms, but not those already generated.  To reflect your changes on an existing 1500 form, use the Refresh Information button on the 1500 Data Entry screen.

After entering insurance companies, you can assign one or multiple insurance companies to your clients, and fill out the clients' insurance forms.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab for more info.

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Insurance Company Client Policies

The Client Policies subtab displays a portal, or list, of all clients who are set up with policies from this company, along with their the Policy and Group numbers that would be used on the 1500.  Any client whose policy is inactive will show in gray.  You can perform the following actions on this list:

-- Click the Go button or client name to view or edit the policy on the client's Insurance screen

-- Edit 1a. Policy # or 11. Policy Group #.  These will also change on that client's Insurance Policy.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Policy 1500 Information for more info.

-- Click the Client List link to view an expanded list of all clients who have policies with that company


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8. Insurance & Billing : The Insurance Payments Screen

The Insurance Payments screen is the place to manage payments made by an insurance company, especially when the payment is for more than one invoice. 
Details in this section include:

There are three ways to access an insurance company's Payments screen:

Click on the Payment button on the Insurance company List screen, or


Click the the Payments tab on the insurance company's Detail screen, or



From a Superbill or 1500 invoice, click the Insurance Payment button on the right side, above the Payment Palette


The Insurance Payments Screen






















This screen functions similar to the Payments on Account tab in the Clients section.  Payments that have funds available for distribution are in the dark blue area near the top, and outstanding invoices for this company show in the large portal below.  On the lower left is displayed a small portal of unsent claims (i.e. invoices with a blank Claim Sent Date).

Under the New Payment button in the upper left, the total of undistributed Funds Available for this company is indicated.

Note:  For invoices to appear on this list, they must
-- be either 1500 claim forms or Superbills that have the Insurance Payer box checked
-- be unpaid
-- be sent to the insurance company
-- have the both client's insurance policy and the insurance company selected at the top of the 1500 or Superbill.


Tip:  Click the Complete List link under the large portal to see all invoices for that Insurance Company on the Invoice List screen.  Click List Unpaid Invoices to see the same list in an expanded view.
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Manage Insurance Payments

Enter a New Payment


To enter a new insurance payment, click the New Payment button in the upper left area of the screen.  Enter information about the payment into the boxes in the Payment Palette that appears on the left of the screen.

Date - Click on Date to auto-enter the current date, select a date using the drop-down calendar, or enter a date manually.

Method - Select Check or EFT (electronic funds transfer) as the method of payment.

Amount - Enter the payment amount.

Check Number - Enter the check or EFT number here.

Note - Use this to enter optional information, which will show in the Payments portal list as "Details."

Once you have confirmed that all information in the Payment Palette is complete and correct, click the Apply button at the bottom.  This adds the payment to the short Payments portal at the top of the screen.  If you want to cancel the process, click the Clear button.


View a Payment






The Payments portal at the top of the screen shows all payments entered on this screen from this company.  It does not show Insurance payments made on individual invoices.  The portal shows the remaining balance Available for distribution.  Use the funds available on a payment to pay any outstanding invoices listed below in the Invoices box.  To see more payments in the portal, use the small scroll handles on the right.

Insurance Payment (Detail)





















A full Detail view will show the history of distributions made for that payment, including the date, invoice, amount, and client it was processed for.

Functions on this screen include:

Use the Delete button to completely remove a distribution (this will change the amount due from insurance on the invoice to which the distribution was made).


Edit a Payment

To edit a payment, click the Edit link, and the payment will load in the Payment Palette if it qualifies for editing.  Otherwise, a message will show explaining why it cannot be edited.
Delete a Payment


To delete a payment, click the delete button at the far right of the row.  You can only delete payments that have not had any distribution of funds.

Note: There method to refund a payment from an insurance payer, like there is for a refund for a client. You can delete the payment (first deleting its distributions, if any). 

If a company claims it overpaid on an individual procedure or whole claim, then use the option available on an individual invoice for handling insurer overpayments.  See Invoices & Payments> Payments, Adjustments, & Credits>Handling Insurance Overpayments for more info.
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Distribute an Insurance Payment

A large portal of Unpaid Invoices appears below the smaller portals of Payments.  The columns in the portal can be sorted by clicking a column header.  To apply funds from an Insurance Payment to one or more invoices:

Step 1 - Select the Payment you want to distribute
Click on the Payment to select it. It will be highlighted in yellow and move to the top.  If the company has multiple Payments with funds to be distributed, select and distribute them one at a time.










Step 2 - Allocate payment amounts for invoices
Type or auto-enter the payment amount into the "Allocated Payment" box on any invoice(s) you want to pay. 

Tip:  Next to each box is a button labeled [+]. Clicking this button will auto-enter the full Amount Expected from the insurer for that invoice -- up to the amount remaining in the selected Payment.
Continue entering Allocated Payments until the selected payment has no more funds, or the available invoices are all paid.  You may leave the payment partially distributed if desired.

Note: The "Expected" column under Balance Due includes the Amount Expected from the insurance company in red numbers, when applicable.  This is controlled on the invoice.




Step 3 - Check the total
The "Total Allocated" box is the sum of all amounts entered for all invoices for distrubtion from the selected payment.  This sum will not be more than the Amount Available for the selected Payment.

If you need to clear all Allocated Payments, click the Clear Allocated link at the bottom.

Step 4 - Distribute the Allocated Payments
Click the Distribute button, and all Allocated Payments entered from the selected Payment will be distributed to the corresponding invoices in their respective Payments portal.

To distribute another Payment repeat steps 1 through 4.  (The next Payment with available funds will auto-select.)  You can partially or completely pay any number of outstanding invoices in this manner, up to the total amount of Funds Available for that insurance company.

Delete Distributions

Once made, distributions of a payment can be deleted by clicking the [i] button on the payment row (see Manage Insurance Payments above).  They cannot be deleted from the invoice itself.


Insurance Overpayments

In those rare cases when an Insurer makes an overpayment that needs to be adjusted, do this on the individual invoice.  See Invoices & Payments> Payments, Adjustments, & Credits>Handling Insurance Overpayments for more info.

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8. Insurance & Billing : Clearing Houses

Details in this section include:
A clearing house is a company that accepts batches of insurance forms in electronic format and then submits them to the appropriate insurance companies for you.  ClientTracker is compatible with three clearing houses: Office Ally, Apex EDI, and American Specialty Health.  You can add additional companies and process e-billing batches for them; however, their e-billing formats have not been verified by ClientTracker.

This section provides info about how to Manage Clearing Houses.


Steps to Work with a Clearing House in ClientTracker

Outside of ClientTracker:
  1. Set up an account with a clearing house you want to use, and determine their preferences for receiving electronic submissions.
  2. Check that you are able to access your clearing house account via their website.
Within ClientTracker:
  1. Assign the clearing house to one or more insurance companies that use it.  See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies>Insurance Company E-Billing and 1500 Info for more info.
  2. Prepare several 1500 invoices, or claim forms for clients who use the insurance company.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices for more info.
  3. Create an "E-Billing" batch file to upload (i.e. send electronically) to the clearing house.  See Insurance & Billing> E-Billing for more info.
Note:  You can assign only one clearing house to any insurance company.  If you do insurance billing it is a good idea to enter clearing houses (and designate one as Primary) before entering insurance companies or clients in the system.






The Clearing House List Screen

To see a list of clearing houses, click the Insurance icon (above) in the Functions Bar.  There are tabs on the right where you can toggle between a list of Insurance Companies or Clearing Houses. (See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies for more info on Insurance Companies.)

From the Clearing Houses List screen, you can do the following:

Control Panel
Other Functions

Click the E-Billing button to process a batch of "E-Billing" claim forms for a company


Click to Omit a company temporarily from the list


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Manage Clearing Houses
On the Clearing House Detail screen is divided into three main areas:
  1. Company and Contact information
  2. Web viewer and company web site information
  3. The E-Billing tab (see below)

























Company and Contact Information
There are 3 separate subtabs for Address, Phones, and Email of contact persons, or departments within the company.  For best results, click the New button in each tab, and use the same Description/Contact for each new row. 

Tip:  Enter the same Description/Contact for the Address, Phone, and Email of the same contact person to match up your portal entries, which are sorted alphabetically.


Web Viewer and Login Information

If there is a particular page on the clearing house's website that you use to log in, you can paste the URL into the Website field, in the format: http://websiteadress.com.  The web site will display in a window above, which is a functional browser you can use to view and navigate the company's web site.

Click the Go button next to the website URL to open up that web page in your designated browser (outside of ClientTracker).  Boxes for Login ID and Main Password are also available if you wish to store your login credentials for the clearing house website.

You may also enter a number for Minimum Invoices per Batch, if the company has set a minimum.





E-Billing - Click the E-Billing tab to create an electronic billing batch to be sent to a clearing house.  See Insurance & Billing> E-Billing for more info.


Delete a Clearing House

If a clearing house has NEVER been used for any E-Billing, or assigned to an insurance company, you may delete it using the Delete this Clearing House button on the lower right.

IMPORTANT:  If you stop using a clearing house, you may not want to delete the clearing house record, but instead uncheck the Active box to make it 'inactive.'  It will no longer appear when you create EFT batches.  Deleting a clearing house once it has been associated with insurance companies can cause data integrity problems.
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8. Insurance & Billing : E-Billing

The E-Billing screen is the place to process a batch of claims, or invoices, to be sent to a clearing house for payment.  This section contains the following details about E-Billing:


The E-Billing screen for each clearing house is in the Insurance area.  For your convenience, there are several ways to reach this screen:


Click the E-Billing button on any clearing house's row of the List screen


Click the E-Billing button on a 1500 invoice


The E-Billing Screen




















There are 3 sets of tabs on the right side of this screen:


The two main tabs in the banner will toggle between the List screens for Insurance Companies and Clearing Houses



The Company tab below will take you to the Detail screen for the current clearing house


Claims to Send

The Claims to Send subtab is a list of all client 1500 invoices, or claim forms, available to be included in the next batch.  Click a column header to sort the list, or Shift + click to unsort.  For a 1500 to appear on this list, it must meet the following criteria:

For details on using this tab to send an E-Billing batch see Create an E-Billing Batch File below.




Note:  Claims with a status of "Blank" or "Incomplete" will show in gray on the Claims to Send tab. These cannot be selected to be sent with an E-Billing batch.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices for more information.

Tip: To view an expanded, printable list of claims you are sending, first sort the list on the Claims to Send tab. Then click any blue invoice number, e.g. 1234 to view that invoice. Then click Invoice List to see all the invoices that were on the Claims to Send tab. From the Invoice List screen you can click Print to make a variety of reports.  (You can also do this from the Claims Sent tab, although there will be more old invoices there.)

Claims Sent

To review or resend invoices that have been sent via past E-Billing batches, use the Claims Sent tab.  Click a column header to sort the list, or Shift + click to unsort.  Claims that appear on this list have a Date Claim Sent.

If for any reason an invoice needs to be resent in a new batch, clicking the Resend link on its row causes it to transfer to the list of invoices in the Claims to Send list.

Tip: See above for how to view or print a list of Claims Sent.
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E-Billing Setup

Before you can create a batch of 1500 claims to send, you will need to have a clearing house assigned to one or more insurance companies.  Click the Insurance Companies tab or Insurance icon in the Function Bar to view a list of companies.  In the right column of the list is the assigned clearing house. To change the clearing house for an insurance company, click its row in the list to access its Details screen; then assign a clearing house at the bottom of the screen.

Other information that should be set up before E-Billing is possible include:

Once a clearing house is set up and assigned to insurance companies, and some 1500 invoices (i.e. claim forms) have been created for clients having a policy with these companies, then you are ready to create and send an E-Billing batch file.  Some practices do this weekly, some even more frequently. The process involves two steps:
  1. Create an E-Billing batch in ClientTracker and save it as a file to your computer.

  2. Go to your user account on the clearing house website and upload this file.

Tip:  It is best to have an account already set up with a clearing house before you process an E-Billing batch in ClientTracker.  You should contact the clearing house directly and find out what are their guidelines for accepting electronic files.

IMPORTANT:  Your practice and practitioner addresses should be entered as a single line (without a return) for optimal transfer to the e-billing text file.

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Create an E-Billing Batch File

Step 1 - Access the E-Billing Screen

There are three ways to begin the process of creating an E-Billing batch file:
A list of all eligible invoices that have not yet been sent appears.  This is a list of all 1500 invoices, i.e. claims with a blank Date Claim Sent. It also includes claims that have been designated for Resend.  Incomplete claims (i.e. those without any charges) show as dimmed in the portal, and cannot be selected.












Use the small scroll bar on the right side of the list to scroll up or down the portal if necessary. You can also sort the columns by clicking the headers to group the invoices.


Step 2 - Select Claims to Include in the Batch

Under Balance Due, the total due for the invoice is indicated (Total) as well as the amount expected from the insurer/third party (Expected). The status, date the claim was sent (if there was a prior submission) and name of the insurance company are indicated. If you need to view or edit an invoice on its 1500 Data Entry screen, click the underlined invoice number, e.g. 901. To return to your E-Billing batch, click the Back button.

Check the box on the left of any invoice to include it in the batch, or use the Select All or Deselect All links at the bottom to make the job quicker. 


Step 3 - Create and Save the Batch File

When you are satisfied that the batch is complete, click the Create Batch File button to the left of the portal.  You will be asked to choose a name for your batch file.  The first part of the file name is automatic: "ClientTrackerv4_"  Type the remainder of the file name using no more than 12 characters.

Tech Note: The e-billing file created is a .txt file. In previous versions of ClientTracker, this was a .tab file. This new format is more universally accepted, and has the advantage that you can open the file and look at the data (but don't change anything there!)

File Naming Tips:
Click OK, and a "Browse for Folder" (Windows) or "Finder" (mac) box lets you designate a location for the batch file.  It's a good practice to create a dedicated folder or folders in an easy-to-find location on your computer for storing batch files.  ClientTracker "remembers" the location of your last file to make this easier.  Click Save, and wait until a confirmation message appears.

Note:  The invoices you selected for the batch transfer to the portal in the Claims Sent tab, and now have the current date in the Date Claim Sent field.  A note is also added to the Private Notes field on the 1500 Data Entry Screen, on the Details tab. This serves serves as a log of each time you have created a batch file to send via E-Billing, plus other notes you may enter as needed.


Step 4 - Upload the Batch File to the Clearing House

Now go to the website for your clearing house by clicking the Company tab, and the Go button next to the website address, if you have entered one.  Once you have logged in to the clearing house's web site, upload the batch file according to their directions. This is not a ClientTracker function.  When you upload the file, you will need to locate the same file you saved in the previous step. If you encounter any problems with the web site or uploading the file, contact the clearing house for help.
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Resending 1500 Claims and Batch Files

IMPORTANT:  If there is a problem with the clearing house's web site, or you think you uploaded a Batch File correctly but they did not receive it, contact the clearing house directly.

To resend a Batch File that has already been created, simply log on to the clearing house web site and re-upload the same file that you originally uploaded.  You do not need to create a new Batch File unless it has been corrupted or the clearing house tells you to.


Recreate and Resend a Batch File

To locate the invoices comprising a Batch File, go to the Claims Sent tab on the E-Billing screen, and click the column header for Date Claim Sent.  This should group all the claims whose Data Claim Sent matches the date in the name of the original Batch File.  You may need to scroll down or sort the list to locate the grouped claims if they were in the distant past.





To recreate a Batch File (i.e resend the invoices), the first task is simply to move the invoices from the Claims Sent tab back to the Claims to Send tab.  To do this, click the Resend link for each invoice one at a time.

Next, follow the instructions above for creating a Batch File.  The date of this resend will be automatically noted the Practice Notes field of each invoice.  You can see this on the 1500, the Details tab.

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Insurance Billing Made Easy: A Step by Step Guide

Interested in better understanding how insurance billing works?  Considering billing insurance in your practice but don't know where to start?  Or perhaps you feel like insurance billing is just too complex and overwhelming?  A devoted user of ClientTracker, Rebecca Hurwood, is determined to demystify insurance billing with her ebook - Insurance Billing Made Easy: A Step by Step Guide for Acupuncturists and CAM Providers.  If you haven't checked it out, please visit the book website at www.insurancebillingmadeeasy.com - special offers available!
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8. Insurance & Billing : Tips for E-Billing with the 1500

Insurance Company Tips

Other details in this section include:

Insurance Company E-Billing Tips

Some tips for successful billing using the 1500 invoice, or claim form:
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Office Ally Tips

Office Ally is a very commonly used clearing house for e-billing.  It is free to you the provider.  Office Ally submits the claims to the insurance companies and makes a few cents for each claim submitted. First, you must have an account set up with Office Ally, telling them your "vendor" is ClientTracker. They will also ask you to spend an hour with them for a training on their system.   Once that is done, you're all set. 

These tips are current as of the ClientTracker version 4.0 release date, but may change at the discretion of Office Ally.
  1. Double check each invoice that all the necessary fields are filled in before submitting the Batch File to Office Ally.  Box 11 must be filled in.  Box 33 must be the Practitioner's name, not the Practice name.

  2. The name of the Batch File MUST contain the word ClientTracker in the name. When you create an e-billing batch file in ClientTracker, does this automatically.

  3. Best to send one Batch File a day to Office Ally.  One ClientTracker user reports that sending more than 75 invoices at a time can cause corruption.

  4. You should receive an email from Office Ally acknowledging the Batch File.  If you don't receive an email, check that they have your correct email address.
  • The email will say all is well or that one or more 1500s have a problem. 
  • You can go to your account in Office Ally and make the necessary changes there without having to resend them from ClientTracker.  However, then you should also make these changes in ClientTracker.
  • A 1500 can be rejected for any number of reasons, including missing data, or wrong Diagnosis or  Procedure Codes.
Possible causes for rejection usually involve one of the above steps not being completed correctly.  Please double-check that you have completed the above steps before contacting Office Ally or ClientTracker support.
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1500 Claim Form Tips for E-Billing

The success of E-Billing depends on the 1500 being filled out correctly so that the data is organized properly in the Batch File.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Invoices for more info.

Box 10 - make sure this has an entry

Box 17a & Box 17b (Optional) - If you have created the referring provider and entered his or her NPI and license number these automatically fill in as follows:
Create the referring provider from one of the following:
  1. Client's Personal screen, on the Referred By tab, click on the Edit List link to see a list of all Referring Providers.

  2. From the Settings/Practice screen, click on the Referring Provider List button at the bottom right.
Box 32a Facility NPI - This fills in automatically from the Facility NPI field on the Settings/Practice screen

Box 32b (Optional) - The odds of this needing to be filled are very rare.  However, if needed, you can enter what you want directly in that field.  Once you entered it for a client, it will automatically fill in the next 1500 created for that client.

Box 33 - Although you can use the Toggle button to have either the Practitioner or the Practice name here, the best option is usually to have the Practitioner's name.

Note:  For Office Ally, you must have your Practitioner name here for the 1500 claim to be processed correctly.

Box 33 Address - There are two addresses that can show in area 33 on the 1500 form.  You can choose which one to show by clicking the Toggle button just to the right. The source addresses are:
  1. The practice address - this is set in Settings/Practice
  2. The practitioner's address - this is set in the Practitioner's Detail screen; accessed by selecting from the Practitioner subtab on the Settings/Practice screen
Box 33a Provider NPI - This is required, and automatically fills from the Practitioner's NPI

Box 33b - By default, when nothing is filled in on the insurance company record, the data for Box 33b is pulled from the Practitioner's license # which is stored in the Practitioner's record. ClientTracker automatically puts a 0B in front of the license # as required.  If 33b is coming up with just the 0B, have you filled in the Practitioner's license # ?

Some Blue Cross and Blue Shield policies may require their PIN # to show up in Box 33b.  The PIN # and the Qualifiers can be set up automatically by entering them on the 1500 tab of the company's Details screen.  When these data are filled in, they are the first default for Box 33b.
Note: For Office Ally, they automatically pull the number from 33b and insert it in Box 24J in the pink shaded section above the NPI number.

You can also enter specific data in this area of the 1500 entry screen. Once you have entered it for a client, it will automatically fill in the next 1500 created for that client.
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Submitting a 1500 to Multiple Insurance Companies

If a client has multiple policies with more than one insurance company, you may need to submit the same 1500 invoice (i.e. claim form) to multiple companies.  This can be done by printing the 1500 and mailing it, or by E-Billing.  The following is only a suggested process - your own office procedures may be different.

EXAMPLE: Client has 2 insurance companies, Primary and Secondary.

Setup - On the Client Insurance screen, you should enter each policy's info separately by clicking the + New Policy button on the left, filling in the Policy 1500 Info, and adding optional Policy Details as needed.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Adding and Editing Insurance Policies for more info.
Tip:  You can enter a unique Custom Policy Name for each policy, labeling one Primary, another Secondary, and so on. Use the Notes field to enter specific requirements or billing instructions for the policy.

Step 1 - Bill the Primary and Process Payment
  1. Make a 1500 invoice, file the claim with the Primary, and make payments on the invoice using Primary funds from the Payment Palette on either the insurance company's Payments screen, or on the invoice itself

  2. Go to the invoice and change the Insurance Policy at the top to Secondary, and be sure to click the Refresh Information button.
Tip: It's important to process the payment from Primary while it is still the insurance policy of record for the 1500.  Changing the policy and company to Secondary will "move" the 1500 to the new insurance company and clearing house's respective lists of invoices.


Step 2 - IF you need to bill the Secondary via a Clearing House:
  1. On the 1500 invoice, delete the Date Claim Sent at the top

  2. Click the E-Billing button to go to the Clearing House E-Billing screen

  3. Find the invoice in the Claims to Send tab

  4. You may now send the invoice alone, or with others that need to be sent in a Batch File

Step 3 - Process the Secondary Payment
  1. When payment comes in from the Secondary company, make sure the Secondary company's policy is designated on the 1500 invoice.

  2. Enter the Secondary payment on the Payment Palette of the 1500, or go to the Insurance Company Payments screen and distribute it there.
Note:  When multiple companies are involved, the amount expected from Insurer for the invoice will represent the total amount expected from all  the multiple companies. This amount will reduce as each company's payments are entered.
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9. Inventory : Inventory Setup




ClientTracker provides a robust inventory management system, including inventory levels, classification of items sold, sales tax, vendors, inventory transactions, and reports.

To access the Inventory area, click the Inventory icon in the Functions Bar.

Details in this section include:


The Inventory List Screen













The Inventory List screen shows a summary of items in your inventory.  Unlike many List screens in ClientTracker, you can edit most of the fields in the list by clicking on the field and typing new information, or selecting from a pop-up menu.  The item row currently selected is highlighted in yellow.

When accessed via the Inventory or the Inventory List icons, it will show all Active items, sorted in the following order:

  1. Frequent items
  2. Inventory items (non-inventory items sort last)
  3. Alphabetical order of Item Name

Buttons in the Control Panel include:

Other functions on the Inventory List screen include:

There is also a QuickFinder panel at the bottom of this page, allowing you to search for items by some of the column header values.

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Inventory Detail

Clicking the arrow on the left side of each item row on the Inventory List screen switches to a detailed item view for that item.  All items in the current found set can be viewed without leaving this screen, by clicking the buttons in the Record Navigator.















Data fields in bold below can also be edited on the Inventory List screen.

Note:  A negative Sale Price cannot be entered.

The Product Sold Report button will show a list of all clients who have ordered this item, and how many.


Inventory Control Panel

Click an icon in the Control Panel to access these functions:

To permanently delete any item that has not been sold, click the Delete this Item button in the lower right of the Detail screen.

Warning:  An item that has been sold in ClientTracker cannot be deleted. If you no longer sell the item, and don't want to include it in the QuickFinder or drop-down lists, uncheck the Active box to make the item inactive.


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Status & Quantity





This area of the Inventory details screen displays quantitative information about the item including the Total Sold and the number On Hand, which are calculated by ClientTracker from Inventory Transactions (see below) and other data you enter.

Quantity (Inventory Level information)

Total Sold = The calculated total number of items added to an invoice to date (even if the invoice is not paid).  This can be a decimal number if that is how you sell the item on invoices.

On Hand = The calculated quantity currently remaining in stock.  This is calculated from inventory transactions added or subtracted manually, and the quantities on invoices that are automatically subtracted.  This can be a decimal number if that is how you sell the item on invoices.

Reorder at (Optional) = Enter a quantity at which the item needs to be re-ordered.  Entry of decimal numbers up to 5 characters is supported.

Tip:  When the quantity On Hand is at or below the Reorder level, an alert will show at the top of the details screen: Time to Order!  The number will also show in bold red on both the Detail and List screens.  An option is also available on the Settings/Program/Defaults tab, to show an alert when ClientTracker is opened for items that need reordering.  See Settings> Program/Defaults>Startup Screen for more info.

Ideal Qty (Optional) = This is intended to hold the ideal, or optimal quantity you wish to have in stock.  For example, this number minus the Qty On Hand would tell you how many of an item to order. 

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Beginning Inventory

Entering a New Item

All you need to sell an item in ClientTracker is the name and price.  However, if you want to track the inventory levels, run reports, and keep track of applicable sales tax, it pays to set up an item properly from the beginning.

Note:  ClientTracker uses Inventory Transactions, along with products sold on invoices, to calculate the Quantity and information in Reports. See Inventory> Inventory Transactions for more info.












Start by filling information in the "Make Transaction" area at the top of the section.

1.  Select to Add the transaction

2.  Enter the Quantity to be added

3.  Enter the Cost per unit of the individual item

4.  The current Date will enter automatically.  You may change it as needed.

4.  Select a Reason for the transaction from the pop-up menu (e.g. New Stock).

5.  (Optional) Enter Details about the transaction, e.g. "beginning stock."

6.  (Optional) indicate the person the transaction was Entered By.

7. If you will be entering similar info for other items, leave blank the checkbox "Clear info for next transaction."

When all information is complete, click the Make Transaction button, and the first entry will be made in the Transaction History portal below, and will update the Quantity on Hand.

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Non-Inventory Items

ClientTracker ships with several non-inventory items and their related "vendors" already provided, as a suggested way to manage miscellaneous charges your office might need to include on invoices.  These charges are most easily managed as "products" that are grouped by "vendor" so you can enter additional info about them and group them on lists.  For non-inventory items, Quantity and order levels usually do not apply.


Non-inventory items are designated simply by unchecking the Inventory Item checkbox, which is automatically checked for any new item.  On the Inventory List screen, these items will sort last unless designated as Frequent.  Also, the Item Name of non-inventory names is in italics, and they have no Quantity or Cost info.

ClientTracker provides these basic non-inventory items and vendor groupings:

Vendor                                Product                                .
Shipping & Handling            Shipping Charge

Returned Payments            Returned Check Fee
                                           Returned Credit Card Fee

Vouchers                            Gift Certificate

Tip:  You may delete these without affecting ClientTracker's performance, or you can edit and customize them, or even add more "vendors" and "products" to suit your needs.

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Export Inventory Data
Beginning with version 4.0.20, you can export a preset list of data about any list, or "found set" of Inventory items.  In other words, the data will be exported not just for the item you are currently viewing, but for all in the found set.
Tip:  Create the desired found set with the Advanced Find feature or the QuickFinder at the bottom of the Inventory List, then export the data. See QuickStart Guide> Basic ClientTracker Functions>Tooltipsfor more info

The data to be exported cannot be changed, except in the export file you create.  You can edit your export file any way you choose, and that's not part of ClientTracker's functions.

How To Export Inventory Data
  1. On the top Main Menu, select File, and then Export Inventory Data
  2. A new pop-up window will open, "Inventory Export Options"
  3. Select the export option (see below)
  4. Select the type of file you wish to export to, its name, and location
  5. Click Save to create the file and export the data

Inventory Export Options

Inventory Items - Exports preselected data about the items in the current found set (i.e. those appearing on the List).

Tip:  Create a found set first, and sort it as needed. Your sort order will be the order in which the items are exported.

Items Sold - Exports preselected data about the Products line items sold in the date range entered.  Only data about the items in the current found set will be exported.



























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Optional: Working with Bulk Inventory
ClientTracker allows the entry of fractions of a unit of an Inventory item, so it is possible to manage bulk quantities that are sold that way.  Exactly how you choose to do this is up to you; however, the following example may be helpful.

EXAMPLE:

You have an item that is purchased in bulk quantity, for example a 100 gram package.  You would set this up so the unit reflects that you sell it by the gram.
If you need to make an adjustment to the Quantity on Hand due to physical inventory count, use Make Transaction to enter the difference.

Fractional quantities will be tracked in Reports.  Up to 5 characters will show, including the decimal point.

Note:  ClientTracker does not support combining Inventory items into pre-made "formulas." Look for this capability in a future version.
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Optional: A Method for Using Formula Templates

Make Product or "Formula" Templates

For those who sell a lot of products at once, i.e. prescribe a formula or list of herbs, you don't have to select them laboriously on an invoice each time the formula is prescribed.

In v4.0, Products cannot be added to SOAP Templates, but you can use the following workaround method to make "Formula" Templates.

A future version of ClientTracker will have product Templates where groups of items, quantities, and other info can be stored, and all of them added to an invoice quickly.

1. Create one or more fake Clients with a naming system that will make it clear, e.g.
2. For each fake client, make a New Invoice No SOAP having the individual Product components in that formula.  Set the Qty and other invoice info as desired, then enter either a 100% discount for all products or make this a No Charge Invoice.

3. When a new invoice is needed for a particular formula, go to that fake client's Invoices tab and click Duplicate Invoice.
4. On the new invoice, clear the Product discounts or uncheck the No Charge Invoice box, and the charges will reappear on the invoice, and be added to that client's Balance Due.

Note:  Products "sold" on invoices will show in reports unless you do a No Charge invoice OR 100% discount

Additional Tips:
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9. Inventory : Inventory Transactions

Details in this section include:

ClientTracker allows great flexibility in controlling the inventory levels of products.  You can make adjustments in inventory quantity or cost for any item; at any point in its history.

Adjustments are made to inventory in three ways:

  1. Automatically: each time a product is added to an invoice, the quantity sold is entered as a "Purchase" Inventory Transaction that reduces the Quantity On Hand.  See How to Sell Products below for more info.

  2. Manually:  Through the entry of "Inventory Transactions" on the Detail screen of each product, which is explained below.

  3. Manually: By using the Reset Inventory utility.  See > below for more info.

ClientTracker uses these, along with products sold on invoices, to calculate the Quantity and Current Average Cost, as well as other information in Reports.

Note: In earlier versions of ClientTracker, the Inventory Transaction process used to be called the "Adjustment Log."













Manual Inventory Transactions

Whenever a product is received, returned, or needs its quantity adjusted, a manual Inventory Transaction entry should be made, following these steps:

1.  IMPORTANT: Select whether to Add or Subtract the transaction

2.  Enter the Quantity to be adjusted, in whole numbers only

3.  Enter the Cost per unit for the item

4.  The current Date is entered automatically.  This can be changed to any date in the past.

5.  Select a Reason for the transaction from the predetermined drop-down list:

  • New Stock = Product purchased from a vendor, or added to inventory for the first time (always an Add transaction, and a positive number)

  • Inventory Count = Adjustments made to inventory due to an audit or physical count of product on hand.  This can be an Add (positive number) or Subtract (negative number) transaction.

  • Adjustment = Adjustments made to inventory for any other reason.  This can be an Add (positive number) or Subtract (negative number) transaction.

6.  (Optional) Enter Details about the transaction

7.  (Optional) indicate the person the transaction was Entered By

8.  If you are making similar transactions for multiple items (e.g. entering products from a packing slip), leave blank the checkbox, Clear info for next transaction.  If checked, all the fields in the Make Transaction area will be cleared when you click the button.

When all information is complete, click the Make Transaction button.  A new entry will be made in the Transaction History portal below, and the Quantity on Hand will be updated.

Tip:  The transaction information you enter will be retained for the next entry. If you are not entering similar transactions (e.g. all products received in an order), check the "Clear info for next transaction" box.


Editing Inventory Transactions

Click the small E at the end of an Inventory Transaction row to open it in a pop-up window, where it can be edited or deleted.















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How to Sell Products



Products are sold on invoices. ClientTracker is designed to have an invoice for every SOAP Note, but does not require you to have both.  In other words, you can "sell" items on a SOAP Note without a linked invoice, and vice-versa.

Products can be added directly to SOAP Notes and invoices, and if they are linked, they will share that entry.  An item must be created on the Inventory Details screen and be designated as Active before it can be sold in ClientTracker.

  1. Via the a SOAP Note, add an item by clicking the New button above the Products portal.  Once an invoice is generated for that visit, the items will appear in the Products portal of the invoice.  Any additional Products added to the invoice will also show on the linked SOAP Note.

  2. Add items directly to the invoice Products portal by clicking its New button, and they will also appear on any linked SOAP Note.
Note:  If an invoice has multiple SOAP Notes linked to it; new Products can only be entered on the respective SOAP Notes.

Select an item from the QuickFinder that opens in a pop-up window.  Only Products designated as Active will show on the QuickFinder.  The quantity will also show, so you can avoid selecting items that are out of stock.

Other Notes: 

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Find Inventory & Reports

ClientTracker provides a variety of search options and inventory reports.

One quick way to find an item is with the QuickFinder on the Inventory List layout.  Most of the sortable column headers can be used to search with this handy utility.  For more info, see How ClientTracker Works> Finding Information>Finding Records with the QuickFinder.

Find Item - This icon, located in the Control Panel of both the Detail and List layouts, will take you to the Find Inventory screen, where multiple criteria can be entered to locate the record(s) of one or more items.

















When all desired criteria have been entered, click Find to display the results on the Inventory List screen, or Cancel to abort and go back.

Click any clear link to blank a criterion, or Reset to blank them all (except Status).


Inventory Reports

Product Sold Report- This is available to run from any item's Detail screen (using the button of the same name).  It reports for the current item only.

The report shows all items sold to any client; regardless of the price.  The total quantities, discounts, and amounts for each client are shown, with a grand total of each at the bottom.


Other reports are available from the Reports screen, which is accessible via the Reports icon in the Functions Bar.  These are discussed in Reports & Marketing> Inventory.


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9. Inventory : Vendors




From the Inventory area, click on the Vendors tab to show a list of your vendors including basic information about each vendor.  You can sort the records by clicking on a column, temporarily Omit records from the displayed list, or mark Vendors active or inactive.

Details in this section include:

Vendors Control Panel Actions

Click on the Go button next to a vendor's name or the whole row to view their Detail screen.

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Vendor Detail

On the Vendor Detail screen are common contact information fields to fill out:  company name, address, the type of products they supply, the names, numbers, email addresses and function of company contacts, and an area for notes.















There are 3 separate tabs for Address, Phones, and Email of contact persons, or departments within the company.  For best results, click the New button in each tab, and use the same Description/Contact for each new row. 

Tip:  Enter the same Description/Contact for the Address, Phone, and Email of the same contact person to match up your portal entries, which are sorted by Primary first; then alphabetically.


The Inventory Portal

The right side of the detail screen shows a list of "Inventory Supplied by (name of vendor)," as well as the quantity in stock and order level.  You can edit the items in this panel, by clicking on the boxes and typing new information.  The portal can be sorted or unsorted by clicking the column headers.

Note:  Any changes made to items in this portal are immediately applied to the records of your inventory items.

If you click the Go button at the left side of the inventory Item rows, this takes you to the Detail screen for that item.  There is also a blue Detailed List link that will take you to the inventory List view, showing a list of all items from that vendor.


Print Vendor Information

From the detail screen, the Print icon opens a Print Menu pop-up window with the following choices:
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Delete a Vendor



To permanently delete a vendor, click the Delete this Vendor button at the bottom right of the detail screen.  Vendors linked to Inventory items (done on the Inventory Detail screen) cannot be deleted.  You would first have to delete the Inventory item, or if it can't be deleted, click clear next to the vendor's name on the Inventory Detail screen to unlink the item.

Rules about deleting vendors:

Tip:  An option is to mark the Vendor as inactive, by unchecking the Active checkbox. Inactive Vendors won't show in drop-down lists used throughout ClientTracker.

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10. Communication : The Communications Module



ClientTracker includes a communication module that enables you to compose and send various types of communications - e.g. letters, emails, forms - directly from within ClientTracker.  Communication can be composed for any or all of your clients or referral providers.  By doing this from within ClientTracker, it enables you to keep track of the various communications for each recipient.

This section provides an overview of the Communications Module, including:


Summary of Features

The features of the communication module include:

Communications can be printed letters, printed documents requiring a signature (called a "form"), sent emails, or records of phone calls.  By planning your communications and monitoring their status, you will be able to manage both your practice and marketing communications in ClientTracker.


The Communications List

The Communications List screen is accessed by clicking the pen nib graphic on any comm panel. 













On this screen, you can:

  • Use the QuickFinder at the bottom to isolate records of your choice on the list.
  • Omit any record temporarily from the list
  • Click the columns to sort the records.
  • View all communications by clicking Show All.
  • Access the Templates Manager
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Client and Provider Communications Portals

Communications to Clients or Providers can be managed in two ways:

1. On the Personal or Detail screen for each recipient of the communication, and

2. On the List View showing all communications initiated from within ClientTracker.


Example - The Client Communications Portal

The Client Personal screen has a Communications portal on the right side which displays all communications saved for that client, including date, a title, and an icon showing the type. The date column will show either the date completed, or the date last modified for pending communication.


Letter



Email



Form



Phone




Note:
-- Pending communications are shaded orange
-- Completed communications are shaded gray
-- See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Boxes 12 and 13 - Authorized Signatures below for more info

To view a complete list of all communications saved for any individual client, click the Complete List link. 

To signify that a client has signed the HIPAA forms required for your practice (whether or not they are managed as ClientTracker communication), enter the date in the field beneath the portal.  This will enable billing with the 1500 claim form.  See Invoices & Payments> 1500 Data Entry Tips>Boxes 12 and 13 - Authorized Signatures for more info.

This portal sorts to show the most recent pending items first, followed by the most recently completed (i.e. sent, done, printed, or printed and signed) items.  Pending items will be highlighted in orange until completed.  When completed, the date will be updated. See Completed Communication below for more info.

Note:  Referral Providers also have a communications portal on their Detail screen.

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Pending Communication













A Pending communication is one that has been marked as pending automatically or manually, but not completed yet.  Any composed communication can be marked as Pending by clicking the Keep as Pending button on the Compose screen, which saves it for later completion.  Pending communications show with an orange highlight in communication portals and lists.

Clicking a Pending communication in the portal or list takes you to the Compose screen, where you can edit, complete, or delete it.  The Name of a pending communication is also shaded orange on the Compose screen.
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Completed Communication

Completed communication has the following Status on the Communications List screen:

  • Letter = Printed
  • Email = Sent
  • Form = Signed
  • Phone = Done

ClientTracker keeps a copy of all communication sent.  For single recipients, this is an exact record of what was sent.  If there were any merge fields in the communication these are replaced with information from the client's record.  These can be seen by clicking any sent (i.e. completed) communication. 

For communication sent to multiple recipients, there is only one record in ClientTracker, which is referenced by all recipients.  Merge fields will show in their placeholder format, e.g. %%firstname%%

Once communication has been completed, clicking it on a list or portal will access the Communication Info screen.  From there, you can choose to Print a Letter or Form that was sent, or Edit a Letter, Form, or Email.  Clicking Edit gives you 2 choices:

  1. Edit the original communication record (which will change its status from completed to pending), or

  2. Duplicate it as a new communication (and retain the old one as completed).
Tip: To reprint a record of a multiple-recipient communication for one recipient only, click Print, which will generate the original batch of all communications. Next, scroll through the Print Palette for the page number(s) of the target recipient. Then choose Print, and in your computer's Print Dialog, choose to print only the page(s) for the target recipient.


Manually Mark a Communication As Completed

You can manually enter the date that a communication was completed (whether or not its status is pending), by clicking the variable link just above the Type on the Compose screen.  The link will be slightly different, depending on the communication type:

For all types but Phone, a pop-up message will ask you to enter the date completed (today's date is automatically entered as a convenience).

Tip:  You can use this method to retain a record of communication made from outside of ClientTracker.  See Communication> Other Communications>About Communications Not Sent from ClientTracker for more info.

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10. Communication : Types of Communication

This section contains the following details:

The ClientTracker Communications Module has different features for different types of communication.

When the Letter, Email, or Form button is clicked in the Comm Panel and a recipient selected, the Composer screen opens with a heading indicating "(Type of communication) for (name of recipient)." If a letter or other communication is intended for more than one recipient, the heading will say, "Letter for (number) recipients." To switch or add more recipients, click the icon or recipient's name in the heading, or the Change/Manage Recipients button.


This icon will show when there is a single recipient, and will take you to the single recipient Quick Finder screen.


This icon will show when there are multiple recipients, and will take you to the multiple recipient Quick Finder screen.


Note:  Creating a communication from a client- or provider-specific screen displays the name of the person as its recipient. To select a different person, click the icon or name. If a communication is created from a non-specific screen, you will first be asked to "Choose a recipient" to select a person (i.e. caller or recipient).


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Letters

The Letter screen is intended for printed communication.  For details on how the Composer screen works, see Communication> Create Communications>Compose Letters, Email, and Forms.















For Letters, the Composer displays 3 action buttons: Keep as Pending, Delete, or Print.

  1. Keep as Pending - Saves the letter in progress and mark it as Pending. The letter shows in the recipient's Communications portal.

  2. Delete or Cancel - If a new letter, this cancels its creation.  If previously marked as Pending, this deletes the letter communication record after confirmation.

  3. Print - Offers a pop-up window of Print Menu choices for the letter (one for each recipient), using the letterhead design chosen in Settings/Program/Print.  After printing, you have the option to mark the Letter as sent, which inserts the date sent on the Communications portal for each recipient, and marks it as completed ("Printed").
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Email

The email version of the Composer functions much the same as for letters, with notable differences.















  • For single recipients, a pop-up window will show you an editable display of up to two email addresses for the recipient.  If two are valid and marked "Use," the email will be sent to both addresses.

  • For multiple recipients, you will go to the "Choose Multiple Recipients" screen, where you can view/edit the recipient list, or the email addresses of the individual recipients.  For more information on multiple recipients, see Communication> Create Communications>Multiple Recipients.
Tip: A handy "Duplicate this email for recipients with no valid email" link will appear if needed, and lets you copy the email into another pending email for each invalid recipient, so you can first send the email to the valid recipients, and then fix the problem for invalid recipients.


Sending an Email from the Composer

Simply compose the text message in the Composer and click Pending to save and send later, or Send to send it now.

When you click Send, a standard New Email window will open in your local email software, with information already entered from ClientTracker.  You can then modify the text, format it, or add attachments within the capabilities of your local email software.  Of course, any changes or additions made at this point will not show in the email record saved in ClientTracker.

You will also have the option to record the email as "Sent" within ClientTracker, which will mark the communication as completed.

Note:  The System segment, "Email Confidentiality Footer" automatically loads in the Composer when you start an email. You can edit this footer in the Segments area.  (To show nothing, remove all the text from the Segment.)  The text of your email message should be typed above this text.

Tip:  You should manually add the Email Confidentiality Footer at the end of any email templates you create, because a template replaces the entire message text when created.


Recipients with No Valid Email Address

To prevent email bounce-backs, ClientTracker alerts you to when an intended Email recipient has no valid email address.  Email cannot be sent from ClientTracker if there is one or more invalid email addresses among the intended recipients.  For more info, see Communication> Email Setup>Email Address Validation.

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Forms

Forms work almost the same as letters except that forms are intended to be signed and can have only one recipient.  Forms are intended primarily for tracking HIPAA required documents and other items needing client signatures that you may require for your practice.















Creating a New Form

When you click the Form button in the Comm Panel, the Composer shows a different set of buttons at the bottom. The differences from letters functions are:

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Phone Calls

Unlike other forms of communication, phone calls are not made from ClientTracker.  The Phone type of communication is merely a record of a phone call that was made, or received.  This may be a valuable way to keep track of information related to a client or referral provider.


Create a new Phone record by clicking the Phone button on any Comm Panel.  This opens the Phone Call pop-up window.

Note:  If you are not in a client- or provider-specific area, you will need to choose a recipient from the small QuickFinder. Multiple recipients are not possible with Phone communications.












Options for a Phone record are:

Button Choices:


Edit a Phone Communication

After a Phone communication has been saved, it will automatically show as completed with a status of "Done" in all lists.  Clicking it will open a very similar pop-up window for editing.
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10. Communication : Create Communications

Communication can be created from within ClientTracker, and used for most of your practice's communication needs.

Details in this section include:

A basic rule is that in order to track communications to clients and other people in ClientTracker, you have to generate them from within the software.  Of course, you can write a letter, send an email, or make a phone call outside of ClientTracker, but these communications would not be automatically tracked by the software.  With some communications (such as phone calls), you can initiate them outside of ClientTracker and keep track of them in the software if you manually create a new communications record.

The best way to take advantage of all that the ClientTracker communications module has to offer is to generate your communications from within the software whenever possible.

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The Comm Panel

On most ClientTracker screens – and even some pop-up windows – you will find a group of 5 buttons referred to in this manual as the "Comm Panel."  This is the most common way to create a new communication.




This provides a quick way to create a new communication to the client or provider you are currently viewing, to choose a recipient, or to view the Communications List screen.

The 5 buttons perform these functions:


Pen Nib – Takes you to the Communications List screen. If you are in a client- or provider-specific area, just the communications for that person will be displayed. Otherwise, the list will show all communications made in ClientTracker. (See Communication> The Communications Module for more info.)

The remaining buttons in the Comm Panel (except Phone) take you to the Compose Screen and create a new communication of that specific type. If you are in a client-specific area, that client is automatically "loaded" as the recipient.  Otherwise, you go to the QuickFinder pop-up window, and are asked first to choose a recipient (see below).


Letter – Creates a new letter to be printed (see Communication> Types of Communication>Letters for more info)


Email – Creates a new email to be sent using your email sending method (see Communication> Types of Communication>Email for more info)


Phone – Creates a pop-up record of an incoming or outgoing phone call (see Communication> Types of Communication>Forms for more info)


Form – Creates a new form to be printed and marked as signed (see Communication> Types of Communication>Phone Calls for more info)


Additional Ways to Create a New Communication




A small Comm Panel (without the Pen Nib) is available just above the Communications Portal on the Client or Provider Detail screens.  This will create a communication with that person as a single recipient.


The Communications Template Manager has buttons for creating a new communication for Single or Multiple recipients, using a Letter, Email, or Form template. 

See Communication> Templates & Segments for more info.




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Compose Letters, Email, and Forms

The "Composer" screen is where a Letter, Email, or Form is created.  To get there, you will first have to choose a recipient (see Manage Communication Recipients below).  The single or multiple recipients are shown at the top.   To change a recipient, click a button:

Variable Recipient Button (on the upper right of the screen)

Other Recipient Button


The "people" icon in the center of the recipient info.














Name - This is a required field, which will show as the "title" of the communication in lists.  If you are composing an Email, it can be the same as the Subject.

Body (or Message) - The large field where your communication is composed.


Functions on this screen include:


Apply a Template - Click a Template in the portal to the left, and it will overwrite anything already in the Composer (after confirmation).  If you have many Templates, use the small QuickFinder to narrow the list.

- Hover your mouse over a row to see the Template's contents

- Delete or restore a Template, depending on its source.  See Communication> Templates & Segments>Manage, Create, and Edit Communication Templates and Communication> Templates & Segments>Editing a Template in a Communication for more info.

Tip:  You can format the text in a Letter or Form, and the formatting will print. (Email formatting does not transfer to the email.  Only text email can be sent from ClientTracker.)  See How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Formatting Text for more info.


Create, Edit, or Insert a Segment - Click a Segment row to insert it at the end of your communication.  Other functions include:

- Click New to create a new Segment

- Hover your mouse over a row to see the Segment's contents

- Use the small QuickFinder to narrow the list, if needed

- Click the button at the left of a row to preview or edit a Segment

- Insert the Segment at the location of your cursor in the communication body

- Delete or restore a Segment

For details about using Segments, see Communication> Templates & Segments>Communication Segments.


Insert a Merge Field - A merge field will substitute information from a recipient's record or other data in ClientTracker.

- For a single recipient, you may prefer to type the info.  If you use a merge field, ClientTracker will show the recipient's info in the sent communication's record.

- For multiple recipients, this can be a handy way to personalize each communication.  The data will not show in the saved communication, but the merge field will.

Merge Fields can be added at the point of the cursor.  Simply open the Merge Fields tab, place your cursor at the desired spot, and click the arrow at the right to insert (>).

For detailed info about Merge Fields, see Communication> Templates & Segments>Merge Fields for Letters, Emails, and Forms.

Warning:  Do not change any text of a merge field, or it will not function properly.


Add an Attachment to an Email - Use this tab to attach an existing file to an email.

1. Click the Attachment tab, and click +Add to browse your computer for an existing file.

2. Select and Open the file, or double-click to add it to the square attachment field on the tab.

3. To remove the attachment, click the clear link.

4. Click Send, and the attachment will be sent with your email using the Email Sending method you have set up.  See Communication> Email Setup>Set the Email Sending Method for more info.

Tip:  When you see the attachment file icon, you can click it to view the actual file in a separate window, if you have the program that created the file on your computer.


Other Composer Screen Functions



Insert Today's Date - Click this to enter the text of today's date in the body of your communication; at the point of the cursor.  You can choose to enter it as text (July 14, 2010), or date (7-14-2010).



Change the Type - Click to change the Type of your communication to a Letter, Email, or Form.  This will change the options for composing and processing the communication (see below).




Save the Communication as a Template - Click the Save as Template link near the bottom of the Composer screen to open a small Communications Template Editing Panel.  From here, you can save the content and type of the current communication as a Template, which can be used as often as needed.


Action Buttons

Once you create a communication, there are different buttons for what you can do with it, depending on its type.  You can always delete a new communication in progress by clicking the Delete button, Keep as Pending to save it for later, or Print or Send it.

For all - Letter, Email, and Form

Letter

Email

Form

Note:  Completing a communication changes its status from "Pending" to "Completed," (Sent, Printed, or Done): which also changes how it is displayed in each recipient's list. (See Communication> The Communications Module for more info.)

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Manage Communication Recipients

There are 4 basic methods of managing the recipients for a communication.

1. As stated previously, if you are on a client- or provider-specific screen when you click a Comm Panel compose button, that person is automatically selected as the recipient.
2. If you click a Comm Panel button from a layout that is not specific to any single person, you must first use the QuickFinder to choose a recipient.
     -- From here, you can also click the Multiple Recipients button
3. When the Composer has a single recipient selected, you can find, switch or add more recipients by clicking the icon or name in the heading, or the Change Recipient button on the upper right of the Composer.
4. When the Composer is open for multiple recipients, you can find, switch, add, or reduce recipients by clicking the icon or name in the heading, or the Manage Recipients button on the upper right of the Composer.

The Recipient QuickFinder


The recipient QuickFinder is for selecting one recipient for a new communication, or switching to a different recipient for a communication in progress.  If you want to choose multiple recipients, click the Multiple Recipients button on the upper right of the QuickFinder screen.

You can search by name for clients or providers; or by category for clients. The Search by Name tab has a filtered search field. Simply type the client name or portion of the name, and the lists below will be filtered as you type. To select a recipient, click the client or provider name in the list, and you will be routed to the Composer for the type of communication chosen.

The Search by Category tab is for selecting a client only.  Its QuickFinder has a drop-down list of user-defined client categories, which are assigned to a client on the Client/Personal screen.  Select a category from the drop-down menu, and the list below will show only those clients in that category.  Select the desired client the same as above.








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Multiple Recipients

Only letters and emails can have multiple recipients.  Only one communication record is created and stored in ClientTracker; however, the output will be one letter or email per recipient.  Each recipient's Communication List will reference the same letter or email.

If you select Multiple Recipients, a more detailed screen appears, with a header "Choose Multiple Recipients." On the left of this screen, in the Individuals & Groups tab, you can search by name or by category to choose individuals. Click one or more names in the list or go button and each name will be added to either the client or provider recipient list on the right tabs. You can combine an unlimited number of clients and providers for any letter or email.















To choose multiple recipients by group, select a group type from the center section, Add by group, and if necessary, provide a filter value in the fields provided. Group selections include:

Click the Add This Group button, and all records matching the group criteria will be added to the respective Clients or Providers lists on the right.  You can mix & match adding clients or providers to these lists; by group or individually. To clear the list, click Remove All. To remove any one unwanted recipient from a list, click the small (x) in their row of the list. When you are satisfied with the list of recipients, click Continue to proceed to the Composer.


You can also add a group of recipients By Find Criteria; on the tab of the same name.  This works much like the Find Clients function in the Clients area.  See Clients> The Clients Area>Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria for details.

-- There is a tab of criteria available for Client and Provider recipients










Managing the Recipient List

As you select recipients, they are added to the Clients or Providers lists on the right. To remove a recipient from a list, click the small Omit button in their row.

If many Email recipients do not have valid email addresses, you can click to Duplicate Email for Recipients without Email Addresses, and a new communication record will be created, exactly like the one you are working on. (It's best to do this after you are finished composing the text of your email so their content will be the same.)


Multiple Recipient Output

The output of your communication will differ based on the type; for single or multiple recipients.

• Letter = One copy is printed for each recipient
• Email = One email is sent using the default sending method in Settings/Program Settings
• Form – Multiple recipients are not possible, so only a single form is printed
• Phone – There is no output for a phone record

A completed communication will show in the Communications List of each recipient.


Note:  If a letter or email is completed, but output is not possible because of missing information, a pop-up window will warn you if one or more recipients have no valid address. For multiple recipients, you have the option of completing the communication for those with an address and creating a new Pending communication for those without an address.

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Completed Communication

A communication is designated as "completed" according to its type when you perform its final action as follows:

After completion, whenever you access a communication record from a list you will go to an information screen that looks much like the Composer.  However, the communication cannot be edited on this screen because it has already been sent.  See Edit or Resend a Completed Communication below for details on how to edit a sent communication.














Functions on this screen include:


Manually Mark a Communication as Completed

If you need to manually enter the date that a communication as completed, you can do this with a link near the top of the Compose screen. For letters and emails, this displays as Mark as Sent. For forms, it says Mark as Signed. Either way, when clicked it offers a pop-up box to enter the date.

For completed communication, you can change the date completed by first choosing to Edit the communication which will change it back to the Composer screen; then click the link.

Tip:  Phone communications are a little different. With these, you can always change the date or time in the header of the pop-up window, by using the drop-down calendar.
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Edit or Resend a Completed Communication

Click the Edit button on a completed communication, and you are offered two choices:

  1. Edit the date and/or content of the original communication
  2. Duplicate it as a new communication (leaving the original unchanged)
Note:  HIPAA requires keeping a record of all communication to clients. A brief reminder of this will appear.

If you choose to Reprint a letter or form, or Resend an email, it becomes a new, duplicate communication record.  When you do this, a confirmation box appears before creating the new communication record.  The new record will display in the Composer screen with the same recipient(s), after which it can be modified and tracked the same as any new communication.

Button actions for a duplicated communication:

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Send an Email with an Attachment

Beginning with version 4.0.17, you can send an attachment with an email from ClientTracker.  This function will work with any file already saved on your local hard drive or network.  The attachment will be added to the email program that is designated to actually send your email outside of ClientTracker, e.g. Mac Mail or Outlook.  Only one attachment per email can be sent.

IMPORTANT:  Attachment files are not stored in ClientTracker and do not have to be in the "ClientTracker Files-Photos" folder. If your attachment files involve Protected Health Information, it is advisable to safeguard their location and include them in your external backup processes.


An Email that has an attachment is signified by a square, blue email icon in lists and other places in ClientTracker.   (An email without an attachment is a circle.)

How to Add an Attachment to an Email

1. On the Compose screen, click the Attachment tab, and click +Add to browse your computer for an existing file.

2. Select and Open the file, or double-click to add it to the square attachment field on the tab.

3. To remove the attachment, click the clear link.

4. Click Send on the lower right of the Composer, and the attachment will be sent with your email using the Email Sending Method you have set up.  See Communication> Email Setup>Set the Email Sending Method for more info.

5. A link to the attachment will remain in the record of the email saved by ClientTracker.

Note:  Unlike linking a file to a client or SOAP, the file will remain in its existing location on your computer.  The file's location will be remembered by ClientTracker and its file path displayed below the attachment field.  If you remove or rename the file, it will show as "File Not Found," and you will need to reattach it.

Tip:  When you see the attachment file icon, you can click it to view the actual file in a separate window, if you have the program that created the file on your computer.


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10. Communication : Email Setup

ClientTracker is not an email program, so it does not actually send email itself.  Instead, it relays email data to another email program that you are already using.  This can be on your local computer or online.

Details in this section include:
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Set the Email Sending Method
On the Settings/Program/Defaults tab, there are 3 email sending methods to choose from. Option 1 uses your computer's local email program to send mail, and requires no setup.  Option 2 allows you to send email directly from ClientTracker through an Internet email provider (this method requires additional setup).   Option 3 will send no email at all.







Option 1:  Use your email program to send emails

(No setup needed)  For this method, email is sent from ClientTracker by transferring it to any compatible local email program, e.g. Outlook, Mail, Eudora, Thunderbird, etc.  You can sometimes preview email sent using this method (depending on your local settings), in a window opened by your email program.  ClientTracker generates the email message, sends it to your outbox, and from there your local program takes over.

Note:  Support for ClientTracker does not include advice how to work with your particular email program.  Consult the documentation of your chosen email program for more info.

Known Issue: ClientTracker will sometimes not work with Windows Live Mail.  This has to do with how the other program is set up, and is not a ClientTracker issue.  If necessary, consult your local email program's Help resources to determine the best settings for programs like ClientTracker that generate email.


Option 2: Send email directly using your email provider

This method may be used if you have an Internet email provider that supports SSL encryption, or uses none at all.  This will send an email directly from ClientTracker; without a preview window from your online email provider.  For this to work properly, you will need information about the SMTP server from your email provider.

 Notes:



    EXAMPLE: How to set up this method for Gmail

  1. Once this method is chosen, click the blue link that appears: Set up defaults

  2. Enter your Admin password, if passwords have been set up

  3. On the Admin Setup screen, you will need to enter the following information:
Note:  Support for ClientTracker does not include advice how to set up SMTP to work with your particular email provider or ISP.  Consult the documentation of your chosen email programs for more info.

Option 3:  Do not send email

This is the default method when ClientTracker is shipped.  No email will be sent from ClientTracker, but you can still use it to store records of email sent by other means.

Tip: For any of the methods chosen, you can Send a Test Email by clicking the link.  See Send a Test Email below for more info.
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Send a Test Email






















You can click the blue Send Test Email link anytime to send a test email that is not saved in ClientTracker, but uses all the current settings.  A pop-up window will show the To address of your practice, and a default Subject and Message - all of which you can change if you want.  If you are using SMTP settings, a "From" name will show as Your Name, and the Reply-To Email Address (which is what the recipient will see).

When you are ready to send the Test Email, click Send. Then, check the outbox and inbox of your email program or online email account to see the email.

If your test email returns an error code, you may contact Ginkgo Customer Service for assistance.  Please note that customer service contracts do not cover problems with your local email setup.

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Set Up Automatic Email Appointment Confirmation

For a client to receive an automatic appointment confirmation email, the Enable appt confirmations by email box must be checked on the client's Personal screen; and:

Each client must have a valid email address to receive any email, and at least one email address needs to be marked as Use. (See Email Address Validation below for more details.)


On the Settings/Program/Defaults tab, you can set all existing clients' email confirmation to On or Off, and choose to turn On (or not) for all new clients.

Include link to Google map in email: this generates a link to a Google map of your Practice Address, and includes it in the Appointment Confirmation email.

Notes:

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Email Address Validation

ClientTracker will evaluate email addresses for validity if they can be used to send mail within the program. These include client and provider email addresses only.


When you first enter a new email address, a small pop-up box will open. After you enter the email address here and click OK, a warning message will appear if the email address is invalid. Click to Save it as is, or Try Again. If the email is valid, ClientTracker will automatically mark it for use.

If you save an invalid email, you won't be able to mark it for use in ClientTracker by checking the Use box.  If you try to mark an invalid email address for use, a warning message will appear, giving you the option to verify it or correct it.



Alerts During Entry of Invalid Email


An invalid email address will display in red text in any email portal.


In addition,

  • The Use box next to a Client's email address will show as pink if there are no valid email addresses marked as Use, and the "Enable appt confirmation by email" box is checked.

  • The Primary box for Providers will show as pink if there is no valid email address marked as Use.

  • If there are two valid email addresses, both can be marked as Use, and ClientTracker will send all email for that recipient to both addresses.
Note:  If there is not at least one valid email address marked for use; that person will not receive any email from ClientTracker. If more than one valid email is marked for use; emails will be sent from ClientTracker to both addresses. (See Communication> Create Communications for more information.)


Communications Module Alerts
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10. Communication : Templates & Segments

Details in this section include:

ClientTracker allows you to create or save communication in the form of Templates or text Segments that can be used over and over.

Templates can be made for letters, email, and forms. Your templates can be created, stored and edited in ClientTracker and used anytime to send "as is," or customized for one or more recipients.  Communication Templates are managed in the Reports area; on the Templates & Marketing tab.

Segments can also be used in any communication.  They are accessible in the Segments tab on the Composer screen of a Template, or an actual communication.


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Manage, Create, and Edit Communication Templates









In the Reports area, on the Templates & Marketing tab, there is a portal of Communication Templates where you can perform the following actions:


The Communication Template Composer Screen













Tip:  You can format the text in a Letter or Form Template, and the formatting will transfer to any communication created from that Template. (Email formatting does not transfer to the email.  Only text email can be sent from ClientTracker.)  See How ClientTracker Works> Program Functions>Formatting Text for more info.

Create a Template

Click the New Template icon to access a blank Communications Template Composer screen for the new Template.  Fill out the Name, Type, and Body, using typed text, Segments, or Merge Fields as needed.  The composition of a Template is much like composing a regular communication.  See Communication> Create Communications>Compose Letters, Email, and Forms for more info.  Also on the Communications Template Composer screen, you can:

The information you enter is automatically saved.  Click Return to Template Manager to go back.  Your new Template can be used to compose communication immediately.


Edit a Template

Simply click any template's icon or title in the Communications Template Manager and you will be taken to the Communications Template Composer screen.  Type any changes you want and click Back or Return to Templates Manager to update the template with the changes.  You can also click Duplicate Template in the Control Panel to save the edited version as a new template (keeping the old one as is).

Delete a Template

On the Communications Templates Composer screen, Templates you have created can be deleted anytime using the Delete this Template button at the bottom of the screen. If you have edited a System Template, this button will instead say Restore this Template, and will restore it to the template shipped with ClientTracker. System Templates cannot be deleted.

Note: If a Communication Template has been designated for use on one or more SOAP Templates, it cannot be deleted until it has been removed from all SOAP Templates. Go to each SOAP Template in the Template Settings tab, and click the Remove button for the Communications Template. See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates>Designate Communication Templates for more info.


Control Panel Icons (on the Communication Template Composer screen)

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Editing a Template in a Communication

When a template has been used to create a communication, a blue link, About This Template, appears at the bottom of the composer. Click this to access the Editing Panel for the source template used to create the communication.




By using the editing controls, you can:

Use the portal on Template tab of the Composer screen to apply a template to a communication. When the row of a template on the portal is clicked, the entire template will replace any existing text in the Composer (after your confirmation).  After a template has been applied to a communication, it can be edited as described above.

A new template can also be created from the Composer screen "on the fly." If you realize that a just-composed communication would be useful to save as a template, Simply click Save as Template and enter its info in the editing controls at the bottom of the Composer panel.

Warning:  Caution should be used when editing the text of System Templates, to avoid altering any merge fields. When a System Template is edited, it can be restored to its default text from any list by clicking the small R button at the right of its row. (See About System Templates & Segments below for more details.)

Notes:

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Communication Segments


Use text-only communication segments to compose any communication or template for letters, forms, and email.

Text segments can be added at the point where the cursor is blinking ("cursor point"), or at the end of any existing text in the message field. As with templates, there are System Segments included with ClientTracker that can be edited, but not deleted.

The Segment tab is on the left of the Composer screen, and also on the Communications Templates Composer screen. If you have many Segments, the portals can be filtered by category.





On any Segments portal, you can perform the following actions:


View or edit a segment by  clicking the grey "edit" button  which opens the segment in the Segment Preview or Edit area
Note: If the cursor is not positioned in the body of the communication, the segment will be added at the end.


The Segment Preview or Edit Area


In this area of the Segments tab, you can create a new segment, edit an existing one, or insert it at the cursor point.

When creating a new segment, you must assign a category from the pop-up menu to make searching easier.  The Category list is managed on the Settings/Program tab, in the Value Lists subtab.

When you click the edit button to the left of a Segment name in its row, it will open in this area.

If you want to keep it without any changes, click the small [x] at the upper left to close it.

If you make changes to a segment, you can either click Save to save the changes in the original segment, or click Save As if you want to save the edited version as a new segment (keeping the old one as is).  A new segment will require a unique name.
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About System Templates & Segments

ClientTracker comes with several System Templates and Segments already made.  Some of these may optionally be defined as required communications by your practice (see below), which would then be auto-created for each new client. 
Tip:  Some System Templates are customized with data from the record of the recipient (such as the appointment confirmation email). These are referred to as "merge fields" in this manual.  See Merge Fields for Letters, Emails, and Forms below for more info.


All templates can be edited and customized to suit your needs; however, System Templates and Segments cannot be deleted, and caution should be used when editing so as not to alter the merge fields.  Other characteristics of System Templates and Segments include:

Technical Note:  Some System Templates and Segments have merge fields embedded in the text that insert selected data from the recipient's record allowing you to personalize a communication. These codes begin and end with double percentage symbols [%%]. The plain text parts of any System Template can be edited to suit your needs; however, you should NOT alter any merge fields.


Auto-Create Communication from Templates


OPTIONAL:  Required communications, such as the HIPAA notices, can be auto-created from a template when a client is created and shown in the communications tracker as "Pending" until they are completed according to type.  You can set your own custom templates as required forms or communications by marking them to auto-create.

Templates can be marked or unmarked to auto-create for new clients:

Note:  Some system templates are used by ClientTracker to compose communication, and are not available for your use on the Composer screen. These will not show in the Templates tab on the Composer, and cannot be marked or unmarked for auto-create.


Edit or Restore System Templates

  • A one-letter code serves as a delete button, when appropriate, on the right of any template or segment list. Likewise, the Delete this Template button on the Communications Template screen will change, based on the type of Template.

    • An X blue link (or Delete This Template button) signifies a template or segment made by you and allows deletion

    • An R blue link (or Restore This Template button) is a System Template or Segment that you have edited, which cannot be deleted.

      • When clicked, the R offers the option of restoring the text to the System default.

    • A System Template or Segment cannot be deleted, and doesn't display any delete/restore button in the Communications Template Manager. The button on the Communications Template Composer screen will say, Unable to Delete.
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Merge Fields for Letters, Emails, and Forms

Merge Fields are placeholders in a communication that will be filled with data from the record of a recipient.  Merge fields can be placed anywhere in a communication, and will work for Letters, Email, or Forms.  ClientTracker's merge fields are designated by a "tag" of double percent signs at the beginning and end (e.g. %%lastname%%). 

Warning:  The"tag" should not be altered in any way, or the merge field will not work.

Merge fields are provided by ClientTracker, and cannot be edited or created by the user.  They can be found in the Merge Field tab to the left of Compose screens.

SAMPLE:








When used for a single recipient, the merge field is replaced by the recipient's data when the communication is printed or sent, and this data shows when viewing a completed communication.

The same is true for multiple recipients, except that the merge fields remain as visible placeholders in the completed communication.  In other words, the communication record itself will still show any merge fields in their coded format (e.g. %merge_field%); not the variable information for each recipient.

Merge fields will always show the most current information in ClientTracker; except when retained as completed communications, which will show the data at the time the communication was originally sent.

To insert a merge field anywhere in the body of your communication:

  1. Click to open the Merge Field tab on the left side of the Composer screen
  2. Place your cursor anywhere in the Body of your communication
  3. Click the desired merge field
Tip:  For punctuation and spacing, treat the merge field "tag" just like the word it represents.  The contents of a merge field can only be changed in the source data.

To insert a merge field at the end of the body of your communication:

  1. Click to open the Merge Field tab
  2. Click the desired merge field

Tip:  You may want to add the merge field for the client's first name to the Email Appointment Confirmation template.  This would be useful if family members use the same email.
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About Communication Templates and HIPAA

ClientTracker comes with 3 pre-made Communications Templates (Forms) and 1 pre-made Segment marked with the category of "HIPAA." These are essential to any practice, and are probably already in use; in some way.  The ones provided by ClientTracker are SAMPLES only, and can be edited to suit your practice's needs, but cannot be deleted.

HIPAA Form Templates

  • Consent to Treatment
  • Receipt of Privacy Practice
  • Signature on File - Medicare

HIPAA Segment

  • Email Confidentiality Footer

The HIPAA Form Templates can be set by your practice to auto-create for all new clients at the time the client record is created, and thus would appear as "Pending" in the Communications portal for each client.  You can change this setting in the Communications Template Manager.

The Email Confidentiality Footer is automatically added to all new emails, and this action cannot be altered.  However, you can edit the content of the template or make it blank.

Like other "System" Communication Templates, HIPAA templates may be edited to suit your practice, but they cannot be deleted.

When a communication is created for a client from a HIPAA template, it gets marked behind the scenes as a HIPAA communication.  You can always edit it the communication, and even delete it.  However, there will be a warning message before you delete it due to the importance of HIPAA communications.

Note:  HIPAA requires that all communications to clients be saved, so ClientTracker will give you a warning if you want to delete any completed communication.


Create a New HIPAA Communication Template

By selecting a category of HIPAA, you can make any Communication Template of your choice behave like a HIPAA template.  If you also mark the auto-create checkbox, your template will be created as a new communication for all new clients.


Date HIPAA Forms Signed

HIPAA requires all patients to sign for the Privacy Notice and Consent to Treatment.  These can be combined on one form or you can use the two separate forms provided with ClientTracker.  When your client signs for both of these, enter the date in the lower right corner of the client’s Personal screen.  If you prefer to use your existing forms, when you get all required documents back signed, you would enter the date signed.

Tip:  For best results, your practice policy and personnel training should be clear about what forms are used, and how the data is reflected in ClientTracker
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10. Communication : Print Labels and Envelopes

When using ClientTracker's Communications Module, you can print a label or envelope at the same time you are printing a communication -- even for multiple recipients in a batch.  You can also print labels and envelopes for marketing or other purposes using the utilities found in Reports/Templates & Marketing.

Details in this section include:
For information on printing Envelopes & Labels for marketing, see Reports & Marketing> Marketing>Envelopes & Labels.

Note: for labels, envelopes, lists, etc. any blank spaces on printouts usually indicate a client or other record that was created but never completed.
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Print Labels and Envelopes with Communications

When you choose to Print a Letter or Form communication, the Print Options pop-up window will open:

At first, the options to print labels or envelopes will be blank.  Click either one to print for all recipients with a Primary address.

An address marked as Primary will print on labels and envelopes even if partially filled out, so maintaining good addresses is recommended.

See Clients> Client Personal Tab>Client Addresses for more info.







Labels for communications will print in the "Mailing 30-up" format, after the Letter or Form is printed.  There will be a brief prompt so you can load the label sheet into your printer.

  • Mailing 30-up = Avery 5160 (30-up), and will always begin with the top left label on the sheet.

Envelopes will print as either "#10 Plain" (blank) or if you check the box, as "#10 Pre-printed."  The addressee info will print in the "To" area of a standard #10 size, with no window. 

If your communication was intended for multiple recipients, ClientTracker will print a label or envelope for each recipient with a valid address after printing the communication.  (There will be a prompt so you can load the labels or envelopes in your printer.)  The choice of printing labels or envelopes can be canceled at the time of printing.
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Print Single or Multiple Labels & Envelopes

There are several ways to print envelopes or labels in ClientTracker:












Clients

1. From any Client's Personal screen, click Print in the Control Panel for a menu of options, including envelopes and labels. This will print for the ONE client. Select one:

  • #10 Plain (blank) or #10 Pre-printed envelopes, or
  • Mailing (Avery 5160, 30-up) or Shipping (Avery 5453, 2-up) labels.

2. From the Clients List screen, the same Print Menu is available, but it will print for ALL clients currently listed.  Use the QuickFinder at the bottom or the Advanced Find button to create customized lists.





3. In Reports/Templates & Marketing, click the Envelopes & Labels row or arrow, and you will go to the Clients Advanced Find screen, where you can find clients using flexible criteria. When found, a list of clients will appear on the Clients List screen.  Select Print from the Control Panel, and then select your output from the pop-up Print Menu.

4. You can also choose to print Labels or Envelopes "on the fly" during the printing of a communication such as a letter (see Print Labels and Envelopes with Communications above).

No Address Checker - ClientTracker will evaluate whether a selected recipient has an address, to avoid wasting envelopes or labels. If you try to print a single label or envelope for a recipient with no address, a message will say they have no addresses and will not be printed.  For multiple recipients, a message will say " There are X Clients without addresses, for whom (Envelopes or Labels) will not be printed."  X being the number of recipients without addresses.


Providers

As providers are possible recipients in the Communications Module, the printing of labels or envelopes as an option for communications will work the same as for clients; or when providers are combined with clients as multiple recipients.

The Providers List screen has a Print button in its Control Panel that also works the same as described for clients.


Other Addressees for Which Labels or Envelopes can be Printed:

Insurers and Vendors - Can print labels and envelopes for a single company only; from their respective Detail screen.  A Print Menu pop-up window will open when Print is clicked.
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10. Communication : Other Communications

Incoming Communications

Any incoming letters, lab or other reports, photos, can be stored as a digital file linked to a client's Personal or SOAP record in ClientTracker.  Digital files can be in any format: .doc, .txt, jpg, .pdf, xls, etc.  You can create links to an unlimited number of files for each client. These files can be opened directly from the client's record in their parent application if you have it on your computer.

In this way, incoming communications can be saved as files and stored in ClientTracker; however, the program does not actively receive any communication.

Details in this section include:

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Storing Incoming Communications

ClientTracker is flexible in allowing you to store incoming communication as a linked file.  By using your imagination and controlling a systematic approach, you can save almost any type of incoming communication in a client's record or SOAP Note.

Email - Copy and paste (text only) to the bottom of an edited communication to create an email "string" of messages you sent, and replies you received regarding the same email.  (This method can also be used for email received from Providers.)

Letter or Form - Scan any paper document and save it as a file; then link it (see below).

Phone - Incoming calls can be noted as regular communication records.  See Communication> Types of Communication>Phone Calls for more information.


Manage File Links

For more information about linking files to:

Tip:  If you create a new communications record to store incoming messages, letters or emails, you may want to mark the communication as completed. For more information on this method, see Communication> Create Communications>Completed Communication.
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About Communications Not Sent from ClientTracker

If you want to keep a record of any communication made from outside ClientTracker, you can do this by creating the type of communication, pasting copied text (or writing a brief description), and marking it as completed.  See Communication> Create Communications>Completed Communication for more information.

How to store a record of communication sent from outside ClientTracker so it is attached to a client's communication history:


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10. Communication : Marketing with Communications

ClientTracker makes it easy to send thank you letters or emails to providers and clients who refer new clients to you.  The referral communication process will look for clients who have either a provider name in the Referred By field of the Referrals tab (on the client's Personal screen), or a client name. There are separate Communication Templates and processes for providers who have made referrals, and clients, too.

Marketing with communications is limited only by your imagination.  You can make groups of recipients for any outgoing communication for marketing or other purposes.

Details in this section include:

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Send a Referral Thank You Communication to a Provider

Send a new Thank You communication (referred to as a "TY Letter" in these instructions) to a provider from 4 different starting points.  Any TY letter button will allow you to send a TY letter or email.

1. From the Personal screen of any client referred by the provider

  • Click the TY letter needed link that appears beneath the referral provider's name when a TY communication has not been sent yet for that client.
    • This will create a TY Letter addressed to the referral provider that includes the name of just the one client.

2. From the Thank You Letters section of the Reports, Marketing & Templates tab in the Reports area





  • Click the Provider Referrals row or button, and a list of providers needing a thank you is displayed. -- For any provider, click the TY Letter button.
    • This will create a TY Letter that includes the names of ALL unsent clients that have been referred by that Provider

3. From the Provider List screen (accessed via the Referring Provider List button on the Settings/Practice tab)

  • In any provider's row, click the TY Letter button.
    • This will create a TY Letter that includes the names of ALL unsent clients that have been referred by that Provider





4. The provider's Detail screen (works the same as #3 above)

Thank you communication to providers can be customized each time you send one, and include the names of clients referred for whom a thank you has not yet been sent. The communication (letter or email) will automatically show the text of the "Provider Referral Thank You Letter" template, which is an editable System Communication Template.  See Section Communication> Templates & Segments for more information on Communication Templates.

Tip:  You can customize the Provider or Client TY Letter templates according to your own preferences, and they will be used for either a letter or email.


Edit and Send the TY Letter














On the Thank You Compose screen, the communication will first show as a letter. (You can change the type to email, if desired, but this manual refers to it as a TY Letter for convenience). 

There are several functions available on the side of the Composer. 

Clients Referred Tab - All clients' names in the Included in TY Letter portal will be included in the TY letter.  If you don't want to include one or more of them, click the name and it will be moved to the Send in a Future TY portal for a future letter.  Conversely, clicking on a name in the Send in a Future TY portal moves it to the Included in TY Letter portal.

You can always customize the TY letter using the Segments and Merge Fields tabs just like a standard communication, or by typing text.  When finished, you can Print or Send the communication or Delete to cancel and delete it.  (TY Letters cannot be saved as Pending communications.)


The Provider's List of Clients Referred


The Clients Referred tab on the main Provider screen shows a list of clients referred by that provider, and the date any TY Letter was sent. If you want to mark manually that a communication was sent, simply enter a date in the space provided. The presence of a date will keep the referral from being processed again as a TY Letter.

Note:  Successful completion and/or transmission of Thank You communication is dependent on the recipient having a valid mailing address or email address.
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Client Referral Thank You

This works the same as it does for providers (above); the main difference being the recipient is another client in ClientTracker.  The letter will automatically show the text of the "Client Referral Thank You Letter" template, and can be created from 2 different places:

1. From the Personal screen of any client referred by another client

  • Click the TY letter needed link that appears beneath the referring client's name only if a TY communication has not been sent yet for that client.

2. The Clients Who Made Referrals section of the Reports, Marketing & Templates tab in the Reports area





  • Click the Send TY button on any row of the resulting list of clients who made referrals
  • This will access the Clients Who Made Referrals list screen






Tip:  Clicking the left side of any referring client's row will access their Personal screen.


Referrals Made by a Client


The Referrals Made subtab under the Referrals tab on the Client Personal screen shows a list of other clients referred by that client, and the date any TY communication was sent.  If you want to mark manually that a communication was sent, simply enter a date in the space provided.  The presence of a date will keep the referral from being processed again as part of a TY Letter.

Note: A new Thank You communication will always include the names of all eligible referred clients, i.e. those who have not yet been included on a Thank You for that referrer. You can choose which clients to include in the Thank You (see above).

After a Thank You has been sent for a referring Client or Provider, the blue link under their name changes to: TY Sent (date).  Clicking on this will show the completed communication.  For more info on functions regarding completed communications, see Communication> Create Communications>Completed Communication.
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Mass Mailings or Bulk Email

Mass Mailing

As you can send a letter or email to multiple recipients, there is no limit to how many persons can receive a communication.  You can compose a promotional letter and send it to any Client and/or Provider recipients with an address marked Primary.

Notes: 
Forms are intended for use when something needs to be signed, and for this reason are not possible to send to multiple recipients.
Letters and emails are limited to text only, (i.e. no text formatting, color, or pictures); the look of which is determined by your email program or provider.

Bulk Email

If you use a bulk mailing service, you can export a list of clients from Reports/Templates & Marketing, Bulk Email section to an Excel file, by using Advanced Find criteria to create the list.


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11. Reports & Marketing : The Reports & Marketing Area






Details in this section include:
The Reports & Marketing area is the place from which to view or print your ClientTracker data in different ways such as:  reports, mailing labels, envelopes, client information, and thank you letters.  You can also perform tasks, for example create a Deposit Slip, or create batch files of 1500 invoices for E-Billing.

Access the main screen by clicking the Reports icon in the Functions Bar (above).  The screen has two sections accessible by its main tabs.



Tip:  Reports are designed to display specific results, or perform specific functions.  Often, you can use the "Find" button in the Control Panel of a ClientTracker area to produce different results that can be manipulated and printed like a report.  For more info, look for the links that lead to the Find options in the section that interests you.


The Reports Tab























Reports and other functions on the main Reports tab are divided into sections for:


The Templates & Marketing Tab























This main tab is divided into two smaller areas:
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Printing Reports, Envelopes, and Labels
When printing reports or documents, you are shown a preview of the document to be printed, and have the option of reviewing the document before printing, by using the controls on the pop-up "Floating Preview Palette."  You may find it helpful to review How ClientTracker Works> Printing Information for more info.


Tip:  This is called a " Flaoting Preview Palette" because it can be moved around to view the print job underneath it.  Use the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons, scrolling and page controls on to review the contents of a report before printing it.

The print headers for Reports are text-only.  Some are very simple and uneditable, containing just the Practice name.  Reports that might be distributed have a full header, which is composed of your Practice information from the Settings/Practice area.  The content and alignment of the full header text can be customized in the Settings/Program area, on the Print tab.

When printing envelopes from the Marketing tab, you have the choice of whether to print on blank or pre-printed #10 envelopes.  See Reports & Marketing> Marketing>Envelopes & Labels for more info.

All labels printed from ClientTracker are standardized to Avery 5160 (30-up mailing labels), or Avery 5453 (2-up shipping labels).
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11. Reports & Marketing : Invoices

Reports and functions discussed in this section include:

Most of the reports in the Invoices section are intended for quality control of invoices that need something done to them.  The report results are cumulative, meaning they will show all past invoices in ClientTracker that meet the report criteria.

Note: The reports will ignore the "Oldest Display Date" (if any has been set for invoices in Settings/Program/Financial) ,and report from all available invoices in ClientTracker.
Results display on the Invoice List screen, which allows for customization of the report contents before printing and other functions.  On this screen you can sort, view details, or omit records as needed before printing.  Click Show Totals at the bottom right to add all the Due amounts shown.  For more info about the invoices List screen, see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area.

Warning:  If you use the QuickFinder on the Invoice List that displays the results of a report, you will lose those results and must re-run the report to replace them.

Tip:  If you leave the Invoice List screen (for example, to view an invoice on the list), use the Back button to retain the found set of your report results.

Click the Print button to open an Invoice Print Menu pop-up window, with options for printing for the invoices showing in the list (i.e. the current Found Set).  You can do this multiple times, e.g. click once to print the invoices; then again to print envelopes.
Print Options:
  • Invoice List - A simple report listing the invoices and information from the List screen.  (An optional title can be entered for the report.)

  • Print Invoices - Prints a complete invoice for each row of the List screen; according to type.

  • Print Statements - prints a statement for each client appearing on the List screen.

  • Client Envelopes & Client Labels - Select an option to print plain or pre-printed envelopes; or mailing or shipping labels for each client appearing on the List screen who has a valid address.
Tip: Use the Find Invoices icon in the Control Panel of the main screens in the Financial area to produce a found set of results to criteria you specify.  This is another way of producing "reports" about invoices.  See Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area>Find Invoices for more info.
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Unpaid Invoices




This report displays all Unpaid Invoices on the invoices List screen with the most recent ones showing first, and its contents can be viewed and customized in several ways before printing.
On the List screen, you can perform a variety of tasks to customize and print the report contents (see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area, and above for more info).

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Unsent Claims




This report displays all Unsent Claims on the invoices List screen with the most recent ones showing first, and its contents can be viewed and customized in several ways before printing.
On the List screen, you can perform a variety of tasks to customize and print the report contents (see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area, and above for more info).
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Incomplete & Blank Invoices




This report displays all Incomplete & Blank Invoices on the invoices List screen with the most recent ones showing first, and its contents can be viewed and customized in several ways before printing.
On the List screen, you can perform a variety of tasks to customize and print the report contents (see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area, and above for more info).

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Visits with No Invoice




The Visits with No Invoice report shows a list of SOAP Notes for same-day or past appointments that don't have linked invoices.  This is a good way to make sure all appointments have been invoiced.  The results are displayed on the SOAP List screen, from which you can perform many tasks.
Note:  Appointments with a status of No Show or Cancel Invalid will show in the report results, in case your practice bills for missed appointments.

Remember that when you create an appointment for a client, ClientTracker automatically creates a SOAP Note for it.  On both the Appointment pop-up window and the SOAP Note is a button to generate an invoice.  It is always better to generate invoices this way, rather than directly from the client record, as this generates the link that the system uses to determine if all SOAP Notes (i.e. appointments) have been invoiced.

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No Charge Invoices




This report displays all No Charge Invoices on the invoices List screen with the most recent ones showing first, and its contents can be viewed and customized in several ways before printing.  This is different than the report that shows "blank" invoices with no Procedures or Products.
Note:  An invoice becomes a No Charge Invoice by entering discounts that make the Total Due zero, or by checking the box in the Adj. tab of the Payment Palette.  For more info on this process, see Invoices & Payments> Simple & Superbill Invoices>Invoice Discounts.

On the List screen, you can perform a variety of tasks to customize and print the report contents (see Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area, and above for more info).
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Create an E-Billing Batch




This is not actually a report, but a utility that will take you to the E-Billing screen of the clearing house marked as Primary, and show all invoices eligible for E-Billing in the Claims to Send tab.
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11. Reports & Marketing : Inventory

Reports in this section include:

This section lets you print out reports about product sales data, items in your inventory, and items to be re-ordered.  The output is printable only.

Report data are from your inventory records, and invoices with products sold.

-- See Inventory> Inventory Setup for more info about inventory.

-- See Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area for more info about invoices.

Note:   Some of these reports require a date, and others require that certain information is entered in the Inventory area, such as Reorder Date.

When most of these reports are run, they are controlled by the Floating Preview Palette.  Use this to Zoom In, Zoom Out, or preview multiple pages.  Click Print to access the print options available on your computer.  See How ClientTracker Works> Printing Information>Print Choices and Setup for more info.
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Sales & Profitability




This report, similar to a "Profit on Goods Sold" or "Cost of Goods Sold" report, allows you to review and/or print a list of products sold in a specified date range, and what your cost is for them.  The report is sorted by the Vendor assigned to each product.To run the report, enter From and To dates for the report using the drop-down calendar and click the Go button or row.

Note:  If passwords have been assigned for Admin and Staff, only the Admin user can run this report.
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Inventory Valuation Detail




This prints a complete list of your inventory, with Quantity On Hand, Average Cost, and Most Recent Cost.  It also calculates the Purchase Cost and Replacement Value for each item.  This report is for accounting purposes, and is sorted by Vendor.
To run the report, enter a Date To, and click the Go button. or row

Note: If passwords have been assigned for Admin and Staff, only the Admin user can run this report.
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Inventory List




This prints a complete list of your inventory with data up to the current date, including Cost, Price, Markup, Tax, Sold By, Reorder Level, Quantity On Hand, and Total Sold.  This report is sorted by Vendor.
To run the report, click the Go button or row.

Tip:  Best practice would be to run this report at regular intervals, and see the changes in inventory over time.

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Items to Reorder List




This report shows a list of all active products with Quantity On Hand that is at or below the Reorder at quantity specified in the inventory record.
The report results will show on the Inventory List screen, or a message will say no items were found and return you to the Reports area.  Use the list functions to manage the list of items, and the Print icon to print a list, optionally sorted by Vendor.

Tip:   On the Inventory List or Detail screen, you can set your preferred quantity at which you want to Reorder this item. ClientTracker can alert you to re-order when the number in stock reaches that number. See Inventory> Inventory Setup>Status & Quantity for more info.   Also, note, that on the screen this is called Reorder at.  On the printed report it is called Reorder.
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Reset Inventory Balances




This is not a report, but a utility that will allow you to change the Quantity on Hand and/or Average Cost for any item; at any time in its history in ClientTracker sales.
Note: If passwords have been assigned for Admin and Staff, only the Admin user can perform this function.
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11. Reports & Marketing : Appointments & Visits

Reports and utilities in this section include:

The Appointments & Visits section of the Reports area provides many ways to find and analyze information about past & future client visits.

Remember, in ClientTracker a SOAP Note is automatically created for all appointments; whether you use them or not.  An appointment is a scheduled client visit, and a SOAP Note is the medical record for that visit.

Tip:  When you use the "Find" utility in this area to find appointments, visits, or SOAP Notes, they are all the same record in ClientTracker.

Results of the "Find" utility are displayed on a List screen.  You can also access appointments, SOAP Notes, or Invoices from this screen as appropriate.  So for example, if a client stopped treatment, you could delete all her upcoming appointments by accessing the Appointment pop-up for each one.

Note:  Be aware that when deleting SOAP Notes, if an invoice has been generated from, or linked to the SOAP Note, you may not be able to delete the SOAP Note until it has been unlinked from the invoice.  See SOAP Notes> Overview>Delete a SOAP for more info.

Deleting either an appointment or SOAP Note will erase both SOAP Note and appointment.  Be very careful about deleting appointments: if the appointment occurred in the past, the SOAP Note has probably been filled out.  HIPAA requires that you retain records of all client visits.


Diagnosis and Procedure Reports

These are summary reports only, that show the diagnoses and procedures used on SOAP Notes during a specified date range.

When these reports are run, they are controlled by the Floating Preview Palette.  Use this to Zoom In, Zoom Out, or preview multiple pages.  Click Print to access the print options available on your computer.  See How ClientTracker Works> Printing Information>Print Choices and Setup for more info.

Tip:  A list of Diagnoses, Procedures, or Products invoiced for a specific client can be printed by date range on the History tab of the client's record. See Clients> Client History Tab>Clinical History for more info.

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Find Appointments & Visits




With this utility, you can find multiple appointments or visits, and print them as an appointment list, SOAP list, or individual SOAP Notes.  You can search by single or multiple criteria.  The Search Results are displayed on a Visit List screen, which represents appointments and if applicable, their SOAP Notes too.
  1. Click the row or Go button to access the Find Appointments & Visits screen
  2. Choose one or more criteria to define your search results
  3. Click Find, and the results are displayed on a List screen with full sort and print functions
Tip:  You can click a row on the list to view the SOAP Note Detail screen, but you should use the Back button to return to your found set on the List.

The Find Appointments & Visits screen will show the last criteria used during your current session.  If you log off ClientTracker, the criteria will be reset to the system defaults the next time you log on.  The default criteria are shown in green in these instructions.  Click Reset at any time to restore the default criteria.























When you have entered all desired criteria, click Find to display the results on the Visit List screen.  If no matching invoices are found, a message will tell you that, and leave you on the Find Appointments & Visits utility screen to try again, or click Cancel to abort.

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Diagnoses Given




This report displays all Diagnoses given on SOAP Notes for a specified date range.  The report shows a summary of Diagnosis Codes and how many times they were used.  This may be useful to see the types of afflictions treated by your practice.
Note:  If passwords are enabled for Admin and Staff, only an Admin user can run this report.

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Procedures Performed




This report displays all Procedures performed on SOAP Notes for a specified date range.  The report shows a summary of Procedure Codes and how many times they were used, as well as any discounts and charges.  The total amounts for the report period are displayed at the end.
Note:  If passwords are enabled for Admin and Staff, only an Admin user can run this report.

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11. Reports & Marketing : Financial

Reports and functions in this section include:

Financial reports are detailed in scope, and some offer flexibility so that you can set desired report criteria before running.

Report results are displayed as a preview, and are controlled by the Floating Preview Palette.  Use this to Zoom In, Zoom Out, or preview multiple pages.  Click Print to access the print options available on your computer.  See How ClientTracker Works> Printing Information>Print Choices and Setup for more info.

Note:  If passwords are enabled for Admin and Staff, only an Admin user can run Financial reports.
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Transactions




This prints a report detailing and summarizing all sales activity on invoices including procedures, products, taxes, payments, adjustments, and discounts for a given date or range of dates.  The report can be limited to a particular practitioner and/or client. 

Report Results - All invoices generated during the selected period (and meeting any additional criteria) are included in the report, along with any payments and adjustments made against them.  Taxes and discounts are also shown and summarized.

When you start this report, the Financial Transactions Report screen will show the last criteria used during your current session.  If you log off ClientTracker, the criteria will be reset to the system defaults the next time you log on.  The default criteria are shown in green in these instructions.  Click Reset at any time to restore the default criteria.






















Choose Criteria
Choose Report Format
Details gives all the info from an invoice in a compressed fashion so it takes less paper than printing individual invoices: diagnosis codes, procedure codes, products, discounts, taxes, payments and adjustments. It doesn't give the invoice Notes. At the end of a Day, or Month, the procedure codes, products, discounts, taxes, payments and adjustments  are summarized.

Subtotals Only gives just the summary, by day or month, of the procedure codes, products, discounts, taxes, payments and adjustments with no invoice details.

For example, if you check 'Details' and check 'Subtotals by Month', it will show each invoice with subtotals after each month and a grand summary at the bottom. If you check 'Subtotals Only' and 'Subtotals by Month' it will show only the subtotals for each month and the grand summary at the bottom.

When you have entered all desired criteria, click Print to display the results with the Floating Preview Palette.   If no matching invoices are found, a message will tell you that, and you can try again. Click Cancel to abort.

Tip:  The Transactions report prints all the invoices for a given date range, i.e. the month of September. If you print this report on September 30 at 5 pm, it shows all payments and adjustments made on an invoice anytime before you ran the report, on or before September 30th at 5 pm. If the report is run on October 15th for all the invoices in September, then all the September invoices show with all payments and adjustments made on or before October 15th on those invoices.   
Make a Year-End Transaction Report for One Client
Often a patient wants to have a year-end report, annual report, or other report of all their invoices for insurance or taxes.  To print out a financial record of a patient's invoices for the past year, go to Reports > Financial > Transactions to generate a Transactions Report for the patient (client) with the following criteria:
- Set the Date Range (for example) as 1/1/11 to 12/31/11
- Practitioners should be All
- for Clients, choose Select and specify the patient
In Choose Report Format you can set it to show "Details" and use Subtotals by either Day or Month.

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Payments & Posting Logs




This offers a choice of two reports for a selected date range and practitioner:
When you click the Go button, the Payments & Posting Logs screen will show the last criteria used during your current session.  If you log off ClientTracker, the criteria will be reset to the system defaults the next time you log on.  The default criteria are shown in green in these instructions.  Click Reset All at any time to restore the default criteria.






















(1) Choose Criteria
(2) ...then select one Log:

Payments Log
Only show payments made by (select one):
Posting Log
Only show postings made from (select one):
When you have entered all desired criteria, click Find to preview or print the results.  If no matching records are found, a message will tell you that, and leave you on the Payments & Postings Log screen to try again, or click Cancel to abort.Note When the Payments Log is run for a single Practitioner, it will not show any Payments on Account. A Payment on Account is only linked to the client or insurance company that made POA, not to any invoice and hence a practitioner. When the POA is distributed to an invoice, then it will be linked to a specific practitioner; these distributions are shown on the Postings Log. To see the "Payments" for a practitioner, run both the Payments & Postings Logs.
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Liabilities: Unused Credit




This report displays all unused credits for clients and insurers.  Credits are payments that have been entered on the Payments on Account tab on the Clients Insurance screen, or on the Insurers' Payments tab, and have not yet been fully distributed.
See Clients> Client Invoices Tab>The Payments On Account Subtab for more info on the origin of this data.

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Accounts Receivable




This report provides a "snapshot" of the practice's Accounts Receivable total up to a specified date.  It is similar to the "Unpaid Invoices" report, but is intended to be used for accounting purposes, and provides no direct access to the invoices themselves.

When you run the report, you are offered a choice of seeing the AR invoices in date order, or grouped by client.  The report does not differentiate the payer (e.g. self-pay vs. insurance).

To run this report, enter a date in the "up to Date" field, and click the Go button.
Note:  The Aging column has been taken off this screen, and is no longer a supported function in ClientTracker.

Tip: You can get similar results if you run the Unpaid Invoices report and use the QuickFinder to narrow the resulting list by date, client, or status.  Having access to the actual invoices in this way may be useful.

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Sales Tax




Use this report to determine what the amount of sales tax you owe for a particular reporting period.

This prints your choice of a detail or summary of all the invoices, taxable items and taxes collected during a chosen date range.  Enter the start and end dates in the blanks, and click the Go button, and then choose Summary or Detail to generate the report.

Note:   If you have set up more than one tax rate in Settings/Practice, the report will show the different rate categories for filing your tax return.

See Settings> Practice>Technical Info - Sales Tax Calculations for info on how the sales tax is calculated, especially if you think the total tax collected may be incorrect.
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Deposit Slip - Time-saver tool




The Deposit Slip is an optional great time-saving utility for processing checks and cash received from clients or third parties entered into ClientTracker. ClientTracker generates a bank deposit slip detail. No more handwriting the deposit slip detail.  Credit Cards are handled separately (see for more info).  The printout is in two sections:
Click the Go button for Deposit Slip to go to the Cash & Checks to Deposit screen, which shows a list of all cash and check payments not yet deposited.  If there are no payments to deposit, a message will show and return you to the Reports area.
























At the Cash & Checks to Deposit screen, review all your payments to be deposited against the actual checks.  This is a good opportunity to double-check the accuracy of your data entry against the actual check.  You can also omit specific payments from being deposited by clicking the Omit button next to the item.  For example, if check is post-dated, this method omits it from deposit until the correct date.  When finished, mark the payments as deposited in two ways:
If you click Continue, the deposit slip will display with the Floating Preview Palette, and you can print if it is correct.  After printing, a dialog pop-up asks you to confirm the printout is completed before it creates a Deposit entry in the Register (if enabled) and marks the individual Payments as deposited.  If in doubt, click No.

If you have the Register enabled, the utility also creates a new entry for the total of the Deposit Slip in the Register.  See Invoices & Payments> Using the Register for more info.
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11. Reports & Marketing : Reconcile

Reports in this section include:

The Reconcile section of the Reports screen contains report functions that will coordinate with the Register, if you have chosen to use it.

Note:  If passwords are enabled for Admin and Staff, only an Admin user can perform Reconcile functions.
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Credit Cards




This report prints a summary of credit card payments received in a chosen date range, or in the last calendar month.  Select either "Last Month" or enter a From and To date, then click the Go button to generate the report.  The report will preview and print in a 2-column format; sorted by credit card type.
Report results are displayed as a preview, and are controlled by the Floating Preview Palette.  Use this to Zoom In, Zoom Out, or preview multiple pages.  Click Print to access the print options available on your computer.  See How ClientTracker Works> Printing Information>Print Choices and Setup for more info.


Register Info

As you enter Credit Card payments, ClientTracker marks them as deposited, and creates an entry for each one in the register.  Running the Credit Card report has no effect on these Register entries, which would need to be reconciled using the usual process in the Register area.  See Invoices & Payments> Using the Register>Reconcile the Register for more info.

Tip: You can use either this report, or the statement you receive from your credit card processing company to reconcile the Register, if you have it enabled.

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Bank Statement




This utility allows you to reconcile the current balance shown in the Register, with the actual balance of your checking account. Detailed instructions on the process can be found in Invoices & Payments> Using the Register>Reconcile the Register.

Tip: You can use either this report or the Reconcile button on the main Register screen to initiate this process.

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11. Reports & Marketing : Marketing

The Marketing section allows you to generate printed letters or envelopes to send to clients and referral providers, and export email addresses.  Each function is detailed below.
When you click the Reports icon in the functions bar to come to the Reports, Templates & Marketing area, click the Templates & Marketing tab to access the Communications Template Manager and Marketing section.






















The Communications Template Manager provides access to other methods of marketing; in the form of emails or letters you can customize and send for client birthdays, promotions, and other communications used by your practice.   For more info, see Communication> Templates & Segments>Manage, Create, and Edit Communication Templates.

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Manage Thank You Letters

The Go buttons in the Thank You Letters section allow access to separate lists of the providers and clients who have referred new clients to your practice.  From these lists, you can view statistics, print thank you letters, or access contact and other info about your referral sources.

Tip:  The Communications Template Manager provides access to the System Templates provided by ClientTracker for use as Thank You letters for providers and clients.
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Client Information & Birthday List


Use Birthday List to find clients for printing labels or envelopes, or to create a group email or letter.

The other Client Information reports provide visit statistics and other details about the clients that have been seen at your practice.

Birthday List - Beginning with update 4.0.15, you can choose "Client List" to go to the Advanced Find screen to create a list of clients by birth month; after which you can print labels, lists, or envelopes.  Choose "Communications" to compose an email or letter for a group of multiple recipients, which can be sent to a certain birth month.

Note: To make a reusable Birthday Letter template in v4.0 and send it as a letter or email, you would create a Communications Template, then create a new communication with multiple recipients.  Clients whose birthdays fall in a specific month can be added as a group of multiple recipients.  See Communication> Create Communications>Multiple Recipients for more info

Sources of Clients - Compiles a list of all clients who were either referred by another client or provider, or have a value in the Source field (located on the Client Personal screen, Referrals tab).

Clients' Visit & Invoice Summary - Shows a list of all clients and a summary of their visit (i.e. appointment) and invoice information.  Note: This report begins by showing all clients in ClientTracker, so it could be slow to run.

Once these reports are run, you can change the found set by entering QuickFinder criteria, sorting, or printing the report. 


You can also view the same found set in the context of another Client List screen, by clicking the Multiple Clients icon under the Back button.


Tip: The same found set can be viewed as a Client List, Clients Who Made Referrals, Source of Clients, or Clients' Visit & Invoice Summary.
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Bulk Email

When you click to Export email addresses, you are offered a choice of exporting All the client email addresses in ClientTracker, or to customize your list by using Advance Find criteria.

Tip:  For both methods, you can choose the location and type of file in the dialog box that opens. The file will contain client names and email (if any).
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Envelopes & Labels

The Envelopes & Labels utiliy allows you to print envelopes and shipping labels using address information from a selected list or "Found Set" of ClientTracker records. 

Note: From the Reports/Templates & Marketing area, you can only print envelopes and labels for clients. Other available options include clicking the Print icon in the Control Panel of Clients, Insurance Companies, or Vendors, which will open the respective Print Menu for that area.

You can print the following types of envelopes and labels:
Note:  When you print envelopes or labels, ClientTracker evaluates each record in the Found Set, and prints only those with a valid address.  This avoids wasting envelopes and labels, but be aware that large lists may take extra processing time.

When you click the Go button or row on Reports/Templates & Marketing, you access the Advanced Find criteria to create a Found Set of clients.  For details on how to use these criteria to find clients, see Clients> The Clients Area>Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria.

The resulting Found Set of clients is shown on the Clients List screen.  There, you can click to Omit any unwanted records, sort the set, or change it using the QuickFinder.  When you are ready to print, click the Print icon in the Control Panel.

In the Clients Print Menu, select an envelope or label option.  You are shown a preview of the printed sheets with the Preview Palette, and have the opportunity to review the print job and load envelopes or labels in the printer before it is printed.
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12. Security & Backup : Backup Your Data

Why is it important to regularly back up your data?
Two words: Data Loss.

We hear from people who have lost years' worth of financial information, appointments, etc. simply because they didn't have a good backup system in place. The good news is data loss is a preventable as most disease. Wherever critical data is involved, it is vital to have good backup policies in place. This is your only insurance against loss of data in the not-uncommon event of a computer malfunction or 'power event' resulting in data loss or corruption. We strongly recommend a local and external, two-level approach to protecting your data, as outlined below.

Tip: Shut down ClientTracker at the end of every day.  This will:
    -- automatically save a copy in ClientTracker's Backup folder
    -- create an additional backup copy, if specified.
    -- protect data file from possible corruption in case of power failure.

Details in this section include:

Avoid Data Corruption due to a power outage. See also the UPS, uninterrupted power supply, information Security & Backup> Power Issues.

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Local Backup

Automatic Local Backup
ClientTracker automatically creates a local backup copy of your data file every time you close ClientTracker or when you click the Backup Now button.   This copy is put in the Backup folder contained inside your ClientTracker 4.0 folder on your hard drive.

Tip:  We strongly recommend shutting down ClientTracker at the end of every day, which will perform a Local Backup and protect your data from possible computer malfunctions.








Manual Local Backup

You can perform a manual Local Backup at any time.
  1. Open ClientTracker
  2. Go to Settings/Program/Utilities
  3. Click the Backup Now button in the Local Backup panel
A message shows at the bottom of the panel indicating when the last Local Backup was run.  This is replaced every time Local Backup is run, either automatically or manually.

Technical Notes

When a Local Backup is run, the file ClientTracker_1.ctr is created.  Up to 5 backup files are created, numbered ClientTracker_1 through ClientTracker_5, with 5 being the oldest.  You can look at the Date Modified to see when the file was created.

When a new ClientTracker_1 file is created, any existing ones are renumbered and moved down in order.  1 becomes 2, 2 becomes 3, etc.

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Restore from Local Backup

If you need to restore from Local Backup file, the process is very simple.
  1. Open ClientTracker
  2. Go to  Settings/Program/Utilities
  3. Click the Restore from Backup button
  4. Wait until the entire process is complete








If ClientTracker Will Not Open

Sometimes, your main ClientTracker file may be damaged to the point where it is not able to open.  In such a case, if you are not able to use the Restore from Backup or Recover options, then you can manually replace the main data file using one of the backup ClientTracker files and rename it.
  1. Remove the damaged ClientTracker.ctr file from the main ClientTracker folder

    Note:  You may or may not see .ctr at the end of the file. It should be at least 35,000 KB in size.

  2. Copy the latest backup file in the Backup folder (e.g. ClientTracker_1.ctr)

  3. Paste this copied file one level up in the main ClientTracker folder

  4. Remove the _1 from the file name so it is named exactly:  ClientTracker.ctr
You should now be able to open your ClientTracker normally, and the data will be whatever was current at the time the last Local Backup was performed.

If you get the message that this new copy from the Backup folder also is corrupted, you can do the same steps 1-4, except use the  file ClientTracker_2.ctr.

Note: If this process does not work, STOP IMMEDIATELY and contact Ginkgo Support for assistance.  If you run this process by mistake and overwrite your "good" file, see How to Undo Restore from Local Backup below.
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How to Undo Restore from Local Backup

OOPS -- Made a mistake when you clicked the Restore Backup button?

Good News!  When the Restore Backup process is chosen, ClientTracker automatically saves a copy of the main data file that gets overwritten, in case you need it.

1. In your ClientTracker 4.0 folder,  delete the ClientTracker.ctr file.

2. In your ClientTracker 4.0\Backup\Overwirtten folder,  copy the ClientTracker file with the most recent (or appropriate) date and time stamp at the end of the name.

3. Paste this file into the main ClientTracker 4.0 folder.  Rename it to just ClientTracker.ctr,  removing the date and time stamp.

Tip:  The overwritten files will accumulate with different timestamped names over time, if you perform the Restore Backup function frequently. You may want to delete old copies from time to time.

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External Backup - Manual Method & Fire Drill

"An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure"

(Ben Franklin obviously had a computer)


Are you making regular external backups of your ClientTracker data?  Amazingly, some people still do not do this simple and HIPAA required step. HIPAA requires that you store a backup of your data to an external, protected area. It is standard practice for all businesses with mission-critical data on computers to protect against fire, theft, water and earthquake by keeping copies on an external drive or on the internet, ie out of the office.


ClientTracker includes an automatic backup system that saves a copy of your data file to the Backup folder inside your ClientTracker 4.0 folder on your main computer drive.  However, this practice still does not meet the HIPAA requirement concerning external data backup.


You also must have an external backup (of all important data, in ClientTracker or not) to a separate hard drive, USB (a.k.a. "flash") drive, or to a recordable CD/DVD, or the internet. This practice is the only way to protect your data from hard disk failure or damage. Disk failure is not uncommon and can cause you to start over with nothing - requiring a clean install of all your software and re-entering all of your data.


You may choose to backup just the ClientTracker.ctr data file, or your entire ClientTracker 4.0 folder.  If you have attached files or photos in your ClientTracker, these will be in the ClientTracker Files-Photos folder, and should also be backed up.


IMPORTANT:  An external backup of the main ClientTracker 4.0 folder will also back up your Photos-Files and Backup folders within, for maximum protection (unless you have moved it, of course).  Be sure you are backing up the entire main ClientTracker folder, not the shortcut on your desktop.


Tip:  You can choose to use an automatic backup system using specific software and external drives or services that backup to their secure website.


Taking these steps daily will insure that your data will not be lost if your computer should crash, be stolen, or otherwise suffer corruption caused by accidents, electrical disruption, etc.



ClientTracker Data File to copy to external backup

 

Location: inside your ClientTracker 4.0 folder

Name:    ClientTracker.ctr   


Location of the ClientTracker 4.0 folder

Unless you placed it somewhere else when you installed the program, this folder will be in:



















Note:  If your computer is a Vista 64 bit or Windows 7 64 bit, the folder where Ginkgo Software is installed is called C:\Program Files (x86).

FIRE DRILL
Whatever method you choose to create your External Backup, do a "fire drill" to insure that you know how how to restore from this method! 
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External Backup - Your Additional Location & Fire Drill
Beginning with update 4.0.15, you can have ClientTracker make a backup to an additional location.  This can be an external drive, network drive, server, other computer.  Whatever location you choose must be available for the additional backup to work properly.  You can change the location whenever you like. You can do this manually or automatically with every close of ClientTracker.

To make your first additional backup, click the Backup Now button. This brings up a window for you to choose where you want to save it, the Default Path.  From then on, you can make an additional backup to this location anytime by clicking the Backup Now button.

Tip: To make an external backup, choose the path assigned to your external drive or USB when it is inserted into the computer. If you need help with this, it's best to find someone local who knows your computer system.


Note:  Your file will automatically be named with a date and timestamp for your reference.  These files will accumulate over time if you do not manage them.

TROUBLESHOOTING
IF YOU GET AN ERROR MESSAGE that says "the file could not be created on this disk," it means that the link to the Default Path for your Additional Backup location is broken.  Your options are: 

FIRE DRILL
Whatever method you choose to create your External Backup, do a "fire drill" to insure that you know how how to restore from this method!  Your do not want to discover after a disaster that your external backup method was faulty.  See Restore from Additional or External Backup.
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Restore from Additional or External Backup

IMPORTANT:  This process will overwrite any data on the main ClientTracker data file.  You are strongly advised to make a backup copy of your entire ClientTracker 4.0 folder before you attempt to restore from an external backup.

These instructions assume that you have your main ClientTracker folder installed in the standard locations assigned during installation.  Custom installations are not supported.

Standard Locations for the ClientTracker Data File

Location: inside your ClientTracker 4.0 folder

Name:    ClientTracker.ctr   

Location of the ClientTracker 4.0 folder

Unless you placed it somewhere else when you installed the program, this folder will be in:

Note:  If your computer is a Vista 64 bit or Windows 7 64 bit, the folder where Ginkgo Software is installed is called C:\Program Files (x86)

How to Restore from Backup

Follow these simple steps:
  1. Locate your most recent external backup file.  If you use the Additional Location default path, that will tell you where to look and when the last backup was made.

  2. Rename the file to be exactly ClientTracker.ctr

  3. Copy the file and locate your standard data file

  4. Paste the new file, and overwrite the old one
You should now be able to open using the ClientTracker shortcut or alias.

WARNING: If you use automatic backup software or a service that backups up to the Internet, before you use their restore method, make sure you have zipped or compressed your main ClientTracker 4.0 folder as an additional precaution.

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12. Security & Backup : Power Issues

An interruption of electrical power to your computer can cause loss of data.  It is highly advisable to connect a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) between your computer and the electrical outlet. 

A surge protector strip is not the same an a UPS!!   While a simple surge protector may assist for power surges, it will not help if the power goes out. 

 A UPS can be purchased at any office supply store and is well worth the investment.

Even if you have a UPS, still turn off your ClientTracker every night.  The battery in a UPS will provide power for enough time to safely shut down ClientTracker and your computer, but not enough power to last overnight.  A "cold shut down" of ClientTracker can cause file corruption.




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12. Security & Backup : Passwords

Passwords can be set up in ClientTracker.  See Settings> Program/Defaults>Password Setup & Registration Info for more information about how to set these up.

Tip: It's a good idea to write your passwords down and keep them in a safe place. Ginkgo Support will never know your passwords, and cannot retrieve them if lost. If you forget your password, contact support to obtain a temporary one.
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13. Technical Information : File Structure & Management

Details in this section include:
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File & Folder Structure

The necessary files and folders for the proper function are contained inside the main ClientTracker 4.0 folder.

Location of the ClientTracker 4.0 folder

Unless you placed it somewhere else when you installed the program, this folder will be in:

















Note:  If your computer is a Vista 64 bit or Windows 7 64 bit, the folder where Ginkgo Software is installed is called C:\Program Files (x86).

Contents of the ClientTracker 4.0 Folder - Both Windows and Macintosh
Your computer settings may or may not display any "extensions" on a file name, i.e. the  .ctr .exe or .app that follows at the end of the file name.

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Moving Your ClientTracker Files from One Computer to Another

The process for moving your data to another computer is deceptively simple. However, if this procedure sounds like it's beyond your ability, please get someone with computer experience to assist you. Please read through the following instructions before beginning.

Warning:  Moving the ClientTracker files requires good file management skills so you don't accidentally overwrite the wrong copy of the program.  Be sure to make a backup copy first.

For more information on moving the program to a different platform, see Moving ClientTracker from Windows to Mac below.

Step 1 - On the new computer, download and install the demo of ClientTracker from http://www.ginkgosoftware.com/download.php

Step 2 - Copy the data file from your old computer on to a portable USB or flash drive.  The data file to copy is called ClientTracker.ctr.  It is contained in the top level of the ClientTracker 4.0 folder. 
  • You may or may not see the  ".ctr" at the end of  ClientTracker. 
  • This will not have the ClientTracker icon of the 3 people, that is a shortcut.
  • This file will be at least 35,000 KB in size.
If your ClientTracker was installed in the standard location it is found in:
WINDOWS
C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder
** If your Windows 7 or Vista is a "64bit", the file is in  Ginkgo Software is installed is called  C:\Program Files(x86)\ Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder.

MACINTOSH OS X
Applications/ClientTracker 4.0/Program folder
For a screen shot of the standard location, see File & Folder Structure.  If your ClientTracker 4.0 folder is not installed in the standard location, use your computer's search (Windows) or find (Macintosh) function to locate your ClientTracker files.

Step 3 - On your new computer, replace the existing ClientTracker.ctr data file with the one on your USB or flash drive.

Step 4 - Open ClientTracker from the shortcut on the desktop and confirm that all your data is there.

Tip: No registration code is needed as that is contained in the ClientTracker.ctr data file you transfer from the 1st computer to the 2nd computer. When you put that into the newly installed ClientTracker 4.0 folder and then click the shortcut on your desktop, it opens your data file and is registered.

Tip:  If you have linked files and/or photos to your ClientTracker clients or visits, also move your 'ClientTracker Files-Photos'  folder to the same location on your new computer.

Note:  Your license allows you to have an active installation of ClientTracker on up to 2 computers. If you need more installations, contact Ginkgo Software support.

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Moving ClientTracker from Windows to Mac

Please read through the following instructions before beginning. If this procedure sounds like it's beyond your ability, please get someone with computer experience to assist you.

Warning:  Moving the ClientTracker files requires good file management skills so you don't accidentally overwrite the wrong copy of the program.  Be sure to make a backup copy first.

1. On your Mac, download and install the demo of ClientTracker from http://www.ginkgosoftware.com/download.php

2. On your Windows version of ClientTracker, Copy the ClientTracker.ctr data file in the C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder to a USB drive or CD.
** If your Windows 7 or Vista is a "64bit", the file is in  Ginkgo Software is installed is called  C:\Program Files(x86)\ Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder.
3.  Move the portable drive to your your new Mac.  Locate the existing ClientTracker.ctr data file in Applications/ClientTracker 4.0 and move it to the Trash.

4. Move (drag/drop or copy/paste) the ClientTracker.ctr file on the portable drive/CD to the Applications/ClientTracker 4.0 folder.

5. Start ClientTracker on your Mac.  Verify that all of your data is present.

Tip:  If you have linked files and/or photos to your ClientTracker clients or visits, also move your 'ClientTracker Files-Photos'  folder to the same location on your new computer.

Note:  Your license allows you to have an active installation of ClientTracker on up to 2 computers. If you need more installations, contact Ginkgo Software support.

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Moving ClientTracker from Mac to Windows

Please read through the following instructions before beginning. If this procedure sounds like it's beyond your ability, please get someone with computer experience to assist you.

Warning:  Moving the ClientTracker files requires good file management skills so you don't accidentally overwrite the wrong copy of the program.  Be sure to make a backup copy first.

1. On your Windows PC, download and install the demo of ClientTracker from http://www.ginkgosoftware.com/download.php

2. On your Mac version of ClientTracker, Copy the ClientTracker.ctr data file located in Applications/ClientTracker 4.0 to a portable USB or flash drive.

3.  Move the portable drive to your your new Windows PC.  Locate the existing ClientTracker data file in the C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder.
** If your Windows 7 or Vista is a "64bit", the file is in  Ginkgo Software is installed is called  C:\Program Files(x86)\ Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder.
4. Move (drag/drop or copy/paste) the ClientTracker.ctr file from the portable drive/CD into the ClientTracker 4.0 folder on your Windows PC. 

5. Start ClientTracker on your Windows PC.  Verify that all of your data is present.

Tip:  If you have linked files and/or photos to your ClientTracker clients or visits, also move your 'ClientTracker Files-Photos'  folder to the same location on your new computer.

Note:   Your license allows you to have an active installation of ClientTracker on up to 2 computers. If you need more installations, contact Ginkgo Software support.
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Removing ClientTracker from Your Computer

Windows
Go to your Control Panel. Click  Start->Settings->Control Panel or just Start->Control Panel depending on your version of Windows. Once there, double-click on "Add/Remove Programs" or "Uninstall Programs". Find ClientTracker 4.0 among this list of installed programs and click "Remove".    You may also need to remove the ClientTracker 4.0 folder from the C:\Program Files\ Ginkgo Software folder.

Macintosh
Simply delete your ClientTracker 4.0 folder from within your Applications folder.

Note: Putting 4.0 in Trash & emptying trash may result in this message:
Emptying the Trash cannot be completed because
"FMStrs.dls" is locked. To empty everything in the Trash,
Including locked items, press the Option key while selecting
Empty Trash.
If the above doesn't work (it may not in OS X 10.4.x and 10.5.x), press 4 keys at the same time:
         cmd-option-shift-Backspace. 
This empties Trash without a message, included locked files.

Trash short-cuts
    In Finder:
        * cmd-Backspace = move selected item to trash
        * cmd-shift-Backspace = empty trash (with warning prompt; locked files not deleted)
        * cmd-option-shift-Backspace = empties trash without dialog, included locked files

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13. Technical Information : If ClientTracker Will Not Work

Details in this section include:
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Corrupted or Damaged Files

If you have a corrupted or damaged file, you will need to restore a recent backup, losing any data you have entered since that backup was made. This is why closing ClientTracker every night is key, so you have your regular backups.

Restoring a backup will replace your damaged ClientTracker file with an earlier copy of the file made before the damage occurred. 

File damage usually results from a sudden shut-down of the computer while the program is open, either due to a power outage, unplugging, or using the power button to turn your computer off instead of its recommended procedure.  (see Security & Backup> Power Issues )

For specific instructions about restoring from backup, see:
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Unresponsive Program or Computer Freeze

There could be several reasons why your ClientTracker may seem to become unresponsive or freeze up.  Not all of them require action, so it's best to go through these questions one at a time.

1. Can you see the cursor and move it around?
YES - Can you click anything in the program?  Try one of the Navigation buttons, such as Back or Settings.  If these don't work, try clicking the top menu and select Help --> About ClientTracker.  If you see the "About ClientTracker" pop-up window, it means ClientTracker is working.  If you can't do anything but access the top menu, select File --> Exit to close ClientTracker properly.

NO - go to #2
2. Do you see the hourglass (Windows) or spinning rainbow wheel (Mac)?
YES - This could mean that ClientTracker is working on a memory-intensive function, such as preparing a report or running a utility.  In such a case, we recommend waiting at least 5 minutes (or more if you have an older computer).  Note that some functions may be slower if your computer's memory is being used for other things, such as a file download or streaming music.

NO - go to #3
3. Can you move the program window by clicking and dragging?
YES - This could mean that ClientTracker is unresponsive, but your computer is OK.  You may have to close ClientTracker by doing a "forced quit" (see below).  Do not turn off your computer while ClientTracker is open.

NO - Go to #4
4. If none of the above work, you may have to do a "forced quit."  Only do this as a last resort, as it can result in corrupted files and loss of data. If you must force quit the program, this is done by holding down specific keys:
Restart your computer.  Follow the instructions above concerning damaged files if you see any reports of files being damaged.  Corrupted or Damaged Files

5. If your keyboard is also unresponsive and you can't even do a "forced quit," you may have to restart your computer by turning off the main power button.  Wait for 30 seconds, then restart your computer and try to open ClientTracker.

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13. Technical Information : Printing

Printing Problems
If anything in ClientTracker does not print correctly, check the following settings to verify that they are correct.

1. Be sure that you are printing using the ClientTracker Print button in the Function Bar at the top of the screen. Do not use your keyboard to print,  Ctrl + P or Command + P

2. Make sure your printer is turned on, is not jammed, and has paper.

3. If you are just getting one record printing, or one line in a list. Then check that your printer settings are correct. After you click the Print button on the Floating Preview Palette, you will see your the printer dialog from your computer.  This looks something like:





























On this dialog, be sure that:
4. If the print job is not fitting correctly on the page, open up Print Settings (Page Setup on Macintosh) and ensure that the page orientation is set correctly. Portrait is the correct orientation in most cases.

Advanced Questions & Advice

Be prepared to provide this information if you need further support with printing problems:

1. What printer make & model do you use?
-- Do you have the most current driver installed?
-- What version of operating system do you have?
    If  Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit, is the printer in your user group?

2. Do you see the item to print in Preview before you click the Print button on the Floating Print Preview (little blue window to the right)?

3. What exactly happens after you click Print?  At what point do you see evidence of a problem?  Do you get to your system Print dialog after you click the Print button on the Floating Print Preview?

4. Can you print anything else from ClientTracker?

5. Are you able to print other things from your computer?

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13. Technical Information : Troubleshooting Tips

Have a Problem?  Have a Solution?  Let Us Know!

This section is a work in progress for version 4.0.  As we learn new tips, or receive them from those who are using ClientTracker version 4.0, we will add them here.

To let us know of a problem or solution you have encountered with version 4.0, please contact us at: support@ginkgosoftware.com.

Tip:  For troubleshooting version 3.41 and earlier, check our web site Knowledge Base, in the Support section.
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13. Technical Information : Networking ClientTracker

Details in this section include:
IMPORTANT:  We have learned from our users about the information in this section and it is supplied as a service.  However, none of the following methods are supported by Ginkgo Software.
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Networking with ClientTracker

ClientTracker version 4.0 is not networkable in the sense of having multiple users working with the same file at the same time.

Although network, LAN, or server installation is not supported, your ClientTracker file can be opened via the network. Again, this method does not mean that multiple concurrent users can work with the file.  With network access, one user on one computer can use the ClientTracker file hosted on a second computer.  The software cannot be running simultaneously on two computers.

ClientTracker works very well for clinics with multiple practitioners and rooms, as long as it's possible to take turns entering data. Our plans in 2011 include developing a networkable version for larger clinics.
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Synchronize ClientTracker Data Between Computers

ClientTracker does not have any built-in functionality for synchronizing data between computers.  Your license allows you to install ClientTracker on up to two computers.

Remote Desktop Access
If you want to be able to access all the same data from different computers, one suggestion is to try using a remote access program such as Apple Remote Desktop, LogMeIn, or Timbuktu. They make the process very easy and you only need to have ClientTracker installed on one computer.  With these programs, you can access the "host" computer from other computers that have an Internet connection; as long as the host computer is set up for this and turned on.
Tip:  A good remote access program is a handy way to use an iPad, laptop, or tablet PC to access your ClientTracker data from anywhere you have an Internet connection.  Testing this method in your local wireless network is essential before you depend on it.

Swap the Data File
Another method is to "swap" the files between two computers.  ClientTracker needs to be installed on each (specific to Mac or Windows).  Then you can swap the "ClientTracker.ctr" data file between computers.  This file is found inside the ClientTracker 4.0 folder.

Warning:  If you try to "swap" your data file or move it around, this is NOT a supported activity. These instructions are provided as a courtesy only. Good file management skills are essential to avoid overwriting and losing all your data!   MAKING A SEPARATE, EXTERNAL BACKUP IS ALWAYS CRUCIAL!!!

Using an External Drive
If you like to access your data from more than one location (such as the office and home), another method to use the same data on 2 computers (but not at the same time) is to install ClientTracker on a portable drive, such as a "flash drive" of at least 500MB.  This only works if both computers are the same operating system.  You can put a shortcut or alias to the external drive on both computers, and move the external drive between them as needed.  See Install ClientTracker on a Portable Drive below for more info

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Multi-User Access - An Overview of Ideas

Sequential multi-user access to ClientTracker is possible from another computer with internet access (anytime and anywhere).  This can be done with any version of ClientTracker by use of third-party remote access software such as LogMeIn or Dropbox (to name just 2 of the many choices).

This is achieved by installing ClientTracker on one computer or drive, and accessing it from any machine (even iPad or tablet PCs) via a web browser.  However, the third-party software that enables this does NOT allow simultaneous access by more than one person.  That will have to wait for our web version.  Still, many of our customers are using various methods to access ClientTracker from multiple locations sequentially from home, other offices, or even the exam room with an iPad!

Important Note:  These third-party and network suggestions are not supported by Ginkgo Software.  This information is offered for you to experiment and find your own best solution.  We are not responsible for any damages or data loss caused by attempting these methods.

Ideas to Use ClientTracker from Multiple Locations

ClientTracker 4.0 is a program that is intended to run on one machine, with one user logged in at a time, and one set of data.  If multiple people need to access the same data from different machines, this can be done sequentially, but not simultaneously.

There are 4 basic methods for sharing the same data conveniently:

1. Network - Install ClientTracker on your own LAN or server, and each user can access ClientTracker at different times, using the same login.

Pros: Your data is local, and the network is already set up with passwords

Cons: Network maintenance may interrupt access for all users

2. Remote Access - Use a remote access program like Dropbox, LogMeIn, or Apple Remote to access and control the desktop of the computer where ClientTracker is installed.

Pros:
  • Access is available via any computer with an Internet connection (even an iPad)
  • Most remote access solutions are free to all users
Cons:
  • Each machine needs to have the third-party software installed on it
  • No one can use the computer where ClientTracker is installed when others are accessing it remotely
3. Virtual Drive - Third-party software from vendors like Dropbox or Windows Live SkyDrive allow one to upload and share folders and files with multiple persons.  This is like having a "cloud" or virtual hard drive on the Internet.  Again, simultaneous access is not possible, but some vendors offer amazing access and bonus features.

Pros:
Cons:
4. Portable Drive - If only one person needs access to ClientTracker from multiple locations like home or office, another option is to install the program on a portable drive and carry it with you.  For more info, see Install ClientTracker on a Portable Drive below.

Pros:
Cons:
There may be other ways to access ClientTracker, and we're always interested in "case studies" of how customers have found innovative ways to improve their practice management data access with ClientTracker.  If you have a new method we'd love to hear from you!

Disclaimer:  We cannot provide support or answer questions about any of the methods mentioned above, which are simply offered as ideas and are not part of the official ClientTracker User's Manual, License Agreement, or Terms & Conditions.

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Install ClientTracker on a Portable Drive

The download installer is a different program in itself, and may not install on an external drive.  Different results are possible using this method with different operating systems, external drives, and network environments.

You can manually install either the Demo or a registered copy of ClientTracker on just about any external or portable drive, if it's big enough to hold all your data.  These steps don't need to be repeated if done for the Demo first, and then the Demo copy is registered.

1. Download and install ClientTracker in its default location.  Note the location shown in the panel of the installer.

2. After successful installation, locate the ClientTracker 4.0 folder, which is inside the Ginkgo Software folder in its default installed location.

3. Move (or Copy) the entire ClientTracker 4.0 folder, including any read-only files, to an external location.

4. To open the external ClientTracker, you can do one of the following:
4. If using a portable drive, you can set up shortcuts or aliases on each of the computers that will access your ClientTracker data on the drive.  This doesn't work cross-platform, but there are other ways to share the data file in cross-platform environments.

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Installing ClientTracker on a 2nd Computer

Right now, ClientTracker is a stand-alone program that can be accessed from only 1 computer at a time.  The license allows the software to be installed on up to 2 computers; however, these computers will not share the same data.  Ideas for multi-user access to the same data can be found in Multi-User Access - An Overview of Ideas above.

IMPORTANT:  The file maintenance and technical aspects of installing ClientTracker on a 2nd computer are not covered in basic support, which is limited to the function of the software and installation on one computer.  An active Support Plan purchased separately is required for support of a 2nd installation.

These instructions do not cover non-standard installations - additional support purchase may be needed.

Disclaimer:  These instructions are offered as suggested guidance only, and Ginkgo Software is not responsible for any data loss or computer problems that may result from attempting a 2nd installation of ClientTracker.  Local technical assistance is strongly recommended.

IMPORTANT:  Read all these instructions and know where your folders are, before you begin.  If these instructions are beyond your ability, get somebody local with technical experience to help you.
1. On the target computer (Windows or Mac), download and install the v4.0 Demo of ClientTracker from http://www.ginkgosoftware.com/download.php

2. On the source computer, inside the ClientTracker 4.0 folder, find and copy to a USB or "flash drive" a file called ClientTracker.ctr.  This is the ClientTracker 4.0 data file, contained in the top level of the ClientTracker 4.0 folder.
Notes on identifying your ClientTracker.ctr data file:  Depending on your computer's settings, you may or may not see the ".ctr" at the end of the ClientTracker data file. The data file will not have the ClientTracker icon of the 3 people; that is a shortcut or alias. The data file will be at least 35,000 KB in size.  These instructions do not cover non-standard installations - additional support purchase may be needed.

3. In the target computer, locate the ClientTracker 4.0 folder.  Paste the ClientTracker.ctr data file inside this folder, overwriting the one that's there.
4. Open ClientTracker on the target computer (using the desktop shortcut or alias). Check the data to make sure it's now the same as the source computer.

 Tip: The same ClientTracker.ctr data file will work on either a Windows or Mac computer.

IMPORTANT:  Data installed on 2 different computers will be separate, and will not be synchronized.  Once you have entered data in 2 different computers, it is not possible to merge the data back into one file.

Simultaneous access from multiple computers is not possible.  To review some ideas for accessing the same data from different computers sequentially, see Multi-User Access - An Overview of Ideas above.

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13. Technical Information : Password or Registration Code Issues

Details in this section include:
Lost Registration Code
If your Registration Code has been lost, and you need it to login or install ClientTracker on a new computer, follow these steps:

If you can login to ClientTracker, and you need a NEW Registration Code because your Practice Name has changed,
Contact us at:
support@ginkgosoftware.com
If you can't login to ClientTracker
Call us at (877) 727-6174 (Toll free)

OR: Contact us at:
support@ginkgosoftware.com

Note: If passwords are set up, only those with Admin privileges can view the registration info. If you can't remember a password and are locked out of ClientTracker, see Lost Password below.
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Lost Password

If you have lost your Admin password and cannot open ClientTracker, the only way to login is to obtain a temporary password from Ginkgo Software, which will clear any passwords entered (both Admin or Staff).

If you have lost just the Staff password but know your Admin password, follow the instructions to change the Staff password here: Settings> Program/Defaults>Password Setup & Registration Info

How to Get a Temporary Password
When you open a ClientTracker program that is password-protected, there is a Lost Password button option where you would normally enter a password.  Click this and then the Help button on the next box to go to the Ginkgo Software web site and request a password by email for fastest service.

You can also call 877- 727-6174, and your request will be forwarded by email after verifying your account.

After Obtaining a Temporary Password
You will wind up on the screen to set your passwords again if you like.  Otherwise, click any button on the upper right Function Bar to go somewhere else. 

Tip: Keep your passwords written down in a safe place for reference.
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Changing Your Practice Name

Your Practice Name shows on your printed invoices and reports.  It is tied to your Registration Code and must be entered exactly as it is provided to you by Ginkgo Software.  This cannot be changed without Ginkgo Software assistance.

To change your Practice Name, contact Ginkgo Software: support@ginkgosoftware.com

To change your practice name in ClientTracker After obtaining your new Registration Info, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings/Program/Defaults tab, Click View Registration Information from one of these two places:
2. On the "My Registration Information" screen, Click the Edit Registration Info button.

3. Enter this info exactly as it has been provided to you, and click Complete Registration.   

Tip: Watch for differences between then number 1 and letter "i",  or zero "0" and the letter "O" as in orange. Do not enter extra spaces or returns.

4. Check your new practice name in the Settings area, on the Practice tab.

Note: If you change your practice address, phone, or other info that appears in your invoice header, go to the Settings/Program/Print tab and click the Reset Address button.  You don't need to do this for just a change of Practice Name.

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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Upgrade Tips - FIRST THINGS TO DO

This section is for those who have upgraded to version 4.0 of ClientTracker from the previous version.  It presumes that you know about ClientTracker features already, and focuses on explaining some of the major differences you will find in version 4.0.

Details in this section include:

First Steps After You Install the Upgrade

IMPORTANT:  We strongly suggest making an external backup copy of your upgraded file as soon as you are done with the upgrade process, to ensure that you don't have to do this again.  See Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>External Backup - Manual Method & Fire Drill for more info.

When the Upgrade process is completely finished, you will be taken to the Settings/Practice screen.  You should do the following right away to make sure you are ready to make appointments, invoices, and do other tasks.   Refer to the other sections in this chapter for specific changes in those areas. 

On the Settings/Practice Tab:

On the Settings/Program tab, Defaults sub tab (formerly called the "General" tab in 3.41)
IMPORTANT:  If you had enabled password protection in version 3.41, you need to reset this in version 4.0.  Use the Password Setup button at the lower left of the Settings/Program/Defaults screen.  An optional Staff password is also possible.  For more info, see Settings> Program/Defaults>Password Setup & Registration Info.


Tip: For more "First Things to Do" about ClientTracker version 4.0, see Invoices - Important Changes After Upgrade below.

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Invoices - Important Changes After Upgrade

IMPORTANT: If you used the "Auto-Fill" feature in version 3.41, your designated Procedures are now on the "Default SOAP Template."  SOAP Notes and Invoices are auto-filled in version 4.0 by use of SOAP Templates.

ClientTracker 4.0 is much more flexible in how SOAP Notes and Invoices auto-fill with information from previous visits, or from the new SOAP Templates.  Choices have to be made about how to set this up,  and a consistent system of using ClientTracker is strongly recommended.

In 4.0, SOAP Notes and Invoices share line items like Diagnosis, Procedures and Products. ClientTracker is designed to be used to make appointments, fill out SOAP Notes, and generate an invoice from the SOAP Note... in that order.  If your practice uses only part of ClientTracker, please experiment to find the best process for your unique needs.

SOAP Templates - See SOAP Notes> SOAP Templates for more info

When you upgrade from 3.41, you will find one SOAP Template. This "Default" SOAP Template can't be deleted, but can be edited in any way.  It functions as an "invoice template," in that you can store Diagnosis & Procedure Codes that will appear on an invoice created with no SOAP Note, where the practitioner of the invoice has set to use this template.
You can create, edit, and delete as many additional SOAP Templates as you want.

Tip:  To set up NO default codes, simply edit the Default SOAP Template to have no diagnosis or procedure codes.


Practitioner Default Preferences - See Settings> Practice>Create and Manage Practitioners for more info
To use SOAP Templates of your own design,  first create them. Then go to each practitioner's Detail screen and designate templates for new SOAPs (and invoices).  These can be designated for the initial or subsequent visit with the same client.

The source template can always be changed on the SOAP Note itself.

Initial Visit - Assign your choice of SOAP Template.  The Default Template will be used unless you make another choice.

All Subsequent Visits - Choose your preference from a SOAP Template, OR if you want it to copy the information of the previous visit with the same client, choose Use previous SOAP/Invoice with same Practitioner. 

Tip:  If you want a new invoice to be blank, NO line items to show, choose for both Initial and All subsequent visits a SOAP Template that has no codes in it.


E-Billing - See Insurance & Billing> E-Billing for more info

In v3.41, a paid 1500 did not show in the Claims to Send tab.   We received many requests to be able to submit Paid claims.  In v4.0, all 1500's that do not have the Date Sent field filled in will show in Claims to Send.  After your upgrade, check the Claims to Send tab for your Clearing House.

If you see invoices that do NOT need to be sent for E-Billing, e.g. Paid, etc., select them. Then  click Create Batch File. Do not send this one batch file!  This will mark them all with today's date in Date Sent in the Claims Sent tab.

If most on the list are claims that do NOT need to be sent for E-Billing, you can Select All, and deselect the ones you intend to send later.

Tip:  Another way to see these claims as a list is to run the "Create an E-Billing batch" report. This will show a list with more details that can also be printed.


Multiple Dates on Invoices - See Invoices & Payments> Simple & Superbill Invoices>Enter Multiple Dates of Service on an Invoice for more info

Some people used ClientTracker invoices as a "ledger" in 3.41, by creating an Invoice No SOAP and adding line items with different dates each time a patient is seen.  When the Upgrade is run, these multiple dates are all linked to a SOAP Note (even if you don't use them).  This is necessary because in 4.0, invoices and SOAP Notes share the same line items to preserve the integrity of what is billed with the clinical procedures performed.

Once an invoice has linked SOAP Notes, new line items can only be added one of 2 ways:
  1. Go to the SOAP Note and add a new line item for that date, or

  2. Create a new SOAP Note (appointment), link it to the same invoice, and then add the new line items.
Tip:  If you prefer not to use SOAP Notes and appointments in ClientTracker, you should make a New Invoice No SOAP for all your clients going forward, and close out the old invoice that was used as a "ledger" in 3.41.  Then you will be able to add multiple line items and dates as before.

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Best Practice for Copying Previous SOAPs and Invoices

In v 3.41, many ClientTracker users enjoyed the feature where a client's previous Diagnosis and Procedures are copied automatically to the next Invoice.  In v4.0, this is much more flexible, and as a result may require a change in how you use the program.

Important Points
Two Methods to Generate Invoices

As there are 2 different methods to generate an invoice, there are two different "memories" for what line items show up on an invoice, depending on how the invoice is generated.  This is designed as a convenience, and cannot anticipate all the variables in actual use.

    From an Appointment/SOAP
   New Invoice, No SOAP
The Invoice No SOAP function is designed to be used rarely: for those times when an invoice is needed without an actual patient visit; e.g. when a patient walks in just to buy herbs. The Invoice No SOAP function should be only if you do not use ClientTracker's Appointments or SOAP functions.
Tip: You can turn a "No SOAP" invoice into an Appointment/SOAP invoice by using the Generate SOAP button.  An existing Appointment/SOAP cannot be linked to a "No SOAP" invoice.

New Invoice Best Practice if you create Appointments and/or SOAPs
You can generate an invoice from two main places:

1. the Appointment Info Pop-up
Click on the appointment in the calendar and click either:
2. a SOAP/Visit list
Click the Generate link at the end of the row. Get to the list via:
 IMPORTANT:  This method will copy the Diagnosis and Procedures from the last invoice made from an appointment/SOAP.  It will ignore any invoice made with the Invoice No SOAP method.

Overall, it is best to pick one method of creating invoices and stick with it.

New Invoice Best Practice if you do not use Appointments and/or SOAPs
1. Generate the invoice from the Client's record. Click the Invoice, No SOAP button
2. On any invoice screen, click the New Invoice icon in the functions bar.

IMPORTANT:  This method will copy the Diagnosis and Procedures from the last invoice made from an Invoice No SOAP.  It will ignore any invoice made with Appointment/SOAP method.

Practitioner Settings
For ClientTracker to copy any info from a previous SOAP or invoice, your practitioners need to be set to "Use previous SOAP/Invoice" for subsequent visits.  If a SOAP Template has been selected for this setting, its line items and other info will be used instead.
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New Things About How ClientTracker Works

Every effort was made to keep the overall look and interface similar to previous versions.  However, some new features will make things look and function differently.
Tip:  When you close the program in v4.0, ClientTracker automatically makes a local backup copy of the program to the Backup folder. There is no longer a message that gives you a choice. See Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>Local Backup for more info.
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Navigation & Found Sets

Back & Forward

The Back and Forward buttons are on the left side to be consistent with web browsers. 


Found Sets

In version 3.41, if you had created a Found Set of invoices (e.g. Unpaid Invoices), looked at an individual invoice, and then returned to the list by clicking Show All... in the Function Bar, you lost your Found Set.  Now in version 4.0, in addition to clicking the Back button, you can click the List button in the Control Panel for that area (e.g.Invoice List), and this will keep your last found set.

Note: The above navigation steps are executed on changes of layouts, according to what was previously selected.  Navigation steps are NOT executed on record navigation as they were in 3.41.

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Finding Records

QuickFinder

In earlier versions to find an individual  client, invoice, or inventory item, you clicked on the Find button in the top Function Bar.  From there, you could only find on the invoice number or the client's or product name.  Another method in 3.41 was to narrow the list by using the purple bar in the footer.

Now, in Version 4.0, the fastest way to find records is to use the QuickFinder:





The QuickFinder is In the footer of most lists in version 4.0 and has two fields to find a single record or groups of records by searching on data from all columns in the list or any one of them. 

When you first come to the list, your cursor will be in the Search field.  Start typing what you're looking for and the list will quickly narrow to the record(s) you want.

Find Icon (in the Control Panel of most Lists)

For more detailed or specific searches, this icon now brings up a more complex find screen for the major areas of ClientTracker, where you can find on single or multiple criteria. 

Find Results

A group of records matching your search criteria is shown on the List view after a Find, and is called a "Found Set."  Your Found Set is retained when you use the Back or Forward navigation buttons in the Control Panel, or if you view the Detail screen of a record on the List.

Clicking a Show All icon will restore the List to show all records in ClientTracker, according to the logic and settings of different areas of the program.  The Navigation Panel icons on the right side of the Functions Bar will also show all records for their respective areas.

Note: Inactive records (e.g. Client, Insurance Company, etc.) are displayed in light gray on lists.
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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Settings






The Settings Area: What to Do First in Version 4.0

Generally, you should take a quick tour of the Settings area to confirm or update old preferences, and add new ones as needed.





The Practice tab is now the screen where you go when the Settings icon is clicked in the Navigation Panel.  This is discussed in  What's Different in v4.0?> Upgrade Tips - FIRST THINGS TO DO.

Tip: In 3.41, the Settings area had main tabs for Inventory, Vendors, and Insurance. These are now accessible via the icons at the top right of most screens so you don't have to come to Settings first. The Vendor tab is now in the Inventory area.

The General tab is now called the Program tab, and has several subtabs.





IMPORTANT:  We strongly suggest making an external backup copy of your upgraded file as soon as you are done with the upgrade process, to ensure that you don't have to do this again.  See Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>External Backup - Manual Method & Fire Drill for more info.


For info about changes to Diagnosis and Procedure Codes, see Settings> Diagnosis and Procedure Codes
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New Window Size

Window Size - In 4.0 the main progrwindow size is controlled by the program for technical reasons, and because of the wide variety of screen resolutions in old & new monitors.  The fonts and graphics are not scalable, so ClientTracker is designed for the smallest display settings.

You can adjust your screen resolution, Display settings, or even the monitor itself to find the ideal size for your monitor and viewing preferences.
You can also set the program's Zoom level to 150% if you prefer.  For more info, see Settings> Program/Utilities>Window Control - Zoom Level & Window Size
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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Clients

Changes to All Client Screens

Header = The Functions Bar




LEFT = "Control Panel"                                                          RIGHT = "Navigation Panel"

Footer

In the left of the footer is the Communication Panel.  From here you can create a letter, email, phone, or form for the selected client.

Note: From screens where no particular client is selected, (e.g the list view) you will be asked to select a recipient for the communication.

The Client lists each have a QuickFinder in the Footer to quickly isolate one client or a group of clients on the list.  Start typing the first letters of a name as soon as you arrive on the list, and the list will narrow to show only those matching what you type.



























Client List Differences - See Clients> The Clients Area>The Client List Screen for more info


There is a triple icon to left of the Banner heading "Clients": click this to select one of 3 other client lists and navigate there, to view more information for the same found set of clients.

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Changes to Other Client Areas

The Personal Tab - See Clients> Client Personal Tab for more info

All the elements from earlier versions are here; some have been moved around slightly to make room for additional info.

In the header you can see the Balance or the total owed on by this client and a green CR if the client has any unused credit in the Payments on Account.  This feature is turned on/off on the Settings/Program/Financial tab.

You can now have multiple addresses, phones and emergency contacts and two emails.  For all of these you can type in an ad hoc value to describe what they are; you are not limited to just home, cell, work, etc.  You can choose which of these is the Primary one that will be used on invoices, even if it is not the first one you enter.  You can indicate if an address is Bad by choosing  xBADx  in the Location field,

A new SOAP Info tab gives you summary info on a client's visits.

     New Fields
Tip:  To create a Birthday List in v4.0, use the Find Clients button in the Control Panel. See Clients> The Clients Area>Find a Client Using Advanced Criteria for more info.


The Insurance Tab - See Clients> Client Insurance Tab for more info

Note: Clients can now have more than one policy from the same Insurance Company.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Information for All Policies for details.

This mostly functions the same as earlier version, with the following new or expanded features:

The History Tab - See Clients> Client History Tab>Initial History for more info

Now divided into  2 subtabs:

The Appointments & SOAPs Tab - See What's Different in v4.0?> Visits & SOAP Notes for more info


The Invoices Tab - See Clients> Client Invoices Tab for more info

Invoices & Statements subtab
Payments on Account subtab
In the 3 row portal of the Payments on Accounts:      
In the Unpaid Invoices portal:
In both subtabs,

Note:  The Aging column has been taken off this screen, and is no longer a supported function in ClientTracker.
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About Client Referrals
In 3.41, the Referring Person could be anybody: a client, a friend, or the landlord.  In v4.0,  you can choose a specific Client in the Referred By Client.  In both the "referred" and the "referrer" client records, you will see the info. In v4.0, if the referrer is a non-client, this name goes in the Referred By Person field of the referred's record.  

When the 4.0 Upgrade was done, all the v3.41 Person referrals were put in the v4.0 Person field; not the Client field as there was no way to know if this individual was a Client or a non-Client.  If you run the Clients Who Mad Referrals report on the Templates and Marketing tab in v4.0, this will only show actual Clients who made the referral.  This may be the explanation as to why you do not see your data. 

To find your data, please use the list view in Clients called Sources of Clients.  This gives a list similar to the 3.41 report.  See Reports & Marketing> Marketing>Client Information & Birthday List for more info.
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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Calendar

There is a lot that's new about the Calendar!  We recommend spending some time learning how to use the new graphic scheduler.

IMPORTANT:   If you are used to automatic email appointment confirmation, you will need to set up some of the components for this feature. See What's Different in v4.0?> Upgrade Tips - FIRST THINGS TO DO.
























Note:  You can still make appointments in the same way as version 3.41 by selecting List View.


Calendar and Schedules - See Calendar> The Calendar Area for more info

Appointments - See Calendar> Create New Appointments for more info
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About Initial Visits

The "Initial Visit" data from ClientTracker 3.41 does not work the same in v4.0, so the first visit in 4.0 is seen as an Initial Visit.  You may not want to change this for old visits, but if you see it happen when you make an appointment you can check the "Hide Initial Visit flag" checkbox in the pop-up window.  (For existing visits click Edit in the first Appointment pop-up window to access this.)
You may also see visits that "did not happen" on the Calendar and Client list of Appointments & SOAPs.  These are due to another difference between 3.41 and 4.0.  In the latter, each invoice must have a visit for technical reasons.  If an "Invoice No SOAP" was created in 3.41, it will have a companion visit in 4.0 that shows in the past on the Calendar and Client list of Appointments & SOAPs.  If you make a new Invoice No SOAP in 4.0 going forward, you will not see the companion visit.
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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Communications Module




IMPORTANT:   If you are plan to send email email from ClientTracker, including the automatic appointment confirmations, you will need to set up some of the components for email in version 4.0.  See What's Different in v4.0?> Upgrade Tips - FIRST THINGS TO DO.

ClientTracker now includes a communication module that enables you to compose and send various types of communications - e.g. letters, emails, forms - directly from within ClientTracker.  Communication can be composed for any or all of your clients or referral providers.  By doing this from within ClientTracker, it lets you keep track of the various communications for each recipient.

For more info about the Communications Module, see:


Summary of Features

The features of the communication module include:

Communications can be printed letters, printed documents requiring a signature (called a "form"), sent emails, or records of phone calls.  By planning your communications and monitoring their status, you will be able to manage both your practice and marketing communications in ClientTracker.

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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Visits & SOAP Notes

Details in this section include:
IMPORTANT: If you used the "Auto-Fill" feature for Procedure Codes for an invoice in version 3.41, your default Procedures are now on the Default SOAP Template.  SOAP Notes and Invoices are auto-filled in version 4.0 by use of these templates.  See > for more info.




Overview - Visit Lists

Note:  Visits and Appointments are the same thing in ClientTracker. SOAP Notes are a clinical record of a Visit, and their lists are synonymous. Lists of appointments are called "schedules."


New Features on Lists of Visits and SOAP Notes:Note:  If you were using SOAP Notes and had any invoices in 3.41 with Procedure Codes of different dates, these will be split into separate SOAP Notes that are linked to the invoice. Remember that invoices and SOAP Notes share their line items: diagnosis codes, procedure codes and products.  For more info, see SOAP Notes> Link Information to the SOAP Note>Generate or Link an Invoice from SOAP Notes.

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Improved SOAP Notes

Manage SOAP Notes Better - See SOAP Notes> Overview>The SOAP Notes List for more info
























Data Entry - See SOAP Notes> Fill Out the SOAP Note for more info
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SOAP Notes Choices for Practitioners
Version 4.0 now allows you to create and assign SOAP Templates that can be customized for each practitioner, including the diagnoses and procedures for specific types of visits.  These can be designated as defaults for practitioners to be used with a client's initial or subsequent visit.  There is no limit to how many you may have.









In addition, you can:
See Settings> Practice>Create and Manage Practitioners for more info.

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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Invoices & Payments

Overview of New Features for Invoices
Details in this section include:
Invoice Line Items Shared with SOAP Notes

SOAP Notes now show the same set of line items as the invoice -- diagnosis codes, procedure codes and products,  regardless of whether you created the invoice or the SOAP Note first.   You can add, edit or delete these line items from both the invoice and the SOAP Note.

Note:  If you only use invoices and don't use ClientTracker's SOAP Notes, the new version 4.0 features work as they did in version 3.41.























Data Entry Enhancements

On all Invoice Detail screens:

Superbill & Simple Invoices
If you have lots of Diagnoses, Procedure Codes, or Products, click the black arrowhead to the left of the header of the portal on the invoice Data Entry screen to see an expanded portal.   The same is true on the Simple invoice except it doesn't have diagnosis codes.

Diagnosis Codes - Instead of just 4, you can now have an unlimited number of codes on a Superbill invoice.  If you have multiple SOAP notes which have the same diagnosis codes linked to an invoice, you will see duplicate diagnosis codes on the Superbill, but not on the 1500, it will show just 4 unique codes.
Products - In earlier versions you could change the name of a Product entered on an invoice so that it became a different product.  In 4.0 this is not possible because the statistics and other data are tied to the Product's record; not its name.  So once you have selected a Product for an invoice, it can only be changed by deleting it and entering another Product. 
Legacy Discount - You may see this in the center of your invoice just below Products if you applied a discount to an invoice in 3.41.  Discounts in the old version were calculated on the invoice total.  In v4.0, the discount is applied to each procedure and/or product.

The field cannot be changed or entered by the user.  However, if you need to edit or delete this discount amount, you can delete it and then create in the new 4.0 discount method, if desired.
Note:  A client's DOB will print on a Superbill invoice only if there is an insurance policy selected for that invoice. The reason for this is to comply with HIPAA, which has evolved since v3.41 was released, and encourages minimizing the exposure of Protected Health Information. The DOB is usually only needed for an insurance claim.

Tip:  If you need the DOB to show for a particular claim, you can create and assign a mock policy such as "self pay" or "auto accident."


1500 Invoices
 1500 Data Entry enhancements:
1500 Tip:  If Patient phone numbers are missing for Box 5 and Box 7, go the the Client's Personal screen.  Mark one phone number Primary (for Box 5) and one Insurance (Box 7). This can be the same phone number. Then return to the 1500 and click the Refresh Information button.

E-Billing
The basic process works the same.  The batch file that is created is a TEXT file, ending with .txt, whereas in version 3.41 it is a TAB file, ends with .tab.  Text files are a common format which more Clearing Houses and many insurance companies will accept. The added benefit is this format can be opened with any text reader or word processor -- so you see exactly what you're sending.

The Invoice List Screen - See Invoices & Payments> The Financial Area for more info

Access a client by clicking the blue icon in any row

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Invoice Payment Palette


The Payment Palette is used to enter payments on a specific invoice.  Some of these differences also apply to entering a Payment On Account, or POA on the Client's Invoices screen.  See Clients> Client Invoices Tab>Use the Payment Palette to Enter Payments on Account for more info about that process.














Main Differences from 3.41

Payment Palette Tabs

The Client Tab
The Adj. Tab
The Other Tab
The Insurer Tab

Entering Credit Card Payments
Note:  Recent changes in Credit Card Regulations no longer allow storage of the whole credit card number unless high level of encryption to prevent theft.   Violations can incur fines of $10,000 to $150,000.

Tip: Entering the first 2 digits of the Credit Card Number dictate the Type as Visa or MC, AMEX, or Other. This then gives you the types on the Credit Card reconcile report.   Both the Type and the last 4 digits show on the printed invoice.

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Other Insured for 1500

Other Insured - Boxes 4, 7, 11, and 13 on 1500 invoice

Non-client "Insured" or policyholders are managed on an as-needed basis, on the Client Insurance screen.  See Box 4 on that screen for a link to view a list of all non-client insured.
This new method of managing non-client insured, or policyholders, has two main advantages:
  1. If the non-client insured is used by more than one family member and if that person's info changes, it can be done in one place.

  2. If the non-client insured becomes a client, then with a click of the button, they can be converted to a client with all the contact info transferred -- and all the other family members' insurance policies remain intact.   This function only works for any new non-client insured entered in v4.0; unfortunately, the programming involved for your v3.41 was too huge, so this will not work on your v3.41 data.
Note:  if the Other Insured is already a client, you can connect that client to the insurance policy as the Insured, or policyholder, without retyping all the info.
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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Insurance & Billing


The Insurance area is now accessed via the icon in the Functions Bar at the top right of most screens.  You no longer have to go to Settings first.


Note: Clients can now have more than one policy from the same Insurance Company.  See Clients> Client Insurance Tab>Information for All Policies for details.


Insurance Companies - See Insurance & Billing> Insurance Companies for more info

   General Features
   List View Features
   Insurer Detail Screen

Clearing Houses - See Insurance & Billing> Clearing Houses for more info
E-Billing - See Insurance & Billing> E-Billing for more info

The Batch File that is created during the E-Billing process is a TEXT file (.txt), whereas in version 3.41 it is a TAB file.  The process works the same for ClientTracker and Clearing Houses.  Text files are a more universal format which more Clearing Houses can accept. The added benefit is for you is this format can be opened with any text reader or even Word allowing you to see exactly what you're sending.

IMPORTANT:  Don't enter more than 12 characters when creating a batch file, or your file will be blank. A date is a good thing to use as a file name; however, you should enter dates as 5-31-11; not 5/31/11.

On the E-Billing Screen of a Clearing House:

Overpayment

For those rare times when an Insurer makes an overpayment and an adjustment must be made, ClientTracker has a way to handle that.  See Invoices & Payments> Payments, Adjustments, & Credits>Handling Insurance Overpayments for more info.
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14. What's Different in v4.0? : Inventory


Inventory and Vendors are now accessed via the Inventory icon in the Functions Bar at the top right of most screens.  This saves going to Settings first.



General and Inventory List - See Inventory> Inventory Setup for more info
Inventory Management - See Inventory> Inventory Setup>Inventory Detail for more infoInventory Reports - See Reports & Marketing> Inventory for more info
Vendors - See Inventory> Vendors for more info
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15. Updates & Upgrades : Upgrade Instructions

Details in this section include:

PREPARATION FOR UPGRADE

Confirm your Practice Name in the email you received from Ginkgo Software.  To do the upgrade you need the new Registration Code shown there.  As in v3.41, your registration code is tied to your practice name.  If your practice name is different than what's shown in the email, send us a return email with the correct name and we will send you a new code based on your corrected practice name.
Note:  After the upgrade, you will still have access to your v3.41 files, until you choose to delete them.

IMPORTANT: If you are not yet in v3.41, you will need to upgrade to v3.41 first. There is no additional cost for this. Download the Upgrader to 3.41 at this URL: http://www.ginkgosoftware.com/delivery/
      User Name = ginkgo
      Password = abalone


Note: If you have any photos in your v3.41 SOAP or clients records, please contact Ginkgo Support before you perform the upgrade process.


INSTALLATION & UPGRADING

STEP 1: Download the Upgrade Installer (see your email for the URL)

STEP 2:  Run the Installer  (estimated time: 2-5 minutes)

Locate the installer in your download folder and click on it to install ClientTracker v4.0 and the files used to upgrade your 3.41 data.  The default location for the ClientTracker 4.0 folder is:
IMPORTANT - For the upgrade to work, the new ClientTracker 4.0 folder must be inside the same parent folder that contains ClientTracker 3.41 folder.  So if your v3.41 is not inside the default folder when the installer begins, choose the parent folder containing the installer folder ClientTracker 3.41.

Tip:  If your computer asks you if you should allow this program to have access to the Internet, click "Yer "Unblock."


STEP 3:  Run the Upgrade Process (estimated time: 1 to 4 hours, possibly 18+ hours)

Once the installation is finished, will open for you to run the full upgrade process.  Depending on the number of records you have it will take from 30 minutes to 18 hours.   For most practices, the upgrade time is estimated to be 1-3 hours.   Once this process is started, it is imperative that you DO NOT STOP IT for any reason.

For or the longer times, we recommend disabling any screen saver ahead of time, insuring that your computer will not shut down and not having any other programs running at the time.

Very early on in the upgrade process you will be asked to enter your Practice Name and your Registration Code for v4.0.  Once that is done, the computer can be left running unattended; even overnight.  DO NOT USE YOUR COMPUTER FOR ANYTHING ELSE WHILE THE UPGRADER IS RUNNING.

Your v4.0 Registration Code:
    Practice Name:      
    Registration Code: < Reg Code  >

STEP 4:  After the Upgrade

We strongly recommend reviewing the extensive online documentation we have prepared for ClientTracker Version 4.0.  The most important part is Chapter 14, What's Different in v4.0?> Upgrade Tips - FIRST THINGS TO DO

You will be shown a "Success!" screen after the upgrade is finished, after which you can begin using your new version of ClientTracker immediately.  Of course, all new data should be entered in the new version from this point forward, and NOT in the 3.41 files.

Tip: There will be a new shortcut icon on your desktop for ClientTracker 4.0. You may want to remove the old one for version 3.41 so you don't enter anything there by mistake.

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Upgrade to ClientTracker v4.0 - Frequently Asked Questions


1.   Will I need to prepare my ClientTracker in any way for the upgrade?

Note: The upgrade can only be done from ClientTracker v 3.41 or 3.411. If you purchased after June 27, 2006, you are in v3.41.  Or if you purchased before then, you may have already upgraded to v3.41.

Tip:  If you’re not sure, click Help on the Main menu and select “About ClientTracker.” If you are not yet in v3.41, you need to upgrade to v3.41 first. There is no additional cost for this. Download the Upgrader to 3.41 here: http:://ginkgosoftware.com/3.41_upgrade_installer.htm


2. How long will this take?

Even with a new computer and a fast microprocessor, converting your many ClientTracker 3.41 files and data to one single, faster 4.0 file takes longer if you have large numbers of records.  The Upgrader’s careful, rigorous process consolidates all the data into the new version 4.0 structure.  Please choose a time when you can let your computer run without interruption, and with NO other work being done on it, even overnight.

Tip:  Use the chart below to estimate the processing time. This chart assumes that a newer, faster computer is used.  To find out how many records you have, in ClientTracker 3.41 at the top of the screen, on the Main menu, choose Records -Show All Records in each of the areas indicated.  The total is in the record navigator in the Functions Bar, where it says, for example, “1 of 300.

Estimated Timeline for Upgrade

 




3. Do I have to be present while the upgrade process runs?

Yes, but only for the first 5 to 20 minutes after you click Begin Upgrade.  Then you enter your Practice Name and Registration Code provided in the 4.0 Upgrade email.  After that, your computer can run unattended.


4. I stopped the Upgrade to run at a more convenient time. How do I start the Upgrade again?


5. In what operating systems will the upgrade work?

The Upgrader runs on all of the most recent Windows and Macintosh operating systems:


6. I have ClientTracker installed on 2 computers; will I have to run the upgrade in both computers?

Yes, you will need to run the 4.0 Upgrade on both computers.

 

7. What do I need to do when the upgrade process is over?

We strongly recommend:


Tip: There will be a new shortcut icon on your desktop for ClientTracker 4.0. You may want to remove the old one for version 3.41 so you don't enter anything there by mistake.


8. How can I get help?

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Upgrade to ClientTracker v4.0 - Troubleshooting


1. After I clicked "Begin Upgrade," the file closed and nothing happened.


2. I never saw a yellow or sage green screen, and it looks like the upgrade stopped.

OR: The upgrade got stuck and never completed.

OR: I had to interrupt the upgrade process.

 

3. Why is the Upgrade screen all black or white?

This can happen if you go away to do something else on your computer (which you should NOT do).  Or perhaps the screen saver is on and you clicked on the screen to see the Upgrader.  Just wait; the Upgrader should show itself again as it progresses.  This is why you are asked to do nothing else and turn off the screen saver.


4. I'm having trouble with my registration information.

First, verify your Practice Name and Registration Code in the Upgrade Email you received.  This info must be entered exactly as you see it there. If you don't have it handy, then you can Quit.  Locate your registration information and start over again.  Simply click the Upgrade shortcut or alias on your desktop to begin again, and enter the correct info.


5. I see a message that I have demo data or no records.

If you have not been using ClientTracker 3.41 with "real" data for your practice, or if you had no data in 3.41, then you don't need to run the upgrade.  Simply download the new Version 4.0 Demo from our web site, and enter your Registration Code from the Upgrade Email.

If you had data in v3.41, this message displays because your v3.41 data isn't where the Upgrader thinks it should be.  Don't despair! Your data is not lost. Email us with your operating system with a good time to call you so we can help locate your v3.41 files.


6. I see a message that I don't have any v3.41 files.

This will happen if your v3.41 data isn't where the Upgrader thinks it should be.

It can also happen if your ClientTracker is an earlier version than 3.41. See #1 above re Upgrade to ClientTracker v4.0 - Frequently Asked Questions.


7 I see a message "Sorry there is not enough memory to complete this operation."

Click OK and the Upgrader should continue. The odds are good you were doing something else on the computer while the Upgrader is running.

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15. Updates & Upgrades : Things to Do Before You Upgrade

Version 3.41 File Quality Check
Your upgrade process will go more smoothly if you take the time to verify your v3.41 files first.  This information is to assist you in making a "Quality Check" to be certain your files are in the right place and ready for the upgrade. 

IMPORTANT: It is strongly recommended that you perform an external backup before you perform any file verification. See page 74 of the v3.41 User's Manual, or Security & Backup> Backup Your Data>External Backup - Manual Method & Fire Drill for more information.


STEP 1 - Verify Your 3.41 File Integrity

FIRST, please check integrity of your data.  If it looks like any data is missing, we will need to repair your files.  Email us at support@ginkgosoftware.com for more information, and please tell us:
NEXT, make a Local Backup in v3.41 to test your file integrity. Note:  Repairing file integrity is not part of the Upgrade purchase.  If you get an error message, you may need to purchase Support to prepare your files for the Upgrade.  Support of this nature may take a few days, depending on support volume.

 
STEP 2 - Verify the Name of Your Main v3.41 Folder

Your files MUST be within a folder with a specific name.  (The folder is named during a standard installation of v3.41; however, you may have renamed it)

STEP 3 - Verify Your File Location

When you run the upgrade, ClientTracker 4.0 must be installed in the same place that ClientTracker 3.41 is.  The v4.0 installer will use the following default locations unless you choose otherwise.  
Note:  If you moved your ClientTracker 3.41 folder, either move the folder to the default location above, or make note of the location so you can install v4.0 in the same parent folder.
Tips for locating your v3.41 files:
  • Check the Shortcut or Alias to see what it is opening

  • Use Windows Explorer or Mac Finder to determine which was the file most recently modified

  •  If needed, see the more detailed instructions: Updates & Upgrades> Locating Your 3.41 Files.

Note: If you have multiple copies of ClientTracker 3.41 on your computer, it is your responsibility to locate the most current copy. For this, you may need to find a friend or hire a computer support person to do this.  See Updates & Upgrades> Locating Your 3.41 Files for more info.   Compress, zip or delete all the extra copies.

Note:  Ginkgo Software has limited availability to assist you with verifying your file integrity.  Requests will be handled in the order they are received, and may be subject to additional support costs and/or future scheduling for any necessary repairs. 


STEP 4 - Review the New Online Manual for v4.0

Review our extensive v4.0 Online Manual (you're reading part of it now)

Especially read the following:
Note:  You will be asked to affirm that you have reviewed the Online Manual when you download your Upgrade Installer package from Ginkgo Software's website.


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15. Updates & Upgrades : Locating Your 3.41 Files


IMPORTANT  Standard Location
If your files are not in the standard location, this is not the responsibility of Ginkgo Software.  When v3.41 was installed new or as an upgrade, the Installer was programmed to put the files in a standard location.  It is your responsibility to find your most current files, and confirm they are in the standard location prior to the Upgrade to the Version 4.0 series.

Windows:  C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 3.41
Mac: Macintosh HD:Applications\ClientTracker 3.41 (or 3.411)



SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS for Locating Your Working Copy of ClientTracker

Check the Desktop Shortcut or Alias
If there is a shortcut or alias on your desktop or dock, this can guide you to the ClientTracker application. This is in the same folder that all your data files are.

Windows - Right click on the shortcut. Click Properties at the bottom of the menu. In the shortcut tab, look in the field to the right of the word Target.   This is where your current ClientTracker files are located.
Mac - If the alias is on the desktop, right click the alias. Click Get Info in the menu. In the General section, Original gives you the location of the ClientTracker.app. 

If the alias is in the dock, right click the alias. Click Open in Finder.  This will open to the folder where your data files are.

IMPORTANT:  Make an external backup of your current data files as soon as you confirm their location, by copying your entire ClientTracker 3.41 (or 3.411) folder onto a CD or external drive.  Making a compressed or zip file will take up less space.

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Advanced Tips for Finding Your 3.41 Files
Note:  These instructions are intended for someone who is familiar with navigate the file directory of their computer.

If you have multiple copies of ClientTracker on your computer, it is important to positively identify which copy contains your actual data (patients, invoices, etc.) before proceeding with your upgrade. Choosing the wrong folder during the upgrade will result in an incomplete upgrade.

WINDOWS

Use Windows Explorer to Find the Recently Modified Files
Open "My Computer" and click "Search" at the top.  Perform a search for "Flies and Folders" with the name: "settings.ctr."  You should find more than one copy.  Scroll the Search Results to the right and look under Date Modified to see which is the most current.  Then note its location in the "In Folder" column.  That should be the location of all your most current files (you can navigate there and check).

If these simple steps don't work, get someone local who knows Windows computers, and try again, or have that person contact Ginkgo Software.

Note: If your computer is a Vista 64 bit or Windows 7 64 bit, the folder where Ginkgo Software is installed is called  C:\Program Files(x86).

After your upgrade is complete, you should locate any extra copies of ClientTracker on your system and remove them to avoid future confusion. If you feel you want to keep them, then move them to a CD or an external hard drive.

MACINTOSH

Your current ClientTracker files were installed in the Application folder.  Any other location is non-standard so if you don't find them there, perform a search in the Finder for the file, 'settings.ctr.'

IMPORTANT:  Make an external backup of your current data files as soon as you confirm their location
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Windows 7or Vista Location
If the modified date in your ClientTracker files in C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 3.41 folder is old, then your files are most likely located in a data folder chosen by Vista and Windows 7.  This is fixable.   This problem will not occur with ClientTracker 4.0 as automatically keeps the ClientTracker data file in the C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 4.0 folder.

WARNING! While you do any to the below:
   1. DO NOT have ClientTracker open.
   2. DO NOT run ClientTracker's automatic backup.


Find someone local who knows Windows 7 and Vista to help you if needed.  Ginkgo Software will assist customers who have purchased a current Support Plan, however, please have someone knowledgeable on working with a computer for us to talk with.

Step1 Locate the files
Unless ClientTracker is set to run as an administrator, Vista and Windows 7 place all data files into a system user’s folder with the following AppData path:
Vista: C:\Users\[User Login Name]\AppData\Local\VitualStore\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 3.41

Windows 7: C:\[User Login Name]\AppData\Local\VitualStore\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 3.41

If the above paths don't work, then in the address bar of Windows Explorer, use this
    %localappdata%\VirtualStore\Program Files\Ginkgo Software
Note:  If you don't see, the AppData folder in the above path it is set to be a hidden folder.  In Windows Explorer, chose the  C:\[User Name] folder. At the top of the window, choose "Organize", then "Folder and Search Options".  On the View tab,  click "Show hidden files, folders & drives".  Click Apply and OK.

Step2  Get files into the right place
In order for to easily make an external backup and to run the Upgrade, your v3.41 files need to   be in the correct location to run the v4.0 Upgrade, please do the following with ClientTracker v3.41 closed:

1) For safety purposes, make a compressed zip file of the ClientTracker 3.41 folder in the AppData path shown above. Rename it to ClientTracker AppData files.zip.  Copy and paste it to the Desktop.

2 ) Open the ClientTracker 3.41 folder in the long user’s path shown above.

3) Select and copy all files in this folder, but not the Backup folder.

4) Open the  ClientTracker application folder within C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 3.41, right click in it and select Paste.

5) In the Copy File dialog that opens check the box in the lower left corner for “Do this for the next ## conflicts” and click on “Copy and Replace.”

6) A “Confirm Folder Replace” dialog will open.  Check “Do this for all current items” and click the Yes button.

7) You may get a “Destination Folder Access Denied” dialog, where you should click the Continue button. Click Continue for any other confirmation dialogs Vista displays.

8) Set ClientTracker 3.41 to work for Vista or Windows 7 so the v4.0 Upgrade will run properly. Instructions below Set ClientTracker Filepath for Windows 7 or Vista

Note:  If you have a corrupt files situation,copy just the Backup folder from the AppData path above. Paste into the C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ ClientTracker 3.41 folder.  Then do a “Restore Backup” in Settings. See Updates & Upgrades> Repairing Your 3.41 Files>Repairing Your 3.41 Files - WINDOWS, #4.  

If this does not work, customers with a current Support Plan can upload the ClientTrackerAppData Files.zip created in #1 above to Ginkgo Software for manual correction. Contact us for an appointment and upload instructions.

IMPORTANT:  Make an external backup of your current data files as soon as you confirm their location

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Set ClientTracker Filepath for Windows 7 or Vista
WARNING!  Do NOT do this until you are certain your most current files are in C:\Program Files\Ginkgo Software\ClientTracker 3.41 folder.  See Windows 7or Vista Location.

Set ClientTracker to “Run this program as an administrator”
a.  Locate your ClientTracker 3.41 shortcut on your desktop.
b. Right click on it
c. Choose Properties at the bottom of the pop-up menu.
d. Click on the Compatibility tab.
e. Click  “Run this program as an administrator”
f. If you have multiple users, click on the "Show settings for all Users."

(This is necessary even if the user is logged on as an administrator.)

IMPORTANT:  Make an external backup of your current data files as soon as you confirm their location.
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15. Updates & Upgrades : Repairing Your 3.41 Files

What to do if a file becomes damaged

The first thing is DO NOT BACKUP.  Backing up at this point overwrites a possible good backup copy with a corrupt one.  When you shut the program down it asks you if you want to do a backup; if you have seen a message about file corruption, say "No."

Tip:  Write down the name of the file(s) in the error message.

If the suggestions below do not work, you will need to restore a recent backup, losing any data you have entered since that backup was made.  This is why regular backups are important.  Restoring a backup will replace your damaged files with earlier version from before the damage occurred.  File damage usually results from a sudden shut-down of the computer while the program is open, either due to a power outage, unplugging, or just using the power button.  At times, the only way to get back up and running is to restore a backup.

If you have a Windows computer, see Repairing Your 3.41 Files - WINDOWS below for more info

If you have a Mac, see Repairing Your 3.41 Files - MAC

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Repairing Your 3.41 Files - WINDOWS
How to Repair your 3.41 Files

1. FIRST, make a zip folder, or compressed copy of your entire ClientTracker 3.41 folder in case you need to send your files to Ginkgo Software for repair.
Tip: If you did a ClientTracker Backup recently, then you may want to skip to #4 below.

2. RECOVER YOUR FILES
If you have damaged files, use the Recovery of Corrupted files function in Settings/General.  Begin by selecting the file that has been reported as damaged from the drop-down list.
 
Next, hold down the Ctrl key and click the Recover button.  Repeat these two steps for all files that have reported damage.  Once the recover is complete check that your data is intact in the affected files.

If your data still doesn't show correctly, or if you get an error message, try #3.

3. COPY & PASTE
Go back to your original ClientTracker v3.41 folder.  Inside that is a folder called "Backup."  Copy the necessary file(s) in there, then back out one level and and paste into the ClientTracker 3.41 folder.  When asked if you want to replace the file(s) already there, choose Yes.

If your data still doesn't show correctly, or if you still get an error message when trying to use ClientTracker, contact Ginkgo Software.

4. RESTORE FROM BACKUP
In your v3.41 Settings area, on the Program tab, click Restore from Backup, and then check your recent data.

If you are in Vista or Windows 7 and your data doesn't appear, rather you see the original demo data, do not panic. Your data is not lost.  But do NOT choose to Backup when you close ClientTracker! See Updates & Upgrades> Locating Your 3.41 Files>Windows 7or Vista Location

If this doesn’t solve the problem, you may need to restore a backup from an external source. If you manually copied the ClientTracker folder to an external drive, copy that back to you computer.  If you have backup software, follow its instructions.

If your data still doesn't show correctly, or if you still get an error message when trying to use ClientTracker, contact Ginkgo Software.
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Repairing Your 3.41 Files - MAC

As v3.41 has been released for over 4 years now, there have been variances with new operating systems -- particularly Mac 10.6 or "Snow Leopard" -- that may cause instability in how the files interact with your computer. 
The good news is, v4.0 is infinitely more stable on the Mac, and we expect it to remain so for a long time.   If you haven't already decided to upgrade, this could be a compelling reason to do so.

How to Repair Your 3.41 Files

1. FIRST, make a compressed copy of your entire ClientTracker 3.41 (or 3.411) folder in case you need to send your files to Ginkgo Software for repair.
Tip: If you did a ClientTracker Backup recently, then you may want to skip to #4 below.

2. RECOVER YOUR FILES
If you have damaged files and have no recent backup to restore, use the Recovery of Corrupted files function in Settings/General.  Begin by selecting the file that has been reported as damaged from the drop-down list.
 
Next, hold down the Ctrl key and click the Recover button.  Repeat these two steps for all files that have reported damage.  Once the recover is complete check that your data is intact in the affected files.

If your data still doesn't show correctly, or if you get an error message, try #3.

3. COPY & PASTE
Go back to your original ClientTracker v3.41 folder.  Inside that is a folder called "Backup."  Copy the necessary file(s) in there, then back out one level and and paste into the main ClientTracker 3.41 folder.  When asked if you want to replace the file(s) already there, choose Yes.

4. RESTORE FROM BACKUP
In your v3.41 Settings area, on the Program tab, click Restore from Backup, and then check your recent data.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, you may need to restore a backup from an external source. If you manually copied the ClientTracker folder to an external drive, copy that back to you computer.  If you have backup software, follow its instructions.

If your data still doesn't show correctly, or if you still get an error message when trying to use ClientTracker, contact Ginkgo Software.

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Mac Best Practices for Running v3.41

Please review our best practices for running ClientTracker on a Mac below. They address the main issues that cause problems, including performance problems.  When version 4.0x is released, #1-7 below will not be an issue.

1. USB Devices - Do not connect or disconnect any USB devices (such as printers, iPhones or iPods) while running ClientTracker.  Quit ClientTracker and then you can connect or disconnect from the device.

2. Sleep Mode - We recommend configuring your Mac so that it does not go into sleep mode. Letting the Mac go into sleep mode while ClientTracker is running can reduce performance and potentially cause the program to crash if the Mac is in sleep mode for too long.

The instructions for turning off sleep mode are as follows:
3. Close ClientTracker - Shut down ClientTracker at the end of the day.  Leaving the program running for several days can reduce performance and it may crash if the system goes into sleep mode over night.

4. Spaces - We recommend not using the Macintosh Spaces desk management utility as this may limit the system resources available to ClientTracker and result in poor performance.

5. OS Upgrades - If you upgrade your system to a newer version of the Mac OS, you should re-install Rosetta for the new OS.  Rosetta is a utility designed for providing newer Intel based Macs with compatibility for programs like ClientTracker 3.41 that were originally designed for PowerPC Macs.  Even if it appears to be installed after doing the OS upgrade, you should install Rosetta from the installation discs for that new OS.

The instructions for installing it for Snow Leopard are as follows:
6. Consult the v3.41 User's Manual - Please note that if the ClientTracker manual did not get installed with the program, you can download from the link below:

BACKUPS

7.  Time Machine - If you use this feature, you will want to make sure that Time Machine is only making backups when you are not using ClientTracker.  By default Time Machine automatically backs up every hour.  It is best to manually control when it makes the backups to prevent corrupt files from being backed up and to prevent backups from occurring while data is changing in the program.

8. ClientTracker Backups - Please make regular backups in ClientTracker.  We recommend at least once a day.  Also make regular copies/backups of your ClientTracker files to an external device like a USB drive or a CD/DVD.  You can also use backup programs to assist you. In particular, the Time Machine for the Mac mentioned above.

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What to do if your ClientTracker cannot Back Up
Sometimes you may get a message, "ClientTracker cannot find the file (file name), which is needed to perform this operation."  This can happen if your files become corrupted, or if someone has moved them to another location.

When this happens, a window opens inviting you to find the missing file on your computer.  You should select a file only from your main ClientTracker 3.41 folder.  Do not select a backup copy from your Backup folder.

If you have inadvertently selected a file from the Backup folder, you will get a message when trying to perform a Local Backup: "(name of file)" could not be created on this disk.  Make more room on the disk, remove the write protection, or use a different disk."  The Local Backup is then aborted and your data may not be backed up properly.

How to Repair
First write down the name of the file in the message.  Then make an external backup of your entire ClientTracker 3.41 folder for safekeeping before you begin.

1. Go to the Backup folder located inside your ClientTracker 3.41 folder.

2. Copy the file (the name you wrote down)

3. Go back up one level to the main ClientTracker 3.41 folder and paste this file.  When asked if you want to overwrite the file that is there, say YES.

4. Open your ClientTracker and check for your most current data in the area affected by the file you just copied & pasted.  Then go to Settings and try "Backup Now."
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15. Updates & Upgrades : Self-Serve Update to Current Version of 4.0.*

Updates for ClientTracker 4.0 Licensed Owners

Upgrades are released periodically to add major new features to ClientTracker.  Updates are made available to improve performance and add minor features to the existing software.
For more info about the Upgrade to v4.0 from ClientTracker 3.41 or earlier, see: Updates & Upgrades> Upgrade Instructions.

Details in this section include:
Note:  If you have any 3-digit version in the 4.0 series (e.g. 4.0.1, 4.0.12, 4.0.14i), then you are able to run the Self-Serve Updater. You can check your version in the top menu, under Help --> About ClientTracker.
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Self-Serve Update Instructions

This will tell you how to run the Self-Serve Update, and what is involved.  If you need tech support, Ginkgo Software can provide assistance for standard installations with a valid Support Plan.

There are 3 main parts to Update your ClientTracker:
1. Download the Installer.
2. Run the Installer
3. Run the Updater when ClientTracker opens.

Time Estimates to run the Updater
This is nowhere near as complex as previous ClientTracker upgrades, if you have run any before.Before you start:

Download, Install & Run the Update
1. Download the latest Updater from the link provided in your email.  When asked if you want to run or save the file, click Save. 

2. Locate the Installer application, most likely in your Downloads folder.  Open or Run the installer. The Installer will set up the Updater in the standard location for your files.  If you have a customized installation (e.g. you moved ClientTracker to your desktop, a network, or another location or external drive), you may need local tech assistance.  
A Ginkgo Software Support Plan does not cover non-standard installations.

When you are on the last screen of the installer, the Finish screen, click OK on Windows and Quit on Mac.

3. ClientTracker should open.  If it doesn't, open ClientTracker the way you normally would. If the instal went successfully, you'll see a large blue Update to 4.0.20 page. Here you have 2 choices:Do Not Use your Computer for anything until the Updater is Finished.  You will see a “Success” pop-up when the Updater is finished. Click OK  to open you new ClientTracker as usual.  

4. After a successful update, check to make sure all your data looks OK in all parts of ClientTracker before you enter anything new.

For info about the new features included in the latest update, see New Features in the 4.0.20 Self-Serve Update below.

Troubleshooting
If the install doesn't go as planned, the odds are good that you installed the updater to a different folder than your main ClientTracker 4.0 folder. (Step 2 above.)

Note:  There are a couple of new settings that may need your attention right after you update to 4.0.20 or higher. See Things to Do After Upgrade to 4.0.20 (or higher) below for more info.
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Things to Do After Upgrade to 4.0.20 (or higher)

There are a couple of new settings and features in 4.0.20 (and beyond) that need to be set for your preferences if you are updating from a version lower then 4.0.20.

For Windows Users Only
Window Size - Go to Settings area on the  Program/Utilities tab, and choose "Yes" or "No" for Full Screen next to "Set Window Size" in the lower right of the screen.  You only need to do this once.
For all ClientTracker Users
SOAP Note Printing Preferences - On any SOAP Note, go to the File/Photos tab and look for the new tab set at the bottom of the screen. Choose  "Print Preferences for SOAP Notes" .  On the right of this tab, set your preferences for what you want to print for "All SOAPs."  This only needs to be done once.  You can also customize for just the one SOAP Note your working with.

If you want to customize the Labels for sections in the Plan part of the SOAP Note, do that on the left side of this tab. 


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New Features in the 4.0.20 Self-Serve Update

Changes of note in this new version:
Thanks to input from people using ClientTracker 4.0, some nice new features have been added, and a number of small bugs and glitches have been fixed as well.

Text Formatting can be applied on SOAP notes & templates, on letters & forms and in the header for  invoice and reports.  

Email Attachments

HIPAA 5010

SOAP Notes

Window Sizing: Change the Window to fill the whole screen if you prefer it the way it was in the older version in the Settings/Program/Utilities tab. 

-- Mac:  drag the window taller & it will stick. 

- 150% Zoom feature can be used safely in Mac Lion OS

--  Windows: Set the height of the window taller, or set it to maximize


Additional Backup: Choose a path on your computer or external disk to create a copy of your data file. Do this in the Settings/Program/Utilities tab. Do the manually or have it happen automatically with every close of ClientTracker.

Speedier Entry for Codes & Products on Invoices & SOAPs

On each invoice and SOAP screen,  use key strokes to bring up the QuickFinder for Diagnosis & Procedure Codes and Products.  To be reminded of this on each screen, at the top menu, look at Records, Chose New... and then the little menu:
Ctrl+Shift+D to enter a new Diagnosis Code
Ctrl+Shift+P to enter a new Procedure Code
Ctrl+Shift+G to enter a new Product item


1500 Entry & E-Billing

Negative Payments Allowed: As a way to adjust for a returned check, for example.

Client Info:
Inventory
  • Inventory list shows the Quantity Sold
Communications

Minor features and fixes:

-- Printing multiple invoices: shows the Balance Due for all invoices
-- Credit Generated entries can be deleted
-- Payment On Accounts received portal larger
-- Deposit Slip sorts correctly
-- Claims Sent: new find by date QuickFinder of Invoice List
-- Inventory: new Ideal Qty field shows optimum quanity to keep on hand
-- Changing the Vendor on an item that has been sold, if needed
-- Store your Ginkgo web site account email & password in Settings/Program, the "Password Setup" area
-- Printing envelopes: added more options to accommodate more printers
-- Procedure Code lists import improved
-- Client List: new sorts added to columns
-- Transactions Report now shows Procedure Code modifier and has improved format
-- Calendar List view: hover your mouse over an appointment to see if an invoice has been created yet
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