Manage special actions

Use special actions to manage reminders, create callback tasks, print forms and certificates, and update patient fields from your products and services.

The timing of when a special action is triggered from products and services added to a consultation is determined by the special action type:

• Patient reminders are created, updated, or deleted when the invoice is closed (marked ready to be paid).
• Callback tasks are created or updated when the invoice is closed (marked ready to be paid).
• Forms and certificates are displayed when the invoice is saved.
• Patient fields are updated when the invoice is closed (marked ready to be paid).

• See Overview: Set up and manage reminders to learn how forms, reminders, and products work together.
• See Add a reminder and Set up combined reminders email to learn about setting up reminders.
• See FAQs: Products for answers to common questions about products.

Permissions: Users must have Product Admin or System Admin permission to manage special actions.

Add special actions:

1. Click your name in the menu bar. Then select Products.
2. Search for one of your products. The product list will filter as you type.
3. In the search results, click the name of the product you want to add a special action to.
4. Click Special Actions.
   Note: If there are no special actions rows displayed, the product does not currently have any special actions configured.
5. Configure the special actions for each section, as needed.
6. Click Save.

Create reminders:

Automatic reminders are useful tools for communicating with clients. Reminders can be associated with products and be generated automatically when you invoice services like vaccinations. You can send reminders by email, mail, or SMS message.

When you use Vello or the combined reminders email, you can send multiple reminders for all of a client's pets in one email.

Create reminders 

You can set which reminders will be created when the invoice is closed.

1. In the Create Reminders area, click the Add button .
2. Select a reminder type from the Select an option drop-down list.
3. Enter the number of days the reminder is due after the product is dispensed.
   Note: The reminder due date is calculated from the consultation line date.
4. Optional. Click the toggle to prevent the previous reminder from being removed from the patient record.
   
5. Repeat steps 1-4 to add additional reminders to be created, as needed.
6. Click Save.

Note: An unlimited number of reminders can be created per product.

Recurring Reminders

You can set which reminders will be created and then repeated for a specified time period when the invoice is closed.

Reminders are created with the recurrence beginning after the patient has reached the specified age.

An initial reminder is created with a due date calculated from the consultation line date + the number entered in the recurring every ____ days box and is not considered part of the recurring reminders.

1. In the Recurring Reminder area, click the Add button .
2. Select a reminder type from the Select an option drop-down list.
3. In the recurring every ___ days box, enter the number of days the reminder is due after the product is dispensed and the interval of each subsequent reminder in the recurrence.
   Note: The initial reminder due date is calculated from the consultation line date.
4. In the for ____ days box, enter the number of days the recurring reminders should be created for.
5. In the when patient is older than ____ days box, enter the patient age in days when the recurring reminders should begin.
6. Click Save.

Note: Only 1 recurring reminder can be created per product.

Delete additional reminders

You can set which reminders will be deleted when the invoice is closed.

1. In the Delete Additional Reminders area, click the Add button .
2. Select a reminder type from the Select an option drop-down list.
3. Enter the number of day(s) a reminder occurs before, or after, the item is dispensed.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 to add additional reminders to be created, as needed.
5. Click Save.

Note: An unlimited number of reminders can be deleted per product.

Note: For products and services that are purchased sequentially, see Set up reminders for a vaccination series.

Create Callback Tasks:

You can set a callback task to automatically be created from a product when the invoice is closed (marked ready to be paid).

Automatic callback tasks are assigned to the consultation line item provider by default; but you can set the callback task to always be assigned to the same user.

1. In the Special Actions window, scroll down to the Create Callback Task area and click the Add button .
2. Enter default callback task notes. For example, on a pre-surgical exam product, enter NPO instructions to be communicated to the client the evening before surgery.
   Note: The default callback task notes will be included every time the callback task is automatically created. These notes can be edited from the callback task, as needed.
3. Enter the number of days the callback task is due after the product is dispensed.
4. Optional.  Select the user to be assigned to the callback task.
   Note: The consultation line provider will be assigned to the callback task when the invoice is closed if no user is selected.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 to add additional callback tasks, as needed.
6. Click Save.

Print forms:

You can quickly access forms or certificates from a consultation for printing or emailing when you use a product.

Note: This step is not needed for rabies certificates or vaccine certificates, as they are built into the vaccine tracking feature. See Manage vaccines, rabies, tags, and certificates for more information.

1. In the Special Actions window, scroll down to the Print Forms/Certificates area and click the Add button .
2. From the Select an option drop-down list, select the form you want to print for this product.
3. Repeat steps 1-2 to add additional forms to be available to print for this product, as needed.
4. Click Save

Update a patient record:

You can automatically update a patient record when you use a product.

1. In the Special Actions window, scroll down to the Update a Patient Field area.
2. Select the checkboxes for each option to associate with this product. You can set a patient to deceased, set the patient to neutered/spayed, etc.
3. Click Save.

Delete a special action:

Deleting a special action from a product will not delete any patient reminder or callback task previously created from the special action.

1. Locate the special action to be deleted.
2. Click the trash can .
3. Click Save.