Configure the method that clients use to schedule appointments

Vello has many different methods that clients can use to schedule appointments. You can configure Vello to show only one of the methods in medical service reminders and the Vello client portal (for example, if you want clients to only send a text message to schedule an appointment).

Note: Specified methods for scheduled appointments is a beta feature and is only available for specified customers. If you want to try the beta feature, send an email to vello-product-team@idexx.com.

To configure the method that clients use to schedule appointments, select Change in the Preferred Booking Method section of the Appointment Booking screen. As a result, Vello shows the available methods:

If your practice has the beta feature, you can configure one of these methods to only show as available for clients when they schedule an appointment:

Text to book
Custom booking link
Walk-ins welcome
Call to book

Note: If your practice has the beta feature, the function of the Online booking method does not change.

This table gives the function of each method and the result for clients:


Preferred Booking Method set to	Function	Result for clients
Text to book	Use Text to Book if you want clients to send a text message to your practice to schedule an appointment. You can configure Vello to use your registered phone number or a different phone number to receive text messages from clients when they want to schedule an appointment. Figure 1. Text to Book configuration Note: If you select Use Vello SMS number in the Text to Book configuration, text messages show in the Vello inbox. If you select Use a custom SMS number, text messages go to the device that uses the phone number.	Medical service reminders and the Vello client portal show Text to Book as the available method to schedule appointments If a client uses their mobile device and selects a Text to Book button or link, they can send a text message to the phone number that you configured in Vello Figure 2. Example of a Text to Book button in the Vello client portal
Custom booking link	Use Custom booking link if you want clients to use a website link to schedule an appointment (for example, if you want clients to use a third-party website). To do the configuration, enter the website address in the Custom Link box:	Medical service reminders and the client portal show Book online as the available method If a client selects a Book online button or link, their device automatically opens the website link that you configured in Vello. Figure 3. Example of a Book online button in the Vello client portal
Walk-ins welcome	Use Walk-ins welcome if it is not necessary for clients to schedule an appointment.	Medical service reminders and the client portal show a Walk-ins are welcome message. Medical service reminders and the client portal do not show a button that clients can select to schedule an appointment Figure 4. Example of Walk-ins are welcome message in the Vello client portal

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Configure the method that clients use to schedule appointments

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