About online booking configuration
Clients can use online booking to make appointments in the Vello client portal. Before clients can use online booking, a practice manager must do the necessary configuration.
- Use online booking for visit types
- Add or remove visit types that show as available for appointments in the client portal
- Get access to configuration settings for a visit type (for example, wellness visit or sick visit)
- Select an online booking configuration type for a visit type
- Set the periods that show as available for appointments for a visit type (for example, 15 minutes or 30 minutes)
- Set the days, times, and staff members that show to clients as available for appointments for a visit type
To use online booking, select Change in the Preferred Booking Method section of the Appointment Booking screen, then select Online Booking.
Visit types for online booking
The Appointment Booking screen shows different visit types that are available to use for online booking. You can make different visit types, or you can remove them:
You can change the name of a visit type that shows in the Vello client portal. For example, you can change the name of wellness visit to annual check-up. To change the name, use the Client-Friendly Appointment Name box in the configuration settings for the visit type:
Configuration types for online booking
- Call to book
- Appointment requests
- Direct booking
- Select Online Booking in the Preferred Booking Method section of the Appointment Booking screen
- Configure a visit type to use direct booking or appointment requests
To set a configuration type, set Online Booking Type as necessary in the settings for the applicable visit type. The image and table that follow gives each setting and its function:
| Online Booking Type set to: | Function |
|---|---|
| Call to Book | If you select Call to Book, clients must make a phone call to your practice to make an appointment for the applicable visit type. |
| Appointment Requests | If you select Appointment Requests:
|
| Direct Booking | If you select Direct Booking:
Note: An appointment that a client schedules directly shows as an entry in the Notifications tab of the Requests & Notifications screen: |
Configuration settings for visit types
To show configuration settings for a visit type, select the pencil button shown in the Appointment Categories section of the Appointment Booking screen.
This table gives each configuration setting and its function:
| Setting | Function |
|---|---|
| Client-Friendly Appointment Name | Use Client-Friendly Appointment Name to change the name of the visit type that shows to clients when they make an appointment. For example, Grooming Visit. |
| Appointment Description | Use Appointment Description to enter general information about the visit type. Tip: Enter information that helps clients to know if a visit type is applicable to their appointment. For example, for a sick visit, you could enter a Description of My pet is showing signs of illness or discomfort. |
| Online Booking Type | For more information about Online Booking Type, refer to Configuration types for online booking. |
| Patient Eligibility | Use Patient Eligibility to control if a client can make an appointment for their pet for the visit type. You can select one of these filters:
If you select New patients only, a client can only make an appointment for the visit type if their pet did not previously have an appointment scheduled with your practice. If you select Existing patients only, a client can only make an appointment for the visit type if their pet previously had an appointment scheduled with your practice. Note: If you do not select a filter, Vello automatically selects All patients. Note: Before a client can make an appointment for a new pet, you must activate Allow Creation of New Pet in the Client Permissions screen. For more information, refer to Let clients add a pet directly. |
| Minimum booking notice | Use Minimum booking notice to enter a minimum time before a client can make an appointment. You can select a minimum time in days, hours, or weeks. For example:
Result: A client can make an appointment for 11:00 AM only before 10:00 AM. Note: If you do not enter a minimum time, Vello automatically sets Notice required to 24 Hours. Note: Cornerstone only: If a client makes an appointment for a time in the next 24 hours, the client does not receive an appointment scheduled message. But the Vello client portal shows the client that they have an appointment. |
| Configure Availability (ezyVet and Cornerstone only) | To set the days and times that are available for appointments, set Configure Availability to Manual Configuration. If necessary, you can make different times available for appointments during the same day. Tip: ezyVet only: To use planning guides as a method to configure available times, set Configure Availability to Use Planning Guides. Tip: Cornerstone only: To use calendar templates as a method to configure available times, set Configure Availability to Use Templates. |
| Book to Appointment Type | If you select Direct Booking, use Book to Appointment Type to select the appointment type that is available for clients to select for appointments. |
| Default Appointment Length | Use Default Appointment Length to set the periods that are available for clients to select for an appointment. For example, you can select 15 minutes or 30 minutes. |
| Days | Use Days to set the days and times that are available for appointments. If necessary, you can make different times available for appointments during the same day. |
| Provider Availability | Use Provider Availability to select the staff members and rooms that are available for appointments. Note: Neo customers: If you make a staff member available for appointments, it is mandatory to select a minimum of one room for the staff member. Note: Cornerstone and ezyVet customers: If you select one or more rooms for a staff member, Vello:
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