Your clinic’s settings contain a lot of behind-the-scenes options and are crucial for getting your clinic running smoothly with Shepherd.
To access your clinic settings, navigate to Admin -> Clinic Settings
Note: If you’re unable to see any of these sections, it’s because the user role you’re assigned doesn’t have the appropriate permissions.
Clinic Info
Here's a breakdown of all the fields in your general clinic's settings:
Name: your clinic name
Email: your clinic's general email—or the best email for clients to reach you at
Phone: the best phone number for clients to call
Fax: your clinic's fax number
Website: if your clinic has a website, add that here
Clinic ID: the clinic ID may be collected and used when setting up certain integrations
Address: the physical address for your clinic
Time Zone: needs to be selected for reminders, as well as logging activity within Shepherd (records, invoices, etc.)
Currency: currently Shepherd only supports United States Dollars
Tax Rate: adds the appropriate tax to charges on invoices
The tax rate is added as a number and not a percentage decimal (i.e. add 8.3 and not .083). The tax rate field accepts up to 4 decimal places.
You can set your Tax Rate based on the Clinic Address, Client Zip Code, or by multiple rates by Product
Clinic Address: this allows a single tax rate to be calculated based on performing services at the clinic location
Client Zip Code: this will allow multiple tax rates to be calculated based on performing services at the client's location rather than a single clinic location
Product: this will allow multiple tax rates to be calculated by product
Visit our Managing Multiple Tax Rates by Product help guide to learn more!
Temperature unit: Fahrenheit or Celsius
Info: displays at the bottom of printed documents, so this can be a tagline, slogan, or practical information like business hours.
Settings
In the main settings, you’re able to do a bit of fine-tuning on the backend of Shepherd.
General
General
Enable Inventory: enables inventory features
Track Lots & Expiration Dates: enables lot tracking for all inventory items
Enable Whiteboard: enables the whiteboard feature in the main menu
Note: even without enabling the whiteboard, you will still be able to order and schedule Txs within a SOAP
Enable Boarding: enables the Boarding features
Enable Time Clock: enables Time Clock features
Automatic Sign Out: the amount of time a user is inactive before being logged out
Note: individual users may be assigned different sign out periods as needed
Default Weight Unit: Defines the default weight unit displayed
Notes & Disclaimers
Invoice Note: a default note that prints on every invoice. You can use this for business announcements, payment information, etc.
Estimate Disclaimer: a default note that prints on every estimate. You can use this as a reminder that an estimate is an estimate and may be different than the actual bill.
Statement Note: a default note that includes on every statement generated. You can use this as a way to share payment remittance instructions.
Postcard Note: a default note printed on reminder postcards
Rabies Certificate: a default note included on all Rabies Certificates generated
Invoice Settings
Include Rabies Certificate on Invoice: When enabled, any Rabies Certificates created within any associated SOAP visit will be automatically included after primary invoicing details.
Include Discharge Instructions on Invoice: When enabled, any Discharge Instructions included within any associated SOAP visit will be automatically included after primary invoicing details.
Include Patient Reminders on Invoice: When enabled, any Patient Service Reminders for any patients listed on the invoice will automatically include after any primary invoicing details.
Include Appointments on Invoice: When enabled, any upcoming scheduled appointments for any patients listed on the invoice will automatically include after any primary invoicing details.
Production Settings
Prevent overriding of supervising doctor as the default production user assignment: When enabled, the default production user assignment will always be the supervising doctor, regardless if the treatment administering user has production enabled.
Prescription Settings
Written Prescription Signature Format: Customize the order of the signature lines on written prescriptions to comply with state-specific regulatory requirements. Adjust the placement of ‘Dispense as Written' and 'Substitution Permitted' lines based on your state's guidelines.
Diagnosis Settings
Shepherd uses the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and Small Animal Specialty (SAS) subsets from SNOMED codes. AAHA codes are enabled by default and you may opt to also include AAEP and SAS codes. We recommend having all codes enabled as some diagnoses may only be included in one subset. You can disable any duplicates or irrelevant diagnoses you do not want to be listed as options within a SOAP.
The diagnosis list is used for the problems, diagnosis, and chronic conditions within a SOAP.
Body Map Settings
Shepherd provides many default body maps that are used within physical exams. You may remove any unnecessary body maps that you do not need available in your account.
Locations
Locations are anywhere a patient can be in your practice—parking spots, the lobby, boarding, surgery, or exam rooms. To add a new location, select the + Add New button. You can also edit or archive an existing location (by selecting the pencil icon).
You can filter the dashboard by location to see all of the patients within a specific location. You can also apply multiple filters at the same time such as location and doctor.
Referral Sources
Understanding & Managing Referral Sources
A Referral Source is anything that helps bring clients to your practice — this could be another referring clinic, a digital marketing campaign, or even a search engine result. Tracking referral sources is a great way to understand where your new business is coming from.
Adding & Managing Referral Sources
To create a new referral source, simply click the + Add New button.
You can also edit or archive an existing source using the pencil icon next to it.
Referral sources can be:
Assigned when creating or editing a client
Linked directly to a patient's profile within the General Information section
Central Management
For consistent tracking, you can manage all your referral source options centrally by navigating to:
Admin → Clinic Settings → Referral Source Settings
This ensures your team is using a standardized list across all client and patient records.
Client Types
Shepherd offers the ability to assign a client type classification to client profiles. This supports additional client categorization within reporting for added analytical capabilities as well as ease of client type reference when viewing profiles.
Client type assignments and usage is optional.
Learn more about Client Types in our help guide!
Client Discounts
Client discounts are applied to discountable line items and are automatically calculated on invoices. All you need to do to make them is give them a descriptive name (‘Employee,’ ‘Teacher,’ 'Military', etc.) and a discount percentage. Client discounts are applied to the client profile when creating or editing a client.
You’re able to control which items are discountable under each product's settings.
Learn more about Client Discounts in our help guide!
Payment Types
Use default provided payment types or add any custom payment methods. Select +Add New to add a new custom payment type, or select the edit pencil icon to update any existing payment type.
Shepherd Pay
Our all-in-one payment solution brings you simple payment processing, right from your practice management software!
Learn more about Shepherd Pay in our help guide!
Labels
Use a default label template, or customize your own for Prescription, Patient, and Cage Card labels.
Learn more about Label Printing in our help guide!
Office Hours & Closures
Clinic Availability: the clinic's hours of operation, as well as scheduled breaks
Office Closures: specific days/holidays the clinic is closed
Clinic Shortcuts
Save time when writing records and add shortcuts to quickly input your custom pre-determined text throughout Shepherd.
Learn more about Clinic Shortcuts in our help guide!