Tips and Tricks for the Appointment Scheduler

Owned by John Bellos (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Feb 11, 2019 by Amy Blanchard


Web-based Appointment Book

Q. My appointment book opens in a web browser. Does this mean anyone can search for and view our appointments?

A. No. Your appointment book information is still stored locally on your DVMAX Server. Your web browser is simply the application used to display the information. You do not need Internet access on all of your workstations and people outside of your clinic network will not be able to search for, view or edit your appointment book.

Check In/Cancel Check In

Q. I don’t see Check In when I right-click on an appointment, I only see Cancel Check In. Why?
A. Cancel Check In is only available if the appointment has already been checked in. Therefore, if you see Cancel Check In, it means the appointment has already been checked in.

Appointment Status

Q. Is it possible to have DVMAX change the appointment color rather than (or in addition to) a status icon when I change the status of an appointment?
A. Yes. You can have status changes change the color of the appointment. This requires assistance from Technical Support, as you will be working with advanced settings which have no user interface. Tech Support will set the advanced setting px.sched.statusCanSetColor to True - it defaults to a value of False. Once this setting has been changed, you will be able to assign a color to a status value, and setting the status will change the color of the appointment. Note that the Scheduler uses "last changed" logic to determine the color of an appointment.

Alerts When Selecting Inactive or Deceased Patients

Q. Why don’t I see an alert when trying to create an appointment for a deceased or inactive patient?
A. The new Scheduler does not use Alerts for deceased or Inactive records. Deceased or Inactive Patients or Inactive Clients now display in gray font in the list of records when searching for a client or patient from the Appointment detail dialog, so you can tell immediately when you are selecting a record marked as inactive or deceased. Note also that the status of the patient, including Active, Deceased, In Hospital or Inactive, will be listed in the Patient Info area on the right hand side of the appointment detail dialog.

Problem with Go To Record

Q. I am trying to use Go to Record from the Scheduler but nothing happens (DVMAX Client/Server)
A. Are you working with DVMAX Client/Server? Is DVMAX running? You cannot open a client or patient record if DVMAX is not running. If you are using DVMAX Client/Server, the scheduler will continue to work and you can still schedule appointments even if DVMAX is not running, but you cannot open a client/patient record because DVMAX is not running and therefore access to those records is not available.

Scheduler or Boarding Expired Session Error

Q. I am trying to use the Scheduler or Boarding but I get an “expired session” error. The message reads, “Your session has expired. Please close this browser window and restart the Scheduler or Boarding functions from DVMAX”
A1. Are you using DVMAX Client/Server? If you see an expired session message, that means the 4D Server is not running. Check that the 4D Server is running. From DVMAX, check that the web server is running (System Constants -> User Settings). Try reloading the scheduler. Close the browser window and re-open the Scheduler/Boarding from DVMAX.
A2. Are you using DVMAX Single User: If DVMAX is not running, you will get an expired session error. DVMAX must be running to use the Scheduler SU.

GUI Scripting and Enable Access for Assistive Devices (Mac)

Q. I see a message telling me I need to enable GUI Scripting. What does this mean? (For Mac users).
A. If Enable Access for Assistive Devices support is not turned on (under System Preferences), you will see a dialog informing you of this and giving you the opportunity to turn it on. After that's done, the scheduler will open in your chosen browser, or the system default browser if you haven't explicitly chosen one in DVMAX Preferences. The message you will see is: “The script requires the built-in Graphic User Interface Scripting architecture of Mac OS X, which is currently disabled. Enable GUI scripting now? (You may be asked to enter your password)”. Click Enable and enter the workstation Administrator password.

Problem with Using Find Field from Scheduler

Q. I type something in the Find field on the Scheduler but nothing happens.
A. When using Find field from Scheduler to find appointments for clients or patients, you must type 4 characters or more before DVMAX will search. You can use spaces as characters, so if you wanted to search for the last name, Ng, for example, you could type Ng then press the bar twice. If you want to search by Last Name, First Name, you could type the first 2 letters of the last name then a comma then the first letter of the first name. For example, if you wanted to find Wendy Ng, you could type “Ng,W”.

Stay/Leave Message Using Boarding or Scheduler

Q. Why do I get a message asking if I want to Stay/Leave the Scheduler or Boarding?
A. When you try to close the browser with the Scheduler/Boarding open, or when you try to reload the Scheduler/Boarding, DVMAX will ask you to confirm that you want to leave the current page. Click Yes to close or reload. Click No to cancel.

Multiple Instances of Scheduler or Boarding Open

Q. I am getting multiple instances of the Scheduler or Boarding opening.
A. Are you using Firefox or Internet Explorer as your browser for the Appointment Scheduler or Boarding? Ensure Tabbed Browsing is turned off.

Problems with Printing from Boarding or Scheduler

Q. I am having trouble printing from the Scheduler or Boarding. I click the Print button, but nothing happens.
A. Make sure Pop Up Blocker is disabled on the browser you are using for Scheduler/Boarding. Check that you have PDF Creator installed on every workstation.

Changing the Appointment Label (Template)

Q. I want certain things on the Appointment label (the information that appears on an appointment block in Day View and Month View) but I can’t seem to figure out how to change the default.
A. Appointment labels, or Templates, require some programming knowledge and should be configured with help from Tech Support. Appointment templates are defined under Scheduler Setup -> Advanced tab.

Header for First Column in Combined View of Scheduler Is Wrong

Q. In Combined View, the first Staff/Resource column is wrong. I noticed that the column name/heading is the same as the heading on the last column name/heading.
A. There is a known issue (which is not our code) where the heading of the first column in the Day area of Combined View is mislabeled, but the content of the column is completely correct otherwise. We are working to resolve this. Only the heading is incorrect. The rest of the appointment information is unaffected. The first column is in fact exactly the same as the first staff column in Day View. Only the heading is incorrect.

Cannot Access Scheduler or Boarding Setup

Q. I can’t seem to access Setup for the Appointment Scheduler or Boarding.
A. Only members of the 4D group, Patient Codes, have access to Scheduler and Boarding Setup. Security configuration is controlled by Advanced Settings and access is restricted to those with appropriate access permissions. DVMAX Users have been instructed to consult Technical Support before attempting changes to Advanced Settings.

Settings for Scheduler Irretrievably Damaged

Q. I think I may have really messed up my Scheduler settings somehow.
A. DVMAX Technical Support can help you. Contact Technical Support before attempting any further changes.

Scrolling Issues Using Scheduler or Boarding with Firefox

Q. I am using Firefox as my Scheduler/Boarding browser. I am having problems with scrolling in Firefox.
A. If your Scheduler/Boarding has performance problems when scrolling in Firefox, turn off Use smooth scrolling in the Firefox Preferences -> Advanced tab.

Changes to Date/Time Format in Scheduler List View

Q. I would like to use a different format for the Date and/or Time columns in Scheduler List View. Can it be changed?
A. Yes. The format of the date & time columns in the main Scheduler List View are controlled by advanced settings. Please contact DVMAX Technical Support for assistance before attempting changes to Advanced Settings.

Looking Up Client /Patient Record When Creating Appointment

Q. When I am typing in the Client and Patient fields in the search area of the Appointment detail dialog (Create/Edit Appointment pane), the list doesn’t seem to filter or filtering seems to be very slow.
A. There a special setting that controls how DVMAX searches for Client and Patient records. The default behaviour is that the Select Client/Patient panel on the scheduler will only refresh the list of records when the user tabs out of the Patient or Client fields. This is because it provides the fastest way to search large numbers of records with minimal delay. This setting can be changed so that the list will refresh on every keystroke (as you type, the records matching what you type display, and the list is refreshed with each keystroke). This behavior may be slow for sites with large numbers of patients. Contact DVMAX Technical Support before attempting any changes to this behavior, which is controlled by Advanced Settings.

Appointment Not Showing Up on Day View

Q. I made an appointment, and I can see it in Month View and List View but not on Day View. Where is the appointment?
A. It is possible to create an appointment outside of the Start/End of Day time by typing a value in the Start field of the Appointment creation dialog, rather than selecting from the drop down menu. This appointment will not display on the Day View if it is outside of the defined Start/End of Day time, but it will show on the Month view, List view and Heat Map views. Typing a value is not recommended, as it can cause Scheduler issues.

Cannot Find the OK & Next Functionality

Q. Where is the OK & Next functionality when creating multiple appointments for the same client or patient?
A. The OK & Next button has been replaced with a feature that lets you save and create another appointment for the same client or patient. From the Appointment Detail dialog, hold down the Shift key when clicking Save and the Scheduler will remember the current client and/or patient and display the text, “Next created appointment will be for [Client Name] or [Patient Name]” above the Scheduler grid, just as when you select Set Appointment from a Client or Patient record. The next record you create will then inherit these default values.

Don’t See Appointments in Window List

Q. I don’t see the Appointment Scheduler in the Window List in DVMAX, but I know the Scheduler is open and running.
A. The new web-based Appointment Scheduler does not appear on the DVMAX Window list because it is not a 4D process. You can switch back and forth between DVMAX and the Scheduler or Boarding by clicking the Appt icon or Boarding icon on the DVMAX Command Palette.

Change User

Q. After I selected Change User from the DVMAX File menu, I got a notification that I needed to close and re-open the Scheduler or Boarding. Why?
A. This is a built in security function of DVMAX, since different users may have different access permissions. When "Change User" is accessed, DVMAX checks if the appointment scheduler is open, and notifies the user that it needs to be closed and reopened.

Boarding Date Range Has Been Constrained Notice

Q. I switched from Days to Hours on the Boarding schedule and I saw a notification that the Date Range has been constrained. What happened?
A. The following alert displays if you try to display too much information in boarding: "Sorry, the date range has been constrained because the view is too complex." The issue is that boarding is attempting to display too much data. For example, if the date range is 365 days and you switch from Days to Hourly boarding view, then boarding would need to display every hour in every day for an entire year for each cage. This is simply too much data, so the scheduler reduces the number of days it will display. An advanced setting determines when this alert is displayed. The default value is to display the message when DVMAX attempts to draw a boarding grid with more than 30000 cells. To make changes to the Advanced Settings that apply to these aspects of Boarding, contact DVMAX Technical Support.


Tips for Scheduler and Boarding Optimal Performance

1. You must have Allow Cookies enabled on the browser you use for the Scheduler/Boarding in order for the functionality to work.

2. When you upgrade your version of DVMAX, you should always clear the cache in your browser. Clearing the cache, where your browser stores temporary internet files, will also help speed up your system, so you should remember to clear the cache on a regular basis.

Firefox

  • In the top right corner, click the button with 3 horizontal lines, click on History, then select Clear Recent History.
  • Change the Time range to Everything.
  • Click the Details Arrow and ensure Cache is checked.
  • Click Clear Now.


Safari

  • From the Safari drop down menu choose Reset Safari or Empty Cache.
  • Ensure all settings are selected and click Empty or Reset.


Chrome

  • In the top right corner, click the button with 3 horizontal lines, then choose Settings
  • Scroll to the bottom and click the link "Show advanced Settings"
  • A section labeled "Privacy" will appear. Click the Clear browsing data button
  • Make sure you have set "Obliterate the following items from:" to "the beginning of time".
  • Ensure empty the cache is selected.
  • Click Clear browsing data.


Internet Explorer

  • Click the Gear Icon or Tools menu, then choose Internet Options.
  • In the Browsing History  section, click the Delete button.
  • Ensure the Temporary Internet files and Cookies and website Data are checked.
  • Click the Delete button.

3. To keep DVMAX Scheduler and Boarding running smoothly, clearing your browser’s cache periodically is recommended.

4. DVMAX recommends a current version of a system OS and current version of a browser to optimize speed and performance.

5. DVMAX recommends that you consider using a different browser for the Scheduler/Boarding functionality than your computer system’s default browser. This is particularly useful for optimal performance if you do a lot of work on the internet at the clinic, as you will find it more convenient and find your system runs faster if you choose a different browser for the Scheduler/Boarding functionality than your computer system’s default browser. To select a browser for Scheduler/Boarding to use, first determine what your computer’s default browser is. Then, from the DVMAX splash screen, go to File -> Preferences -> Assorted Prefs -> Appointment Scheduler/Boarding and select a browser that is different than the system default. If you only have one browser available on your system, you may need to download another browser. DVMAX recommends Safari, Firefox or Chrome.


You may also be interested in a video presentation on the Appointment Scheduler:

https://dvmax.webex.com/dvmax/ldr.php?RCID=1f235c1e68239ec652aad5af4f28c29b