How to add a client

Normally, the receptionist will add the client to the system. Clients are your practice's debtors. Each family will have one account. One account can have many patients (animals) attached to it. The client must be entered first before any transactions can be done for the client.

Surname, initials and title
Delete the default NO SURNAME in the surname field and enter the client's surname in this field. We recommend that you DO NOT use abbreviations and full stops, such as VD MERWE J.P. Rather use the full surname, e.g. VAN DER MERWE JP. It is also important to stick to the way you start entering the initials. Do not add one client as Bester MM, and the next one as Bester M.M., as the computer interprets the full stop as a character and thus the two names will not be sorted together in the alphabetical client list. This may lead to duplicate accounts.

Balance
The current outstanding balance of the client will be displayed here.

Our reference
If you have an existing client numbering system from a previous manual filing system or different computer program, e.g. SMI001, this field can be used for that number. This field can be used for cross-referencing between your old files and the clients that have been added on the computer system. This number will also be displayed on the scroll search list. Microvet also allocates a new client number to each new client added, but you do not have any control over this number.

Client detail
Enter the client's ID number, e-mail address, physical address, home address, contact numbers, reference person and contact number, and employer in the appropriate fields.

Service and stock rates
If you have a group of clients that are charged different prices e.g. pensioners and employees, you can change the default service and stock rate of the client. You can use up to four different prices. Microvet uses service rate 1 and stock rate 3 as the default prices for charging clients.
Also see How to add a stock item

Pet Health benefit
Tick this box if you are using a pet health benefit plan or herd health scheme.
Also see How to set up a pet health benefit plan

Client code
Client codes are used to identify certain groups of clients, e.g., the code F can be used for all farmers, or D for all the dog breeders. You can use the alphabet or numbers for the codes. The purpose of identifying these groups is to be able to send a mail merge letter to all the clients in a specific group.
Also see How to print mail merge letters for certain clients

Language preference
Click on the appropriate button to specify the language preference for the client. This will determine in which language the program prints this client's statements. A language other than English could be used for communicating with clients. 

Interest per month on arrears
If the client's account is in arrears, you can specify a monthly interest rate to be charged on an outstanding balance. The default interest rate is 2%.
Also see How to set up Microvet defaults

Bad debt and bad debt date
If you have written off an outstanding balance owed by a client, this box should be ticked and the date inserted. The system will give a warning message when you do a transaction for a client marked as bad debtor.

Status Active or Inactive
If a client has moved or disappeared or if the outstanding balance is written off, you can check this field. If a client is marked as inactive, no statements and vaccine reminders will be printed for this client, even if there is an outstanding balance.

Recoverable
You have an option to include or exclude line items in your financial reports, added for a client that is marked as non-recoverable. If this box is unticked, all the line items that you add for this client will be marked as non-recoverable. To use this feature in order to evade tax, is a criminal offence
Also see How to set up your local setup: How to enter your practice details
Also see How to add a transaction: Information applicable to all line items

Charge 0% TAX on stock
This is a function for practices that sell drugs without tax (VAT/General Sales Tax) to farmers. When you tick this box, it will deduct the tax on all stock items added to a transaction for this particular client but still charge tax on services.

Charge administration fees
Administration fees will be charged to this client if this field is ticked. You can set the different administration fees for each outstanding balance age group.
Also see How to set up Microvet defaults

Send batch invoices
This field will be used if the client is a farmer. When you do not want to give the client an invoice every time he visits the practice or the vet visits the farm, you can print ALL the invoices at once and attach it to the statement.
Also see How to do a Month-end procedure

Send monthly statements
Remove the tick if you do not want to print a monthly statement for this client, e.g. clients that have been handed over to debt collectors, or if the client pays by debit order. Be careful not to remove the tick if the client should get a monthly statement.

How to add / edit / delete a patient while in the client information window

Click on the ADD PATIENT / EDIT PATIENT / DELETE PATIENT button
on the client information window

Also see How to add a patient

How to add client notes while in the client information window

Click on the NOTES button on the client information window

Extra information regarding a client can be entered on a separate screen. This may be any information you want to store, e.g. the number of kilometers to the client's premises or information regarding an outstanding balance. This information will also be displayed when you do a balance enquiry and print a debtor’s telephone report.
Also see How to do a balance enquiry
Also see Client info report

How to view financial detail while in the client information window

Click in the FINANCIAL button on the client’s information window

When you click on this button the client’s monthly premium, preferred method of payment and preferred method of correspondence will be shown. The total amount of payments received up to date will be displayed. The date of the last payment received and amount of last payment will also be displayed.
Also see How to set up a pet health benefit plan
Also see How to use the different discount options

How to queue a patient while in the client information window

Click on the ADD QUEUE button on the client information window

Also see How to queue a patient

How to add a transaction for a client while in the client information window

Click on the ADD TRANSACTION button on the client information window 

Also see How to add a transaction

How to edit or delete a client

Click on CLIENTS on the main menu
Click in CLIENTS
Click on EDIT CLIENT or DELETE CLIENT
Select the client 

How to do a balance enquiry for a client

When you do a balance enquiry the following information will be displayed:

• Total outstanding balance
• Brakedown of the outstanding balance in the different age groups
• Discount rendered
  Also see How to use the different discount options
• Balance after discount is subtracted
• If the client is a bad debtor
• The date that the client is marked as a bad debtor
• Client notes

Click on CLIENTS on the main menu
Click on BALANCE ENQUIRY
Select the client

When editing a client the balance will also be displayed in the top right-hand corner of the window.