Scheduler enables the automation of a range of events in EXACT, and is anticipated to become an increasingly powerful dental practice tool as EXACT software evolves to include business processes that drive dental practice performance.

Scheduler has been significantly upgraded with performance improvements from EXACT version 10.16.

Overview

Scheduler enables a dental practice to schedule a range of events, including reporting, exports, network backups, image compression, print jobs and batch invoice runs.

The practice can also at any time manually action a scheduled event or create a one-off (unscheduled) event.

Features

Auto-correction (available from v12.12)

If a scheduled task gets stuck in progress it resets itself and tries again the following day.

(Every 10 minutes, the server will check to see if there are any failed events, and if so, create email/task alerts as specified when the scheduled event was created. A workstation does not need to be logged in to EXACT for this to occur.)

For critical tasks such as Claims and Backups EXACT can be configured to warn users when the scheduled task has failed.

Displays a list of Scheduled Events

Show all, or show only pending / incomplete scheduled events

In the list of scheduled events, you have the option to either show all or to show only the pending and incomplete events:

Multiple Available Events options

(Example: Printable reports, EXACT v11.3, New Zealand)

Edit the columns for the displayed list of scheduled events

(For example, shift the "Needs Attention" column)

Multiple Event Types

Export to .CSV

(CSV format can be manipulated or integrated in many ways with other software)

Optionally action the event NOW, rather than wait on the schedule

Optionally create a once-only (non-repeating) scheduled event

Run an event to automatically compress images to save space

Multiple options with Provider reporting

Open Scheduler from either menu or workspace bar

Benefits

• As dental practices ramp up their business performance by means of EXACT software such as Thrive, the scheduled reporting provides consistent, reliable measurements against which the business can plan, monitor and evaluate performance.
• Scheduler provides a means of automating reports so that a corporate with multiple dental practices has a stream of consistent, reliable business information from the practices.
• In large practices with multiple reports, the manual report generation process can be time-consuming. Scheduler provides a means of doing this automatically, whether during or after business hours.
• Dental practices have options of whether to print, export to file, or email the scheduled reports, which enables them to flexibly develop business strategies around reporting.
• Exported reports in .CSV format can be integrated in multiple ways with other software.
• Reports can be printed direct to PDF format, providing a consistent, formatted reading and print medium.
• Scheduler is simple to set up and use, so requires little training.
• Because the Scheduler from version 10.16 onwards is integrated with the Windows scheduler, EXACT users do not interrupt scheduled reporting when they log out or lock / unlock their computers, and it runs completely independently of the EXACT user's backup procedure.

Requirements

• A functional printer is required for print options.
• A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader software is required for any person wishing to read PDF-format reports.
• Exported .CSV format reports can be read and manipulated by a variety of software programs, but you may need to select a program that suits your planned handling of these files (for example, Microsoft Excel is particularly suitable for reading and manipulating CSV files)
• At least one practitioner must be logged in while scheduled events are processed on a non-server computer.

  Users who create scheduled events in the Schedule Event Setup Wizard need to be aware of this when specifying a computer to process a scheduled event:

  

  
  

  For example, if a practitioner has Scheduled an Event to print on Any computer, and then attempts to log out, they get this warning:
  
  "EXACT has pending workstation scheduled events. Please ensure one EXACT workstation is left logged on in order to action these".
  

TIP: The reporting options are complex and potentially powerful. Your practice may benefit from a consultant who can help you plan a business strategy.

Using

See: Scheduler

Opening Scheduler

Select File > Scheduler...

- OR -

If you have Scheduler listed in the workspace bar, simply click the Scheduler icon:

If you do not have any scheduled events you will see a blank Scheduler window:

With scheduled events you will see this list populated:

The Scheduler Screen

Manually Running a Scheduled Event Right Now

1. Select the Event.
2. Click Action Now.

   

Scheduled Reports and the Action Now option

Running Action Now on a scheduled report does not apply the scheduled report parameters for today's date, unless the report schedule actually specifies today as a run date.

EXACT sees a Scheduled Report as an inflexible dated task list.

Each time that you Action Now it completes and ticks off the next dated task in that list.

So when you run Action Now on a scheduled report, EXACT runs the next report in the schedule and then considers that task to have been completed in the schedule.

Example:

Report A is scheduled to run on the 25th of every month.

Today is 10th January.

If I Action Now, EXACT runs Report A for 25th January, even though today is 10th January.

If I again Action Now, it then runs Report A for 25th February, even though today is 10th January.

If I again Action Now, it then runs Report A for 25th March, even though today is 10th January.

Display Incomplete, Pending or Completed Scheduled Events

To display just the incomplete and pending scheduled events

Check (tick) the checkbox:

To display ALL scheduled events (completed, incomplete and pending)

Un-check (un-tick) the checkbox:

What to do with events that are completed?

For events that are DONE you can select the event and then either

• Click the button in the toolbar and edit the scheduled time so it may run again

  - OR -

• Click the button and delete the event.

Missed Scheduled Events

If scheduled events could not be run automatically by EXACT (for example, because the system was shut down), then when a user re-logs in, a Missed Scheduled Events window becomes active:

Text instructions are included on the screen.

Click the Cancel All button to cancel all events and close the screen.

Configuring

Displaying the Scheduler Shortcut on the Workspace Bar

1. Right-click the workspace bar and select Customise...

   

2. Move the Scheduler shortcut from the left to the right pane, and position it in the list:

   

3. Click OK.

Configuring the Scheduler column display

1. Click the configure column display button .
2. Edit the settings in the Column Settings window:

   

3. Select OK.

Editing a Scheduler event

1. From The Scheduler screen, select the Event and click the Edit button or double-click the Event.

   The Scheduled Event wizard opens at the first screen.

2. Proceed as for Creating a new Scheduler event

Creating a new Scheduler event from the Wizard

From The Scheduler screen, click the Create New Event button to start the Scheduler wizard, and then proceed through the screens:

Schedule Event Setup Wizard

Create Report Parameters from the Wizard

Parameters

This screen varies depending on the Event Type that you selected. Example:

To select Multiple Providers from the Multiple button:

Select the computer where this event should run

Any computer:

If the event can be run from any computer, leave the default as Any computer.
In this case, ensure that any computer is turned on and logged into EXACT at the scheduled time. Such an event may be best during normal business hours when practitioners are logged in.

This computer:

If the event can only be run from this current computer (such as compressing images stored on this computer's hard drive), select This computer.
In this case, ensure that this computer is turned on and logged into EXACT at the scheduled time. Such an event may be best during normal business hours when a practitioner is logged in.

The server:

If the event can only be run from the server, or at a time when no practitioners will be logged in, choose The server.
Only from the server can EXACT run scheduled events without having at least one practitioner logged in.

Users need to be aware of the limitation on "Any computer" and "This computer"

At least one practitioner must be logged in while scheduled events are processed on a non-server computer. Users who create scheduled events in the Schedule Event Setup Wizard need to be aware of this when specifying a computer to process a scheduled event.

For example, if a practitioner has Scheduled an Event to print on Any computer, and then attempts to log out, they see this warning:

"EXACT has pending workstation scheduled events. Please ensure one EXACT workstation is left logged on in order to action these".

Message examples:

Configure Event repeat cycle from the Wizard

Use this screen to set when the event occurs and whether it is to repeat.

Note the Once Only option - this enables you to create a non-repeating scheduled event.

TIP for TIME: Each click adjusts the time by 5 minutes. SHIFT-click adjusts by 10 minute increments. CTRL-click adjusts by 1 hour increments.

Choose whether the event is to occur Once Only, Weekly, or Monthly, and set the appropriate date, day, or day of the month.

Exporting Reports to .CSV Format

Follow the same steps as for Creating a new Scheduler event, but the screens will differ slightly to cater to the export requirement:

Compressing Older Images

1. Open Scheduler from File > Scheduler...
2. Create a scheduled event of Event Type Other, and select Compress Images.
3. Specify how many days per image type:

   

Backing up the Practice Database

Open the Scheduler (for example, File > Scheduler...)

Follow the same steps as for Creating a new Scheduler event, but the screens will differ slightly to cater for the backup requirement: