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 | Set up EXACT to automatically email appointments in iCalendar (.ics) format to patient Email Inboxes. With a few clicks patients can include the appointments in their personal electronic calendars, and the calendars will by default pop up a reminder of the appointment. Available from EXACT v12.4 onwards. No registration is required; iCal only needs to be enabled and configured. |
Overview
Purpose
Use this feature to automatically email appointments in iCalendar (.ics) format from EXACT to patient Email Inboxes, for patient inclusion in their personal electronic calendars.
Configuration is from a screen in the Automatic Emails Configuration Wizard. See Configuring Automatic Emails
Features
A default feature in EXACT:
iCal Personal Calendar Appointments is included in EXACT software from v12.4.
It requires no registration but is disabled by default, so simply needs to be configured by means of the Configure > Automatic Appointment Reminders > Automatic Emails configuration screen.
Functions not only with practice appointments, but also with online bookings:
With iCal configured, patients booking online will also receive a confirmation email with .ICS attachment.
Standard iCalendar format:
As one of the most widely used formats iCalendar is compatible with many patient of platforms.
From Wikipedia: iCalendar is a computer file format that allows Internet users to send meeting requests and tasks to other Internet users, via email, or sharing files with an extension of .ics. Recipients of the iCalendar data file (with supporting software, such as an email client or calendar application) can respond to the sender easily or counter-propose another meeting date/time. iCalendar is used and supported by a large number of products, including Google Calendar, Apple Calendar (formerly iCal), IBM Lotus Notes, Yahoo! Calendar, Evolution (software), eM Client, Lightning extension for Mozilla Thunderbird and SeaMonkey, and partially by Microsoft Outlook and Novell GroupWise. |
Apple iPad example:
Microsoft Outlook example:
Configurable patient alarm interval:
This is the reminder that patients will see in their own electronic calendar in advance of their appointments. The alarm setting is included in the iCal appointment to alert the patient ahead of the appointment. The default alarm interval is 60 minutes, but this is configurable from 0 to 99 minutes.
Note that this does not replace the normal automated appointment email and SMS reminders in EXACT; it is a calendar-based reminder that works with the patient's calendar appointment.
Delay before sending:
Receptionists often change appointment bookings multiple times before the patient commits to a particular appointment slot.
To allow time and flexibility for Receptionists to make these changes, you can configure an outbox delay (default is 10 minutes) during which EXACT will not email the .ICS appointment attachment to the patient.
Without this delay period EXACT would send iCal entries prematurely and the patient could have multiple incoming email appointment iterations.
Multi-location databases:
iCal remains valid even for EXACT multi-location databases where Providers function within specific locations.
Moved appointments:
If the patient or the practice moves the appointment after it was created and after the .ics attachment was sent to the patient, EXACT creates a new .ics attachment and sends it to the patient, then when the patient opens it, this new attachment prompts the patient to Accept the new attachment:
IMPORTANT:
When rescheduling appointments Receptionists need to cancel the original appointment. This will cause EXACT to send the patient an ICS that when clicked will remove the original appointment from the patient's calendar.
If Receptionists fail to do this, patients will have the original appointment and the rescheduled appointment in their diaries.
Cancelled appointments:
If the patient or the practice cancels the appointment after it was created and after the .ics attachment was sent to the patient, EXACT creates a new .ics attachment and sends it to the patient, then when the patient opens it, this new attachment deletes the previous attachment and prompts the patient to remove from calendar:
Patients cannot cancel their appointment by cancelling the .ics calendar invitation, the practice need to manually cancel the appointment within EXACT.
Co-duty appointments:
Co-duty iCal appointments are emailed as for single appointments, but the wording includes the names of both co-duty Providers:
Benefits
Fewer missed appointments.
Provides an improved practice service and raises the perceived competence of the practice.
Automated, so no need for practitioner intervention.
The software format is familiar and understandable to patients, so the dental practice can extend its booking conveniently and seamlessly into their diaries and into their lives.
Requirements
Requirements
EXACT version 12.4 or later.
iCal requires no registration but is disabled by default, so it needs to be configured by means of the Automatic Appointment Reminders > Automatic Emails configuration screen.
Limitations
For family appointments the iCal attachment is only emailed to the recorded head of the family. If that person does not have an email address recorded in EXACT, then no iCal attachment can be sent for the family appointment.
Configuration
Configure the second page of the wizard - Automatic Emails - as follows:
New Patient Email | This is typically a Welcome email format, used as the initial email contact with a new patient. It can include useful information such as surgery hours, road map and available parking. Select a template for automatically sending an email to each new patient. For information on creating these templates please refer to the email templates section. |
Appointment Confirmation | An email template for confirming a booking by means of an email from EXACT to the patient. Note that if you include iCal appointment information you can also configure an iCal Appointment Alarm (default 60 mins), which is a calendar-based alarm generated in the patient calendar. TIP: With modern security concerns patients may be reluctant to open attachments. Perhaps it is worth explaining the nature of the .ics attachment to patients at the time of booking, and / or modifying the Appointment Confirmation template email message to include an explanation of the attachment. For information on creating these templates please refer to the email templates section. |
Delay email delivery | EXACT holds the confirmation email in the EXACT outbox for this period before sending it to the patient. Why? Receptionist booking of appointments is often a trial-and-error process... "How about this one Mrs Jones, at 3pm on Wednesday? No? OK then what about 2pm on Thursday?" If EXACT emailed the confirmation immediately there would be many false start confirmation emails that the patient would need to delete from their email inbox. The delay period allows time for a definitive appointment slot to be chosen before EXACT sends the confirmation. This setting is configurable in minutes, with a default of 10 minutes and a maximum of 99 minutes. 0 minutes will cause emails to be sent within about 10 seconds of creation, depending on your email server speed. |
Prompt before sending | Normally this is a prompt to the receptionist where EXACT queries "Can I send this email now?" If your practice uses the email delivery delay the prompt is likely unnecessary. Sample prompt:  We recommend that you un-check this option if using iCal because at the time of the prompt receptionists may click Cancel, which would cancel the automated confirmation email with its .ICS attachment. |
Include iCal appointment information | Check this option if you wish to attach iCalendar (.ICS) format appointments to confirmation emails. Patients will see this attachment, and can double-click to insert the appointment slot into their personal calendar. Outlook example:  Their calendar software will then ask for confirmation:  Online Booking: With a configuration that includes iCal, patients booking online will also receive a confirmation email with .ICS attachment. TIP: With modern security concerns patients may be reluctant to open attachments. Perhaps it is worth explaining the nature of the .ics attachment to patients at the time of booking, and / or modifying the Appointment Confirmation template email message to include an explanation of the attachment. |
Appointment alarm | This is a patient calendar pre-appointment alarm that can be included in the .ICS attachment. Configurable, with a default of 60 minutes. Leave it blank to have no alarm. It doesn't apply if the Include iCal checkbox is un-checked:  Note that the Appointment Alarm does not replace the normal appointment Email or SMS reminders in EXACT; it is a calendar-based reminder that works with the calendar appointment. |
Appointment cancellation | This is a template email for cancelling an appointment. Specify an email template or leave blank to use no template (with no specified template you would need to manually create cancellation emails). |
Email Signature | If you do not use email templates but manually create emails, this is a means of having a standard footer or signature. Configure an email signature or footer for automatically adding to any email messages that are not created via email template. To add a signature or footer, click in the entry box, then select the required template file using the List or up/down buttons. If the email template file does not already exist, you will have to create one. When you create a template, the footer or signature can simply be written into the template. |
Select Next >
Configure the page for Automatic Appointment Reminders and Replies as discussed here:
Select Next >
If you have EasyPost, configure the Automatic EasyPost Appointment Reminders as discussed here:
Select Finish.
SEE ALSO: Selecting or creating an Email Template
Database location of sent iCal attachments
The sent iCal attachments are saved to an attach folder, in sub-folders by year and month:
