Dispensing Fees and Discounts
How does the software handle the dispensing fee when discounts are involved?
The first thing to consider is: Is the dispensing fee to be treated
as a Fee or a Drug.
This depends on the setting:
If this is:
| Yes | The dispensing fee is treated as part of the DRUGS
cost. It will be added to the figure in the drugs column. |
|---|---|
| No | The dispensing fee is treated as a FEE.
It will be added to the figure in the fees column. |
When split discounts are used the dispensing fee may be discounted (see below), if so, it will depend on whether the Disp Fee is classed as a fee or as a drug.
Normally the dispensing fee is added everytime it is used, however when the stock item you are using is discounted by a classification or by the invisible discount option - what happen?
There are three possible configurations, they are all controlled by one entry in params.txt. Which is Class_Ignore_DFee.
| Class_Ignore_DFee Set to | Details |
|---|---|
| (Nothing) | The default behaviour is to remove the Dispensing Fee whenever a discount is used. You do not need add any entries in params.txt. |
| Yes | The Disp Fee is never removed (unless 100% discount is given), that is, the Dispensing fee is always charged. |
| Disc | In this case the Dispensing Fee is discounted by the same percentage as the discount being offered. As mentioned earlier, if split discounts are in force the discount used will depend on whether this is treated as a Fee or a Drug. |
Note: The above setting ONLY apply to discounts within a classification or via the Invisible Discount option. One off discounts using the - metacharacter will NOT affect Dispensing Fee.
Logging of Dispense Fees
A log of Dispensing Fee is kept, this is in the csv file 'dispfee.csv' in the text sub-directory. The information logged is:
- Transaction Date
- Animal Number
- Disp Fee (before any discount)
- Dispensing Fee amount (after discount)
- Classification in force at time
- Analysis Code
- Fees (inc any disp fee)
- Drugs (inc any disp fee)
Related Dispensing Fee Options
- Crediting Items
When a client returns some drugs that had a dispensing fee added what do you want to happen to the fee? This is controled via:
System Management -> Setup -> Parameters -> Fields -> Options -> More -> 19 This can be:
Yes The Disp. Fee will be credited as well. No The Disp Fee will NOT be credited. - Label Fee
While it may not be obvious, when you use an asterix (*), to force a drug label from the command line (or in the stock sub-unit), in the absence of any dispensing fee the system will use the amount in:
System Management -> Setup -> Parameters -> Billing -> Disc/Surc -> 4 - Label Fee (Multiple)
If you are NOT using a dispensing fee but are using a Label Fee (See above), you can tell they system to charge a fee for each label. The setting:
System Management -> Setup -> Parameters -> Fields -> Options -> More -> 8 This can be:
Yes For each label the fee will be added. No One fee will be added no matter how many labels are generated. - Minimum Stock Amount
The dispensing fee will be altered if there is a minimum amount set. The system will increase (or add) the dispensing fee till the minimum is met. This is set via:
System Management -> Setup -> Parameters -> Billing -> Disc/Surc -> 6 The system will work out the minimum first then apply any discounts.