You can access the practice telephone directory from any prompt on the Premvet 5 system by pressing 'F7' (or ^N). The directory itself is managed from an option on the Utilities menu. When accessed, Premvet 5 will display:

Name        :
Number      :


<A>dd, <F>ind, <E>dit, <P>rint, <S>et-up  or <Q>uit [Q] .

Add

This will prompt you for the name and phone number to be added.

Find

You will be asked to enter part of the name and each match found will be displayed.

Edit

You will be prompted for the name to find, all matches will be displayed one at a time, answer 'Y'es to the corresponding entry. You will then be prompted for the new name and number.

Note: If you are changing a telephone number belonging to a client, their management record will NOT be automatically amended.

Print

This will either display or print an alphabetical list of all telephone numbers on file.

Set-up

You can use this option to erase your existing numbers (Blank), or import telephone numbers from clients' management record cards. Import can be run as many times as necessary and will not affect any numbers that did not originate from the management records.

The option 'Special' will look for a text file phone with the format name , number and import these directly into the phone list.

Any numbers entered in the address book will be automatically duplicated here as well. You can also alter one of the set up parameters so that when a new client is added their number is also duplicated here.

Convert

The 'C'onvert option in the telephone book can be used to get the system to automatically update:

• Management Card
• Telephone List
• Address Book

with the new telephone number changes being introduced from Autumn 2000. The areas that will be changed are:

London, Cardiff, Coventry, Portsmouth, Southampton & N Ireland.

1. send messages to any user by using the function key F5 (or <CTRL>T) at any of the prompts that appear on the bottom line.
2. read messages from the main menu, management prompt or clinical prompt.
3. send and store up to 999 messages
4. print messages as required or delete them.
5. send messages even if the user is not presently logged in.

Note: The system will check during the course of the day for new messages (Need to set the switch 'Check message file' to Yes)

To send a message:
F5 (or <CTRL> T) will access the routine for sending a message to another user on the system. The user name you are sending the message to does not need to be logged onto the system. However, the user's name must be valid. You can specify User I.D.'s as well as user names, multiple users can be specified by separating the user names/ID's with either a space or a comma.

As well as sending to specific users you can:

• Enter a Group Number (1-5) and all members of that group will receive the message.
• Enter an '*' to send to all users.

Note: Messages will not be sent to Retired users.

You can enter up to ten lines of text for each message. To send a message under 10 lines press RETURN on a new message line. The user will be notified the next time they use the system that new messages are waiting. The number of messages stored will be displayed in the upper right of the main menu screen.

To read messages:
At either the main menu, or management/clinical prompt line enter an equal sign '='. This will show the current messages for you. You can use the 'P'rint option to print on the current printer any messages or use the 'D'elete option to delete any messages no longer required.

To use the delete/print options you will need to enter the message(s) you require. You can either specify an individual message number, two message numbers separated with a hyphen (e.g. a range), message numbers separated with spaces or an asterisk for all messages.

Messages to be deleted will be removed when you exit the option.

Electronic mail (Unix users only)
In addition to the message passing explained above, a check can now be made to see if any Unix mail messages have been received while Premvet 5 is being used. The system will assume that any mail received before starting Premvet 5 has been read. The shell variable BDSMAIL is used to control how often the system will check for new mail.

When a system wide message is present, it will be indicated on the top left of the main menu screen. Users can read the message by entering an equals sign (=) at the main menu, and then choosing the 'S'ystem option. System messages cannot be read from any other menu..

Alternatively, the system message (if it exists) can be displayed automatically every time a user (assuming they have not been flagged as retired) logs into the system. You will need to alter one of the system settings to enable this facility:
{Classic} <G>en -> <P>arameters -> <F>ields -> <O>ptions -> 22
{New Style} <S>ystem <S>etup -> <P>arameters -> <F>ields -> <O>ptions -> 22

The address book can be found on the Utilities menu. You can use this facility to store the name, address and phone number of staff, suppliers and other common contacts for your practice, limit of 2000 entries. The address book will also automatically update the telephone directory (described above) with the telephone numbers you enter.

When selected the screen will display a blank entry and prompt line as follows:.

Name        :
Address (1) :
        (2) :
        (3) :
        (4) :
Post Code   :
             
Phone       :
Fax / Car   :
             
<A>dd, <F>ind, <P>rint or <Q>uit [Q] .

Add
You will be prompted for various questions and a new address will be added. The name should be entered in the same manner as adding (see new clients). Both phone numbers (if entered) will be transferred to the telephone directory. A box (6 lines) will pop-up - this is for any notes or comments you may wish to make about this contact.

Find
You will be prompted for a name and the system will display the first record matching the criteria specified. You may then use the 'N'ext option to find the required record.

If you leave the name blank, you will have to option to search the text box for any specified text.

Print
A list of all names & addresses will be printed either on the screen or printer.

Name        : Bloggs,Mr Joe
Address (1) : 12 Hillside 
        (2) : Dalkeith  
        (3) : Midlothian  
        (4) :             
Post Code   : EH21 7UL    
                          
Phone       : 031 999 0123
Fax / Car   :

<N>ext, <E>dit, <L>abel, <D>elete or <Q>uit [N] .

System macros are a short hand method of entering data onto the system. They can be set up so common addresses or other long words such as clinical conditions can be entered quickly. Another use is as aliases for another word so that only one of the possible number of aliases is actually used; thus analysis and searches yield more meaningful results.

System macros should not be confused with automatic pricing macros which perform a similar, but more rudimentary, function when entering automatically priced transactions.

Macro's are checked on all prompts (over one character) and in all text 'pop-up' boxes. You can switch the check for them off/on on a per user basis using the user-info option from the main menu.

As the macro's may conflict, the following option are NOT checked:

• One character answers
• Within the macro option it'self
• When adding/Editing AP items
• At the 'Items' prompt when adding pricing items.

System macros are configured via an option on the Utilities menu. When selected a sub-menu will be displayed giving you the options to add, edit or list the current macros.

Add a new macro
You will be asked to enter a new macro name. This name must be unique and cannot be numberic. If it is not, then the system will beep and display the existing macro that already uses the name. You will be prompted to make another choice. Premvet 5 will then ask you to enter the macro details, these will denote the functionality of the macro when selected.

e.g.

 
Name                   Details

ASAP      as soon as possible                     
BAR       bright alert responsive                 
BIOP      been in owners possession               
CO+       Coughing                                
D+        Diarrhoea one day                       
D++       Diarrhoea 2 days                        
D+++      Diarrhoea 3 days                        
DJD       degenerative joint disease              
F         faeces passed normally                  
FAD       Flea Allergic Dermatitis                
HD        hip dysplasia                           
INB       if no better                            
KC        kennel cough                            
LMD       light meat diet                         
NAD       no abnormalities detected               
NPO       advise nothing to eat                   
O         owner                                   
OA        osteoarthritis                          
OS        owner says                              
OTW       otherwise                               
PD        polydipsia                              
PU        polyuria                                
ROM       range of movement                       
SHM1      systolic heart murmur grade 1           
SHM2      systolic heart murmur grade 2           
SHM3      systolic heart murmur grade 3           
SHM4      systolic heart murmur grade 4           
SHM5      systolic heart murmur grade 5           
SWB       salt water bath                         
TN        temperature normal                      
U         urinating normally                      
V+        vomiting 1 day                          
V++       vomiting 2 days                         
V+++      vomiting 3 days                         

Edit an existing macro
This will enable you to change the contents of a macro. You will be asked for the macro to change, then be prompted for the details allowing you to change them as required.

List available macros
This will list the current macros on the screen or printer.

When the 'I' option is selected a window will appear on the screen with the prompt line:

Breed to find (or Quit) [Default] .....

The default used will be a cut down version of the breed, that is the 1st few characters of the word followed by the 1st letter of each of the remaining words.

Either press RETURN to accept the default breed or enter the breed name (or part name) you require. If the name entered is not unique then a list of all matches will be displayed and you may select the required information by means of the arrow keys. The stored information will then be displayed with the prompt:

<A>gain or <Q>uit

As well as the breed look-up table there is a general information look-up table. This is selected by entering an asterisk '*' at the 'breed to find' prompt. This will display a new prompt:

<D>ata  to  find or <Q>uit

While the default is for breeds when you first access this option, you can, by setting Help_Default = misc in params.txt alter the default to be the general option.

To set up these information sheets you use the <B>reed option on the Utilities menu. When this is selected a menu will be displayed:

Add new information
This adds new information onto the system. When selected a blank box will be displayed and you will be asked to enter the index entry. This is the shorthand name for the information you are adding and is used when searching for this sheet. You will then be asked to enter the full name; this is the name that will appear in the selection box to identify the information fully. The cursor will then position itself in the text box allowing you to enter the data as required. when you have finished you will be asked to confirm that the details are correct. Following this you will be prompted to add another entry.

Edit existing information
This option enables you to edit any of the existing information on file. You will be asked to enter the index entry of the item to change, if the entry is not unique then the possible choices will appear in the box allowing you to select as required. You will then be asked if this is the correct item and prompted to re-enter the details as required.

List details
This option will list the information on file either on the screen or printer. You have the option to list just the index entry and name, or all details.

Change file
This option changes the file being used. It can either be the breeds file or the miscellaneous file. Once changed it will remain on that setting until the program has finished.

will 'zeroise' any client records that have 'BD' in the status field. An entry will be added onto the animals clinical record ('Bad debt written off' - Analysis code 246) which will record the amount of the debt cancelled. These figures will be transferred onto the bad debt account without going through the vatbook.

To use the bad debt program you must first create a new record (if not already done so) which will become the main bad debt file. Make a note of the client number Premvet 5 allocates (Client type does not matter). You must then access all the clients who are bad debts and change their status field to 'BD'.

You can use the Global Tombstone option to change all related animals.

Then run the bad debt program. You will be asked to enter the client range and then the bad debt account number (this is the record number you noted earlier, the system will 'remember' the account number so this only needs changed if the bad debt card changes.). The system will then check the clients within the range and 'write off' any balances where the client status field is 'BD'. The 'Play' card and the actual bad-debt card will be ignored.

The amount of the debt will be checked for VAT and individual lines added for each of the VAT rates encountered. A summary will be generated at the end with the totals to allow to to re-claim VAT as required.

If options need enabling, we will send out a Licence card with the activation key and you enter the number when prompted.

Expiry Date - If you are running in demonstration mode, (e.g. a date is shown beside the Expiry Date) you will be warned 14 days prior to the licence expiry and when expired the system will revert to read only mode.