How To Block Off Time in Scheduler
Summary:
The Block Time feature allows you to block off a large amount of time for a provider to indicate they are not available to see patients. This will help prevent appointments from inadvertently being booked for these time units.
Note: Administrators can control which users can add or unblock time in Scheduler using the following Authorization Manager permissions— Add Reserved Time/Block Time and Delete Reserved Time/Unblock Time.
The number of months ahead that you block unavailable time depends on
- the rigidity of your schedule, and
- the number of months ahead that you normally book patients.
If you normally book recalls six months in advance, you should reserve unavailable times at least nine months in advance. You should also update periodically in order to keep your scheduler reserved at least six months ahead.
Take care when reserving time for long time periods. ABEL recommends blocking out time in the following order:
- Block out all holidays and days that the office is closed.
- Block out the days that each provider or column is not available.
- Block out the time unavailable in each column due to late starts or early finishes.
- Block out lunches or meeting times.
Steps:
2. On the Scheduler toolbar, click the Block Time button.
3. In the Reason field, type the reason for blocking the time.
4. In the Dates From and To fields, type the date range in which the time will be blocked.
We recommend you reserve only one month at a time, since all unwanted reserved times have to be deleted manually (one at a time). Enter the dates in Standard Date Format.
5. In the Days to Block fields, click the boxes to remove the check mark beside the days you DO NOT want to block. Only those days to which the block time will apply should be checked.
6. In the For Columns section, type values to indicate the columns for which you are blocking time. For example, typing 1 and 3 in the top row ("1" to "3") indicates that the blocking applies to columns 1, 2, and 3 of the Scheduler.
7. In the Reserve Times section, type values to indicate the time and the units of time number of units you want blocked. For example, in the top row, values of 01:00p and 4 means that four units of time have been blocked off starting at 1 PM.
Note: As you type the Reserve times, the application will automatically format your entry. By default, the time is assumed to be AM; you must replace the "a" (for AM) with a "p" (for PM) for all afternoon times.
8. Click the Block Times button.
9. If there is an existing appointment in any of the time units you are blocking, a window appears telling you the time that was unable to be blocked. Write down the conflicting appointment and click OK. That appointment will not be blocked.
The blocked times are now highlighted on the Scheduler.
Product (s): ABELDent
Category: Appointment Scheduler
Classification: Public
Date Created: 31 Oct 15
Created by: Brian Neale