Automated appointment reminders help reduce no-shows and keep pet owners informed without the manual effort of sending reminders individually. Once you create appointment reminder rules, Animana will automatically send SMS text message or email notifications to pet owners based on the appointment types and timing you specify.
Before you start
- You need the “reminders” permission to create and manage reminder rules. User permissions can be adjusted by a practice administrator in Settings > General Settings > Role Management.
- Communication templates must be created in the Content Designer before you can use them in appointment reminder rules. Templates must be created with the “appointment” context to appear in the reminder rules.
- Each rule you create will send a separate reminder. Be mindful of creating too many rules that could overwhelm pet owners with notifications.
- If no rules have been set up, reminders will not be sent automatically, but you can still send them manually from the diary.
Step-by-step instructions
- Go to Settings > General Settings > Appointment Reminder Rules.
- Click Create new rule.
- Enter a name for your reminder rule in the “rule name” field. Choose a descriptive name that helps you identify the rule’s purpose (e.g., “Wellness check 1-day reminder” or “Surgery preparation instructions”).
- Select which appointment types this reminder should apply to:
- Choose all appointment types to send this reminder for every appointment.
- Or select specific appointment types from the list (you can select multiple).This is box titleTip: Create separate rules for appointment types that need different instructions. For example, wellness checks might need a reminder about bringing a stool sample, while surgery appointments need fasting instructions.
- Choose a communication template from the “template” dropdown. SMS and email templates are shown separately:
- Select an SMS template to send a text message.
- Select an email template to send an email.This is box titleNote: Only templates created in the Content Designer with the “appointment” context will appear in this list. Make sure the template contains the right information for this appointment type.
- Set when the reminder should be sent by selecting one of the following options:
- “Immediately when booked” – Sends as soon as the appointment is created.
- “1-day before” – Sends 24 hours before the scheduled appointment time.
- “1 week before” – Sends 7 days before the scheduled appointment.
This is box titleTip: You can also create rules to send reminders after appointments. This is useful for follow-up communications like appointment summaries or aftercare instructions.
- Click Create Reminder Rule to activate the rule.
The new rule will now appear in the table on the Appointment Reminder Rules page.
More about this
How many reminders will a pet owner receive?
Pet owners will receive one reminder for each rule that applies to their appointment. For example, if you have:
- A rule that sends reminders for “all appointment types” 1-day before.
- A rule that sends reminders for “wellness checks” 1 week before.
A pet owner with a wellness check appointment will receive both reminders.
What happens if an appointment is rescheduled?
If an appointment is rescheduled and the reminder hasn’t been sent yet, the reminder will automatically adjust to the new appointment time. The same reminder rules will apply based on the new scheduled date and time.
If a reminder has already been sent before the appointment was rescheduled, a new reminder will be sent for the new appointment time (depending on the appointment reminder rules you have defined).
What if I need to stop a reminder from being sent?
If you need to prevent a reminder from being sent, you must remove the appointment rule from the system. Marking an appointment as completed or cancelled will not stop reminders, as some rules may be designed to send communications after appointments.
Can I see how many reminders have been sent for an appointment?
Yes. In the diary, click the menu icon (3 dots with 3 lines) in the top left corner of the calendar. A counter will show how many reminders (both automatic and manual) have been sent for that appointment.
Can I include appointment-specific instructions?
Yes. When creating your communication template, you can include specific instructions relevant to that appointment type. For example:
- Wellness check templates can remind clients to bring a stool sample.
- Surgery templates can include fasting instructions.
- Dental procedure templates can outline pre-procedure requirements.
Create different templates in the Content Designer for different scenarios, then use reminder rules to match the right template to the right appointment type.
Can I delete a template that’s being used in a rule?
You cannot delete a communication template if it’s currently being used in an active reminder rule. You’ll need to delete the reminder rule first before you can delete the template.
Can I send reminders immediately after booking?
When you select “Immediately after booking,” the reminder is sent as soon as the appointment is created in the system. This happens even if the appointment is scheduled for the same time it’s being booked.
For example, if a pet owner walks in and you book them for an appointment starting in 5 minutes, they could receive an immediate reminder. Consider whether this timing makes sense for your practice workflow, or if a different reminder timing would be more appropriate.
How do time zones affect reminder timing?
Reminder times are calculated based on your practice’s time zone as set in Animana. Make sure your practice time zone is configured correctly to ensure reminders are sent at the intended times.
What if I haven’t set up any reminder rules yet?
If you haven’t created any reminder rules, automated appointment reminders will not be sent. However, you can still send reminders manually from the diary whenever needed. Setting up reminder rules simply automates the process and ensures reminders are sent consistently.