Setup & Manage Automated Queries in D4W
Listed below are instructions on how to setup automated birthday messages and how to temporarily stop or resume sending queries via Automation.
Set Up Automated Birthday Messages via Queries
The below instructions are on how to set up automated Birthday messages to patients using the Automated Queries feature.
If the Practice is open seven days per week, the below instructions are all that is needed. If the Practice is closed ANY day of the week, complete the below and e-mail support@centaursoftware.com.au to finalise set up. - Go to Location Management > Automation tab > Queries sub-tab
- Select General (Automation) under Birthdays (Automation)

- Set / Type sub-tab
- Set Name: Birthdays (Automation)
- Location: Select the Location
- Exclude the following Patient Categories: Select the categories to exclude
- Exclude patients not seen in: Enter the months patients must have visited the practice within
- Exclude patients who have appointments: Enter days to exclude if patient is coming in for an appointment. It is not recommended to exclude upcoming appointments for Birthday messages.
- Exclude those with BAD DEBT: Tick to exclude bad debtors
- Exclude if a family member: Tick to only send to Family Heads. It is not recommended for Birthday messages, as all patients within the criteria should receive them.
- Duty of Care: Tick if this message must be sent, even to patients who previously unsubscribed to the message

- Reminders sub-tab
- Send Communication to family head: Tick to send the Birthday message to the Family Head, for the Family Member
- Order the templates: Place a number against the communication method(s) the Birthday message will be sent. E-mail is more commonly used for Birthday messages. If more than one method is set up, D4W/PSS will send in the order selected. If a patient has both methods set as their preferred contact method, they will receive via the first method only. The example below is for e-mail only. Patients must have an e-mail address entered and e-mail selected as a preferred contact method.
- Setup Templates: Against the method(s) this message will be sent via, click on the Add or Edit icon to design the template.

- Schedule sub-tab
- Set the Frequency: Select Daily
- Set the Timing: Set the Start Date and the Run Time to send the messages
- Patients who have Birthdays: Select Simple, Today
- Check Upcoming Run Dates: Click to check the settings
- Notifications: Leave un-ticked as this applies to Appointment-related messages only
- Enable: Tick to enable the automated batch, which will begin on the set date and time and continue from then

If the Practice is open seven days per week, the above Schedule of Daily is OK and set up is complete. If the Practice is closed ANY day of the week, e-mail support@centaursoftware.com.au to finalise set up.
Temporarily Stop Automation Queries from Sending
To stop Automation Queries (e.g. Patient Reactivation) from sending SMS and E-mail messages, the priority of the sending method of the reminders need to be changed. This is done as the Query Automation batches still need to run so patients are not overlooked.
The patients are able to be contacted at a later date if required.
- Go to Location Management > Automation tab > Queries sub-tab
- Select the required Query
- Go to Reminders sub-tab
- Change the Template Order for all reminders (except Phone Call) to -
- Change the Template Order for Phone Call to 1

- Repeat the process for each Query
When the SMS and E-mail messages are ready to be sent again, the priority can be changed back to the original settings (see Resume Sending Automation Queries section below).
Resume Sending Automation Queries
To resume sending Automation Queries (e.g. Patient Reactivation) by SMS and E-mail after a stoppage, the priority of the sending method of the reminders need to be modified.
Modify Send Methods
- Go to Location Management > Automation tab > Queries sub-tab
- Select the required Query
- Go to the Reminders sub-tab
- Change the Template Order for the required sending methods

- Repeat the process for each Query
Send Previous Batches (unsent)
Previous batches can be reprocessed to send the SMS or E-mails (if required).
- Go to Location Management > Automation tab > Batches sub-tab
- Select the required batch and click the
icon

- Click Reprocess batch

- Repeat the process for each Query Batch required
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