November 2022

DQB Release 1.72

The release of DQB 1.72 along with the full list of enhancements has been posted in the Support/Quarterly Releases section of our website:   www.mainstreetsystems.net 

This releases focuses on meeting the needs for these strong trends in our user group:  

1. For prescriptions and digital files submitted via the web portal, there are queries, reports and analysis focusing on DentalRx cases
   
2. For digital files transmitted via DentalRx and other sources, there is a new option for web storage to provide access both in-house and at other locations.  These include a new automatic naming convention as well as an additional backup.  
   
3. For cases involving outsourcing, in Options/Case Settings, you can set your default choice of standard or special outsource work tickets
   

As has become true for all of our releases, we have applied the technical changes required to maintain compatibility with the latest software from the major providers such as Microsoft for Windows 11, the .Net Framework, SQL Database Management and Intuit for QuickBooks.

In addition, there are continual upgrades to internet security measures that are needed to guard against theft of information, ransomware, and other dangers.  

When ready to download, those with an up to date service agreement can call or email for the latest authorization codes.

Pointing you in the right direction

When we review and analyze the time slips for your support requests, we find that most of them involve issues for the components of your computer system other than DentaLab for QuickBooks.  These include the internet, security, the Microsoft Windows operating system and .NET Framework, QuickBooks, and various hardware and network components.

It is important to understand that while we can offer our insights and expertise toward helping you discern the source of your issue, make a decision on improvements or to point you in the right direction regarding these components, they are proprietary to other companies and involve either engineering or software programs to which we do not have a legal right to access.   Here are some of the basic standards and recommendations:  

• For your hardware and network, enter into a service agreement and/or establish a good relationship with a local company that can provide hands-on support when needed. 
• If you need help with in-depth accounting and submittal of government forms, work with a CPA and/or Intuit Pro-Advisor.  
• Encourage both of the above support resources to coordinate with Mainstreet for your dental lab case management system. 
• Encourage your management and administrative staff to take advantage of the many educational resources available from Mainstreet.  These include the monthly newsletters, the website knowledgebase and blog, a variety of white papers on specific topics, the help guide built into DQB, the many benefits of your service agreement.
  

For the month of November

To celebrate the USA Thanksgiving holiday, our offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25. 

Sometime during the month of November, you should go to Options/Holidays to enter in the known holidays and other non-workdays for 2023.   Since they often vary from year to year, the program does not automatically enter these into the holiday table. 

To answer your questions....

Q:  In the images tab of case entry, you have options to print the image but we would like to make a copy we can email to our customer.  Is there a way to do this? 

A:  Yes. When in the Images tab of the Case Entry screen, select the image and click Print Single. Next there will be screen with tabs for Print and for Save.

If you click Save, there will be menu with a number of graphic choices.   We typically choose a PDF (portal data format) because this is universal and available on most computers. There are other formats such as BMP, GIF.  You can save it to a name and location of your choice.

If you click Print and have relatively up-to-date print controls, you will have an option of directing it to a PDF format rather than your standard printer. With this, you can save it to a name and location of your choice.  

For your email, you can select the saved image to send as an attachment.

Q:  Can we offer the Lab Lookup web portal to our customers if we are licensed for DQB Starter? 

A:  Yes, for those who have a DQB service agreement, Lab Lookup can be offered at all licensing levels. If you would like to review what is involved, request an email copy of the Lab Lookup Guide for Labs and the Lab Lookup Template for Customers and/or give us a call.    

Q:  We would like to offer our customers the ability to pay online.  Is this an option? 

A:  Yes it is offered by Intuit for use with your QuickBooks accounting and financial management.   If you have subscribed to one of the online subscriptions for QuickBooks, this is built-in and is, in fact, one of its hallmarks to make paying invoices simple, easy and fast.   If you are using one of the desktop versions of QuickBooks such as Pro, Premier or Enterprise, contact Intuit to set up your version for online payments.

With all the versions, the customer can choose to pay on their oldest balances or for specific invoices.

Intuit offers a wide variety of payment methods and tends to keep up with the latest trends and providers as well as security measures.

Good ideas for your website

We have worked with a number of labs on their websites. Their primary goals have been to provide:

- Information on their history and current services

- The most up-to-date details on their hours and how to contact them 

- A convenient way for the dental office to look up case status and history with Shipment tracking numbers and online links

- Secure accurate submittal of prescriptions along with transmittal and naming of digital files

- An easy way to communicate and submit requests for:

• Case details
• Case pickups
• Preferences
• Prepaid shipping labels

Whenever we create a website using versatile tools such as Word Press, we also provide the structure and guidance so the lab can enter their own updates whenever needed for:

• How to contact the lab
• Lab hours
• Holidays
• Marketing messages
• Schedule for turnaround times

We have also worked with a number of websites that have been built by other web designers to integrate the web-based services associated with DentaLab for QuickBooks such as:

• DentalRx
• Lab Lookup
• UPS Prepaid Labels

Let us know if you would like to explore the possibilities for your lab.

To simplify and speed up case entry

Particularly as labs grow, they often come to us asking how they can speed up case entry.   Here are some ideas.  

• If you do not want to track workflow step by step, consider using the New Outsource Case option to enter your case.  This is less detailed and its scheduling focuses only on the completion date.  In Options/Case Settings, you can indicate whether you want to use a standard work ticket or the special outsource ticket.
• If you want detailed entry and scheduling, choose the New Case option.  In Options/Case Settings, you can indicate which fields you want to disable/bypass and which fields are required.
• In Basic Lists, set up Standard Procedures for your most frequent case workflows.  This greatly speeds up case entry and helps to assure accuracy and completeness. You can always edit them for specific cases.
  
• You can also set up special Standard Procedures for customers with special requirements or preferences, assign them to one or more customers and give them an identifying name for fast easy access.
• Set up customer and case alerts whenever appropriate.
  
• Review Options/Case Settings for other ways you can set up automatic actions and defaults.  Learn how to use the patient matching features to find case histories, provide for continuation cases.  
• Offer the DentalRx web portal to your customers and in the administrative settings, specify the rules for required fields to assure complete accurate entries.  Cases received via DentalRx have most of the entry work already completed.    DentalRx also provides for the transfer of digital files to the DQB case record  and to web storage along with indexing them, which can also be a big timesaver. 
  

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