In the Main Menu, click Setup, Account.

Alternatively, click Setup, Module Preferences, Account tab.

Set default options and settings for features in the Account module.

Account module preferences are divided into three tabs, Pay/Adj, Insurance, and Misc Account.

Pay/Adj Tab

Automatically store credit card tokens: If using XCharge (OpenEdge) or PayConnect, this option is usually checked. It determines the default setting for the Save Token check box when charging a credit card using XCharge or PayConnect. A token is encrypted credit card information (card number and expiration date). Tokens must be stored to use CC Recurring Charges.

• Checked: Set the default setting for the Save Token box to checked.
• Unchecked: Sets the default setting for the Save Token box to unchecked. Useful when you require the credit card to be presented for all transactions.

Patient Payments Use: Determines the default clinic for patient payments (Payment window). There are three options:

• SelectedClinic: Use the clinic selected in the main menu under Clinics.
• PatientDefaultClinic: Use the patient's default clinic as set on the Edit Patient Information. If the patient's clinic is Unassigned, the default clinic will be none.
• SelectedExceptHQ: Use the clinic selected in the main menu, unless it is Headquarters. In that case, use the patient's clinic.

Payments prompt for Payment Type: Determines whether or not a payment type is automatically selected when entering a patient payment.

• Checked: Users must manually select the payment type when entering a payment (no default selected).
• Unchecked (default): The first payment type in the list will be selected by default.

Default unearned type for unallocated paysplits: Set the default Unearned Type for paysplits that are not allocated to providers. Customize options in Definitions: PaySplit Unearned Types. Defaults to Prepayment.

Finance charge adj type: Select the adjustment type created for Finance Charges.

Billing charge adj type: Select the adjustment type created for Billing Charges.

Sales Tax adj type: Select the default adjustment type for Sales Tax (e.g. Sales Tax). Only addition adjustment types show as options.

Payment Plan adj type: Set the negative adjustment type used when adding payment plan adjustments.

Sales Tax Percentage: Set the sales tax percentage to apply.

Bad Debt Adjustments: Mark specific adjustment types as Bad Debt (debts that won't be recovered). This data can be used in custom queries.

1. Click Edit to view a list of available adjustment types.
   
2. Highlight the adjustment types to mark as bad debt. Press Ctrl while clicking to select multiple options.
3. Click OK. The bad debt adjustment types will list.

Currently selected bad debt adjustment types are highlighted in blue. Check Show hidden to reveal adjustment types marked hidden.

Allow future dated payments (not recommended): Determines whether or not users can enter future dated patient payments.

• Checked: Allow users to enter future dated payments.
• Unchecked: Block users from entering future dated payments.

Allow emailing credit card receipts: Determines whether or not the Email Receipt button is enabled in the Payment window.

Enforce Valid Paysplits: Determines whether or not users are forced to allocate patient payments to procedures and unearned income. See Payment Preferences for more details.

• Enforce Fully: Open Dental will automatically suggest payment splits (paysplits) allocated to procedures, procedure treating provider, default clinic, and default unearned income types. Users can modify suggested paysplits, but are required to allocate to procedures or unearned income types. Credits on Payment Plans are also required to be attached to procedures, or negative adjustments.
• Auto-Split Only (default): Open Dental will automatically suggest paysplits allocated to procedures, procedure treating provider, default clinic, and default unearned income types, but user can modify splits or choose to remove allocations to procedures or unearned income types.
• Don't Enforce (old behavior): Open Dental will only suggest paysplits allocated to the procedure's treating provider. Users are not required to allocate to procedures or unearned income types.

Allow prepayments to providers: Only shows when Enforce Valid Paysplits is set to Enforce Fully. Determines whether to allow or prevent a user from assigning a provider to a prepayment.

• Check: Allows users to assign a provider to a prepayment. Useful to pay providers on unearned income.
• Uncheck: Prevents users from assigning a provider to a prepayment. If a provider is assigned, the unearned income type will change to None.

Payments prompt for auto split: This preference was replaced by Enforce Valid Paysplits in version 17.3. Select paysplit prompt options.

• DoNotUse: This is old behavior. When user clicks OK on a payment, they will be asked "Apply part of payment to other family members?" Answering yes will auto-create paysplits: one for the patient and another for other family members. Answering no will create a single paysplit for the total payment amount allocated to the patient's primary provider.
• Prompt: When there are no paysplits and a user clicks OK on a payment, they will be asked "Would you like to autosplit the payment to outstanding family balances?" Answering yes will open the PaySplit Manager. Answering no will create a single paysplit for the total payment amount allocated to the patient's primary provider.
• Forced: When there are no paysplits and a user clicks OK on a payment, the Pay Split Manager will open automatically with suggested paysplits.
  
  Note: Selecting this option removes the Pay/Transfer button above the Family Balance grid on the Payment window. These buttons may be needed if you recently had a data conversion and are still cleaning up family balances with Conversions: Income Transfers.
• Procedure Forced: Force payments to have paysplits that are attached to a procedure, unless the paysplit is unallocated (provider = none, procedure = none). Unallocated payments will not have to be attached to a procedure.

Enforce Valid Adjustments: Determines whether clinic and provider of adjustments match clinic and provider of attached procedures. Also determines whether attaching adjustments to procedures is required or optional. Setting will only apply when using the Adjustment button in the Account module toolbar and to new adjustments or changes to adjustments.

• Enforce Fully: Attaching procedures to adjustments is required. Clinic and provider assigned will be the same as procedure. Users with the Setup security permission may edit the adjustment to assign a different clinic and provider than the attached procedure.
• Link Only: Clinic and provider assigned will be the same as procedure. Users may edit the adjustment to assign a different clinic and provider than the attached procedure.
• Don't Enforce: The patient's default clinic and provider will be assigned to the adjustment. Users may edit the adjustment to assign to the same clinic and provider as the procedure.

Auto-split payments preferring: Determines the logic for automatic paysplit allocation suggestions when entering patient payments.

• Adjustments (default): Open Dental will automatically suggest paysplits allocated to the oldest positive adjustment, then follow FIFO (First In First Out) accounting logic for the remaining outstanding charges.
• FIFO: Open Dental will automatically suggest paysplits allocated to the oldest, completed procedures with outstanding charges.

Hide paysplits from payment window by default:

• Checked: Current Payment Splits and Outstanding Charges will be hidden by default when the Payment window is opened.
• Unchecked: Current Payment Splits and Outstanding Charges will show by default when the Payment window is opened.

Insurance Tab

Show provider income transfer window after entering insurance payment:

• Checked: Automatically open the Payment window after entering Claim Payment so you can fine tune provider balances by transferring income.
• Unchecked: The Payments window will not automatically open.

Set medical claims to institutional when using medical insurance:

• Checked: The default ClaimType will be set to institutional when a medical claim is created.
• Unchecked: The default claim type will be set to medical when a medical claim is created.

Claim Form treating provider shows Signature On File rather than name:

• Checked: If the provider also has Signature on File checked on the Provider, Signature on File will print in the TreatingDentistSignature field on the ADA 2012 Claim Form.
• Unchecked: If the provider also has Signature on File checked on the Edit Provider window, the provider's name will print in the TreatingDentistSignature field on the ADA claim form.

PPO write-off description (blank for "Writeoff"): Determines the wording for insurance write-offs used in the Description column of Account module and on statements. The default will be Writeoff if left blank.

Claim Attachment Export Path: Enter the path to the folder where images attached to a claim will be exported. See Claim.

On medical e-claims, send treating provider as ordering provider by default: Set the default ordering provider sent in medical e-claims. Also see E-Claims Complexities.

• Checked: The procedure's treating provider will be the default ordering provider.
• Unchecked: There will be no default ordering provider.

On e-claims, send treating provider info for each separate procedure: Only applies to e-claims. Paper claims have no place to include information for more than one treating provider. This option should be checked unless you have a very good reason for needing to not send information about treating providers.

Require ACN# in remarks on claims with ADDP group name: This was added for one specific customer, and can be ignored by everyone else.

Allow procedure adjustments from claim window:

• Checked: Right click procedures on the Edit Claim window to add a procedure adjustment.
• Unchecked: The right click Add Adjustment option will not be available.

Credits greater than proc fee: Determines whether or not users are warned or blocked from allocating an insurance payment that is greater than the procedure's remaining balance (procedure fee - payments - writeoffs + adjustments).

• Allow: Users can allocate an insurance payment that is greater than the procedure's remaining balance and will not be warned.
• Warn: Users can allocate an insurance payment that is greater than the procedure's remaining balance but will receive a warning.
• Block: Users will not be allowed to finalize insurance payments for insurance amounts that are greater than the procedure's remaining balance. They will receive a prompt detailing the balance but will not be allowed to proceed with the payment.

Allow Future Payments: Determines whether or not users are allowed to enter insurance payments with a future Payment Date.

• Checked: Create an insurance payment with a future payment date. Reports will not reflect this payment until the payment date.
• Uncheck: Prevent users from entering a payment with a future payment date. Users will be prompted with a warning message and they will not be able to finalize the payment until the date is changed.

Claim Identification Prefix: Change the default format of the claim ID. This number is assigned to a claim using the prefix selected, then adding an auto-generated claim number. Useful for internal tracking of claims. Click Replacements to select a prefix.

Creating claims with $0 procedures: Determines whether users are allowed, warned, or blocked from creating claims with $0 procedures.

• Allow: Users can create claims with $0 procedures.
• Warn: Users are prompted with a warning message when attempting to create a claim with $0 procedures. Click OK to create the claim or cancel to exit without creating a claim.
• Block: Users cannot create a claim with $0 procedures.

Exclude 'None' as an option on Custom Tracking Status: Determines whether None is an available status option in the Edit Claim - Status History Tab.

• Checked: Removes None from the status options. The tracking status will default to the first custom option in the list. Edit status options in Definitions: Claim Custom Tracking.
• Unchecked: None is the default status option.

Disallow write-offs greater than procedure fee: Determines whether or not write-offs can be greater than the procedure fee.

• Checked (default): Prevent write-offs from exceeding the charged fee for procedures.
• Unchecked: Allow write-offs that exceed charged fee. May result in unintended credit on patient account.

Prompt for secondary claims: Determines how secondary insurance claims are handled.

• Checked: When primary claim is received, a popup will appear to determine how to handle outstanding secondary claim. Options will be to change claim status to Waiting to Send, send the secondary claim now, or the do nothing.
• Unchecked: When primary claim is received, a popup will remind the user a secondary claim is outstanding, but no options are presented.

Misc Account Tab

Balances don't subtract insurance estimate: Be careful. This will cause estimated balances due to exclude estimated insurance payments. This is generally only used if your patients are responsible for all treatment as it is done, and you don't accept assignment of insurance benefits. All insurance payments then go directly to the patients without involving the dental office.

• Unchecked (default): Balance due in the Account module and statements will include estimated insurance payments. The captions in the Account module will be Total, InsEst, Est Bal (bold red), and Pat Est Bal.
• Checked: Balance due in the Account module and statements will exclude estimated insurance payments. The captions in the Account module will be Balance (bold red), Ins Pending, After Ins, Pat Est Bal.

Aging calculated monthly instead of daily:

• Unchecked (default): Aging is automatically calculated daily. This is the recommended setting.
• Checked: Aging must be manually updated using the Aging tool. The patient's account will be based on the last calculated date. We also recommend setting Global Security Lock Dates.

Show Payment Numbers in Account Module: This is needed for countries outside the U.S. and in Canada.

• Checked: Payment numbers will show in the payment description.
• Unchecked: Payment numbers will not show in the payment description.

Use UCR fee for billed fee even if PPO fee is higher: Set which fee is used as the billed fee when a PPO fee is higher than the UCR fees (PPO Insurance Plan only). Typically, if the PPO fee is higher than a provider's UCR fee, the PPO fee is used as the billed fee.

• Unchecked: For all PPO plan types, the PPO fee will be used as the billed fee if it is higher than the provider's UCR fee.
• Checked: For all PPO plan types, the UCR fee will be used as the billed fee, even if the PPO fee is higher.

Invoices' payments grid shows writeoffs: Determines whether or not insurance write-offs are included in the Payments grid on invoices.

• Checked: Include insurance write-offs for procedures in the Payments grid.
• Unchecked: Do not include insurance write-offs.

Age negative adjustments by adjustment date: Determines how negative adjustments are aged in the family balance and on aging reports.

• Checked: Subtracts negative adjustments from the family balance of each aging category. Also defaults Age negative adjustments as checked in the Aging of Accounts Receivable (A/R) Report.
• Unchecked: The sum of a family's negative adjustments will be applied to the oldest family balance.

Prompt user to allocate unearned income after creating a claim: Determines whether or not the user will be prompted to allocate unearned income to completed procedures when creating a claim.

• Checked: When a claim is created, the payment window will prompt the user to allocate unearned income to completed procedures (if there is unearned income not yet allocated).
• Uncheck: Prevents the payment window from prompting the user to allocate unearned income.

Allow Future Dated Transactions:

• Checked: Allows future dating of transactions (e.g. insurance payments, adjustments, etc).
• Unchecked: Prevents future dating of transactions.
  Note:

  • If this preference is enabled, Allow future payments (Insurance tab), and Allow future dated payments (Pay/Adj tab) are allowed.
  • If this preference is disabled, Allow future payments (Insurance tab), and Allow future dated payments (Pay/Adj tab) are not allowed.

Payment Plans exclude past activity by default: Determines the default state for the Exclude Past Activity check box on the Payment Plan Window.

• Checked: The box is checked by default.
• Unchecked: The box is unchecked by default.

Pay Plans use Sheets: Determines whether printed payment plans will use the classic layout or a custom layout designed in sheets.

• Unchecked (default): Printed payment plans will use the classic format (not sheets).
• Checked: Printed payment plans will use the custom payment plan layout designed using sheets. A payment plan sheet can allow an electronic signatures. See Payment Plan Layout.

Pay Plan Charge Logic: Determines how charges and credits for Patient Payment Plans show in the patient account ledger and whether they affect balances, aging, and reports.

• Do Not Age (Legacy): Payment plan debits (amounts due) and payments only show within the payment plan and will not affect balance or aging.
  • Payment plan debits are totaled in the Payment Plans grid under Due Now.
  • Payment plan payments do not show in the ledger but in the payment plan. Double-clicking the plan row is the only way to view payment plan payments.
  • One payment plan credit (PayPln) will show as a single line item in the patient account ledger, thus reducing the total account balance by the amount. The credit amount is based on the Tx Completed Amt set in the payment plan.
  • Other payment plan credits, debits, and payments do not show in the ledger nor do they affect balances or aging.
  • The total A/R in the Aging of A/R report will not include payment plan due amounts.
  • Only changes to the Tx Completed Amount affect aging and production and income reports.
  • Payment plan amounts are not included on the Receivables Breakdown Report.
• Age Credits and Debits (Default): Payment plan debits, credits, and payments will show as line items in patient account ledger and affect balances and aging.
  • Payment plan amounts due (PayPln: Debit) and credits (PayPln: Credit) show as line items in the patient account ledger.
  • Payment plan payments show in the account ledger.
  • Payment plan due amounts are included the patient's balance.
  • Payment plan amounts due and payments are considered when calculating aging.
  • Payment plan credits and debits are included on the Receivables Breakdown report.
  • Changes made to historical payment plan charges will affect historical information (e.g. Aging of A/R, Production and Income reports).
• Age Credits Only: Patients are credited for payment plans when the credit comes due, but debits all exist separately from the account ledger.
  • Each payment plan credit line item will show in the account ledger, sorted by Tx Credit date.
  • Payment plan debits only show in the Payment Plan grid. They do not show in the account ledger.
  • Payment plan amounts due will not be considered when calculating balances and aging.
  • Payment plan credits and debits will not be included on the Receivables Breakdown report.
  • Changes made to historical payment plan credits will affect historical information (e.g. Aging of A/R, Production and Income reports).
• No Charges to Account (Rarely Used):
  • Payment plans have no affect on account balance.
  • Payments to payment plans show in ledger and payment plan.
  • Payment plan amount is not removed from aging.
  • Payment plan amounts will not be included on the Receivables Breakdown report.

Hide "Due Now" in Payment Plans Grid: Only shows when Pay Plan Charge Logic is set to Age Credits And Debits. Select whether to label the last column in the Payment Plan grid to Closed or Due Now.

• Checked: The last column will be labeled Closed and indicate when the plan is closed and show no amounts.
• Unchecked: The last column will be labeled Due Now and show Due Now amount until the payment plan is closed.

Commlogs Auto Save: Determines whether or not Commlog entries save every ten seconds automatically after a change is made.

• Checked: Commlogs are auto-saved.
• Unchecked (default): Commlogs are not auto-saved.

Show Family Comm Entries by Default:

• Checked: The Show Family Comm Entries box in the Account module, Show tab is checked by default.
• Unchecked: This box is not checked by default.

Recurring charges use primary provider: Determines to which provider Recurring Charge payments will be applied.

• Checked: Payments will be applied to the patient's primary provider.
• Unchecked: Payments will be applied to the provider that the family owes the most money to.

Recurring Charges use transaction date: Select how the payment date is determined when running recurring charges.

• Checked: Payments will use the transaction date (the date the recurring charge is run).
• Unchecked: Payments will use the date the charge is scheduled to be processed (see Authorize Recurring Charges).

Recurring charges run automatically: Option to automate the recurring charge tool to run at a specific time during the day.

• Checked: Recurring charge tool will run automatically at a set time. Set the Recurring charges run time below.
• Unchecked: Disable the automatic runtime to run the recurring charge tool manually.

Recurring charges run time: Set the time of day to automatically run the recurring charge tool. Use a 12-hour or 24-hour time format (include AM or PM).