cliniko

Cliniko – A Business Owner’s Perspective

Trying to choose the right software to use in your business can be difficult. Having the opportunity to see what other business owners who are already using that software think about it can be a huge help. So I was lucky enough to have Merel Purmer of The Art of Expression tell us a bit about her business and her own personal experiences with using Cliniko.

What services does your business The Art of Expression provide?

We provide counselling and art therapy services

Can you please tell me a bit about your business journey – where you started and where you are now?

I started my business in July 2014. I have slowly built my business. At first still working in a part time-job, then moving full-time in my own business and now I have 2 employees working with me.

How did you find out about Cliniko software?

I did extensive online research into the different practise management software systems. This helped me working out what exactly I wanted from a system and which one would than suit me best.

How long have you been using it?

I have been using Cliniko since January 2017

Did you try any other similar software prior to deciding on Cliniko?

No I haven’t tried anything else. I use the free trial period to find out it I liked it. Once everything is set up it does not make it easy to move to a different system. Having said that, I have not once thought about moving to a different system.

Did it take you long to learn how to use it? Did you teach yourself or did someone show you how to use it?

I taught myself how to use it. It did not take me very long to understand the main components of the Cliniko. It is very easy to navigate, I like the lay-out and all the features it has.

Cliniko has very good support. I can ask a question at any time and someone will help me out.

What is your favourite feature of Cliniko and why?

I like how from my booked client appointment I can easily add the notes for the session and create an invoice for that particular session, and Cliniko sends the invoices to Xero. The best thing is that I can give you Sarina, as my bookkeeper, access to Cliniko to create all my invoices!

I am now also using the ‘forms’ feature with my clients. I create my own customised form, for example my assessment form, and send this to my clients to fill out. Clients don’t need a laptop or any special software to fill out the form. They can access the form by following the link I send them, on their phone/tablet/computer.

Have you had any feedback from clients as to whether they like/don’t like it?

I have asked for feedback when I send of the first assessment forms and the feedback from clients is that it is easy to use. The only negative is that they have to fill out the form in one go as it does not safe anything you have entered previously.

I also use the online sessions, Telehealth, feature with clients. This has been absolutely fantastic during COVID. The connection is secure, encrypted from both ends, giving my clients the privacy and confidentiality they need. Clients have appreciated still being able to connect during COVID. Some clients still access the online sessions.

Do you use Cliniko in conjunction with any other software or apps?

Yes, I have my Xero account linked to Cliniko.

Is there anything you wish the software would do, that it doesn’t currently do?

I don’t think I am using all the features yet!

Finally, would you recommend Cliniko to other business owners in the same industry as you?

Absolutely!!

Hopefully this will help you in your business journey as you navigate your way through software selection.

Festival Bookkeeping specialise in assisting business owners with their Xero and Cliniko bookkeeping needs. You can find out more about us on our website: http://www.festivalbookkeeping.com.au/

Happy bookkeeping...

Sarina

Cliniko – Writing off bad debts

Most of us have had to do it at one stage or other – writing off an invoice issued to a customer because we are just never going to get payment.

Writing off bad debts is relatively straight-forward in Cliniko. I think because it’s not something you do every day, you do feel a bit of dread at the thought of having to do it. But fear not and read on for some simple instructions to get those bad debts dealt with.

Step by step instructions:

Head to SETTINGS and then BILLABLE ITEMS. If you don’t see the option to select SETTINGS on the left-hand side then this is because of the level of user access that you’ve been given.

From here create a new Billable Item by clicking on the ADD OTHER button. Set the price at “0”.
For those registered for GST you will probably want to create one new Bad Debt item called “BAD DEBT with GST” (the tax box should be GST 10%) and one called “BAD DEBT no GST” (the tax box should be N/A).

Make your way to the Invoice you want to write off and open up that invoice. At this point I like to write down on paper the amount and Invoice number, just in case I get interupted part-way through.

Click on the REVERSE button up the top.

What you will see next is Cliniko’s version of a Credit Note. If you haven’t dealt with credit notes before – don’t let this scare you off. Credit notes are the perfect way to adjust or “0” out an invoice whilst still keeping proof that the invoice existed in the first place. This new Credit Note will display the same Item name and amount as the original invoice, but the quantity will now be showing as a negative number. Go ahead and click the REMOVE button to the right of that line.

Add your new billable item called BAD DEBT. Enter the unit price with a negative sign in front of it. The amount will need to be what you are writing off.

I always like to add good descriptions where I can and there’s a handy NOTES box where you can explain the circumstances surrounding the write-off of the invoice.

Click the CREATE CREDIT NOTE button and you’re done!

Extra tip:

Oh and if you’ve got Xero integrated with Cliniko, don’t forget to hop over to Xero and write the Invoice off as a bad debt in there as well. Reversals done in Cliniko do not feed through to Xero.

Festival Bookkeeping specialise in helping Australian small business owners with their Xero and Cliniko bookkeeping needs. You can find out more about us on our website: http://www.festivalbookkeeping.com.au/

Happy bookkeeping…

Sarina

Cliniko + Xero

I’ve been having a good look around Cliniko lately, and have a client who is particularly happy with it. She’s recently integrated it with Xero, so I thought I’d give a bit of an insight into the software.

Cliniko is a cloud based practice management software that can be integrated with Xero accounting software. It’s particularly suited to healthcare professionals – so counsellors, massage therapists, chiropractors and the like. They have over 20,000 healthcare practitioners worldwide using their software.

Client bookings are managed in Cliniko and as invoices and invoice payments are entered this information feeds through to Xero daily. If set up correctly your reconciliations in Xero are quick and easy to do and you have access to accurate, more powerful financial reporting in Xero. As your business grows you can take advantage of Xero’s payroll.

You can add treatment notes and client letters can also be prepared and printed or emailed directly from the software. Clients can book directly through your calendar and the email or SMS appointment reminder feature can help reduce appointment no-shows. Different methods of client payments are catered for, such as EFTPOS and cash. Basic financial reporting is available and you can get good insight into client bookings and missed appointments.

It’s important to note that information entered in Cliniko feeds through to Xero, but changes made in Xero don’t feed back to Cliniko. If there are problems during the integration stage and data has been linked to the wrong accounts in Xero then these will need to be identified early and the adjustments will need to be undertaken in Xero. An understanding of your business Chart of Accounts and Xero reporting will help here. The date you choose as your integration date is also important.

You can try out Cliniko yourself by signing up for a 30 day free trial. During this time you can integrate it with Xero and get a feel for how the two work together.

Some other alternatives for health practitioners, that currently integrate with Xero, include Timely, Mindbody and Coreplus. They’re at different price points and the features that are offered will vary. Many software providers charge per practitioner. Tip: if you’re in Australia the online prices are often quoted as GST exclusive, so don’t forget to factor the extra 10% into the cost.

Xero have over 500 apps that can be integrated with their software – be sure to research all the options available to find the one best suited to your particular business. This can take some time. Some things to consider are whether you are a solo practitioner or have a team, whether you have multiple practice locations and whether you need the ability to do online Medicare claiming.

Do you use scheduling software in your business? What do you love about it?

Happy bookkeeping….

Sarina

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