Common Template and E-Consent Issues & Fixes
If you have not already reviewed the section on what templates are and what merge fields are please read through that first. You can review that HERE.
If you need assistance with how to upload templates or make changes to your templates please review this section of Settings, HERE.
Clinic HQ’s support team has found the following issues to be frequently asked by clinics. Please use the list below for commonly reported issues in the coordinating response for how to resolve the problem.
E-Consent Troubleshooting
Here we will refer to the checkboxes, textboxes, date box, and signature spot as a “fillable field.”
Issue: The appointment type I need is not an option on the template settings.
Solution:
You must delete the original consent for that appointment type. If you already have a template uploaded and assigned as e-consent for spay/neuter then you cannot upload a second and assign it as also spay/neuter. You can only have one e-consent document assigned to the appointment type.
Please go to the list of templates that were previously uploaded in your Settings. To the right of the template title is a Disable and Action button. Click Action and then Delete.
Issue: “The form looks correct on HQ. But when the client gets the form and opens it in Word, none of the text boxes or checkboxes can be filled.”
Solution A:
Go to Settings > Templates > Action > Edit the e-consent template. From here, have the fillable fields been dragged and dropped onto the template? If not, please do so now.
If the fields will not drop onto the template, you must start over. Delete the template and re-upload it. Drag and drop all the fillable fields before saving the template. Read how to add the fillable fields HERE.
Solution B:
The template was uploaded and set up in Clinic HQ from a browser that is not supported (such as Firefox.) Please delete the existing template and complete the new template setup process for the e-consent using Chrome as the browser. Don’t have Chrome, here’s how to install it!
Issue: “The checkboxes, textboxes, and signature field in the consent form will not line up on the view for the client.”
There are two possible causes for this issue. Let’s troubleshoot the easy fix first!
Solution A:
The user who set up the template may have adjusted their browser zoom level. When placing the fillable fields onto your e-consent, ensure the browser zoom level is at 100%.
On your browser, click the three dots in the upper right corner to access the browser menu. Here, check that the page’s zoom level is 100%.
Once at 100%, grab and reposition the fields to the correct place and save the template.
Unfortunately, if you have the browser zoomed in or out, the layout of the page can be off ever so slightly. It would appear to you as though the fillable fields are right where they need to be. But this results in the final rendering of the client’s view having the textboxes and checkboxes out of place.
If the
Solution B:
The consent form contains merge fields that are not in a fixed table.The fillable fields stay exactly where they were placed but the text under those fillable fields is moving around. The text populating in the merge fields can vary in character length. For example, the services requested should be in a fixed table. One animal may only have a Cat Neuter while another has Cat Neuter, Rabies, FVRCP, Nail Trim etc. The more services, the more space the text takes up and it shifts the surrounding text on the document down to make room.
This is only resolved by editing the Word Document and reuploading it to HQ. Here’s what to look for and update:
Open the consent form in Microsoft Word.
Right-click on the table and go to Table Properties > Row > Row height.
The height should be set at “Exactly.”
Repeat this on every row of the table in the template that contains merge fields.
Merge fields should be in a locked tableSetting the row height to an exact size will prevent the table from expanding with more text. Therefore, the other text on the page will not shift to accommodate.
If the merge fields are not in a table already, it may be easier for you to download the HQ Recommended template and edit that from HERE.
E-CONSENT SETUP TIPS for placing the fillable fields on your e-consent form!
- When placing the fillable fields onto your e-consent, ensure the browser zoom level is at 100%. Unfortunately, if you have the browser zoomed in or out, the layout of the page can be off ever so slightly. This results in the final rendering of the client’s view to have the textboxes and checkboxes out of place.
- When dragging the field onto the template – stay inside the edges of the template. If the field is hanging over the edge of the template it will not drop onto the template. The template edges will become bold when you are inside the parameter to drop the field.
- Do not try to place the fillable field in its final position. Drop it onto the template and then move it where you need it. Once dropped, click the fillable field and use the four-arrow tool to grab and drag it into the correct place.
- Signature box should not be stretched or squished to fit the space. If you drastically change the ratio/size of the box, the tool will attempt to make the client’s signature fit that shape. This then will distort the image of their signature.
Other Template Troubleshooting
Issue: The merge fields are not populating.
Solution:
If the template is uploaded to Clinic HQ, but when printed the fields do not populate with real data – this means the merge field lost its coding. The only way to fix this is to revise the Word document.
Please follow the steps below to update your custom template:
1. Download the latest master list from the user manual. Make sure the download is saved in Microsoft Word format only.
2. Open your custom template on your computer using Microsoft Word.
3. Remove any fields that are not properly populating data from your custom template.
4. Copy and paste the fields from the latest master list into your custom template.
5. Save the updated custom template on your computer and upload it back to HQ.
Upload Issues
Known Bugs Regarding Template Upload to Settings
If you are unable to upload a template or the template is not generating for an appointment properly, here are common issues that can cause this:
1. Having a blank page at the end of the document (should be removed)
2. Not having fixed tables in the document (Table properties> Row > Row height should be set at Exactly)
3. Having a header in the document (should be removed)
4. Having hyperlinks in the document. (blue underline link – right click on website or email and “Remove Hyperlink”)
5. Images must be JPEG format or document will not upload to HQ.
6. Your template was uploaded to Settings using a browser such as Firefox. Clinic HQ only supports Chrome.
