📝 Overview
Setting up inventory items and actions for vaccine series reminders is more involved than a typical inventory configuration. This article walks through the recommended approach for creating stocked inventory items, defining uses, and building create reminder actions — so that series reminders generate correctly at each step in the process and no reminders are left "orphaned" for your patients.
🎥 Video Overview
🛠️ Setup: Stocked Inventory Items
The first step is to create the "parent" inventory items that will serve as the foundation for your vaccine series.
Click the arrow to learn how to set up stock items
Click the arrow to learn how to set up stock items
The recommended items to create are:
DAPP Vaccine Stock
DAPP+L Vaccine Stock
Lepto Vaccine Stock
When setting up each item, configure the following fields:
Category: Select the Immunization / Vaccination category
Base Quantity: Change from Unit to Vaccine
Due: Set the next due date to 12 months as a default
Route: Select Subcutaneous (SQ)
Location: Select the location where the vaccine would typically be administered
⚠️ Caution: Each stocked item must have a next due date configured. If this field is left blank, you will encounter issues later in the setup process.
💡 Note: Item and use names used throughout this article are samples for reference. You may use your own naming conventions at any point in this tutorial.
🔧 Setup: Uses
Uses allow you to have one stock item, but have it used in different ways. This allows reminders to be setup for different vaccine next dues.
Click the arrow to learn how to setup uses
Click the arrow to learn how to setup uses
This example works with three stocked inventory items representing two patient paths — distemper with lepto, or distemper without lepto:
Distemper Vaccine (DAPP)
Distemper + Lepto Vaccine (DAPP+L)
Lepto Vaccine (Lepto)
Creating a Use
To create a use for a stocked item:
Navigate to the stocked item for which you want to create uses
Click Uses, then New Use
Fill in the dialog with the appropriate name, display name, and due date
Click the arrow to the right of Save and Done and select Save and Add New
Repeat steps 3–4 for each additional use
💡 Click the button below to learn more about inventory Uses.
Uses for DAPP Vaccine Stock
Name | Display Name | Due Date |
DAPP #1 (no lepto) | Distemper Vaccine #1 | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
DAPP #2 (no lepto) | Distemper Vaccine #2 | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
DAPP #1 (lepto) | Distemper Vaccine #1 | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
DAPP 1 Year | Distemper Vaccine 1 Year | 12 months |
DAPP 3 Year | Distemper Vaccine 3 Year | 36 months |
Uses for DAPP+L Vaccine Stock
Name | Display Name | Due Date |
DAPP+L #1 | Distemper + Lepto Vaccine #1 | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
DAPP+L 1 Year | Distemper + Lepto Vaccine 1 Year | 12 months |
DAPP+L 3 Year | Distemper Vaccine 3 Year + Lepto Vaccine 1 Year | 36 months / 12 months |
Uses for Lepto Vaccine Stock
Name | Display Name | Due Date |
Lepto Booster | Lepto Booster | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
Lepto 1 Year Vaccine | Lepto 1 Year Vaccine | 12 months |
Diagram: Uses & Series Reminders
With stocked items and uses created, refer to the diagram below for a visual overview of how reminders connect across the series. Each box represents a vaccine use, and each arrow represents the reminder triggered when that use is applied to a patient.
💡 Note: In the DAPP+L 1 Year step, two separate reminders are created: one for a standalone Lepto vaccine and one for the DAPP 3 Year vaccine. This is covered in the next section.
⚙️ Setup: Create Reminder Actions
With stocked items and uses in place, the next step is configuring the create reminder actions for each path through the series.
Click the arrow to learn how to create reminder actions
Click the arrow to learn how to create reminder actions
The two patient paths covered in this example:
Patient will receive the Lepto vaccine
Patient will not receive the Lepto vaccine
Setting Up DAPP (Lepto) Series Reminders
Step 1: Navigate to the DAPP Vaccine Stock item and click Actions, then New Action:
Action: Create Reminder
Type: Email
Item: DAPP #1 (lepto)
Create For: Another Item — type "DAPP" and select DAPP+L #1
Due From: When Due
Update the reminder timeframe according to your preference
Step 2: Navigate to the DAPP+L Vaccine Stock item and click Actions, then New Action:
Action: Create Reminder
Type: Email
Item: DAPP+L #1
Create For: Another Item — type "DAPP" and select DAPP+L 1 Year
Due From: When Due
Update the reminder timeframe according to your preference
Step 3: Click Actions, then New Action:
Action: Create Reminder
Type: Email
Item: DAPP+L 1 Year
Create For: Another Item — type "DAPP" and select DAPP 3 Year, then select Lepto 1 Year
Due From: When Due
Update the reminder timeframe according to your preference
Disable Reminder for Lepto Vaccine
To prevent the Lepto vaccine reminder from appearing when the DAPP+L 3-Year is due, you'll need to create a Disable Reminder. Because Lepto is required annually in the years between each DAPP+L 3-Year, its reminder will otherwise continue to show as due on that cycle.
By setting up a Disable Reminder, the Lepto reminder will automatically be dismissed when the DAPP+L 3-Year is administered. At the same time, a new Lepto reminder will be created for one year out — keeping it on track for the intervening years. Follow the steps below to set up a disable reminder:
Navigate to the DAPP+L Vaccine Stock item
Click Actions > New Action > Disable Reminder
Under the Disable For field, select Specific Items
Type to search the Lepto Vaccine item
Click Save + Done. Now, when the DAPP+L 3 Year is given, it will disable the Lepto vaccine for the current year. Because there is a reminder action on the DAPP+L 3 Year to remind for the Lepto in 1 year, the Lepto reminder will trigger for 1 year from the DAPP+L 3 Year given date.
💡 Click the button below to learn more about inventory Actions.
📋 Extended DAPP+L Vaccine Stock & Uses
Depending on a patient's age or vaccination history, additional uses may be needed for the DAPP+L combination. For example, an older puppy on a different schedule, or an adult dog that is current on Distemper/Parvo but starting the Lepto track for the first time.
Click the arrow to learn about extended vaccine stocks
Click the arrow to learn about extended vaccine stocks
The table below shows an extended list of uses for this scenario:
Name | Display Name | Due Date |
DAPP+L #1 | Distemper + Lepto Vaccine Initial | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
DAPP+L 1 Year | Distemper + Lepto Vaccine 1 Year | 12 months |
DAPP 3 Year/Lepto #1 | Distemper 3 Year + Lepto Initial | 3 weeks / 4 weeks |
DAPP 3 Year/Lepto 1 Year | Distemper 3 Year + Lepto 1 Year | 36 months |
Creating Reminder Actions for Extended Stock
Setting up reminders for the extended stock is slightly more complex. When a dog receives their first Lepto dose but is already current on Distemper/Parvo, the reminders must be "uncoupled" — meaning each vaccine reminder is created as a separate action rather than being grouped under a single Another Item entry. This ensures clients are notified at the correct time for each vaccine in the series.
The table below outlines how the Create Reminder actions should be configured:
When Using | Create For Another Item | Due From | Send |
DAPP+L #1 | DAPP+L 1 Year | Is Due | 2 Weeks |
DAPP+L 1 Year | DAPP+L 3 Year/Lepto 1 Year | Is Due | 4 Weeks |
DAPP 3 Year/Lepto #1 | DAPP 3 Year | Is Given | 4 Weeks |
DAPP 3 Year/Lepto #1 | Lepto 1 Year | Is Due | 2 Weeks |
DAPP 3 Year/Lepto 1 Year | DAPP 3 Year and Lepto 1 Year | Is Given | 4 Weeks |
💡 Note: The distinction between Is Due and Is Given in the Due From field is critical for ensuring the correct reminder date is generated for each patient.
Is Due — Populates the Next Due date configured on the item in the When Using field.
Is Given — Populates the Next Due date configured on the item in the Create for Another Item field.
Example: For the DAPP 3 Year/Lepto #1 action:
If Is Due is selected, the system pulls the Next Due date from the DAPP 3 Year/Lepto #1 vaccine.
If Is Given is selected, the system pulls the Next Due date from the DAPP Vaccine – 3 Year.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Find answers to common questions or additional details that may not be covered in the main instructions.
Click the arrow to view frequently asked questions
Click the arrow to view frequently asked questions
What happens if I don't set a next due date on a stocked item?
Click the arrow to see the answer
Click the arrow to see the answer
If no next due date is configured on a stocked item, reminders will not generate correctly later in the series setup. Always verify that each stocked item has a next due date before proceeding.
Can I use my own naming conventions for uses and stocked items?
Click the arrow to see the answer
Click the arrow to see the answer
Yes. The names used throughout this tutorial are samples provided for reference. You may use any naming conventions that work for your clinic's workflow.
What is the difference between "Is Due" and "Is Given" in the Due From field?
Click the arrow to see the answer
Click the arrow to see the answer
Is Due pulls the Next Due date from the item listed in the When Using field. Is Given pulls the Next Due date from the item listed in the Create for Another Item field. Selecting the correct option is essential to ensure patients receive reminders at the appropriate time for each vaccine in the series.
Why do I need to "uncouple" reminders for the extended DAPP+L stock?
Click the arrow to see the answer
Click the arrow to see the answer
When a patient is current on Distemper/Parvo but starting the Lepto track for the first time, the due dates for each vaccine differ. Grouping them under a single reminder action would generate an incorrect date for at least one vaccine. Separating them into two individual Create Reminder actions ensures the client is notified at the right time for each vaccine independently.