Bp Allied Scheduler - Set up Email and SMS Settings

This article covers the Settings tab in the Bp Allied Scheduler, used to record the settings required to enable both email and SMS messaging in Bp Allied and the Bp Allied Scheduler. The information is the same as that recorded within the Bp Allied Options > Reminders settings. These settings must be set up in conjunction with the settings saved in the Schedule tab.

Before you start

The Bp Allied Scheduler enables some tasks to happen automatically. This includes:

The scheduler uses the built-in Windows Task Scheduler function to carry out scheduled tasks, set-up in the Bp Allied scheduler application. There are some specific requirements to enable this to work:

  • This is not available for Bp Allied hosted subscription. Please see details on using the Automated SMS Reminder Service instead.
  • Bp Allied scheduler must be installed on a computer acting as the nominated server. It can only be installed on ONE computer.
  • The server computer must be left turned on and connected to the network at all times.
  • The scheduler will not work on the following Windows installations:
    • Windows Vista
    • Windows 7
    • Windows 8
    • Windows 2008 Server
    • Windows 2008 R2 Server
    • Windows 2012 Server

IMPORTANT  Other versions of Windows, e.g. Windows XP and Windows 2003 Server DO NOT work with the scheduler.

The Bp Allied Scheduler is a separate application to be installed on the dedicated server computer. Please contact the Bp Allied support team for a copy of the Scheduler installation file.

Field

Description

Copy settings from Bp Allied

If Email and SMS reminder information is already set up in Bp Allied, click this button to copy the settings over. Only the blank fields need to be filled, unless a setting is incorrect in which case it should be corrected.

Bp Allied Database Settings

This information should be copied across regardless of any settings already set up as this information is required for Bp Allied to save information into the database. Please call Bp Allied if you need help with this as it is information that we can easily help with.

SQL Server - the name of the SQL Server instance (not of the server that SQL is installed on).

Database Name - the name of the Database within the SQL Server instance. It is usually Bp Allied or a version of your practice name if your database is hosted.

SMTP Server

This is the server used to send your email. It is usually prefixed by "mail" or "smtp". This information will be available on your email hosts website. Search for details on the "Outgoing" or SMTP mail server.

For example the gmail server is smtp.gmail.com (as shown above) or hotmail is smtp.live.com

SMTP Username and Password

This is the username and password used to access your email.

Use SSL

This will be dictated by your email host.

Email Throttling

As some ISP's throttle the number of email that can be sent per minute (or other period of time e.g. per 10 minutes) this allows emails to be delayed between sending to work around these restrictions. Note, this also may need to be used if Reply to Email is the SMS reply method as the SMS's actually get sent as an email behind the scenes.

SMTP Port

The SMTP Port is the channel that the mail is transferred using and will be dictated by your email host. For example gmail is 465 and hotmail is 25.

SMTP Timeout

The timeout indicates the time allocated to trying to send a message before it stops trying, if, for some reason the message cannot be sent. Most email hosts also have recommendations on this timeframe. Google suggests between 1 and 5 minutes.

Email Reminder - "From" Address

This is the address that the reminder email is addressed from. It does not have to be the reply to email address. It would be usual for this to be a central email address, for example, admin@yourmaildomain.com.au or reception@yourmaildomain.co.nz.

SMS Reminder - "From" Details

This is the phone number or name that the SMS Reminder is addressed from. For Bp SMS, this is the location of the dedicated number if being used. A dedicated number is only available for Australian customers.

Maximum characters = 13 with no spaces e.g. 0440123561258 or FromHapHealth.

Choose Provider

Bp SMS is the only option available for V7 and later.

SMS Reply Options

These options only apply to SMS Global.

All reply options for SMS Central are set in their web interface.

Bp SMS only accepts replies into BpAllied, or no replies. Email and mobile replies are not available.

Choose the applicable reply option:

  • To be able to send replies to a registered email address the Email Reminder settings above need to be filled out.
  • To be able to receive SMS replys the Sender ID/Reply Number field above must be filled out with a valid mobile number e.g. 0480256789

There appears to be some phones/networks that do not receive the reply number correctly so not all clients maybe able to use this option and hence the reply number should be included in the reminder message.

The options available for Bp SMS are either No replies accepted or Replies to Bp Allied.

SMS Provider Credentials

Enter in your account details.

No password is required for Bp SMS, however, the Site ID and Activation code must be entered via Options > Reminders > BP SMS in the Bp Allied application.

Notification Email Address

This is the address that the reply email is to be sent to. It would be usual for this to be a central email address, for example, admin@yourmaildomain.com.au or reception@yourmaildomain.co.nz.

Save Settings

Click to save the settings.

Send Reminders Now

Click to send any scheduled Reminders now.

The log of all items sent can be found saved in the following location:

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\Best Practice Software Ltd\Bp Allied Scheduler

Or, for a Windows 32-bit machine:

C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\Best Practice Software Ltd\Bp Allied Scheduler

Schedule tab

Click the Schedule tab to set up when the reminders are going to be sent.