Are notifications sent when a progress note is ready to sign?
Yes. An internal audit message is automatically sent to workers who are required to sign a progress note before other signatures can be applied, based on the rules configured in E-Signatures Configuration.
Are the Progress Notes ReportBuilder report contents limited to information on active clients?
No. Discharged clients may also be included in the report. The report looks at any clients with program histories in the selected program where the program stay overlaps with the "Roster Date Range" report period at some point. As a result, the client could have been on the current roster for only part of the report period but still be included in the report contents.
Can a place for the date be added to the default blank signature line for progress notes?
Yes. A date can be added to signature lines upon request. For more information, please contact the Help Desk.
Can a progress note be written for a "pending" client?
Yes. Functionality is available (upon request) that will enable users to write group and progress notes for pending clients (those clients for whom intake has been processed but not admission). To determine if this functionality is right for your program, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
Can a supervisor signature line be added to progress notes?
Yes. A blank supervisor signature line can be added (by program type) upon request. For more information, please contact the Help Desk.
Can I edit the notes for a terminated employee using the "Surrogate Data Entry" permission?
The Worker drop-down selection list seen by users with the "Surrogate Data Entry" permission will include former employees if the termination dates for those employees are within the note editing window. For example, if the default note editing window is 14 days and the employee was terminated 7 days ago, they would be available for selection.
NOTE: If an employee's program chart access permission was removed before they were terminated, that employee will not appear in the Worker selection list, even if the termination date is within the note editing window. In such cases you will need to re-activate the employee by completing this process, including creating a new login and assigning the necessary program chart access permission(s). You can then terminate the employee once again by entering a Group End date in their Staff Information record. Moving forward the terminated employee will then be available in the Worker selection list until the termination date passes out of the editing window.
Can I exclude a progress note from being billed?
Yes. This can be done with the Set Billable Flag permission assigned under System Setup > Permissions Maintenance. Once this permission has been assigned to you, view the note in report mode, uncheck the Include in Billing? checkbox, then click UPDATE SELECTIONS. (Keep in mind that if the checkbox is read-only, the note has already been included in an invoice and cannot be de-selected.)
ACT and CR program types are excluded from using the "Include in Billing?" feature. Those programs do not display this option, even for users that have the permission set. (If a report is run for a program grouping that contains ACT or CR programs, the feature is hidden then as well.)
Can I prevent overlapping service documentation from being entered for clients and/or staff across selected programs?
Yes. An optional workflow enhancement is now available in Progress Notes that will identify overlapping service documentation for clients and/or staff across selected programs. With this enhancement, a conflict notification will appear when a progress note is created that overlaps with a previously saved note for the same client and/or the same worker in another program that has been configured to not allow overlapping notes. If a possible conflict is identified, the user will receive a conflict notification stating “There is a time conflict between this note and a previously saved note. Consider changing time settings.”
By default, this feature will allow a later progress note record to have the same Start Time as the previous record’s End Time, but can be configured to only allow the later progress note to have a Start Time set to the minute after the previous progress note’s End Time. This new configuration can be requested through the AWARDS Help Desk.
Can the automatic creation of progress notes from discharge note sections be turned off?
No. The automatic progress notes created from discharge note sections cannot be turned off; however, the discharge note sections of the discharge form are optional, and when left blank no progress note is created. Discharge note sections can be re-labeled to instruct users to leave them blank, or to only complete certain sections of the note, which will result in fewer progress notes being created. If you would like to re-label these discharge record components, please contact the Help Desk.
Does a progress note's "written on" date change if the note is later edited?
Yes, the default is for the note "written on" date to change to the date it was edited.
NOTE: There is an option that can be set behind the scenes (for the database as a whole, not individual programs) that will prevent the original note written on date from ever changing, regardless of whether the note is later edited. If that's something you're interested in, please contact the Help Desk. Please be aware though that use of this preference can sometimes be problematic for auditing purposes.
How can I tell which progress notes have been billed/not billed?
A data variable called Invoice ID (Batch ID) is available in the following Services module ReportBuilders for all agencies that use the BillingBuilder:
- Contacts Log ReportBuilder
- Group Notes ReportBuilder
- Progress Notes ReportBuilder
- Service Contacts ReportBuilder
When the Invoice ID (Batch ID) variable is included in one of these ReportBuilders and populated with data, it indicates that the service has been billed/invoiced (meaning that an invoice has been generated and posted to A/R for that service). If a service is associated with multiple posted invoices, all invoice IDs are reported in the order of the oldest to the newest invoice.
NOTE: This data field is only populated for program services that are linked to configured billing types. AWARDS hard-coded billing types/program services are not included.
How can I view the progress notes for a client written before their transfer to another program?
To view the progress notes written for a client before their transfer, go to the Reports module, select the transferring program, and then use the Progress Notes Report. In the report settings, check off the Roster Archives option, select the client, adjust any other report settings as necessary, then generate the report to see the client's progress notes.
How can I write a progress note for a client's first program stay if he or she has subsequently been re-admitted into the same program?
That is not possible at this time; instead, write the progress note using one of the available dates for the current program stay. Once you've done so, contact the Help Desk to request that the note's date be changed to the correct previous program stay date.
How did my client's discharge disposition note change into a criteria for discharge note?
When you select the discharge disposition note from the Progress Note Index in data entry mode and click continue, the settings page will show two buttons at the bottom - DISCHARGE NOTE and CONTINUE. If you click DISCHARGE NOTE you will then be able to make changes to the discharge note, including the discharge disposition, without changing the note type. If you instead click CONTINUE and make changes to the note its type will change to criteria for discharge.
How do I build a service contacts report that excludes amended progress note entries?
Currently, we do not have a way to filter amendments out of Service Contact ReportBuilders. One possible workaround though, is to have staff always enter specific text in their amendments (for example, preceding the note text with "Amendment:") so that you could filter out any notes with that text.
How do I change a note's writer?
There is no way to change the writer of a progress note once it is written, even if you have the related "Surrogate Data Entry - Progress Notes" permission. If the note writer needs to be changed after the note has been written and saved, you must delete the note in question and have the correct writer re-enter it, or re-enter it yourself under the correct writer's name if you have the surrogate permission.
How do I change the default signature line so that it includes both my name and job title?
Someone within the agency who has access to the Human Resources module will need to enter your job title in your Staff Information record. That title will then show up on the signature line for your progress notes.
How do I delete a form that has been included in a progress note?
To delete a form included in a progress note, you must access the relevant note from data entry mode and click the red "x" icon next to the read-only name of the included form on the settings page. Once an included form has been removed, you can then include a different form if needed or re-include the same form if you'd like to start from scratch.
NOTE: The "Delete FormBuilder Form" permission is not required to complete this process as it is when deleting forms from other AWARDS locations.
NOTE: Form deletions are captured in the audit trail and can be viewed using the Audit Trail ReportBuilder.
How do I delete a progress note written by another user?
Notes can only be deleted by the person who entered them, or by users with the "Surrogate Data Entry - Progress Notes" permission. Note writers and users with the appropriate permission can delete notes by using the Progress Notes feature in data entry mode and following the instructions found under Deleting a Progress Note.
NOTE: Notes that have been electronically signed cannot be deleted. Notes that have been locked in other ways can only be deleted after they are unlocked by users with the "Unlock Progress Notes" permission.
How do I determine which progress notes have been electronically signed?
Electronic signatures are displayed with progress notes when viewed in report mode. Viewing a progress notes report can help you identify whether specific notes have been signed, and whom they have been signed by.
To get a more general, at-a-glance, picture of which notes have been signed, you can use the Progress Notes ReportBuilder or Service Contacts ReportBuilder. Using that reporting tool, select "E-Signed" as one of the included variables. When the report is then run, it will display "Yes" in the E-Signed column for any notes that have e-signatures, and "No" for those that do not.
How do I edit a backdated, locked contacts log entry that contains a progress note?
To backdate contacts log entries that contain notes users must have both the "Backdated Contacts Log/Group Notes Data Entry" and "Backdated Progress Notes Data Entry" permissions. Unless a user has both of those permissions, the backdated contacts logs will remain locked.
If you have the necessary permission and the note is still locked, it may need to be manually unlocked before it can be edited. For more information on unlocking contacts log entries, please refer to the Contacts Log Frequently Asked Questions.
How do I remove a terminated employee who still appears on the progress notes worker selection list?
AWARDS uses the backdated note editing window (set using the System Setup module, Business Rules, Service Records Editing Rules feature) to determine how long to look for note writers. Specifically, as long as a note written by the former employee has a date within the note editing window and the employee's end date is within that window, he or she will continue to be available for selection in the worker drop-downs.
How do I select notes for billing?
For programs using configured billing in AWARDS, all notes are billable by default (given they meet the parameters of the invoice generation process.)
For ACT and CR programs using hardcoded billing, users with the "MC Billing Notes Selection" permission can select progress notes to be billed for from within the Progress Notes feature in report mode. To do so, the report contents must be limited to service plan linked notes using the "Service Plan Linked Notes Only" progress note type selection on the report settings page. (For more information on generating progress note reports, see Viewing a Progress Notes Report.) Once the report is generated, it will include a "Bill?" checkbox next to each note. Check off those notes to be billed for and update. Note that once a note has been billed against, the "Bill?" checkbox will change to a read-only bullet.
How do I unlock a locked note?
If a progress note has been locked automatically based on the program's Service Records Editing Rules under System Setup > Business Rules, or has been manually locked because the user clicked the "Lock progress note..." option at the bottom of the Progress Note Composition page, it can be unlocked if the user has the "Unlock Progress Notes" exception override permission (assigned using System Setup > Permissions Maintenance). If the user unlocking the note is not the person who wrote the note, they will also need the "Surrogate Data Entry - Progress Notes" exception override permission to access the note before unlocking it.
NOTE: This permission does NOT allow electronically signed progress notes to be unlocked. Only progress notes that have been locked but not electronically signed can be unlocked using the method noted here.
To allow users with the appropriate permission to complete the unlocking process, an "Unlock" link is listed next to any locked progress note in the progress note index in data entry mode. Click the link to unlock the note. When prompted, click OK to confirm the unlocking. The index page is then re-displayed, and the note in question will no longer be displayed as locked.
NOTE: Progress note unlocking is captured in the audit trail and can be viewed using the Audit Trail ReportBuilder.
How do I unlock an electronically signed note?
At the time a record is electronically signed it is locked and can no longer be edited. However, we understand that in rare instances staff, utilizing electronic signatures may not be careful in confirming that they are signing the right document for the right client may occasionally need to correct such errors. As a result, we have functionality available that can remove electronic signatures from specific records at their discretion. This functionality is only available upon request and must be turned on behind-the-scenes by your Success Manager or the Foothold Help Desk. For more information, please refer to the Removing Electronic Signatures - Instruction Sheet.
How do I write a progress note for a discharged client?
Progress notes can be written for discharged clients by selecting "Roster Archives" on the client selection page within the Progress Notes feature. If the note is being written for a date that is not recent, the user may need the "Backdated Progress Notes Data Entry" permission to complete the note. If the backdating window does not extend back far enough, it can be adjusted using the System Setup module, Business Rules, Note Editing Rules feature.
Is a contacts log record created when saving a progress note?
Yes. Unless the program is in a program type that begins with "CR," a contacts log record will be created when a progress note is entered. Note that there is the option to override the exception in the case of CR programs. For more information on that exception, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
Is electronically signing a note captured in the audit trail?
Yes. When a note is electronically signed that action is captured in the audit trail and can be viewed using the Audit Trail ReportBuilder.
What are "criteria for discharge" progress notes, where do they come from, and can they be removed?
It is important to many AWARDS users to record what the criteria for discharge will be from the point of admission. To aid in this, a "Criteria for Discharge Narrative" progress note is automatically generated for a client and seen within the progress notes report when that data is entered in the criteria for discharge text box in the client's service plan. Even though this type of note is automatically generated, it can be deleted as usual by the person who "wrote" it.
What are the rules for progress note report viewing?
In the Progress Notes Report, you can only view notes written more than two weeks ago if at least one of the following is true:
- You are the primary service coordinator of the client for whom the notes were written
- You have the "Backdated Progress Notes Viewing" permission
- You are in the "Executive Officer" or "Direct Care Program Director" user groups
What are the rules for writing Service Plan Linked Progress Notes?
When writing Service Plan Linked Notes, it is important to keep in mind the following:
- They cannot be linked to a goal/objective/service/need whose start date is after the note date
- They can only be linked to an admission note for 28 days after the admission note's due date
- They cannot be written for a date that is more than 90 days after the last plan review was completed. (Note that simply entering a done date for the plan using "Update Schedule" from the plan index is not enough - the system looks for actual review text within the plan when determining whether or not a review has been completed.)
For service plans, the plan due date has to be on or before the note's contact date. For plans and reviews, the plan's effective date has to be on or before the note's contact date.
What determines whose name is displayed in the signature selection list when e-signing a progress note?
The contents of the signature selection list on the Progress Notes Data Entry page varies based on the method used to configure e-signatures in the program:
- When configured using Builders & Tools > E-Signatures Configurations - The staff list is comprised of anyone with chart access permission to the program in which the note was written.
- When configured using System Setup > Business Rules > Individual Program Electronic Signature Rules - The signature selection list on the progress notes data entry page is comprised of staff with chart access permission to the selected program who also meet at least ONE of the following criteria: "Direct Care Staff" user group membership - AND/OR - "Include in Direct Care Staff List" data entry/access permission.
What do I do if I forget my PIN for electronically signing progress notes?
Users with the proper authority level may be granted access to a PIN reset feature by Foothold Technology. If your PIN needs to be reset and you do not have access to that feature, contact your supervisor or the local Help Desk for assistance. If you do have access to the PIN reset feature, follow the instructions found here.
What do the letters in a "Record ID" mean in services-related ReportBuilders?
The Record ID data variable available for inclusion in services-related ReportBuilders includes a unique ID for each record. As part of that ID there is a preceding letter code that also identifies the type of each services record; specifically:
P = Progress Note
C = Contacts Log Record
S = Supportive Services Checklist
G = Group Note
A = Group Attendance Record
NOTE: If there is a combined Contacts Log/Progress Note record included in the report data, the Record ID reflects the Contacts Log ID/Progress Note ID. Similarly, a combined Group Attendance/Group Note record reflects the Group Attendance ID/Group Note ID. When a record ID has both A and G codes, it means that the group was scheduled (using the Group Schedule Setup functionality), the individual was an expected attendee in that group, and he/she was present. (Keep in mind that if a record ID only has a G code, it does not mean that there is no attendance record; it only means that the group was not scheduled using Group Schedule Setup, and therefore there are no expected attendees though this individual did attend.)
What does the error "no match found" mean after selecting a service type while writing a service plan linked note?
If you know that the service plan contains the data you are trying to link to but you are receiving a "no match found" error during the note writing process, check the start date on the part of the plan you are trying to write a note against. Service plan linked progress notes cannot be linked to a goal/objective/service/need whose start date is after the note date. Typically the "no match" error is the result of trying to write a note for a date that pre-dates the start date on the part of the plan being worked with.
What is the default note date when writing a progress note for a client in the roster archives?
If the date of discharge is within the date range in the date selection list, the date of discharge is the default note date. If the discharge date is before the earliest date available in the drop-down, that earliest date is the default note date.
What is the difference between a "routine" and a "crisis" progress note?
The "crisis" selection is primarily used for clinic billing purposes where a second service can be billed for a given day only if it is a crisis service. For general purpose use, the crisis designation does not have any actual functionality behind it and is instead used for labeling and reporting purposes. Note that in the progress notes report, any note that has been set as being a crisis note will show up with "- Crisis" after the note type, and the progress note report settings page contains a "Crisis Notes Only" progress note type selection that will limit the report content to those notes set as crisis notes.
What is the difference between a service plan linked note and a periodic summary note?
A Service Plan Linked Note is linked to a specific goal/method/objective on the client's service plan that matches the service type selected for the plan. Only one goal/method/objective can be selected in a service plan linked note. Once the note is saved the corresponding section of the service plan is locked from data entry.
A Periodic Summary Note - which can also be labeled "monthly note," "weekly progress note," or something similar - includes a list of program attendance and services received (both individual and group), and a summary of the client's attendance in the program since the last periodic summary note was written. The periodic summary note lists ALL goals/methods/objectives on the service plan, regardless of which service type is selected for the note, and the note writer can select the parts of the service plan that were worked on since the last periodic summary note was written. This action does not create a linkage to the service plan, and does not lock it from further editing.
NOTE: Periodic Summary Notes are configurable, and not all features are automatically turned on for each database or program type within that database. For more information about related optional features, please review the Service Contacts Implementation Request Form. If you are interested in having one or more of the options detailed there made available in your AWARDS database, please complete the form and submit it to requests@footholdtechnology.com.
What note types are available for discharged clients?
The types of post-discharge notes a writer will have available to them are governed by the Backdate Permit Max set under System Setup > Business Rules > Service Record Editing Rules, regardless of whether the writer has the backdating permission tied to that max backdating window.
An example scenario is as follows... A program has a maximum backdating window of 45 days, the writer does NOT have the backdating permission, and the client was discharged 30 or more days ago, but less than 75 days ago. If the anniversary of the discharge is more than 30 days ago and today's date falls within the backdating window (45 days in this example), the writer will see an option for a 30-day post-discharge note because today is within the 30 + 45 day window. In this same example, the 30-day note option will no longer be available when today is more than 75 days after the discharge date. Upon reaching the 60th day after discharge, a 60 day post discharge note option will appear, and be available for 45 days. Upon reaching the 90th day after discharge, the 90-day note type will appear, and be available for 45 days, and so on.
Note that there are instances in which a writer might see multiple post-discharge note types at a given time. For example, if the backdating window is set to 200 days and the client was discharged more than 180 days ago, starting on the 180th day after discharge the writer will see options for 30, 60, 90, and 180-day notes because those discharge date milestones fall within the 200-day window, counting back from today's date.
When there are multiple signatures on a record, which date populates "Locked by E-Sign Date" on the ReportBuilder?
If multiple electronic signatures have been applied to a record, the ReportBuilder's Locked by E-Sign Date data variable populates with the date on which the first of those signatures was applied. It is that date on which the record was locked from further edits.
When two progress notes are written for the same date, why is the second note missing time and duration info in report mode?
When two progress notes are written for the same date and time, AWARDS sees both as two sections of the same note. As a result, only one duration is shown in the report because it is expected that a single note would have a single duration. When it is a general chart note and service plan linked note that are written for the same date and time, the general chart note will always be displayed first in the report and the duration information will therefore be pulled from that note. To have duration information appear for both notes, the note writer must adjust the start time on one or both notes so that they are no longer the same.
When using surrogate data entry, whose permissions are in effect?
While the surrogate data entry permission gives a user the ability to access/edit notes as another writer, the user does not take on that writer's permissions. The user will be limited by their own permissions, even though they are working with the note as someone else.
Who appears in the worker selection list users see in data entry mode when they have the surrogate data entry permission?
All users with chart access permission to the selected program are included in the worker selection list seen in data entry mode by users with the surrogate data entry permission.
Who appears in the writer selection list on the progress notes report settings page?
The writer selection list is initially limited to users with caseloads in the selected program. Click Expand Writers List if the writer selections must include all users with chart access who have written a note for someone in the selected program in the last 90 days, regardless of whether those writers are current employees or have been terminated. When using Roster Archives, the Expand Writers List includes all users with chart access who have written a note in the program in the last 390 days.
Who can save Progress Notes ReportBuilder report formats for other users?
In a single-agency AWARDS database, members of the "System Administrators" and "Executive Officer" user groups can save report formats to be used by other agency users. In a multi-agency/HMIS AWARDS database, the option to save reports for other users is available to the "System Administrator," "CoC Executive Officer," "CoC Executive Support Staff," and "Agency Executive Officer user groups. People who are not members of the specified user groups can only save report formats for themselves.
Why are "ISP Face-to-Face Service Progress Notes Last Month" included on the Progress Notes Index page at some times and not others?
Based on the program setup the Progress Notes Editing Index page in data entry mode may include a list of service types and dates for face-to-face service plan linked progress notes from last month and this month. The list of notes from last month is only included on the page up till and including the 9th of the current month. After that date, only this month's notes are listed.
Why are some signature lines on the progress notes data entry page pre-populated with names and others not?
If a signature line for a default signer role has been configured for the progress note and a user meets that role, their name is automatically displayed in the signature selection drop-down in data entry. For example, if a signature is configured to include the primary worker as the default signer role, the user assigned as the client's primary service coordinator (set up under Services - Individual > Service Coordinators) is automatically selected for that signature on the progress note. That selection can then be changed if needed. If no user meets the specified role (for instance if, in this case, no primary service coordinator is assigned to the client), the signature line's staff drop-down does not default to a value and must be set manually.
Why can I change the default signer for the e-signatures on some progress notes and not others?
When signature lines with a signer type of "Employee" and a default signer role are configured using the progress notes E-Signatures Configurations feature, there is an option available to Lock Employee Drop-Down. If that option is set to "yes" for the signature line, the worker listed as the default signer on the note cannot be changed when entering or signing the note. If you can change the default signer for some notes and not others (for instance in program A but not program B, or for note type 1 but not note type 2), it is an indication that that this lock option was set differently between those program or note types.
Why can I electronically sign notes in one program but not another?
There are several reasons you may be able to sign notes in some programs and not others:
- Each program must configure its own electronic signature rules. If a given program has not set those rules, electronic signing is not allowed for that program's notes
- Because each program sets its own electronic signature rules, they will vary. As a result, your worker type may be able to sign notes in one program and not another, or the signing window may vary from program to program
Why can I electronically sign one note in a program but not another note?
There are several reasons you may be able to sign some notes and not others:
- You have already signed the note
- The note date is outside of the signing window specified for your worker type using the System Setup module Business Rules feature
- Your program may be set up to allow only certain worker types to sign notes. Your worker type as it relates to different clients may vary, impacting who you can sign notes for. For example, if the program is set to allow electronic signing by primary service coordinators, you'll only be able to sign the notes of clients for whom you are the primary worker.
Why can't I electronically sign a supervisee's progress notes?
There are several reasons you may not be able to sign a progress note for one of your supervisees:
- The program in which the note was written has not configured its electronic signature rules or has not configured them to allow work supervisors to sign
- The progress note date is outside of the signing window specified for your worker type during electronic signature rules configuration in the System Setup > Business Rules feature
- You have already signed the note in question
- You are not set up as the note writer's work supervisor under Human Resources > Staff Information
- The note's date of service is not after the date on which the work supervisor assignment was entered into AWARDS
Why can't I write a progress note for a date further back than the recent past?
If you are unable to write a progress note for a client for a specific date in the past, first check that client's admission date. AWARDS will not allow you to write a progress note for a client before his or her admission date unless the program is specifically set up to allow data entry for "*pending" clients. If the admission date is before the note date, next verify that you have the backdated progress notes data entry permission. Keep in mind that this permission expires every 7 days, so even if you had it in the past you may no longer have it now. Finally, if you have the backdating permission but are still unable to select the required note date, verify that the backdating window is set far enough back to include that date. This is done using the System Setup module Business Rules feature. (Your supervisor may need to assist you in checking for the permission and setting the backdating window if you do not have access to the necessary features in the System Setup module.)
Why can't some users view an incident/review note I wrote in report mode or from the Progress Notes ReportBuilder?
It is expected that "Incident/Review" notes will document sensitive information related to incidents. As a result, access to notes of this type is limited - to view them you must be the note writer, the note writer's supervisor, the program director or deputy program director, or someone with the "Incident Review Data Entry" permission.
Why do functions such as "count" not work when viewing Progress Notes ReportBuilder summary table information in Excel?
Those cells in the Excel version of the report for which functions will not work are noted as such with a green triangle in the top right corner. If you click on a cell that has one of these green triangles in it, an exclamation point is displayed. Click the exclamation point for an explanation of why the function is not available. In the case of the summary portion of the progress notes data report the functions such as "count" do not work in many cases because the number values are stored as text rather than numbers.
The summary information included in the report is provided so that the types of manual calculations that can be completed using Excel functions are unnecessary. If a manual calculation is still required, you will need to convert the text values to numbers. To do so, click the exclamation point mentioned above, and select the corresponding option.
Why do I only have a "no image" electronic signature "sign with" option?
"Sign with" options are only available for the images you uploaded during the process of setting up your electronic signature. For example, if you uploaded only a full name image and not your initials, only the "No Image" and "Full Name Image" options will be available when signing notes. Likewise, if you did not upload any images, only the "No Image" option will be available.
Why does a disposition note have a name on it other than the assigned service coordinator's?
The name associated with disposition notes is that of the last person who edited the information in the corresponding text box on the client's discharge form.
Why does a dollar sign ($) appear next to a note on the progress notes index?
The Progress Notes Index page displays a dollar sign ($) next to notes that have been used for billing purposes (via the BillingBuilder). For e-signed progress notes, the $ displays in addition to the lock icon. For other locked notes, the $ displays in addition to the closed radio button.
Removing an e-signature on a billed note will display the Unlock link on the note index, which then allows users (with the Unlock Progress Notes permission) to remove the billing status of the note and make it available for editing. Note that unlocking the note will not delete the invoice associated with the progress note; it will only remove the billing lock on the note. For this reason, we promote the best practice of un-posting the invoice batch containing the associated invoice, instead of unlocking the progress note on the index.
NOTE: If a billed note is unlocked on the index, depending on the edits made to the note users may have to access the invoice batch and manually delete the invoice. Specifically, if the user changes the date, duration, service type, location, linkage to the service plan or anything else that determines whether an invoice may be created, then the invoice created using that note should also be deleted. If the batch has already been posted and remittance information has already been received, then a reversal must be submitted. If just the note text was edited but the settings remained the same, the invoice must not be manually deleted.
Unlocking a billed note is captured in the audit trail and can be viewed using the Audit Trail ReportBuilder.
Why doesn't a terminated employee display in the Worker selection list even though his/her termination date is within the note editing window?
This happens when an employee's program chart access permission has been removed before they were terminated. For the employee to be included in the Worker selection list once again you will need to re-activate them by completing this process, including creating a new login and assigning the necessary program chart access permission(s). You can then terminate the employee once again by entering a Group End date in their Staff Information record. Moving forward the terminated employee will then be available in the Worker selection list until the termination date passes out of the editing window.
Why doesn't my Progress Notes ReportBuilder report yield any results when I apply a date filter?
When filtering on a date be sure that the date is entered using mm/dd/yyyy format. If a different format is used the report filter will not work properly.
Why doesn't the location save like I expect it to when writing a collateral contact note?
Location is only captured for notes that have a corresponding contact log record created for them, and collateral contact notes do not. As a result, the location information is not saved in such cases, regardless of whether a location is selected.
Why doesn't the service type I selected in my assessment progress note display in report mode?
Assessment notes do not get service types associated with them. An assessment is supposed to be a general, broad over-arching assessment that touches all types of services, so no one service type will be tied to it. If the service type is important, you can add a new progress note type that's similar but which will not have the hard-coded rule about not saving the service type.
Why don't I see the "Add Additional Filters" link when working with the Progress Notes ReportBuilder?
If the add additional filters link is not displayed, it is an indication that you have reached the maximum number of filters for a given report - eight. No additional filters can be added in such cases, so the link is hidden.
Why is a change I made to a client's records not immediately reflected in the Progress Notes ReportBuilder?
When reports in AWARDS are not immediately displaying information updated in the same database login session, it can be indicative of a memory cache issue. To get around this, press <CTRL+R> while viewing the report page, or click your browser's refresh icon.
Why is an unsigned progress note still locked from editing?
Progress notes may have been locked because they have been billed against, with the placement of an electronic signature, by using the optional automatic sign-off functionality set per program under System Setup > Business Rules > Service Records Editing Rules, and/or manually locked because the user clicked the "sign off note" option at the bottom of the Progress Note Composition page. If a note was automatically or manually signed off on before it was electronically signed, removing the signature will NOT unlock the note. In such cases, a user with the "Unlock Progress Notes" permission must then manually unlock the note if edits are necessary. For more information on the e-signature removal functionality in AWARDS, please refer to our Removing Electronic Signatures - Instruction Sheet.
Why is note text being cut off in the Progress Notes ReportBuilder?
The Progress Notes ReportBuilder displays only the first 300 characters of any progress note. To view full progress note text, please use the Progress Notes feature in report mode and run a general progress notes report.
Why is the system treating a new note I'm writing as an amendment to a previous note?
If there is a locked note for a specific date, time, service type, progress note type, and face-to-face selection, and the user attempts to enter another note using the same settings, the system will interpret that as the user amending the existing note. To differentiate between the notes, the user should specify a different start time for the new note.
Why isn't a note I wrote appearing on the progress note index in data entry mode?
There is a default note editing window in place for all users in a program for progress notes data entry purposes. This window, set using the System Setup module, Business Rules, Note Editing Rules feature, is 10 days by default (but can be adjusted as needed for each program). If a note was written for a date that is outside of the default note editing window it will only be accessible from the Progress Notes feature in report mode and cannot be edited without the "Backdated Progress Notes Data Entry" permission. Keep in mind that there is also a set backdating window for each program, and if the note was written outside of that window adjustments can only be made to it if the backdating window is extended using the System Setup module, Business Rules, Note Editing Rules feature.
Why isn't a note written on a certain date appearing in my ReportBuilder report for that date?
For each note three distinct dates are captured - the contact date, the date written, and the date last modified. While the label on the progress note itself always refers to "date written," the system relies on behind-the-scenes preferences to determine whether what is shown there is the date written, or is instead the date last modified. In the case of service contact ReportBuilders through, it will always show you the data that you request. If you choose to include the "Date Written" data variable for example, it will always show you the true value for when the note was written. If you are seeing a discrepancy between the date written on the note and the date written for that note in a ReportBuilder, it is an indication that your database has been set up to display the date last modified on progress notes rather than the true date written.
If you would like us to adjust how progress notes work in your database so that the date written always shows you the true "written on" date on both the note and in ReportBuilders, please contact the Help Desk; otherwise, you may choose to change the selections in your ReportBuilder report from "Date Written" to "Date Modified" - doing so would result in your report and the notes display being consistent.
Why isn't the individual detail or summary table sorting I do on the Progress Notes ReportBuilder report page reflected in the Excel version of the report?
Changing the sort order of an individual detail or summary table on the report page overrides any sorting for those tables specified in the report settings or a saved report format. However, the functionality is designed so that such changes do not impact the contents of the Excel file version of report data, nor are they saved when a report format is saved. If it is necessary to sort the data in the Excel file, Excel has extensive sorting functionality for that purpose.
Why isn't there a report date link next to all notes on the progress note index page in data entry mode?
If multiple notes are written for a single day, only the first note for that day will have a link. When clicked, that link will open in report mode with all notes for that date. If it is necessary to view and print each of the notes for a specific date individually, you must use the Progress Notes feature in report mode.