Sign, lock, and mark it attended
Two small habits close out every session: sign and lock the note, and set the appointment status. Each takes seconds, and the claim can't move without them.
- The reviewed note with the diagnosis on it (Lesson 6.4)
- The CPT on the appointment confirmed against what happened (lesson 6.2)
Sign and lock the note
- Click the signature icon in the note, write your signature, Insert.
- Open the note's overflow menu → Lock.
Before you sign, give both codes a last look: the CPT on the appointment and the diagnosis on the note. Signing is the moment the documentation is finished, so it's the natural point to catch anything that's off.
Mark what happened
Open the appointment on the Calendar, set the Status, Save:
- Attended: the session happened. This plus the signed note makes a billable session.
- Did Not Attend: a no-show. You can invoice your no-show fee to the client if your policy allows (it's never claimed to insurance), and no note or claim is expected.
- Cancelled: nothing is billed and nobody waits for a note.
The close-out order
- Confirm the CPT on the appointment.
- Confirm the diagnosis is on the note.
- Sign, then lock.
- Set the status.
Within 24 hours is ideal, two days at the outside. The sooner a session is closed out, the sooner the claim can go.
Tick these off in your own workspace before moving on.
Three ways to make closing out automatic.
Whatever the rhythm, the goal is that no session is left ambiguous at the end of the day.
Ten minutes blocked after each appointment: review, DX, sign, lock, status. Done before the next client.
The last fifteen minutes of the day walking today's calendar, until every appointment reads Attended, Did Not Attend, or Cancelled.
Clinicians handle notes and signatures, and the front desk marks no-shows and cancellations as they happen.
Why does the status matter for billing?
It's how a billable session gets told apart from a no-show, a cancellation, or a session that just hasn't been written up yet.
What does locking actually do?
It finalises the record and limits further editing, which protects the finished documentation. Sign first, then lock.
I signed before confirming the CPT. Is that a problem?
It can be, because a claim may already exist under the provisional code. If that's happened, correct the claim and resubmit, not just the appointment.
Can I use custom statuses?
Yes: Calendar → Settings (gear) → Manage Statuses. Just keep attended, did not attend, and cancelled unambiguous.