How Andre Copies One Computer’s Settings (including Toolbars) to Another in Eaglesoft
One of the most underutilized free tools available from the Patterson Technology Center (“Support”) for Eaglesoft is the Preference Copy Utility (PCU). The general way I use this tool is that I set up a “Administrative Computer” the “perfect way” I want it to be. This includes all toolbars, then I make a copy of those preferences that I save on the Service to be backed up for safe keeping. Then I do the same for an “Operatory Hygiene computer”, an “Operatory Restorative computer” and one at a Panoramic/Imaging Room Station. Ultimately, I’ll have those 3 or 4 “perfect” versions of workstation settings saved on the server.
I suggest that the office have about 4 different toolbar layouts:
- Business: Front Desk
- Business: Administration
- Clinical: Hygiene
- Clinical: Restorative
- Clinical: Imaging
When it comes to Eaglesoft Toolbars, most users want to have their Toolbars (the rows of icons at the top of each Eaglesoft page) the way they “like” them. Well, you CAN have it your way. Each workstation’s toolbar CAN be customized.
That being said. I don’t recommend it. I recommend that the administrative computers all be set up one way and the Clinical computers all be set up one way. Within the Admin category there might be a computer that an Office Managers uses, and the EOD and EOM icons might be added for convenience. Within the Clinical category you might split the setup between Restorative computers and Hygiene computers. Toolbars are Workstation specific so this will need to be updated at each workstation.
The Eaglesoft default toolbars can be viewed with icons only or with icons and default text. Users can add or remove text by right clicking on the toolbar and selecting Show Text on OnSchedule Toolbar and/or Show Text on Activities.
Users can also “customize” the text on the OnSchedule toolbar. I recommend this method for the practices I works with. Right click on the Toolbar > Click Customize > Right Click on each icon >in the open window you will find an option to name the icon. Rename the icon what you want (Example: instead of Medical History use Med Hx). Shortening the name allows for more icons on each tool bar. The toolbar example below is the most common setup I use. Notice that in the end. We are left with one row of icons. That allows for another ¼” (or half hour in some cases) of time that can be viewed of the schedule.
Now that you have the toolbar setup the way you like it, let’s make a copy of it. Yep. You can make a copy, save it somewhere on your server for safe keeping and “paste” it to another computer as needed. Boom! How? You can reach out to Eaglesoft Support and request a copy of the Preference Copy Utility (PCU) for your current version of Eaglesoft. It’s VERY important that you use the PCU that matches the version of Eaglesoft you are currently running.
When you start the PCU you will get two choices: To Export a profile or to Import a profile.
I like to setup one Admin computer to the way I want all my Admin computers to look THEN Export that setting to a folder on the server. That way you can access that folder when you want to import onto a new computer.
The next screen allows you to pick and choose which features you want to Export. You might want to save JUST a toolbar setup.
Next you go to the computer where you want to import these settings. Start the PCU on that computer, select I would Like to Import profile and browse to the profile you created in the last step.
After you have made these changes, it’s important to block users from editing toolbars in the future. Go to List>Security Profiles and edit each Profile other than Administrator.
- Go to Show Security Zone – OnSchedule and block the Edit OnSchedule Toolbar option.
These are others Security Zones you might consider blocking:
- Go to Show Security Zone – Preferences and block the Edit Advanced Imaging Toolbar
- Go to Show Security Zone – Preferences and block the Edit Image Document Toolbar
Here is a link to the Eaglesoft Support Download page for the PCU Preference Copy Utility (custhelp.com)
DISCLAIMER:
This is a resource guide and all decisions on each dental office setup should remain the sole decision of the dentist/owner of the practice. Eaglesoft is a registered trademark of Patterson Dental Company. All other software or products mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Although Andre Shirdan was an employee of Patterson Dental, he is not associated with Eaglesoft or Patterson Dental Company or endorsed by Patterson or any other Company Mentioned in this blog
