Service Credits Rules - What they are and how to set them up

What is the context and purpose of the article?

The Service Credits Rule is a billing rule that limits how often a service can be used within a set time period. It can be used to offer patients free or discounted services or appointments on a renewable basis.

This article:

• Explains what a Service Credit Rule is
• Provides a walk-through example of how to set them up
• Outlines the features on the Service Credit Rule page.

What is a Service Credit Rule?

The Service Credit Rule can be thought of as a temporary Provide Services Rule.

For example, if you add a Service Credit Rule that allows 1 Initial Consultation within a one-year period, this appointment type will be available for any patient who has not yet had it during that period. Once a patient has the appointment, the Service Credit Rule is no longer active for them until the period resets.

An important point to note

This rule does not work well alongside a Provide Services Rule on the same chargeband.

For example, if the Service Credit Rule limits 1 Initial Consultation per year, but a Provide Services Rule in the same chargeband allows Initial Consultation, the Provide Services Rule will override the restriction. In this case, the Service Credit Rule will no longer prevent the booking.

You should avoid setting both rule types for the same appointment or service on the same charge band.

Types of Credit 

When creating a Service Credit Rule, you must choose a Credit Type to decide how the credits are applied. There are 2 types: 

Fixed Amount of Credits:

• Patients receive a set number of credits against appointment types in a defined period.
• Once used, the credit expires until the period resets.
• Works best when you want to give a specific number of free or discounted appointments per year, month, or week.

Example:
A patient is given 5 free Physiotherapy Sessions per year. Once all 5 are used, they cannot book another free session until the year resets.

*Minimum Booking Interval:

• Controls how often a patient can book a specific appointment type.
• The interval starts from the date of the last appointment.
• Credits remain available until used, so patients do not lose them if they skip a period.
• Works best when you want to space out services like annual health checks.

Example:
A patient books a Health Assessment in March 2025. Their next eligible booking is from March 2026. If they do not book in March 2026, the credit remains available until they use it.

What are the features of a Service Credit Rule?

When you are creating or updating Service Credit Rules, there is a range of fields on the page. An explanation of these is summarised below.

How to set up a Fixed Amount Service Credit Rule - A walk-through example

To show you how to set up the feature, we'll step through a walk-through example. It will illustrate how customers who are part of a membership chargeband can receive 5 free consultations per year.

Step 1: Create a new chargeband for the patient group who will receive 5 free appointments

To do this:

1.1 Go to Admin > Billing Rules.

1.2 Expand the record for the company where you want to add the rule.

1.3 Click on + Add Rule.

1.4 From the menu that appears, select New ChargeBand.

1.5 In the Chargeband Details screen, add a Name for the ChargeBand.

The new Chargeband is automatically saved.

Step 2: Create and set up the new appointment type for the 'free' appointments

To do this:

2.1 Go to Admin > Appointment Admin.

2.2 In the Appointment Types list, select the New button.

2.3 In the New Appointment Type window that appears add in key details (such as Name, Default Duration, Clinical Form).

2.4 Save the appointment type.

The new appointment type is saved.

Step 3: Create and set up a price list for the 'free' appointments or services you want to offer

To do this:

3.1 Go to Admin > Billing Rules.

3.2 Expand the record for the company where you want to add the rule.

3.3 Click on + Add Rule.

3.4 From the menu list that appears, select New Price List.

3.5 In the Price List Details screen that appears on the right-hand side, add a Name for the price list.

3.6 In the Service Details panel on the lower right-hand side, select + Show All.

3.7 Click on +Add next to Appointments

All available appointments are displayed.

3.7 Scroll through to the newly created Appointment type and input the value 0.

3.8 In the top half of the screen, untick Provide services with prices? .

Step 4: Create and set up the new 'Service Credits Rules'

To do this:

4.1 Go to Admin > Billing Rules.

4.2 Expand the record for the company where you want to add the rule.

4.3 Click on +Add Rule.

4.4 From the menu list that appears, select New Service Credits Rule.

4.5 In the Service Credit Details screen add in a Name and First Included Day.

4.6 Select Enable Periodic Renewal.

4.7 In the expanded Periodic renewal panel, input a Years value of 1 and a Maximum Periods value of 5.

The value of Maximum period value of 5 will allow a maximum of 5 renewals (for 5 years).

4.8 In the Services to Credit panel select + Show All and find the appointment created in Step 2.

4.9 In the field next to your selected appointment type input the number of credits you want to allocate to one patient for this appointment type in one year.

In this example by populating the box with '5', the patient has access to a maximum of 5 appointments of this type in 1 year. 

Step 5: Add the rules to the membership chargeband

To do this:

5.1 Select the chargeband created in Step 1.

5.2 In the Rules panel on the right-hand side click + Add rule...

5.3 In the Add Rule To Set dialogue that appears, navigate through the list and select.

5.3.1 The Price List created in Step 3.

5.3.2 The Service Credit Rule created in Step 4. 

Step 6: Add this chargeband to any patients who are eligible for these free annual appointments

Now the chargeband has been created it is possible to link to patients who are eligible. To do this:

6.1 Go to Start > Find patient > [Select Patient].

6.2 From the patient record select Personal details.

6.3 In the Account panel set the Billing Company.

6.4 Select Charge Band created in Step 5.

6.5 Then Save.

Summary

So to summarise what we've done - we have created a new chargeband which we can assign to our patients. This chargeband will allow that patient to book 5 free appointments per year, the other appointments and services will still be available for them to book (as I have added other default price lists into that charge band).

Review date

This article was last updated on 11th September 2025.