Client Registration Process

Allow potential clients to register:

info Note: This article discusses both the:

  • Public client self-registration process (if enabled) and
  • Staff-created (invitation only) client registration process

Both types of registration are almost identical in steps that we'll break down below:

In this Article:


Customize Registration

To enable and customize the intake registration process:

  • From any screen click your name (top right)
  • From the popup, underneath your name and practice click


Are you an Owner or Manager?

You'll also notice an additional ribbon near the top, allowing you to quickly switch between other staff member profiles. Click the dropdown shown here:

  • Click Client Portal (top tab)
  • Find the third section titled Client Registration
  • Click (top right):


Here you will find namely two sections based on the way the client has been created in the system:

language Public Client Registration:
Those that have found you either from your unique portal link or find your therapist. Article here.

forward_to_inbox Invitation-Only Client Registration:
Those that have been sent an invite by a staff member to create their account. Article here.

edit_note Edit Settings:

To change these settings, click (top right of section)

Registration has the following options:


how_to_reg Whether or not public registration is allowed

  • Invitation only (by staff) will always be enabled

medical_information Ask clients to provide insurance information

  • Options: Yes or no

id_card Ask clients to provide a photo of their insurance card:

  • Options: don't ask, optional, or required

credit_card Ask clients to provide a credit card (requires integrated card processing)

  • Options: don't ask, optional, or required

description Ask clients to complete assigned forms


id_card Ask clients to provide a photo ID

  • Options: don't ask, optional, or required

Warning: If you set credit card to required and the clients card is failing validation, they won't be able to fully proceed to the client portal until they sucessfully add a card.

If they are having difficulties, you can either:
  • Sign into your card processor portal that may contain more details for that specific transaction
  • Any further hangups, the client will need to reach out to their financial institution (bank) to correct this: they are the ones that make the decision to accept/deny a card, TherapyAppointment & the card processor simply pass the message along coming from the bank

Configure the settings as you wish, then click

Set any sections to required?

If so, clients won't be able to proceed until they complete the required fields. If not entered, we show an alert at the bottom if the client tries to proceed and also highlight the required fields above it in red.

Staff-Created Registration Invites: Client View

When you either:

  • Create a new client and check off the bottom left option send client portal invitation
  • From the client profile right menu, click (article here)

Here's the path they'd follow in the system:

Note: The client has 48 hrs to click the link, otherwise they'll see an invalid link message for security and requires you to resend the portal invite. Steps to fix: Send Portal Invitation.


  • Clicking will bring them to this page, asking for their date of birth in mm/dd/yyyy format:

  • From here the system will ask them to set up their:
    • Username → for signing into the client portal
    • Password → must have all four of the following:
      • At least 12 characters
      • One UPPER case letter
      • One lower case letter
      • at least one number
    • Passwords must also match


  • Once all those criteria are met, click the now blue Continue at the bottom
  • Clients would then start at step 3 below
    • They'll have certain information like name, gender, dob, phone & email, and address filled in based on what you or your staff have entered
    • To follow along, click this link to continue in the article: Registration details (demographics)

Public Registration Process: Client View

Once the public client registration setting from above is enabled any potential client will be able to select on your personalized client portal link (shown below):

Article:

Once the client clicks , the client enters the registration process described below.

Clients registering in the portal are guided by a "registration wizard."

They will complete each "section" of the process as listed in the progress bar at the top of the window, shown below:

Click on the links below to take you to that registration section, or just keep scrolling down for the registration process in order:

  1. Appointment details (optional)
  2. Verify Your Identity (required)
  3. Registration details (demographics)
  4. Insurance information (if enabled)
  5. Credit Card (if enabled)
  6. Online Forms (if enabled, for auto-assigned forms to be completed)
  7. Confirmation page, to review & complete registration

Below is an example of the first page the client will see when booking an appointment as a never-previously registered client: 


Note: Don't want your client to schedule their first appointment online?

Setting new status clients specifically to not be able to schedule online, but allow public registration skips this step 1 below entirely.

This setting is found under My Profile (left menu) → Client Portal Settings → Online Scheduling

Step 1: Select an Appointment Time (optional)

This screen allows a client to pick an appointment.

Clients work left to right, picking the:

  • What: Appointment type (not sure? click "I don't know")
  • Where: Location of the appointment

Once the details on the left are set, the client can select from an available date and times based on your availability calendar.

Article: Availability Setup

Clients not wishing to schedule an appointment at this time may skip this step by selecting with the bottom right button .

Step 2: Verify Your Identity

Next, we need to verify the client's identity by either:

  • Text
  • Email


  • Enter either your phone number or email, and click
  • Then enter the verification code:


Note: if Email is selected, that will come from no-reply@therapyappointment.com

Once entered, click

Step 3: Register (Demographics)

Here clients enter demographic information, among which we ask for:

  • Name (First, Middle, Last, Preferred)
  • Date of Birth
  • Gender
  • Username for signing into the client portal
  • Password (requirements below)
    • Must be at least 12 characters long
    • At least one uppercase letter
    • At least one lowercase letter
    • At least one number
  • Phone number (can also configure reminders)
  • Email (can also configure reminders)
  • Address
  • Emergency Contact
  • Reason for appointment (visible to office staff)
Click to see a larger version
Note: Clients can upload their Photo ID in the top blue section with the button (top center)

Photo ID can be set to optional or required.

Using machine learning, TherapyAppointment will automatically pull the full name, DOB, and address to automatically fill in client details and providing you with a copy of their photo ID:

Once complete with that, click

Step 4: Insurance (optional)

If your setting Ask clients about their insurance coverage? is enabled, clients will be prompted to enter their insurance information.

Note: Clients can upload their Insurance ID in the top blue section with the button (top center).

This can be set to optional or required.

The system does not automatically "scrape" data off insurance cards as it does with photo IDs due to complications and varying formats

Click to see a larger version

Step 5: Credit Card (Optional)

If your setting Ask clients to enter credit card info at registration? is set to Optional or Required, clients will be prompted to enter a credit card to save on file.

Additionally, if you set credit cards to required and a client doesn't have one on file, they'll be redirected to this page after signing in before bringing them to the dashboard.

Note: You must be connected with integrated credit card processing in order to collect credit card information from clients. More information: Configure Credit Card Processor

error Warning: If you set credit card to required and the clients card is failing validation, they won't be able to fully proceed to the client portal until they sucessfully add a card.

If they are having difficulties, you can either:
  • Sign into your card processor portal that may contain more details for that specific transaction
  • Any further hangups, the client will need to reach out to their financial institution (bank) to correct this: they are the ones that make the decision to accept/deny a card, we and by extension the card processor simply pass the message along

Step 6: Online Forms (Optional)

If you have online forms or standard client documents set to auto-assign, and set to ask clients to complete those forms as a part of registration (optional or required), here we will take clients through the process of completing those forms.

Here's an example of a form during registration:

Note: If set to optional, clients can skip either some or all forms with the button.

Step 7: Confirm

The client will be shown an overview of their appointment and asked to confirm: 


Clients can edit the appointment details by clicking the edit icon to the right of the When or Where above.

When finished, click (bottom right).

Clients will be directed to this page:

🎉 Success!

The registration process is now complete!

To access the client portal dashboard, clients would click the button (center or bottom right).

Going forward:

Clients can reset their own passwords knowing only their username + e-mail address: Reset Password - Any System User

Registration: Common Hang-ups

Receiving an "invalid link" error?

Invite links for clients are valid for 48 hours for client security.

Simple fix! Your office will just need to re-send the invitation in the client profile, article: Portal Credentials

Date Of Birth Not Working?

  • TherapyAppointment compares the DOB with what's on file with the client's profile
  • This is done for both privacy and security reasons
  • Clients will need to enter it exactly as shown on the profile.
    • Formatted syntax: mm/dd/yyyy → this includes all 0's and the full 4 numbers for the year
      • Example: August 8th, 1988 would be 08/08/1988
      • Anything other than this it will fail validation
  • If your client is reporting issues here:
    • First ask them the DOB they are entering, then compare it to what's in their profile:

If you need to change the client's date of birth, click the edit button at the top right of the section shown above.

Client Interrupted in the registration process

Depending on how far they made it into the registration process, you may be able to resend them the portal invitation so they can resume where they left off.

  • Search for the client, and if found, follow the steps here: Client Portal Credentials.
  • If the client is not found in your clients list, ask them to start again, or consider creating them & sending an invite, steps here.
Note: The article Client Portal Overview is an appropriate guide for both staff and clients.