You can set a patient's initial balance when you set the family's billing type. However, we do not recommend that you do so from the Billing/Payment Agreement Information dialog boxes in the Family File or the Ledger. A patient's initial balance is set automatically from the Ledger when you enter procedures. However, if you are converting your accounts to Dentrix from another practice management program, you can transfer any existing account balances manually.
Note: You can enter an initial balance for a family only if the family has no transactions (including completed, treatment-planned, or existing procedures or conditions) or if the month in which a new patient was created has not been closed. An initial balance always appears under the name of the guarantor (head of household). Initial balances print as part of the Balance Forward on statements. They also appear in the Patient Ledger, Practice Analysis, Day Sheet, Analysis Summary, and Provider A/R Totals reports.
To set initial balances manually
1. Select a patient in the Family File.
The Family File window appears with the selected patient.
2. Double-click the Balance and Payment block.
The Billing/Payment Agreement Information dialog box appears.
3. Specify the initial balances for each of the past-due periods (0-->30, 31-->60, and so forth) and the Last Payment information.
Note: Entering an amount under Last Payment does not change the patient or account balance. Instead entering an amount updates the billing/payment summary information in the Ledger. The Last Payment Amount box is for reference only, not actual payments in the Ledger. To adjust an initial balance, you must subtract a payment from the balance and enter the result as the initial balance.
4. Click OK.