Question
Why does HotDoc show a Best Practice connection error? (No PMS)
Solution
If HotDoc can't connect to Best Practice, you may see an ACTION NEEDED banner in your Sidebar.
This guide covers the two most common causes and how to resolve them. Follow the steps below based on the message you see in the Sidebar.
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In this article |
What these errors mean
When HotDoc cannot connect to Best Practice, it may be unable to read information from your database or sync changes correctly.
While this issue is active:
- Online bookings may not confirm immediately
- Appointment reminders may be affected if the connection is down for an extended period
- New recalls may not sync through
| If your connection is down for a period of time, HotDoc Support may temporarily disable your online bookings. Once a connection is restored, online bookings will be automatically re-enabled shortly after. |
Error: HotDoc can't connect to Best Practice (BPP-53)
What this means
The HotDoc (via Halo) third-party integration has been disabled in Best Practice. HotDoc won't be able to read information from your database or make changes until this is resolved.
What to do
- In Best Practice, go to Setup > Configuration > Database > Setup third-party integrations.
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Check if HotDoc (via Halo connect) is ticked
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If the box is not ticked, tick it and click Save.
If the box is already ticked, untick it and click Save, then tick it again and click Save once more.
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Refresh your Sidebar by clicking the HotDoc logo to confirm the connection has been restored.
Error: HotDoc can't access Best Practice via Halo (HD-Timeout)
What this means
Halo Link isn't responding, so HotDoc can't connect to your Best Practice database. This usually means the Halo Link service has stopped running on your clinic's server, or the server itself is offline.
What to do
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You'll need to restart the Halo Link service on your server. For steps on how to do this, please refer to Halo Connect's guide to restarting services
Restarting the Halo Link service may affect other services that also depend on it. If you're unsure whether it's safe to proceed, check with your IT provider before restarting. ⓘ Important -
After restarting the service, refresh your Sidebar by clicking the HotDoc logo to confirm the connection has been restored.
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If your clinic has updated its server, you must notify Halo so they can update your connection settings. Failing to do this is a common cause of ongoing connection issues. Please contact Halo Support to let them know about any server changes. |
When to contact HotDoc Support
If you've followed the steps above and the error is still showing, please contact HotDoc Support.
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To help our team investigate quickly, please include:
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FAQs
Can I still use HotDoc while the Sidebar shows No PMS?
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Some HotDoc functions may still appear available, but HotDoc may not be able to read information from your practice management system or sync updates correctly while the connection is down.
What if I see errors in the Sidebar after reconnecting?
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This can happen when bookings made while the connection was down don’t match your appointment book, which may result in double bookings.
For more information on how to manage this, please see: Time already taken in PMS error
Will bookings made during this time be lost?
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Not necessarily, but online bookings may not confirm immediately while the connection is unavailable. If the connection has been down for some time, it is a good idea to check whether any appointments were made during the outage.