Capture a patient's prescription — who prescribed it, which drugs, the directions and quantities — then record dispensing against it. Controlled drugs are written to the Controlled Drug Register automatically as you dispense.
Before you start
- The patient should exist as a customer. Pick them from the Patient list; if they're new, add them under Customers first.
- Drugs should be set up as inventory items. Set a drug's Schedule (OTC / POM / Controlled) on the item's Pharmacy tab so controlled substances are logged.
Steps — capture a prescription
- Open Pharmacy → Prescriptions → New prescription.
- Fill the header: Patient, Rx number, Date, Prescriber and their registration number, and optional Diagnosis / Notes.
- Under Prescribed drugs, click + Add drug for each line:
- Drug — pick the medicine from the list.
- Directions (Sig) — how to take it, e.g. 1 tab three times daily after meals.
- Qty — total quantity prescribed.
- Refills — how many repeats are allowed.
- Save.
Steps — dispense
- Open the prescription and click Dispense.
- For each drug, enter the quantity dispensed now (you can dispense partially and come back for the rest — the remaining figure guides you).
- Click Record dispensing. Each line's Dispensed total goes up; when every line is fully dispensed the prescription is marked Completed.
- Any Controlled drug you dispense is written to the Controlled Drug Register automatically, with the patient, prescriber and a running balance.
Tips
- Dispensing here records the clinical act. Charging the patient and reducing stock happens through the normal sale/invoice — the two are separate on purpose.
- Edit a prescription any time; already-dispensed quantities are preserved.
Common problems
- The patient isn't in the list. → Add them as a customer first, then reopen the prescription.
- A drug I dispensed didn't appear in the register. → Only drugs whose Schedule = Controlled are logged. Set the schedule on the item's Pharmacy tab.
- I can't open Prescriptions. → You need the Patient Management permission.