Importing PDF files into Documents

[ganshertdental]

Is there a way to import PDF files saved on our computer (an example would be our online referrals we send to the oral surgeon that are saved as a PDF) into a patient's document tree?  Or do we have to change the file type?  Thanks for your help.

[wesley_barron]

Hello Tom,

To import a PDF into a patient's Documents:

1. Open the patient's Documents.
2. Click "Capture New Document."
3. Enter a description for the document.
4. Select a document category.
5. Click OK.
6. Under Options on the Express Bar (the blue sidebar on the left), click File, then Import.
7. Browse to the folder containing the PDF.
8. Change "Files of Type" to "All Files (*.*)".
9. Select the PDF.
10. Click Open.  As SoftDent does not natively support PDF files, the PDF's file icon will be displayed instead of a preview of the document.
11. Click Save Capture.

SoftDent allows PDFs to be imported via the steps above, but since it does not natively support PDF documents, the steps to open or view it after importing it differ slightly from viewing a scanning image (such as a .jpg or other supported format).

To open or view a PDF after it has been imported to a patient's Documents tree:

1. Open the patient's Documents.
2. Left-click on the entry for the imported PDF.  The PDF's file icon will be displayed in the right pane instead of a preview thumbnail.
3. Right-click the PDF's file icon in the right pane, then left-click Open.  This will open the PDF document in the default PDF program on the computer (for example, Adobe Reader).  

Please let me know if this works for you.

[ganshertdental]

This does work. This process and the process of organizing would be easier if Softdent supported this apparently common file type.

Thanks for your help.

Tom

[tshaw]

jeffrey.urkevich‌ possibly something to look at for future SoftDent builds.

[danelle_canales]

Hi Tom! 

To clarify, do you mean 'Is there a way to import PDF files into a patient's document center without converting it to different type of file?' then the answer is yes.   You are probably familiar with the steps to import, but I've listed them here - the key to success is #8. 

1. Open the patient's document center

2. Click "Capture New Document" button at the top

3. Enter Document Description/Name

4. Select appropriate Category

5. Click OK 

6. Select "Import" button 

7. Browse out to the location your document is saved

8. Select "All Files (*.*) from the "Files of Type" drop down at the bottom of the window. 

9. Highlight the PDF you would like to import 

10. Click "Open" 

Once the PDF is saved in the patient's document center, you must double click to open in order to view it (it was not have a thumbnail preview other than a notation it is a PDF file).  

If your question was, 'Can you import PDFs without having to do step 8 each time?' then unfortunately the answer is no, you will have to change the file type drop down to "All Files (*.*) each time.  

Hope this helps! 

Danelle 

SD Trainer 

[ganshertdental]

Danelle,

we are able to view document if we double click the description. The icon says "error loading image". This allows us to find the document but makes it very difficult to organize our documents. Hopefully, Carestream will look into improving this capture and display method.

Thank you, Tom

[ganshertdental]

Hello Danelle,

this does not work. We have been able to get an icon to documents but not open/save. Our IT person from Advantage Technologies has also been unable to complete this task.

Any other ideas?

Tom