Add a client

Add a client

The Add a Client wizard walks you through entering a new client's information step by step — a progress bar at the top shows where you are. Depending on your organization's settings, you may see some or all of the steps described below.
You can save at any time by clicking Save — this exits the wizard to the client record. Return later by clicking Edit to pick up where you left off.

Start the wizard

    Select Clients from the blue navigation bar at the top of the page.
    Click the + Add client button near the top of the page.
    The wizard opens to the first step.

Step 1 — General Information

Enter the client's basic contact and personal information, including:
  • First and last name
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Phone number(s) and email
  • Referral source
  • Personal note (the label for this field may vary by organization)
Duplicate detection: As you type the client's name, Orchard Stack checks for existing matches and displays a warning if a potential duplicate is found. Review the match before continuing to avoid creating a duplicate record.
Click Save and continue to proceed.

Step 2 — Household

Enter optional household details such as income, homebound status, whether the client lives alone, household size, and pets. All fields on this step are optional.
Click Save and continue to proceed.

Step 3 — Demographics

Enter the client's ethnicity, race, language, and veteran status. If the client declines to provide any of this information, select the "decline to provide" option where available.
Click Save and continue to proceed.

Step 4 — Delivery

Assign the client to a delivery route. Orchard Stack automatically suggests up to three routes based on the client's location relative to other clients on nearby routes. Each suggestion includes:
  • The route name
  • Estimated distance and drive time from the nearest stop on that route
  • A geocode accuracy indicator showing how precisely the address was located
A map displays the suggested routes so you can visually confirm the best fit. Always review the suggestions to make sure the route is appropriate for your operation.
You can also enter:
  • Kitchen instructions — special notes for meal preparation (e.g., "Please put a sticky label on each meal")
  • Delivery instructions — notes for the driver (e.g., "Leave meals on the back porch")
  • Meal label notes — text printed on the client's meal label
  • Every-other-week toggle — if the client receives deliveries on alternating weeks
Click Save and continue to proceed.

Step 5 — Agency

Enter agency-related information such as case number(s), diagnosis code, service authorization expiration, and case manager details. The specific fields and labels on this step may vary by organization.
Click Save and continue to proceed.

Step 6 — Billing

Configure the client's billing setup, including:
  • Billing type and product rate
  • Invoice delivery method (mail or email)
  • SNAP fields, if the client receives SNAP assistance
  • An alternate invoicing address, if different from the client's home address
Click Save and continue to proceed.

Step 7 — Contacts

Enter the client's primary care physician and up to two emergency or alternate contacts. This is the final step — click Save to complete the wizard.

After the wizard — Set up the client for delivery

When you finish the wizard, the client is created in Prospective status and you'll land on their client record. Before the client can receive deliveries, complete these essential steps:
    Set up the meal order. Navigate to Meal Services > Order on the client record and configure what the client will receive and how often. See  Set a meal delivery schedule⁠  for detailed instructions.
    Schedule the status change. Navigate to Status Change on the client record and schedule the client to move from Prospective to Active on the date of their first delivery. The client will not appear on route sheets or delivery reports until they are Active.

Drag and drop or
Don't forget dietary needs. If the client has allergies or dietary restrictions, set those up under Meal Services > Dietary Needs. See  Manage Dietary Needs (allergies and preferences)⁠  for details.