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Introduction to Comm.care

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Reporting & Auditing

After carefully strategising your services in alignment with funding sources, your business model, and human resources, the next crucial step is configuring these services in Comm.care.

Add New Services to My Organisation

After carefully strategising your services in alignment with funding sources, your business model, and human resources, the next crucial step is configuring these services in Comm.care. This guide will help you accurately set up your services to enhance revenue tracking, therefore making Comm.care an effective case management platform.

# Add New Services

To get started, go to **Your Organisation > Services > Add Service**

![ndis services software](/images/articles/file-TJejRiYjRx-1.gif)

## Basic Information

* **Service Name:** Name of the service provided by your Organisation.
* **State:** This is a useful field as you can classify a service as "Active" when it's currently in operation, "Plan" when you intend to provide it in the future, or "Inactive" when it's no longer provided.
* **Description**: Provide a concise overview of the service, including vital information about your organisation's delivery. This description will be visible to users from other organisations and participants.
* **Unit price:** Enter the average fees charged to the Client if applicable. You can enter a flat fee when your funding source is a grant, fee for service, donations, or corporate philanthropy, so use the Service title/description field to explain what the fee covers (duration, etc.). If your funding source is DSS or NDIS, additional fields specific to these funding sources will appear.
* **Vacancies:** Enter the number of available spots for eligible Clients.
* **Funding Source:** You can select the source of funding for a specific Service: National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Department of Social Services (DSS), Client fee for service, Home Care Packages, Minimum Data Set (MDS). You can add more Fundings on [Organisation Profile](https://docs.comm.care/article/25-setup-your-organisation). 

> **Tips:** If you offer the same service but get funding from two different sources, make sure to create two separate services. This makes reporting to each funding source easier and more accurate.

# Adding an NDIS Service to My Organisation

Adding a Service funded under the NDIS requires completing additional information. This extra detail is shown on the screen when you select  **National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)** in the **Funding Source** field. This will also feed into your Progress Notes and the reports that your Organisation can extract to complete an NDIS Bulk Upload.

![ndis bulk upload software](/images/articles/file-phouocz2RR.png)

First, you need define which parts of a Participant's plan your Service relates to, by selecting:

* *Support Purpose*
* *Outcome domain*
* *Support Category*

In accordance with the **Support Category**, you can further refine your Service by selecting the applicable **Registration Group/s** (under which you are approved to deliver). Next, select the specific **Support line items** that align with this Service and your business; this choice should reflect your market focus, capacity, and qualifications.

While adding the support line items, you will be able to select the pricing in the **Period** field. If you follow the latest NDIS Pricing arrangements, set the period as 'latest'. This means the system will handle the prices and automatically update them whenever NDIS pricing changes occur.

![Comm.care - 2021-07-07T112145.534](/images/articles/Comm.care%20-%202021-07-07T112145.534.gif)

To set a fixed price that suits your organisation, select 'Manual' for the "Period", and you can enter and change the price of your choice. This means you have control over the prices, and it's your responsibility to make any necessary price adjustments.

* **Note:** The price you set here applies to your entire organisation, not to a single participant.

![Comm.care - 2021-07-07T112720.438](/images/articles/Comm.care%20-%202021-07-07T112720.438.gif)

## Travel time, Report Writing, and Non-Face-to-face charges:

The NDIS allows you to claim fees for travel time and non-face-to-face activities such as report writing. Comm.care helps you manage it with ease:

* When you [Add Support Services to a Circle's Roadmap](//docs.comm.care/article/71-add-support-services-to-roadmap), you can select to charge for travel time and a pre-agreed travel time amount related to the Service.
* Each time you [log a Progress Note](/article/79-progress-notes), you can select whether it is Report Writing or Non-Face-to-face support.
* When you [create a claim](//docs.comm.care/article/20-create-claim) for Report Writing or Non-Face-to-face support, the travel time fee will be set to 0 in order to avoid overcharging your Client.

This simplifies the process of aligning a service in Comm.care with the complex NDIS pricing structures. Consequently, using Comm.care ensures more accurate record-keeping, claims, billing, and reporting.

Client and user management can be tricky sometimes and Comm.care makes it easy for the managers to provide multiple levels of access to the staff for the differ

Staff access to multiple Circles

Client and user management can be tricky sometimes and **Comm.care** makes it easy for the managers to provide multiple levels of access to the staff for the different circles (clients). This article will just show you how you can do that.

Go to  `My Organisation` > `Staff> Circle's Role >` `Edit`, it will show you the Role of that staff for a particular Circle. This is the place where you can edit, add or remove access across multiple Circles. 

Once you open the window and click Edit, you can edit access by ticking relevant Roles or you can add a new Circle by  **typing the name into the 'Filter Listed Circles' search bar  > selecting the circle from the list > give access as per requirement > Save changes.**

![edit access for staff in Comm.care](/images/articles/file-gNqzBldPnZ.gif)

This is how you can assign multiple roles for the staff across the circles in Comm.care.

Transport is one of the many tricky areas of NDIS. This article explains how you can use Comm.care to record, claim and report the transport costs that include 

How to invoice Activity Based Transport in Comm.care

[Activity Based Transport](https://www.pnyx.com.au/blogs/ndis-activity-based-transport-everything-you-need-to-know-and-examples) is a critical component of the NDIS framework, aimed at providing individuals with disabilities the necessary transportation to engage in community participation or capacity building support activities. It is actually very different from Provider Travel:

* **Activity Based Transport**: Time and travel costs spent transporting a participant to the activities related to the support.
* **Provider Travel**: The time and travel costs spent travelling to deliver a support to a participant.

This tutorial dedicates to Activity Based Transport - so we will show you how to effectively handle it on Comm.care. If you're interested in Provider Travel, [read the tutorial here](https://docs.comm.care/article/46-how-to-invoice-provider-travel-in-comm-care).

# Activity Based Transport

The NDIS defines Tranport in 2 different concepts:

* **Activity-Based Transport**: Transport to, or from, or as part of, a "Community Participation’ or ‘Capacity Building’ support. This is a transport delivered by a registered provider who will also be supporting the person at the destination.
* **General Transport**: Transport to an activity that is not itself a support or to a support that is delivered by another provider. This enables the participant to travel to and from appointments or their place of work. 

In a nutshell, Activity Based Transport encompasses the time and travel costs spent by a worker when transporting participants to the activities related to the support. Specifically, it involves:

* **The worker time**: This is the time spent accompanying and/or transporting the participant, as part of the total time your worker spends supporting the participant.
* **Activity Based Transport**: This includes additional costs incurred when transporting the participant (i.e. road tolls, parking fees, and vehicle running expenses). 

For the additional costs of Activity Based Transport, The NDIA allows you to claim:

* up to $0.97 per kilometre for a vehicle that is not modified for accessibility.
* up to $2.76 per kilometre for a vehicle that is modified for accessibility or a bus.
* Up to the full cost for other transport or additional expenses like tolls, parking, and public transport fares.

If you offer transport services to multiple participants on one trip, you should divide the worker's time and additional costs amongst participants, with the agreement of each participant in advance.

>   **Note:** You must meet the conditions outlined by the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (previously the NDIS Price Guide) in order to claim for transport costs from a participant's NDIS Plan. For detailed information, please refer to the latest version of the [NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits](https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements).


## A Use Case for Activity Based Transport Claims

You agreed to support a participant with their community activity, including a trip to the local swimming pool *(Access Community Social and Rec Activ)*

The ride in a non-disability-modified vehicle takes 25 minutes to reach the pool. This time includes helping the participant in and out of the vehicle and preparing them for the activity. The worker travels with the participant. They offer assistance at the pool for 40 minutes. Afterwards, they take 20 minutes to bring the participant back home in the same vehicle. The pool is 10 kilometres away from the participant's home.

You and the participant settled on a $65.47 hourly rate. This is also the rate for the support worker’s time transporting the participant.

The participant also agreed that you can claim the support worker's car park fee ($5) and running costs ($0.85 per km for a total of 20 km) under the support item.

Technically, your claim for this support comes in three separate parts:

* The primary support including the total 85-min time spent at swimming pool and on the transport to and from the pool.
* Activity Based Transport (Kilometres) for the 20-kilometre travel to and from the pool.
* Activity Based Transport (Parking) for the parking fee.

> **Note**: You can also claim for the worker's travel time to reach the participant before the support begins, as instructed in the [Provider Travel tutorial](https://docs.comm.care/article/46-how-to-invoice-provider-travel-in-comm-care).

# Step 1: Set up your Services involving Activity Based Transport

If you want to claim for Activity Based Transport later, you need to make some initial configurations in your [organisation's services](https://docs.comm.care/article/74-add-new-services-to-my-organisation). It's important to note that Comm.care aligns with the latest NDIS Support Catalogue, which outlines the support items available for Activity Based Transport claims.

Go to **Your Organisation > Services > Add Service**. You can also click on an existing Service and click **Edit**.

On the Service modal, when you proceed to the Line (support) items section:

* Add the item for the **primary support** (04_104_0125_6_1).
* Add the item **Activity Based Transport** (04_590_0125_6_1). This will be used to claim for the kilometres travel to and from the pool. Make sure you select **Manual** under the **Period** section; this allows you to change the support item name and set the unit price later. After clicking **Add**, you need to edit the support item name to *ABT (Kilometres)*, and set the unit price to $0.85 if that's the agreed hour rate.
* Add another item **Activity Based Transport** (04_590_0125_6_1). This will be used to claim for the parking fee. Also select **Manual** under the **Period** section so you can change the support item name later. After clicking **Add**, you need to edit the support item name to *ABT (Parking)*.

>   **Tips:** Most 'Activity Based Transport' support items come with the sequence number 590. 

![](/images/articles/abt01-services.png)

# Step 2: Add an appointment

Consider that you have set up your organisation services and enter the travel details in the circle’s service roadmap; let’s move to Appointments.

When you [add an appointment](https://docs.comm.care/article/29-create-or-delete-appointments) that you can claim for Activity Based Transport later, it’s important to set up the information correctly. 

On the **Duration** field, make sure to enter the total time of the primary support and the transport time. 

After selecting the Related service that you have set up in Step 1, proceed to the **Support Item** . There you should:

* Select the support item for the **primary support**. 
* Add a support item **ABT (Kilometres)**. The default value for **Time** has been automatically set to 0. You just need to set the **Quantity** to 20 (for the total kilometres transporting the participant). 
* Add the support item **ABT (Parking)**. The default value for **Time** has been automatically set to 0. Also, you just need to set the **Quantity** to 5 (for $5 to be spent). This will result in the total charge being equal to the quantity, as the unit price has already been set to $1. 

![](/images/articles/abt02-appointment.png)

# Step 3: Completing the Progress Note

After delivering the support that involves Activity Based Transport, it’s time to make sure your staff [complete the Progress Note](https://docs.comm.care/article/79-progress-notes) properly. 

To get started, simply click on the **red page icon** in the related appointment on the circle calendar.  

On the Progress Note modal, you can see that Comm.care has already pre-filled multiple line items using the data from the appointment. This means you can spend more time on entering other vital information. 

Below are several things you may notice in the support items:

## ABT (Kilometres)

* **Quantity**: Feel free to change the pre-filled value (20) if you need to. But most of the time, you will just want to keep this field intact.
* **Price**: See that this field has been populated (0.85) from the Service in Step 1.

## ABT (Parking)

* **Quantity**: Feel free to change the pre-filled value (5) if you need to. But most of the time, you will just want to keep this field intact.

![](/images/articles/abt03-pn.png)

# Step 4: Understanding invoices involving Activity Based Transport

At this state, let’s consider that you have [created an invoice or claim](https://docs.comm.care/article/20-create-claim) using the progress note from Step 4. You will see on the invoice that the Activity Based Transport charges are shown separately from the primary support, allowing for accuracy and transparency.

![](/images/articles/abt04-claim.png)

Also, in the case where staff use their own vehicle, you can see how many kilometres they have travelled to transport the participant so that you can pay them.

Go to **Organisation > Reports > Staff Hours**, see the Quantity column of the Activity Based Based item(s) for the kilometres transporting the participant.

![](/images/articles/abt05-staffhour.png)





This article briefs about exporting services claims to Xero from Comm.care. Comm.care, as a client management software, helps in account reconciliation of the s

Exporting to Xero

This article briefs about exporting services claims to Xero from Comm.care.

Comm.care, as a **client management software**, helps in account reconciliation of the services that you have provided to your client. 

Comm.care does invoices for the services below which needs an accounting system:

1. NDIS Self Managed
2. NDIS Plan Managed
3. Client fee for Services

Now, let's have a look at exporting **plan managed** claims to Xero.

> *In order for import invoice to Xero to work you have to first select Xero as* *your Accounting Integration from Organisation Profile, then enter the Account Code and Tax type* *on each of your Organisation's services,* [See more detail here](//docs.comm.care/article/72-ndis-accounting-integration-in-comm-care-with-xero)

Remember, first create the invoices and send them out to the participants and plan manager before you start with accounting. Unless you don't send out the invoices, it's no point in account reconciliation of that services. [See the details here](//docs.comm.care/article/53-claim-process-for-plan-managed-clients).

Once you've sent out the invoices, go to  **My Organisation > Report**. 

![](/images/articles/image-png-Nov-30-2021-11-52-56-30-PM.png)

1. You should filter  `Select Roadmap Type` to **Self Managed or Plan Manager.**  - Remember to enter Payment classifications on the Circle’s Roadmap. [Learn more about the Roadmap of Support](//docs.comm.care/article/71-add-support-services-to-roadmap#ndis%20funded%20services).
2. Select Filter Progress Notes by Purpose: **3.3 Export Claims**
3. Select the  **Occurrence date** for the duration you want to export claims.
4. Click  **Generate report** to load report page in a tabular form where you can have a 'single view' of all the NDIS Invoices to be exported to Xero.
5. Click on **Action** *(below Generate report)* **> Export as accounting file**. It will download a CSV file for you to upload to Xero.

![](/images/articles/file-OdlyV5gKqq-2.png)

Once you have downloaded the accounting file ( **Xero CSV file**), you can upload it to the Xero accounting system. Follow the steps given below.

#### Tab 1:

Select  **Xero** as the system you are importing from> **Jump to Step 3** where you can directly import the file which you downloaded as it is in the Xero CSV format.

![Import sales file to Xero](/images/articles/file-eJJTGGygWW.png)

For the two questions given at the bottom, select **No, ignore all address details** and for the other choose **Tax exclusive> Click Import.**

**Tab 2:**

![Import to Xero](/images/articles/file-5JRqZlft19.png)

It shows the invoices as drafts and the errors in the invoices which can be fixed by going to that specific file in Comm.care and import it again. Also address the root cause of the problem, for example, fix the Xero accounting codes in your Organisation services. You now just need to import these files and **Complete Import.**

Done! It's that simple to import the claims to your accounting system through Comm.care.

Did this answer your question?

When you want to set a new price for the Service, just edit it! The change you made is only applied to new Progress Notes, it does not affect pre-existing ones.

Update Service Price

When you want to set a new price for the Service, just edit it! The change you made is only applied to new Progress Notes, it does not affect pre-existing ones. Remember to make sure this change is reflected in your contract with the Client before you start claiming the new price.

```
Go to My Organisation > Services > Choose the service then click on the Edit button > Set the new price > Save changes.

```

![ndis price update](/images/articles/file-TdOSIS9gdK.gif)

Update the price and it will be applied for future Progress Notes. For NDIS funded services:

* If your contract with the Client allows you to automatically claim annual indexed price limits: just add line items with `latest`  period, Comm.care will update all the latest changes for you.
* If the contract is fixed-price or you want to edit the price manually: add new line items for the new period (**don't** select the `latest` ). In this way, you won't be breaching any existing fixed-price contracts.

![ndis fixed / set price](/images/articles/file-jbTk9xjg0b.png)

* After **saving the changes**, the new Service price will be applied for the next Progress Notes without having an effect on any pre-existing ones.

*Time to get started! Set yourself up for success in Comm.care and create all the services your organisation provides.*

CATEGORIES

Update Service Price

Add New Services to My Organisation

Staff access to multiple Circles

How to invoice Activity Based Transport in Comm.care

Exporting to Xero