Frequently Asked Support Questions

Q: How are July 1 2026 Assignment of Benefit (AoB) changes supported?

A: In Optomate Touch v4.0 (04/06/2026), an AoB confirmation pop-up will, by default, display after billing a bulk-billed Medicare item. This pop-up confirms the service items and assignor details. If the assignor is not the patient, their name can be entered directly in the pop-up, for example, when the patient is under 18, the assignor would be the guardian.

A ‘Print DB4’ button is available to generate a DB4-Post Assignment form if you prefer the patient to manually sign their Assignment of Benefit. Alternatively, the patient can click the ‘I Accept’ button. After ‘I Accept’ or 'Print DB4' is selected, the button will turn green to denote it has been clicked, then practice staff can click ‘Close’ to proceed. This ensures the patient cannot view any information behind the pop-up.

Please note that when the patient clicks the 'I Accept' button, this is considered a valid electronic signature under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth), as the patient has been identified above and has clearly indicated their intention to agree to assign their benefit to the practice.

When the pop-up is closed, Optomate records an audit entry, which can be accessed via Reports > Audit > Medicare AoB Audit Report.

If you are using an alternative platform to process bulk-billed items (such as an Easyclaim terminal), you can disable the AoB pop-up in System Settings under the Settings tab by selecting ‘Suppress AoB billing confirmation and audit.

If you use the Patient Registration process, allowing you to send a secure link from appointments so patients can update their details online, the patient will be presented with a pre‑approval AoB statement. They can click to confirm they wish to assign their benefit to the practice. Once selected, a green confirmation message will appear on the AoB pop-up indicating that the patient has pre‑approved.

Q: Why did my reference number ID's jump by 10,000?

A: SQL Server caches identity values to improve performance. If the system crashes or is restarted unexpectedly, any unused cached values may be lost. This is not a cause for concern, as identity values are simply internal unique identifiers used to reference records within the database.

Q: Optomate Touch is no longer sending emails, showing error: 'Unable to send email.' 

A: Due to recent changes by Microsoft and Google, stricter authentication rules have been implemented for third-party applications that send emails through their platforms. As a result, you may need to update your security settings both in your email platform and within Optomate Touch.

To support these changes, Optomate Touch Release 2.7.2 introduces a new option in the Branch and User setup: [✓] Use Outlook. 

If your practice uses Microsoft Outlook, enabling this option will allow Optomate Touch to send emails via Outlook, bypassing the new security requirements imposed by Microsoft and Google.

Q: I am receiving the error: 'External Exception C0000006'.

A: The C0000006 error is typically related to networking or network connectivity issues. More specifically, it is classified as an in-page I/O error, which occurs when an application loses access to the underlying network connection it relies on. 

While the Monkey Software Help Desk can assist with initial troubleshooting, resolving this issue may require support from your IT administrator or network/infrastructure specialist.

Q: When previewing a report I am receiving error: 'Static height detail band cannot fit on page.'

A: Ensure that the Windows printer driver you’ve configured for reports is set to use A4 as the page size.  You may also need to check that the top margin for Reports in the Branch setup -> Printer Settings is set to zero.

Q: What should I do if I get a date error in Optomate?

A:Set your Windows date format to dd/MM/yyyy.

Method 1 – Using Windows Settings:

1. Open Settings → Time & Language → Language & Region.
2. Under Regional format, click Change formats.
3. Choose the date format dd/MM/yyyy.
4. Restart Optomate if it’s running.

Method 2 – Using Control Panel (alternative):

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Go to Clock and Region → Region.
3. In the Formats tab, set Short date to dd/MM/yyyy.
4. Click Apply and OK.
5. Restart Optomate.

Q: How do I sign up for the integrated Monkey Software SMS facility?

A: To set up SMS messaging via Monkey Web Services:

1. From the main menu, go to System Settings and select the Monkey Web Services tab.
2. In the SMS section, click Sign Up. Once your account is created, our help desk will contact you.

SMS Pricing and Details:

• Outgoing SMS messages are charged at AU$0.08 per standard billing unit.
• Incoming messages (retrievals) are free of charge.
• A standard billing unit is:
  • 160 characters (including spaces) for plain text messages.
  • 70 characters if the message includes Unicode characters (e.g., emojis or emoticons).
  • Messages exceeding these limits will be sent as multi-part messages, incurring additional charges.

Note: If you're currently using the MessageMedia SMS service, we recommend keeping that account active for a couple of weeks to ensure you can retrieve any remaining responses before cancelling.

Q: What does Error Code 9006 mean in Optomate?

A: Error Code 9006 means that the optometrist is not yet registered for electronic online claiming through Optomate.

How to Fix:

1. Complete and submit an HW027 form to Services Australia.
2. On the form, fill in the Minor ID field — this can be found in Branches → Minor ID within Optomate or can be supplied by Monkey Software.
3. Once registration is confirmed by Services Australia, retry the claim submission.

Q: Why can’t I send SMS messages in Optomate?

A: If using MessageMedia:

• Contact MessageMedia support directly, as issues must be resolved on their end.

If using Monkey Software’s SMS service:

1. Open System Settings → Monkey Web Services.
2. Confirm that the business is subscribed to Monkey SMS services.
3. If the subscription is active and the problem persists, contact the Help Desk for further assistance.

Q: I can’t send SMS messages in the Marketing section of Optomate?

A: Untick the “Include patients excluded from marketing” checkbox in the Marketing section.

Once this option is disabled, SMS messages can be sent to all eligible patients who have not opted out of marketing communications.

Q: Why can’t I unlock receipts in Optomate?

A: Go to the Banking section and clear all existing banking transactions first.

Once the banking is cleared, the receipts will become available to unlock.

Q: How do I write off a claim in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to write off a claim:

1. Ensure the claim is not included in a batch (adjust the batch if necessary).
2. In the Institutions section, click Receive Payment — not Receive Batch Payment.
3. Fill in the payment details; the relevant dates will auto-populate.
4. Locate the claim, then click the Write Off option on the right-hand side of the record.

Q: I can’t attach files from Docs in the Order screen in Optomate?

A: Check the permissions of the folder where documents are stored:

1. Ensure the folder has read and write access for all users.
2. If folder permissions are managed by your IT department, contact them to confirm or update access settings.

Q: What should I do if a patient transaction becomes locked in Optomate?

A: Close Optomate, then reopen the program.
This resets the transaction lock and restores normal access to the patient record.

Q: I’m getting Error Code 2030 when sending a batch claim — what should I do?

A: If you receive Error Code 2030 while submitting a batch claim in Optomate:

1. Go to User Settings → Optom tab.
2. Untick the checkbox labeled “Use payee provider info”.
3. Save the changes and try sending the batch claim again.

Q: The date section looks weird or too wide — how can I fix it?

A: Check the Tablet Option setting on your workstation:

1. Open Workstation Settings in Optomate.
2. Locate the Tablet Option checkbox.
3. If it’s enabled, try disabling it (or vice versa).
4. Restart Optomate and check if the date section displays correctly.

Q: Where can I find SMS read receipts in Optomate?

A: Go to Reports → SMS Report.
The SMS Report contains details of messages sent, including read receipts and delivery statuses.

Q: How can I view deleted appointments in Optomate?

A: Go to Reports → Audit tab → Deletion Audit.
This report displays a list of all deleted appointments along with details such as the user who deleted them and the date of deletion.

Q: I can’t see a product from the supplier — what should I do?

A: Contact the supplier directly about the missing product.
The issue is likely on the supplier’s end and cannot be resolved from within Optomate.

Q: How do I process a pre-payment in Optomate?

A: If the patient has a balance of 0 or a negative balance:

1. Go to the patient record and click Receipt.
2. A pop-up will appear asking if you’d like to create a pre-payment.
3. Confirm and enter the payment details to complete the process.

Q: Can I set the default appointment duration to 45 minutes in Optomate?

A: You can set an individual appointment to default to 45 minutes; however, the appointment book does not display time slots in single 45-minute blocks. Instead, you can configure the appointment cell blocks to 15-minute intervals, which will display a 45-minute appointment across three rows.

Q: I can’t see some columns in the patient search — how do I fix this?

A: On the far left of the column header bar, there is a round icon that lets you manage which columns are displayed.

1. Click the round icon.
2. Select or deselect the columns you want to add or hide.
3. Your view will update automatically.

Q: I’m getting Error Code “External Exception C0000006” — what does it mean?

A: This error indicates a connectivity issue caused by a temporary network disconnection.

How to fix:

1. Close Optomate completely.
2. Reopen Optomate and try again.
3. If the error persists, check your network connection or contact your IT support team.

Q: Optomate Touch has frozen — what should I do?

A:

1. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
2. Find Optomate Touch in the list of running applications.
3. Select it and click End Task.
4. Reopen Optomate Touch.
5. If it still doesn’t respond, contact the Help Desk for further assistance.

Q: I’m having a printing problem in Optomate — what should I check?

A:

1. Go to the Workstations tile and open the Printers tab to confirm the correct printer is selected.
2. Check your Windows printing options to make sure the printer is installed and set as the default printer.
3. If the issue persists, try restarting both the printer and Optomate.

Q: How do I set a default recall appointment in Optomate?

A: Go to the Exam Settings tile.
In this section, you can enter and save your default recall durations and appointment settings for patients.

Q: I’m getting Error Code 9007 — what does it mean?

A: Error Code 9007 indicates that the Minor ID is not registered in PRODA.

How to fix:

1. Confirm that the Minor ID is correctly listed in PRODA.
2. If it isn’t, contact the Monkey Help Desk for assistance with updating or linking the Minor ID.

Q: I’m getting Error Code 2017 — what does it mean?

A: Error Code 2017 means the payee provider and the claiming provider cannot be the same.

How to fix:

1. Go to the claim details and verify both the Claiming Provider and Payee Provider fields.
2. Make sure they are assigned to different providers.
3. Save the changes and resend the claim.

Q: How do I get paid after sending a claim in Optomate?

A: You don’t need to take any further action.
Payments are made automatically once your claim has been successfully submitted to Medicare or DVA.

Q: Optomate is running slowly — what can I do?

A:

1. First, check if your device meets the system requirements for running Optomate.
   • You can find the full list of system requirements on the Monkey Software website.
2. If your device meets the requirements and the issue persists, contact Monkey Software Support or your IT provider for further investigation.

Q: How do I create a new appointment type in Optomate?

A: To add a new appointment type, follow these steps:

1. On the main Optomate screen, go to the green setup area and click Appt Types.
2. Click New.
3. Enter a short Identifier (maximum 3 characters).
4. Type a Description for the appointment.
5. Select a Colour to easily identify this appointment type in the appointment book.
6. Choose a Default Duration for the appointment.
   • This duration will apply to all optometrists but can be adjusted individually in their User Setup.
7. Click Save & Close to finish.

Note: You can also check the appointment TAB in user manual.

Q: How do I set up an optometrist’s appointment book in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to configure an optometrist’s appointment schedule:

1. On the main Optomate screen, go to the green setup area and click Users.
2. Search for or locate the optometrist’s record, then double-click to open it.
3. Make sure the checkbox “Include on Appointment Book” is ticked.
4. Go to the Appointments tab.
5. Tick the days the optometrist is working.
6. Set their core working hours by entering Start and Finish times for those days.
7. (Optional) Adjust the appointment duration for this optometrist by editing the duration in minutes beside each appointment type.
8. Click Save & Close when finished.

Note: You can also check the appointment TAB in user manual.

Q: How do I create a recurring break appointment in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to create a recurring break appointment.
(The same process can be used for other recurring appointment types.)

1. Open the Appointment Book.
2. Select the first day for the break and click the desired time slot.
3. Click New Break or use the keyboard shortcut ALT + E.
4. Choose the appointment type if not already set, and enter the Start and Finish times for the break.
5. To make the break recurring, set the Finish Date into the future.
6. In the Recurrence Options:
   • Select an option on the left (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
   • Choose specific days or intervals on the right.
7. For example, selecting “Weekly” and specific days will repeat the break each week on those days.
8. Click Save & Close to finish.

Note: You can also check the appointment TAB in user manual.

Q: How do I set up Packaged Health Fund Codes in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to configure packaged health fund codes:

1. Open the Invoice Settings setup module.
2. Go to the Packages tab.
3. Enter a Description and the Health Fund Number for the package.
4. Select the appropriate Item Types included in the package.
5. Set the Pricing Rule to “Reduce sell price by $”.
6. Enter the Value for the price reduction.
7. Click Add to include the package.
8. Click Save & Close to finish.

Note: You can also check the health fund TAB in user manual

Q: How do I set up Health Funds for package claiming in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to enable package claiming for a health fund:

1. Open the Health Funds setup module.
2. Locate and open the required Health Fund record.
3. Tick the checkbox “Accepts Package Health Fund Codes.”
4. Click Save & Close to apply the changes.

Note: You can also check the health fund TAB in user manual

Q: How do I invoice a patient for a Health Fund Complete Package in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to create and process an invoice for a Health Fund Complete Package:

1. Create a new invoice for the patient.
2. Add both the frame and lenses to the invoice.
3. Click the Package button.
4. In the Packages window, select the appropriate Health Fund package for the claim.
5. Verify that the pricing has not changed after applying the package, then click OK.
6. Click Save to store the invoice.
7. Click the PHI Claim button and confirm that the correct Health Fund Code is displayed.
8. If Optomate is integrated with your terminal, you can submit the claim directly:
   • Click OK to send the claim to the terminal.

Note: You can also check the health fund TAB in user manual

Q: How do I create a patient invoice in Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to invoice a patient:

1. In the Patient tab, click Invoice.
2. Scan or type the product’s barcode number.
3. If there are additional items, scan or enter their barcodes as well.
4. Click Save to record the invoice.
5. Click Receipt to process the payment.

Note: You can also check the patient invoicing TAB in user manual

Q: How do I import lenses from a new supplier into Optomate?

A: Follow these steps to add a new supplier and import their lenses from the Optomate eCatalogue:

1. On the main Optomate screen, click Suppliers.
2. Click New to add a supplier.
3. Enter a short Identifier, the Supplier Name, and any relevant details.
4. In the Lens eCatalogue section, open the Online Code drop-down menu and select the corresponding online eCatalogue for the supplier.
5. (Optional) To update lens descriptions and/or sell prices automatically during future updates, tick the relevant boxes.
6. Click Save once your options are set.
7. Click the MWS button to download the eCatalogue.
   • The import process may take some time depending on the catalogue size.
8. Once the download completes, click OK.
9. The lenses from the new supplier will now be available in Optomate.

Note: You can also check the Lens Suppliers TAB in user manual

Q: How can I see the total number of patients in Optomate?

A: You can view the total number of patients in two ways:

Using a Marketing List:

Go to the Marketing module and create a new marketing list.

This will show the total number of patients included in that list.

Using a KPI Report:

Go to Reports → KPI Reports.

Run the KPI report — the total number of active patients is displayed in the report summary.

Q: How can I access previous banking PDFs in Optomate?

A: You can view or reprint previous banking reports in two ways:

1. Previous Banking PDF:
   • Go to the Banking section and click Previous Banking PDF to access past banking reports.
2. Banking Summary Report:
   • Go to Reports → Banking tile → Banking Summary Report.
   • Run the report to view a detailed summary of past banking records.

Q: The reports screen looks zoomed in or doesn’t fit properly — how can I fix it?

A: This usually happens when the default printer is not set correctly.

To fix it:

1. Open the Control Panel on your computer.
2. Go to Devices and Printers.
3. Check which printer is set as Default.
4. If no printer is selected, right-click your main printer and choose Set as default printer and make sure it is set up as A4.

After setting the default printer, restart Optomate and check if the reports screen displays correctly.

Q: How can I make the appointment type mandatory when creating an appointment?

A: You can make the appointment type mandatory by enabling it in the system settings:

1. Go to System Settings.
2. Find and tick the checkbox labeled “Appointment type is mandatory.”
3. Save your changes.

Once this option is enabled, users will be required to select an appointment type before saving an appointment.

Q: How do I add a new optometrist for claiming?

A: To add a new optometrist for Medicare or DVA claiming:

1. Go to User Settings from the main menu.
2. Click New User and enter the optometrist’s details.
3. Open the Optom Settings tab and ensure the Provider Number is correctly entered.
4. If the optometrist hasn’t registered for electronic claiming yet, they must complete and submit an HW027 form to Services Australia.

Q: How do I process a refund for a patient?

A: To process a refund in Optomate:

1. Go to the Invoice section.
2. Click on Invoice Refund.
3. Select the transaction that needs to be refunded.
4. Confirm and process the refund

Q: How do I add comments to a standard form?

A: To add comments to a form:

1. Go to the Branches from the main menu.
2. Open your branch record.
3. Click on the Default Comments tab.
4. Enter your comments in the appropriate field.