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Global search, notifications and tasks

Global search, notifications and tasks help the team keep pace during a busy clinic day. Use search when you need to jump straight to a record, use notifications when Lupa flags appointment activity that needs attention, and use tasks when work needs to be owned, tracked, or followed up by the right person.

💡 In short: Open search from the top bar or with Cmd K / Ctrl K, use the bell to review appointment notifications, and use the Tasks tab to create, filter, complete, and reopen work. You can also create an Invoice, Estimate, Appointment, or Calendar Block from anywhere in Lupa using keyboard shortcuts — no need to navigate to a specific page first. Press ? at any time to open the Keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet and see every available shortcut.


What This Article Covers

This page is part of Getting Started, so it focuses on the day-to-day controls that help you stay on top of work once you are already inside Lupa.

Area

Use it for

Covered elsewhere

Global search

Jump to clients, pets, appointments, clinics, products, services, or bundles.

Deep record management and page-specific filtering.

Notifications

Review appointment-related alerts for the current store and act on them quickly.

Full appointment creation and calendar setup.

Tasks

Create, assign, filter, complete, edit, delete, or reopen team work.

Role configuration and staff profile setup.

📍 If you are still learning where the main modules live, read Navigating Lupa first. This article assumes you can already see the top navigation bar.


Before You Begin

Requirement

What it affects

Store access

Search, notifications, and standard task views use the store context you are currently working in.

Read Tasks permission

Shows the Tasks tab in the side panel and lets you view task information.

Manage Tasks permission

Lets you create, update, complete, reopen, assign, and delete tasks.

Company-wide Task Access permission

Lets authorised users work across company-level task visibility rather than only store-level task visibility.

🔒 If you cannot see the Tasks tab or cannot create a task, ask a manager to check your role and permissions. Do not create a second user account to work around missing access.


Use Global Search

Global search is best for fast lookup. It is not a replacement for the detailed filters inside each module, but it is the quickest way to open the record you already know you need. ![Screenshot needed: top navigation bar showing the bell icon, search icon, store switcher, main navigation items, and account menu](Screenshot needed)

Step 1: Open Search

  1. Click the Search icon in the top navigation bar.

  2. Or press Cmd K on Mac.

  3. Or press Ctrl K on Windows. Lupa opens the Search dialog.

Keyboard shortcuts

Lupa has keyboard shortcuts for common actions. They work whenever you are not typing in a text field. Press ? at any time to open the Keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet — a full reference grouped by category.

Create shortcuts

Open a create dialog from any page without navigating away first.

What you want to create

Mac

Windows / Linux

Invoice

Alt I

Alt I

Estimate

Alt E

Alt E

Appointment

Alt A

Alt A

Calendar Block

Alt B

Alt B

Navigate to a section

Jump straight to a main section of Lupa without using the navigation bar.

Where you want to go

Mac

Windows / Linux

Calendar

Alt Shift C

Alt Shift C

Clients list

Alt Shift L

Alt Shift L

Pets list

Alt Shift P

Alt Shift P

Appointments list

Alt Shift A

Alt Shift A

Inventory

Alt Shift Y

Alt Shift Y

Analytics

Alt Shift S

Alt Shift S

Reminders

Alt Shift R

Alt Shift R

Flow chart

Alt Shift F

Alt Shift F

Page-level shortcuts

These shortcuts are available on specific pages when a client, pet, or invoice is in context.

Action

Mac

Windows / Linux

Open client details (appointment, invoice, pet, or imaging pages)

Alt C

Alt C

Open pet details (appointment, invoice, or imaging pages)

Alt P

Alt P

Save the invoice (while editing an invoice)

Alt S

Alt S

Log out

Alt Q

Alt Q

💡 Shortcuts only fire when you are not actively typing in a text field. Press ? to open the Keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet and see the full list at any time.

![Screenshot needed: the Search dialog before searching, showing the tip text, Search field, Cmd K shortcut hint, and Recent searches if available](Screenshot needed)

Step 2: Search by Keyword

  1. Type a keyword into Search....

  2. Press Enter.

  3. Wait for Lupa to load the matching results. You can search for everyday terms such as a pet name, client name, appointment title, product name, service name, bundle name, clinic name, phone number, email address, postcode, or microchip number where those fields are supported by the matching record type.

💡 Use the shortest unique term you know. For example, searching a pet name plus a client surname is often faster than typing a full address or appointment title.

Step 3: Read the Results

Search results appear in tabs. The All tab gives you a mixed view, and the other tabs show matching categories separately.

Tab

What you can open from it

All

A grouped summary of all matching result types.

Pets

Pet records, including owner name, address, and recent appointment details where available.

Clients

Client records, contact details, and alternative contacts where enabled.

Appointments

Appointment records with date, duration, pet, and assigned staff details.

Clinics

Referring clinic records with phone and email details.

Products

Inventory products, stock quantity where available, and pricing context.

Services

Service records and service prices.

Bundles

Bundle records and bundle prices.

![Screenshot needed: Search dialog after searching, showing the All tab, result category headers, result counts, and arrow buttons for opening records](Screenshot needed)

Click the record name or arrow button to open it. Search closes automatically when you move to the selected record.

When you hover a product, service, or bundle result, a shortcut hint appears at the bottom of the dialog. Press Tab to open a Quick look panel on the right side of the dialog without leaving the search results.

Step 3b: Use Quick Look to Check Pricing and Details

Quick look lets you review a product, service, or bundle without opening its full record. This is useful at the front desk when a client asks about a price before you commit to adding it to an invoice.

  1. Hover a product, service, or bundle row in the results.

  2. Press Tab to open the Quick look panel.

  3. Review the price breakdown and item details in the panel.

  4. Use the and arrow keys to move between results — the panel updates automatically.

  5. Press Escape to close the panel, or press Enter to open the full record.

The Quick look panel shows:

Section

What you see

Selling as

For products sold in packs with individual units, choose whether to price by the pack or by the individual unit.

Unit price

The price per selected unit.

Quantity

Adjust the quantity to see a running item subtotal.

Item subtotal

Price × quantity before any fees or VAT.

Dispensing fee

Shown for products that carry one.

Linked services

Any services automatically added with the product or service, with their individual prices and a subtotal.

Subtotal (excl. VAT)

Combined cost before VAT.

VAT

VAT amount at the applicable rate.

Total (incl. VAT)

The final price the client would pay.

Details

Type, category, species, and supplier (products only, when a supplier is set).

Tags

Any tags applied to the item.

Bundle contents

For bundles, a full list of included products and services with individual line prices.

Step 4: Expand, Repeat, or Include Archived Records

If a section has more results, click Show more to expand it and Show less to collapse it again. Search also keeps recent searches in the dialog, so repeated front-desk lookups can be run again quickly.

By default, archived clients and pets are hidden from the visible result set. If Lupa finds archived records for a section, use Show archived records to include them, then Hide archived records to return to the normal view.

⚠️ Archived records can look similar to active records at a glance. Check the record status before updating details, booking an appointment, or adding charges.


Use Notifications

Notifications are shown from the bell in the top navigation bar. They are designed for appointment-related activity that needs store-level attention, such as a new appointment request.

The number on the bell combines open appointment notifications and active tasks while the side panel is closed. Once the side panel is open, the count clears from the bell because the items are visible in the panel. ![Screenshot needed: side panel open on the Notifications tab, showing the Notifications and Tasks tabs, notification count badge, and one appointment notification card](Screenshot needed)

Step 1: Open the Notification Panel

  1. Click the bell icon in the top navigation bar.

  2. Lupa opens the side panel.

  3. Select Notifications if the panel is currently showing Tasks. If there are no notifications, Lupa shows No notifications.

Step 2: Review the Notification Card

Each appointment notification card can show:

Card detail

What it tells you

Notification title

The reason Lupa is drawing attention to the appointment.

Date and time

When the appointment is scheduled.

Appointment title

A link to the appointment record.

Pet and client

Quick links to the related pet and client records.

Appointment status

The current status of the appointment.

Step 3: Act on the Notification

Use the notification card actions depending on what you need to do:

Action

When to use it

Appointment title

Open the appointment record to review the full details.

Pet or client link

Open the related record before deciding what to do next.

Arrow button

Open the appointment update flow from the notification.

X button

Clear a notification that no longer needs attention.

Best practice: Treat notifications as a working queue. Review the newest items first, open the linked appointment when context is unclear, and clear the notification once the team has dealt with it.


Use Tasks

Tasks are for work that needs a clear owner, due date, category, and completion state. They are useful for follow-ups that should not rely on memory, chat messages, or handwritten notes.

⚠️ Create a task, do not rely on a note. Notes are good for clinical or contextual information. Tasks are better when someone needs to do something and the team needs to know whether it is done.

Step 1: Open the Tasks Tab

  1. Click the bell icon in the top navigation bar.

  2. In the side panel, select Tasks.

  3. Review the task count on the tab. If you have task access, the panel shows Notifications and Tasks tabs. If you do not have task access, it only shows notifications. ![Screenshot needed: Tasks tab open in the side panel, showing Create new task, Show All, assignee filter, sort control, list view and stack view controls](Screenshot needed)

Step 2: Choose Your View

The task side panel has two display modes.

View

Use it when

List view

You want a straightforward task list with each active task shown as a card.

Stack view

You want to scan active tasks grouped by category, such as prescriptions, lab results, finance, insurance, or inventory.

Use the assignee filter to switch between your own work, another staff member's work, all staff, or unassigned tasks. Use the sort control to sort by Priority, Due Date, Created Date, or Created By.

Step 3: Create a Task

  1. Open the Tasks tab.

  2. Click Create new task.

  3. In Create Task, enter a clear task title.

  4. Add more detail in the description field if the task needs context.

  5. Set the Priority.

  6. Choose a Category.

  7. Choose one or more assignees.

  8. Add a due date if the task is time-sensitive.

  9. Link a Client or Pet if the task belongs to a record.

  10. Click Create. ![Screenshot needed: Create Task dialog filled with a realistic title, description, High priority, Prescription category, one assignee, a due date, client, and pet](Screenshot needed)

Field

What to enter

Title

A short action, such as "Call owner with blood results" or "Check insurance pre-authorisation".

Description

Extra context, instructions, or the outcome needed.

Priority

How urgent the task is. Highest priority appears before lower priority work in priority sorting.

Category

The type of work: Calendar Request, External Comms, Prescription, Lab Result, Insurance, Finance, Inventory, or No Category.

Assignee

The staff member or team members responsible for doing the work. New tasks default to the current user when possible.

Due date

The date the task needs attention. Overdue active tasks are highlighted in the task list.

Client / Pet

The record the task relates to. Selecting a pet can also populate the client when the owner is known.

Best practice: Write task titles as actions: "Book recheck", "Send estimate", "Confirm stock arrival", or "Call owner". This makes the task list faster to scan during handover.

Step 4: Review All Tasks

Click Show All to open the All Tasks dialog. This gives you a larger task workspace with search, filters, and sorting. ![Screenshot needed: All Tasks dialog showing Search tasks, Sort by, All statuses, All categories, All priorities, All staff, All creators, All clients, and All pets filters](Screenshot needed) You can filter by:

  • Search tasks

  • Status: All, Active, Completed

  • Category

  • Priority

  • Assigned staff

  • Created by

  • Client

  • Pet The search field checks task titles, descriptions, category, assignee, creator, client, and pet details.

Step 5: Complete, Edit, Reopen, or Delete a Task

Click a task to open its details. From the task details dialog you can:

Action

What happens

Mark Complete

Moves the task to completed and records who completed it.

Undo Complete

Returns a completed task to active if it was completed too early.

Edit

Reopens the task form so you can update title, details, category, priority, assignees, due date, client, or pet.

Delete

Removes the task from the active working list after confirmation.

Completed tasks can appear in the completed section at the bottom of the side panel. Use this to recover a task that was completed by mistake.

⚠️ Deleting a task requires confirmation. If the task was simply completed too early, use Undo Complete instead of deleting it.


Tips for a Clean Daily Workflow

Best practices from practices that run Lupa:

  • Search first when a client is already on the phone and you know part of their details.

  • Use Quick look (hover a product, service, or bundle, then press Tab) to check a price or VAT total without opening the full record.

  • Use the global create shortcuts (Alt I, E, A, B) to start common actions without leaving the page you are on. Press ? to open the Keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet if you forget a shortcut.

  • Use page-specific filters when you need a controlled list, audit, or report.

  • Clear notifications only after the underlying appointment has been reviewed.

  • Assign every task to a person unless it is intentionally unassigned for triage.

  • Add a due date for anything that matters today, tomorrow, or before a scheduled appointment.

  • Link tasks to the client or pet record whenever the work is record-specific.

  • Use categories consistently so stack view stays useful at handover.


Troubleshooting

Problem

What to do

I cannot find a record in global search

Try a shorter keyword, check spelling, search for a related pet or client instead, or use the detailed search and filters in the relevant module.

I searched but nothing happened

Make sure you pressed Enter after typing. The dialog does not run a full search until the query is submitted.

I cannot see archived clients or pets

Use Show archived records when it appears for that result section. Archived records are hidden by default.

I cannot see the Tasks tab

Your role may not include Read Tasks. Ask a manager to check your permissions.

I can see tasks but cannot create or complete them

Your role may have read-only task access. Ask a manager to check whether you need Manage Tasks.

A task is missing from my panel

Check the assignee filter, status, category, and store context. Use Show All to widen the view.

The bell count looks higher than the visible notifications

The bell count can include both notifications and active tasks while the panel is closed. Open the side panel and check both tabs.

I cleared a notification by mistake

Open the linked appointment directly from the calendar or appointment list if you still need to review it.


Frequently Asked Questions

Is global search the same as searching inside Clients & Pets?

No. Global search is for fast lookup across several record types. Module-level search and filters are better for reviewing a structured list, narrowing by status, or doing clean-up work.

Does global search include archived records?

It can find archived clients and pets, but those are hidden until you choose Show archived records for that result section. This helps prevent accidental updates to old records.

Why do I only see Notifications and not Tasks?

The side panel only shows the Tasks tab for users with task access. Ask a manager to review your role if you need to work with tasks.

Can I assign one task to more than one person?

Yes. Use the assignee control in Create Task or Edit Task to choose the relevant staff members.

Can tasks be linked to both a client and a pet?

Yes. A task can be linked to a client, a pet, or both. Linking the pet is especially useful for clinical or prescription follow-up, because the task card can take you back to the pet record quickly.

What should I do if a task was completed by mistake?

Open the task from the completed section or All Tasks, then use Undo Complete. Delete should be reserved for work that should not remain in the task list at all.


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