Configuration Workbook & System Setup

February 2026 · 18 min

What Is a Configuration Workbook?

The Configuration Workbook is a structured spreadsheet (or set of spreadsheets) that documents every setting, parameter, and master data value that must be configured in Bio Ecko for a specific hospital.

Think of it as the FC's execution plan. The Blueprint phase produces the design; the Configuration Workbook translates that design into actionable steps. Without it, configuration becomes ad-hoc, inconsistent, and impossible to audit or replicate.

Workbook Structure

Organize the workbook with one tab per configuration area:

Organization & Branch Setup

The first configuration in any implementation:

1. Organization Profile -- Legal name, trade name, address, phone, email, website, GSTIN, PAN, Drug License numbers (DL-20, DL-21), NABH certificate number (if accredited)
2. Branch Configuration -- For multi-branch hospitals, each branch needs its own profile with separate numbering series, stock, and optionally separate charge master
3. Financial Year -- Start month (April for India), auto-numbering reset rules
4. Logo & Letterhead -- Upload for all printed documents (bills, reports, discharge summaries)
5. System Defaults -- Default currency (INR), date format (DD/MM/YYYY), time format (24-hour), language (English + regional)

Bio Ecko tables involved: organizations, branches, organization_settings

FC validation:

• Organization name appears correctly on all printed outputs
• GSTIN displays on tax invoices
• Drug license numbers appear on pharmacy bills
• Each branch can operate independently with its own stock and billing
• Financial year boundaries handle correctly (March 31 to April 1 transition)

Role & Permission Matrix

The permission matrix is one of the most critical and time-consuming configurations:

Full = Create + Read + Update + Delete. View = Read only. None = No access.

FC must validate:

1. Each role can access ONLY the screens they need
2. Sensitive operations (refund, discount, void) require elevated permissions
3. Audit trail captures who did what, when, from which workstation
4. Role changes take effect immediately without logout/login (Bio Ecko uses real-time permission checks)

Numbering Series Design

Every transaction needs a unique, sequential, traceable number:

FC must confirm:

• No duplicate numbers are possible (database unique constraint)
• Sequence does not have gaps (or gaps are acceptable per hospital policy)
• Financial year transition generates correct new series
• Multi-branch hospitals have branch-specific prefixes to avoid cross-branch conflicts

Workflow Rules & Approval Chains

Business rules that automate decision-making:

1. Discount Approval -- If discount_percent > 5%: require Billing Supervisor. If > 15%: require Finance Manager. If > 25%: require Hospital Director
2. Refund Approval -- All refunds require Accounts Manager approval. Refunds > INR 10,000 require Finance Head
3. Purchase Order Approval -- PO < INR 50,000: Store Manager. PO INR 50K-2L: Admin. PO > 2L: Director
4. Leave Approval -- Staff leave: Department HOD. HOD leave: Medical Superintendent
5. Critical Lab Value Alert -- Panic values auto-notify ordering doctor via SMS + in-app notification
6. Insurance Pre-Auth Expiry -- 24 hours before pre-auth expiry, alert billing team to request extension
7. Stock Reorder Alert -- When stock falls below reorder level, auto-generate indent to central store

Each rule needs:

• Trigger condition (what event fires the rule)
• Action (what happens: notification, approval request, auto-action)
• Escalation (what happens if no response within X hours)
• Exception (when is the rule bypassed, and by whom)

Configuration Execution Sequence

Order matters because of dependencies:

1. Organization & Branch (everything depends on this)
2. Financial Year & Numbering Series (needed before any transaction)
3. Department Master (needed before roles and users)
4. Role & Permission Matrix (needed before user creation)
5. User Accounts with Role Assignment
6. Service Charge Master (needed before billing)
7. Drug Master (needed before pharmacy)
8. Room & Bed Setup (needed before IPD)
9. Insurance & TPA Configuration (needed before insurance billing)
10. Workflow Rules & Approval Chains
11. Report Template Customization
12. Integration Configuration (lab analyzers, PACS, payment gateways)

FC should track progress in the workbook itself -- add a Status column: Not Started / In Progress / Configured / Validated / Signed Off

Hands-On Exercise

Create a mini configuration workbook for a fictional 50-bed hospital:

1. Create an Organization: "Sunrise Hospital", Bangalore, GSTIN: 29AAACS1234F1ZP
2. Set up 5 departments: General Medicine, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Radiology, Pathology
3. Create 6 roles: Receptionist, Doctor, Nurse, Lab Tech, Pharmacist, Cashier
4. Add 10 services to the charge master with realistic pricing
5. Add 20 drugs to the drug master with schedule, strength, and reorder levels
6. Set up 3 room types: General Ward (INR 1,200/day), Semi-Private (INR 2,500/day), ICU (INR 6,000/day)
7. Configure numbering series for MRN, OPD Visit, Invoice, and Receipt
8. Set up one workflow rule: Discount > 10% requires Cashier Supervisor approval
9. Create 3 user accounts, one per role, and validate each can only see their permitted screens

Time yourself. An experienced FC should complete this in under 2 hours. A fresher might take 4-6 hours. Track your time to measure your improvement over repeated practice.

Notes

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