Bert,

Thank you for your attempt to clarify for me the questions I posted.

I think I am going to be wallowing in this confusion for a while.

Nevertheless, let me ask you something again.
Why can't I create an encounter without signing off? There is no option in AC which allows me to make an encounter (with a date) when the patient comes to the office. This requirement, which I think is quite against intiution, makes it very difficult because, once it is signed to make an encounter, one cannot enter anything further for that particular visit.
This is different from several other EHRs that I have tried.

The Inbox system, I wish, was designed for just messages and not for storing(temporary though it may be)charts. If the charts with their incomplete encounters could remain in the charts, it would have been much simpler. If someone else was working on a particular encounter, there should be a message or indication that that is the case.

I am beginning to wonder if it is just me that is facing all this hurdle.

Chock