Page Comparison

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Requirements:  Pay User Fines / Fees API, Export User Blocks, Analytics Users API

See:  Ex Libris Tech Blog:  Integrating Alma and PayPal with the Alma REST APIs

Through a CashNet portal, a payment type is set up through a campus' existing CashNet system, enabling users to login, view their balance of library fines, and make payments.  An analytics report is scheduled to run once daily to generate all users with fines and fees.  The information from the Analytics report is manipulated through a script for import into CashNet.  The    When the user logs into the portal, their username is sent to the Users API to retrieve fine amounts. The user pays the fines and fees through CashNet, and upon payment completion, information about the payment is generated and sent back to a script to be manipulated for import into Alma using the Pay User Fines / Fees API.  The fine is then logged as paid in Alma.

With this option, the only interaction with PeopleSoft would involve placing blocks / holds on the user's PeopleSoft record (for example, if the library places holds on student's registration for unpaid library fees).  Using the Export User Blocks integration with Alma, patrons with blocks such as registration holds can be exported and prepared for ingest to PeopleSoft.  We are still investigating removal of blocks, which may remain manual.Problems .  Could also use once-a-day Analytics data export to export fine amounts into PeopleSoft.

Issues/ Questions with this approach:

• Analytics data only available once a day (for export to PeopleSoft).  Ex Libris enhancement request:  Retrieve user accounts from Users API via fine amount?
• Removing Blocks/Holds in PeopleSoft remain manual; fine amount owed not available in PeopleSoft (necessarily) - if using Analytics API export, however, this could be available in PeopleSoft, once a day.
• Need more information about CashNet portal setup (Christian Ward (Sacramento) is researching)
  Need to research possibilities
  • Info from Christian:  Requires CashNet add-on called "Smart Pay" used to build a "Storefront" web application.  Sacramento's parking services is using this type of integration with a third party parking tickets application that enables guests and campus users to pay citations through CashNet.   We may be able to work with CashNet to create an interface that all campuses could use but would need the CO to help with that.  It may be more efficient to straight into CashNet without using the unique account page, but that would be worked out with CashNet.  
  • Need to research any differences in approach for campuses using PayPal (e.g., Pomona) OR whether all CSUs using PayPal could move to CashNet for this integration.

  II.  PeopleSoft Integration (San Marcos Approach)

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