Alma Q&A and Chat Transcript 11/17/16
11/17/16: Advanced Fulfillment Troubleshooting
Fulfillment Configuration Utility demo
SAN JOSE: I tested to see if an undergrad could check out our grad lab locker keys (it's a room meant only for graduate students) but it appears that with our current settings the locker keys are loanable to an undergrad. I also tested it for faculty members and they seem to be able to check out the item as well, but as I stated, only grad students can check out grad lab keys. How would I go about using the configuration tool to fix this?
Barcode: 30800031083568
User ID: 21197906177836 (fac/staff) or 21197906500037 (student)
The fulfillment units and TOU that display are by location and user group. This might need an item policy rule to not allow any other users but graduate students to check out these materials due to other types of items being in this location.
FRESNO: Alma is giving a same-day due date for items with 28 day loan period.
User ID: 11477 (Fac/staff) or 108445590 (student)
Barcodes: 30250002115389, 30250001935837
Due Date in TOU = End of Term.
Calendar definition: End of Term event = 5/15/2016
Note that since the defined event date has passed, Alma gives the same-day due date. To fix this, update or add new end of term events.
Item Statuses vs Loan Statuses
CHICO: Some items that should have a status of lost instead have a status of normal.
Lemmon, Cyrus ID# 001981435
Two items in his circulation account due 4/15/13
Loan Status listed as Normal
Pellam Jr., Gregory ID# 006550727
Three items in his circulation account due 4/15/14
One item in his circulation account due 4/15/15
Loan status listed as Normal
Lost is a Loan Status, not an Item status and so comes into play if the loan is manually marked as lost unless you have the lost loan profile running. The overdue and lost loan profiles are generally turned on after Go Live.
Blocks
CHICO: We were reviewing how the patron and fulfillment data came across in the test load and some blocks are not popping up nor being applied. We regularly see one block "Patrons card has expired" but that is the only one we are seeing when we go to check out an item.
Under User Block Definitions I see that there is a BlockedAction 1-3. What do each of these numbers mean?
01 – loan
02 – loan, renew
03 – loan, renew, hold
How do we get these blocks to apply and pop up when we are checking out to a blocked patron?
Patron: Lemmon, Cyrus - Faculty & Library Staff - 001981435
Block: Patron card is expired
2nd Block: Owes $143.50 -- Description WOSL- code c d
Blocks were not displaying due to the problems with the block migration. Chico is now seeing all blocks, but LA (for example) doesn’t see pop ups for the blocks that are still experiencing the “not listed” migration problem.
Fines and Fees
CAL POLY SLO: Kennedy Library main circulation desk, waive fee is the only option given when paying a fine though I set up the circulation desk to allow payment by check.
Check is not currently accepted by Alma as the only payment method. Cal Poly SLO will be opening a case.
SONOMA: Our library doesn't charge overdue fines, but when an item has been overdue for 30 days, we automatically charge a replacement fee and the patron is blocked until the fee is paid OR the item is returned. I can't figure out a way to configure Alma to do this. I've looked at terms of use, patron limits, block definitions, and overdue and lost loan profiles. Any insight would be appreciated.
Use Overdue & Lost Loan profiles.
Create fee for Overdue loan profile type if using an Overdue loan profile
Fulfillment Configuration → Advanced Policy Configuration → Change the appropriate Overdue Notification Fine Type
If there are multiple fees charged for different types of material, you may want to consider marking the items lost instead, as the lost item replacement fee in the TOU will come into play instead of the fine associated with the specific Overdue Notificaiton.
This won’t start happening until the overdue & lost loan profiles are turned on to run, generally after Go Live.
Claims Returned
SJSU: When a patron claims to have returned an item it is marked as claimed returned. Any fines or fees associated with that item are frozen and do not continue to accrue. The item is then put on a list of items to search. The search list is printed at a regular interval (let’s say weekly) and taken to the stacks and searched. If the item is found it is updated to reflect this and any fines or fees are deleted. If it is not found after a certain number of searches (let’s say 3) it is marked as lost and then the buyer for that section figures out whether or not they want to re-order. I’m not sure what happens with fines at this point – let’s say they’re forgiven from the patron’s account but noted in case this happens repeatedly.
Can you please show:
• how to configure fines/fees in this particular way
• how you would print the list of claimed returned items to search
• how to update item statuses in bulk
• we can update these particular fines/fees in bulk (if possible)
• where to note the claimed returned incident
DEMO marking a loan as Claim Returned
Search for “the” as physical items, limit to Loan, go to a user. Mark as Claimed Returned.
The loan’s status is changed to Claim Returned.
The item’s Process Type value is Claimed Returned, and the item remains requestable and is considered to still be on loan.
By default, overdue fines accumulated prior to the item being claimed as returned are applied to the patron's active balance, but no new overdue fines accrue from that point onward. (This functionality, however, can be configured using the overdue_at_claim_return_loan parameter.
To create a set of items for searching:
Use Advanced Search on Physical Items with Process Type of Claimed Returned. Save as Logical set. Then, use Tools → Excel to export into Excel for a printable list. You could also use Analytics to create a report that is sent out regularly.
If not found after x searches, you can then navigate through the saved set to the user’s fulfillment activities and manually mark as lost.
Helpful links:
Chat transcript
from Sacramento State to Everyone:
Can we get a sound check?
from Sacramento State to Everyone:
ok, having sound problems here
from Natasha Allen (privately):
do i have to do this individually?
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
Question for presenter: do i have to change the items individually?
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
i'm talking about adding item policies to items
from Cal Poly SLO to Everyone:
There's a rule 4 hour grade equipment why not use that rule
from Cal Poly SLO to Everyone:
I mean grad equipment
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
if i remember correctly, grad lab locker keys circulate differently
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
from the rest of grad equipment
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
yes, i believe it does
from Cal Poly SLO to Everyone:
Oh so a rule for who can't check out the item
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
so create an item exception, then create a set to change grad lab locker keys
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
so that they fit the item exception
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
and make sure that that the most restrictive rules are at the top
from Kirstie@CSULB (privately):
Could you also create a separate location code just for the locker keys rather than using the item policy?
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
perfect, that helps so much
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
thank you
from Kirstie@CSULB (privately):
Ignore my last message! Meant to send it to someone else....
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
Very helpful. Thanks
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
How does recurrence work with end of term/end of year?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Sweet.
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Ours have (GLOBAL) or (LOCAL) after the description. Does that mean anything?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Thanks.
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Also, why are 01 and 02 the same?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
No worries.
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
would you still have to set Alma to accept cash if you only accept credit card?
from Fresno to Everyone:
Can you make the default payment type check? Or would it always default to cash when taking a payment?
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
Excellent! :-)
from Cal Poly SLO to Everyone:
OK, thanks.
from Mark B. (Los Angeles) (privately):
So _any_ payment option must _include_ "Cash"? If no payment option, then no need to click on 'cash'?
from North American Professional Services to Everyone:
from Mark B. (Los Angeles) privately):
So _any_ payment option must _include_ "Cash"? If no payment option, then no need to click on 'cash'?
from Mark B. (Los Angeles) (privately):
Thank you.
from Mark B. (Los Angeles) (privately):
So it may change by GoLive
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
How do you actually connect the credit card payment to a credit card vendor such as Cashnet for example?
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
Ok.
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
Thanks
from Laurie Welling (privately):
You can also change the wording of these. For example, instead of "cash" you might want to use "CALS Cash". It will still display as "cash" in the circ desk configuration but it will display as "CALS Cash" in the payment drop down. This is something that must be configured by Ex Libris.
from Fresno to Everyone:
Can you reinstate fines and fees?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
What does add change to balance mean?
from Fresno to Everyone:
Usually operator error, but we also need to reinstate if a credit card is declined
from Mark B. (Los Angeles) to Everyone:
Or bounced Credit Card/Debit Card?
from Fresno to Everyone:
We don't have an actual credit card machine so unfortunately we process in CashNet after the payment was taken in our ILS
from Christina (CSUCI) (privately):
and include a dirty look
from Christina (CSUCI) (privately):
;)
to Christina (CSUCI) (privately):
:)
from Christina (CSUCI) to Everyone:
no fines = genius!
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
When you check "create fine" what fine is applied?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
The value is different depending on the type of item. How would I set that up?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
When does the item replacement fee amount in the policy come into play?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Sorry, I mean in the terms of use.
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Awesome. Perfect.
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
I wasn't sure if "change to lost" would charge the fine, block the patron, or send a notification.
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Awesome. Thanks.
from Cal Poly SLO to Everyone:
Do I understand that you have to select all user groups to have them all but for locations materials types item policies if you select nothing it defaults to all
from Cal Poly SLO to Everyone:
thanks
from Mallory DeBartolo (privately):
btw SJSU - I submitted this scenario, if it's slightly incorrect feel free to correct details if I got them incorrect
from Mallory DeBartolo to Everyone:
btw SJSU - I submitted this scenario, if it's slightly incorrect feel free to correct details if I got them incorrect
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
can you show where that parameter is?
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
Thanks Mallory- this is great
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
cool thanks
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
If an item has claimed returned process type, a work order on the item to search for it doesn't actually get placed, correct? Because it's still considered "loaned."
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
Can we track how many times we have searched it? Searched once, searched twice, etc.
from Mallory DeBartolo to Everyone:
can you upload a spreadsheet of mms ids or something like that to mark items as lost?
from Laura (Sonoma) to Everyone:
Ok, thanks.
from Mallory DeBartolo to Everyone:
great
from Natasha Allen to Everyone:
yes, it was very helpful thankyou
from julie kowalewski Ward to Everyone:
Thanks Megan, very helpful!!1
from Sacramento State to Everyone:
thank you
from Humboldt State U. to Everyone:
really helpful thanks
from Mark B (Los Angeles) to Everyone:
Thank you Megan