[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Trying to do Overdues.

Tue Oct 25 16:28:49 EDT 2011

Sorry about the horrible spelling. I was running it through the spell checker, but I sent it before the check was complete.

Liam

________________________________

	From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Whalen, Liam
	Sent: October 25, 2011 16:12
	To: Evergreen Discussion Group
	Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Trying to do Overdues.

	This will not send overdue notices to patrons.  It will simple create a report that can be emailed to staff, who can then contact patrons about overdue items.

	In the Staff Client, click the 'Admin' link in the upper right corner:

	In 'Admin' click the 'Local Administrators' option.

	In 'Local Administrators' click the 'Reports' option.

	If you do not have a your Reports folders configured you will need to do so now:

	http://docs.sitka.bclibraries.ca/Sitka/draft/html/folder.html#report-folder-creating

	Once you have your folders created, then you click the arrow beside the 'Templates' link in the 'My Folders' section.

	From here, click on a folder you have setup to store your report templates.

	There is a link on the right hand side of the screen that says 'Create a new Template for this folder', click that link.

	This takes you to the reports section.

	In this section click the 'Sources' drop down menu and choose, the 'Circulation' option.

	This will cause 'Circulation' to be displayed in the area below the 'Sources' drop down menu.

	Click the arrow besides 'Circulation' in this display area.  This will show you a list of options that can be included in your report, they are ordered alphabetically.

	Click the 'Patron' option, this will display a number of items in the area to the right of the 'Sources' screen.

	I'm going to choose the items I used in my report, but you can choose any item you see fit to include in your report.
	When choosing an item for the report, it is important to look at the 'Data Type' column.  If the 'Data Type' is 'link' then you need to look further to find the details you want to display.

	For instance, under Patron there is a 'Mailing Address' option with a 'Data Type' of link.  To get to the Mailing Address details you need to click the the arrow beside 'Patron', which will open up a subset of options to chose from.  One of those options is 'Mailing Address' if you click 'Mailing Address' you will now see the actually details for the patrons mailing address displayed to the right. Many of these items have a 'Data Type' of text.  Unlike the 'link' data type, the 'text' data type will display useful information in your report.  There are other data types that will display useful information.  If I come across any while writing this I will make note of them.

	Ok, back to the report.

	So, once  you have clicked 'Patron' and have the list of items displaying to the right of the 'Sources' screen, you can click double click the 'First Name' option which has a data type of 'text'.  This will add 'First Name' to your report.  You will see it show up in the 'Display Fields' tab in the bottom section of the screen.  After you have double clicked 'First Name' do the same for 'Last Name', 'Daytime Phone', and 'Evening Phone'.  Next, click the arrow beside 'Patron', then click the 'Current Library Card' option.  In the screen to the right of 'Sources' double click the 'Barcode' option to add the patron's barcode to your report.  Now, above the 'Patron' option click the arrow besides 'Circulating Item'.  In the items that appear below 'Circulating Item', click the 'Call Number/Volume' option.  In the window to the right of 'Sources' click 'Call Number Label' to add the call number to your report.  Now, click the 'Circulating Item' link in the 'Sources' window.  In the window to the right of Sources, click 'Barcode' to put the item's barcode in your report.

	There is now a problem with your report.  You have two report items named Barcode (the user's barcode and the item's barcode).  Click once on the first Barcode in the 'Display Fields' screen.  This is the patron's barcode.  Then click the 'Alter Display Header' button.  This will let you change the name of this field.  Change it to Patron Barcode or whatever you feel like.  Then click the second Barcode and click 'Alter Display Header' again.  Change this Barcode to Item Barcode or whatever your prefer.

	One last item to add to our report, the Due Date.  Click the 'Circulation' link at the top of the tree in the 'Sources' list.  Then double click 'Due Date/Time' to add the due date to your report.  The Due Date/Time is not a text data type.  It is a timestamp data type, which will show you a date and time.  If you only want the date to display click the 'Due Date/Time' option in your 'Display Fields' screen, then click the 'Change Transform' button and chose the 'Date' option.

	Ok, you now have a list of fields for your report (feel free to add items to your report that  you feel are necessary, just be sure you don't add an item with a data type of 'link'.  Items with data type 'link' will  not break the report, but they won't give you any useful information.

	Now we need to add the filters to your report that will give you useful information.

	Besides the 'Display Fields' tab there is a 'Base Filters' tab.  Click that tab.

	Now you need to specify what fields will limit your report.  You now have a clear list at the bottom of your screen under 'Base Filters'.

	In the 'Sources' screen above 'Base Filters' look for the 'Circulating Library' link underneath the 'Circulation' root.  Click the 'Circulating Library' link.  This will open up options in the screen to the right of the 'Sources' Screen.  Double click the 'Organizational Unit ID' option.  This is the first filter and will allow us to generate a list of overdue items belonging to a specific Organizational Unit.

	Next, click the 'Circulation' link at the top of the 'Sources' screen, then double click the 'Check in Date/Time' link to the right of the 'Sources' screen. 'Checking Date/Time' has a data type of 'timestamp'.  Once you have Checking Date/Time in your Base Filters, you need to modify the filter to look for items that do not have a Checkin Date/Time (ie, they are still out on loan).  To do that, click the 'Checkin Date/Time' link in the 'Base Filters' screen.  Then click the 'Change Operator' button and choose the 'Is NULL' option.  This will look for items that do not have a 'Checkin Date/Time' value set in the database.

	There is one more item to add to your 'Base Filters' list.  This is the 'Due Date/Time'.  Click the 'Circulation' link at the top of the 'Sources' screen, then double click the 'Due Date/Time' option which has a data type of 'timestamp'.  In order to get a list of over due items, we want to look at items with a Due Date/Time that is less than or equal to today.  So, click the 'Due Date/Time' option in your 'Base Filters' tab, then click the 'Change Operator' button and choose 'Less than or equal to'.

	This is all you need to do to set up your template. So, if you are satisfied with your Display Fields, give your Template a Name like 'Overdue items at a particular org unit' and a description 'Generates a list of overdue items at a particular Org Unit.  Set the Due Date/Time to now() in order to get current overdue items.'  I'll explain what that last sentence means when we generate a report from this template.

	The Title and Description fields are inbetween the Sources screen and the Base Filters Screen.  Once you have entered your Title and Description, click the 'Save' button to the right of the 'Description' input field.

	Now we need to generate a report from this template.

	Go back to the start of the Reports Screen (Admin->Local Administrators->Reports).  You will be sent there once you save your template.

	Click on the arrow beside the 'Templates' link, then click the directory you chose to save your template in.  You should see a list of templates apear to the right.  Click the box besides the template you just created (It should have a 'name' value equal to what ever you chose as the template name before you saved your template).  Once the box is checked, make sure 'Create a new report from the selected template' is the current option in the select box, then click the 'Submit' button.

	This will bring you to the report generation screen.  In here, you need to fill in the 'Report Name' field.  A 'Report Name' like 'Overdue items for BLA library' where BLA is the Org Unit you wish to use for this report might be a good report name.  The name of the report will be sent to staff via email when the report is run, so you want to make it informative.

	You need to fill in the 'Report Description' field.  Detailing who is recieving the report and a quick description about the report is useful here.

	You then need to select a folder to store your report in.  This option is listed as 'Choose a folder to store this report definition: '.   The list of folders available to you will be the folders you created at the start of this process.  Chose a folder that makes sense to you.  If you only have one folder choose it.  You may want to create more folders later on to help you organize your reports.

	Now you have to fill in the filter options.   Under Organizational Unit ID, choose the Org Unit you want this report to detail.

	Next is the Due Date/Time part which is not very intuitive, and if anyone knows a better way of doing this let me know.  In order to get the report to give you a list of items that are overdue at the moment it is run, you need to use a PostgreSQL function called now().  now () generates a timestamp eqaul to the moment it is executed.  So in the input box to the right of Due Date/Time enter 'now()'.  Because we are using now() in the Due Date/Time option. This report will find over due items from the moment the report is run.  I suggest running the report in the early morning to get a list of items that are overdue as of the previous day.

	You will  not be able to change the value for Checkin Date/Time because it is set to Null by our template.

	Next you can choose if you want this to be a recurring report.  If you do, then click the check box to the right of 'Recurring Report:'.

	If you do want a recurring report you need to select how often it will recur, Every Day, Once a Week, Once a Month.  You can modify the number to the left of 'Day/Week/Month' to generate the report at different intervals.

	You can then choose when you want the report to run.  If this is your first time running the report you might want to run it as soon as possible.  If that is the case, keep the 'Run as soon as possible' box checked.  If you are running it as soon as possible, I would suggest not running it as a recurring report.  Instead, run it once as soon as possible, then make a new report and run it at a specific day like the first of the Month, or every Monday, or whatever makes sense for your staff.

	Next, you choose what email address to which you want the report sent.  You can add multiple addresses by separating them with a comma.  Note, this only restricts who the report is sent to.  In the email that is sent, a ULR to the report will be included, and you can give this URL to anyone with a Staff Client login who can then use their login credentials to view the report.

	Finally, you need to choose a folder for the reports output. Click one of the folders you created at the start of this process.  The folders are to the right of the 'Choose a folder to store this report's output:' text.

	Take a couple of glances over your report to make sure everything is set properly (is it set to use the right Org Unit?, have you typed now() correctly into the Due Date/Time input box, etc).  Once you are sure everything is setup correctly, click the "Save Report' button.  In a short while the emails you listed in the report should get a message with a link to the report.

	If you do not want to wait for the email you can click the arrow to the right of the 'Output' link in your 'My Folders' section, then click the folder you chose to save the report output to.  Click the checkbox beside your report's name, then make sure the select box reads 'View report output' then click the 'Submit' button.  Note it may take a bit for your report to generate, so if your report's name is in the 'Pending Items' section, then wait a minute and click the 'Reload' button to see if your report is now listed in the 'Completed Items' section.  If your report is stuck in the 'Pending Items' section then your Clark Kent reporting daemon is probably not running, and you will have to get your Evergreen admin to start it up.  Once you have clicked submit, you will be taken to a new screen.  This new screen with give you two options. Tabular Ouptut, and Excel Output.  Tabluar Output will display your report as an HTML table, Excel Ouput will let you download an Excel file with your reports details.  

	I realize this is a very long email.  I hope it is not to muddled and filled with spelling errors.  If you need further explanaiton please ask on the list.

	Liam

________________________________

		From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Joan Kranich
		Sent: October 25, 2011 14:13
		To: Evergreen Discussion Group
		Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Trying to do Overdues.

		Hi,

		I am also interested in the process libraries use to send overdue notices and would appreciate the steps.   Thanks.

		Joan

		Joan Kranich

		C/W MARS Member Services

		jkranich at cwmars.org

		508-755-3323 ext. 21

		From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Whalen, Liam
		Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 2:11 PM
		To: Evergreen Discussion Group
		Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Trying to do Overdues.

		I have created an Evergreen report that can be emailed to our staff that shows a list of overdue items for a specific Org Unit.  Would something like that be what you are looking for?  If it is, then I can post the steps I took to create the report.

		Liam Whalen

		Natural Resources Canada Library / Bibliothèque de Ressources naturelles Canada
		615 rue Booth Street, 121, Ottawa, ON
		Canada K1A 0E9
		Telephone / Téléphone : 613-995-4180
		lwhalen at nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
		Web: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/library/

________________________________

			From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Michelle Dyer
			Sent: October 25, 2011 13:46
			To: open-ils-general at list.georgialibraries.org
			Subject: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Trying to do Overdues.

			I have been told that you do your overdues by email to your patrons. But I'm here in Maine can't seem to even get a list of overdues. Is there such thing as a list of overdues. I don't have many patrons with email or access to computers except for here so a list rather then automatic email would work better for us. If anyone has hints, ideas, ect.. that would be most welcome.

			Thanks a bunch

			Michelle

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://libmail.georgialibraries.org/pipermail/open-ils-general/attachments/20111025/56d746c2/attachment-0001.htm>