Set up overdue notices, bills, and combined notices

To set up overdue notices, bills, and combined notices:

In the Administration Explorer tree view, select Parameters for the organization, and click the Notification tab in the details view.
Double-click Notification options. The Notification Options dialog box - General tabbed page appears. Verify that the possible delivery methods have been specified.
Click the Overdue & Bill tab.
If you send overdue notices, select Overdue.
In the Overdue section, select Export if you export overdue notices to an outside vendor for delivery. This option is available only if Export has been selected for a delivery method on the General tabbed page at the system or library level. See Exporting Notices to a Notification Service.
In the First overdue section, set the options for first overdue notices:
1. In the Notice interval box, type or select the number of days (999 maximum) after an item is declared overdue that the item is added to the queue for the first overdue notice.
2. To include claimed items in overdue notice processing, select Include claimed items.
3. Select a delivery method in the Notification Method box.
  
  You can deliver overdue notices by any of the methods you selected on the General tabbed page.
  
  Important:
  If you export overdue notices to an outside vendor for print delivery, the notification method must be set to Print at the system, library, and branch levels if you want to export the notices from all organizations. If a branch-level method is set to e-mail or phone, the system produces notices according to that method. If the method is set to Patron Preference, and the patron’s preference is set to Print, the notice is exported, but if the patron’s preference is e-mail, phone, or text message, that method is used.
4. Select Send additional TXT message if you want to send a text message notice to patrons’ mobile phones in addition to the notification method you selected. A patron will receive the additional text message only if the Additional TXT notice option is checked in the patron record, the TXT box is checked for Phone 1, Phone 2, or Phone 3, and a carrier is specified for that phone number. If a patron registers or updates account information online through Polaris PowerPAC and supplies a phone number for text messages and a carrier, this option is automatically checked.
  
  If you selected Patron Preference in the Notification Method box, patrons who have text messaging set as their preferred notification method in the patron record will receive text message notices only.
5. Select the library that should generate the overdue notice in the Notification library box.
  
  The notification library is the library responsible for producing and sending the notice. For more information about how this selection determines which patrons and items are identified for overdue notice processing, see The Notification Library.
6. Set the return address for the notice in the Return address box:
  - Use notification library - This option uses the address specified in the organization record for the notification library.
  - Use optional address - Select this option to set an address other than the notification library if your library uses a central location to process and send notices. If you select this option, select the organization whose address should appear on the notice.
  Note:
  If the notification library is set to Item’s branch or Transacting branch, and the return address is set to Use notification library, the return address on the notices is that of the item branch or transacting branch. If you want the return address to be your own, select Use optional address and choose your own branch.
If you send second overdue notices, set the interval and method in the Second overdue section.

To prevent Polaris from generating an overdue notice for a particular overdue level, as well as the overdue levels that follow it, set the overdue level to zero (0). For example, if you do not want to send second and third overdue notices, set the Notice interval for the second overdue to 0.

The interval is measured from the point when the item status changed to overdue, not from the first overdue notice. The method and settings can be different from the first overdue notice settings. The notification library, return address, and claimed items settings are the same as the first overdue notice settings.
If you send third overdue notices, set the interval and method in the Third overdue section.

Note:
If you do not send third overdue notices, set the Notice interval for the third overdue to 0.

The interval is measured from the point when the item status changed to overdue, not from the second overdue notice. The method settings can be different from the first and second overdue notice settings. The notification library, return address, and claimed items settings are the same as the first overdue notice settings.
If you send bills, select Bill, and set the following options:
1. Select Export if you export bills to an outside vendor for delivery. This option is available only if Export has been selected for a delivery method on the General tabbed page at the system level. Bills cannot be exported for telephone notification.
2. In the Notice interval box, type or select the number of days (999 maximum) after an item is declared overdue that the item is added to the queue for the billing notice.
  
  Note:
  Coordinate this setting with your interval settings for overdue notices.
3. Select a delivery method in the Notification Method box.
  
  You can deliver bills by print, e-mail, or text message if you have selected the method on the General tabbed page. See Set up notification methods, e-mail options, and export location.
  
  Note:
  Bills cannot be delivered by telephone. If you set the method to Patron Preference and the patron’s preference is set to Phone in the patron record, the notice will be printed instead.
  
  Important:
  If you export billing notices to an outside vendor for print delivery, the notification method must be set to Print at the system, library, and branch levels if you want to export the notices from all organizations. If a branch-level method is set to e-mail, the system produces notices according to that method. If the method is set to Patron Preference, and the patron’s preference is set to Print, the notice is exported, but if the patron’s preference is e-mail or text message, that method is used.
4. Select Send additional TXT message if you want to send a text message notice to patrons’ mobile phones in addition to the notification method you selected. A patron will receive the additional text message only if the Additional TXT notice option is checked in the patron record, the TXT box is checked for Phone 1, Phone 2, or Phone 3, and a carrier is specified for that phone number. If a patron registers or updates account information online through Polaris PowerPAC and supplies a phone number for text messages and a carrier, this option is automatically checked.
  
  If you selected Patron Preference in the Notification Method box, patrons who have text messaging set as their preferred notification method in the patron record will receive text message notices only.
5. Select the library to generate the bill in the Notification library box.
  
  The notification library is the library responsible for producing and sending the notice. For more information about how this selection affects which patrons and items are identified for bill processing, see The Notification Library.
6. Set the return address for the bill in the Return address box:
  - Use notification library - This option uses the address specified in the organization record for the notification library.
  - Use optional address - Select this option to set an address other than the notification library if your notices are processed and sent from a central location. If you select this option, select the organization whose address should appear on the notice.
To send combined notices (see Combined Notices), select Combine patron notices and set the delivery method.

You can deliver combined notices by any of the methods you selected on the General tabbed page. See Set up notification methods, e-mail options, and export location.

Note:
If Combine patron notices is not checked, combined e-mail notices are not automatically generated. However, the option is displayed and functions from the Polaris Reports utility.
Click Save to save your settings and close the Notification options dialog box, or select another tab to set up another notice type.

Related Information

Prevent a specific patron from receiving overdue notices - Select the Exclude from overdue notice checkbox on the Patron Registration workform - General view. See Add general data to a patron record.
Prevent a specific patron from receiving bills - Select Exclude from billing on the Patron Registration workform - General view. See Add general data to a patron record.
Patron billing statement - The Patron Billing Statement is a notice that lists all the current charges on a specific patron’s account. You can print this notice for a specific patron or patrons, or on an organization basis, automatically printing a statement of current charges for each patron who owes an amount within a specified range. This notice is intended to help patrons understand exactly what they owe, and does not affect the notices queue in any way. See Print patron billing statements.
Setting circulation blocks - See Defining Circ and Request Limit Blocks.
Generating printed notices - See Printing Notices.
Generating e-mail notices - See Delivering Notices By E-mail.
Setting up text message notices - See Delivering Notices by Text Message.
Telephone notification - See Delivering Notices by Phone (Outbound Telephony).