Administering Due Slip Options

The Due Slips menu allows you to customize the information that Sierra includes on due slips. On this menu you can:

• Define how and when due slips are generated
• Add messages to due slips
• Determine the patron information to include on the due slip
• Configure due slip layout
• Reset due slip values
• Print the due slip

Defining How and When Due Slips Are Generated

Using the Due Slip Delivery area, you can control how and when due slips are generated. These options include:

Available due slip delivery methods

This option controls which due slip delivery methods are available in Sierra for your login. Options include Print and Email. You can select one, both, or neither of the options.

See Emailing Date Due Slips for more information on configuring the option to email date due slips and how it works in Sierra.

When due slips are generated

If you selected email as an available due slip delivery method or selected no delivery methods, this list is grayed out and defaults to "At the end of patron session".

This option controls when due slips are generated. Possible values include:

• At end of patron session - (Print or Email) Generates a due slip for all items checked out or renewed when the patron record is closed.
• Immediately (one slip per item) - (Print only) Prints a separate due slip as each item is checked out or renewed.
• Immediately (one slip per patron) - (Print only) Prints due date information for each item as it is checked out or renewed, and then the printer paper advances in preparation for the next item. Includes due date information for all items on a single slip.

If you use Print Templates, this option behaves the same as the At end of the patron session value.

Default due slip delivery method

If you selected no due slip delivery methods, this list is grayed out and defaults to No Slip.

This option defines the default delivery method for your login. Options include No Slip and any delivery methods you defined above (for example, Print and Email). You can change the method of delivery during checkout or renewal.

Adding Messages to Due Slips

You can include up to two lines of information on the bottom of all date due slips printed by this login using the Message to print on due slip text boxes. Both lines can contain a maximum of 40 characters. The text entered in the Line 1 text box appears before the text in the Line 2 text box.

Determining the Patron Information to Include on the Due Slip

You can set up due slips to include certain types of patron information using the Patron information on due slip radio buttons. If you select the Name button, the system includes patron names on date due slips. If you select the Barcode button, the system includes patron barcode numbers on date due slips. If you select the Neither button, the system includes patron record numbers on date due slips.

Administering the Due Slip Layout

You can use the Due Slip Layout area to determine which of the listed fixed- and variable-length fields are included on due slips, how many spaces are allotted for each field, and the order in which the fields appear.

Adding Fields to Due Slips

To add fields to due slips:

1. Decide which fields to include on due slips and in what order. See Due Slips for more information about how the system determines the values for these fields.
2. Enter a number in the Slip Order column for each field to be included, in order of appearance. For example, if you want the title to appear first, barcode second, and call number third, enter:

Field (in order displayed)	Slip Order
Title	1
CALL#	3
Barcode	2

3. In the Width column, enter the number of characters you want the system to print for each field to be included on the due slip:
   • To edit an existing value, select the entry you want to change, and enter a new number.
   • To remove an entry, select it, and press <Delete> or <Backspace>.

   When you change the values in the Width column, Sierra automatically adjusts the Total field. The Total field represents the total number of characters currently allocated for the width of the due slip.

   Maximum Total Characters

   The system enables a maximum of 130 characters in the Width column. If the Total field displays a number greater than 130 when you click OK, Sierra displays a warning and does not enable you to save. You must select values that add up to 130 or less before you can save the customized version of your due slip.

Resetting the Due Slip Values

To reset the values in the Due Slip Layout menu, you can do one of the following:

• To return the Due Slip Layout menu to its default settings, click Use Defaults.
• To return the Due Slip Layout menu to its last saved form (that is, the values that were specified when you last clicked OK), click Reset to Previous Settings.

Printing the Due Slip

To print a test due slip, click Print Test Slip. The system prints a test slip for the login that you used to launch your Sierra session. If you are editing the due slip settings for a login other than the one you used to launch Sierra, the system disables the Print Test Slip button.

The test slip for the default settings prints as follows:

   # Fri Dec 07 2001 01:36PM Item(s) checked out to Test Patron.

Title             BARCODE           DUE DATE
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx