Modifying the Overdue Variables of a Loan Rule
The overdue variables of a loan rule control:
- The number of overdue notices to be produced (Max Number of Odues)
- When overdue notices are sent (Time First Odue, etc.)
- When replacement bills are sent (Max Number of Odues)
Modifying a Loan Rule v. Creating a New Loan Rule
It is best not to modify the overdue variables of a loan rule if items are currently in circulation under that loan rule. It is better to create a new loan rule that is configured to take effect only on items checked out after the loan rule is created.
If you modify any overdue variables for a loan rule, and one or more items are checked out and overdue under the previous version of the loan rule, the following are among the issues that could occur:
- The system could send a patron a higher-level overdue notice immediately after a lower-level overdue notice.
- The total overdue time could be inadvertently shortened or lengthened, so that the system sends the replacement bill much earlier or much later than desired.
- The system could send a patron only overdue notices and never send the replacement bill.
For more information, see How Overdue Variables in the Loan Rule Function.
To avoid any potential problems, create a new loan rule with the desired changes and modify the Loan Rule Determiner table so that the new rule only governs items checked out after the new loan rule was created. Thus, items checked out under the old loan rule are still subject to the old rule, and issues with circulation notices are minimized.
How Overdue Variables in the Loan Rule Function
The system produces overdue notices based on the intervals between notices, not on the amount of time that has passed since the item's due date.
Because the system tracks when the last overdue notice was sent to each patron, it is able to preserve the interval specified in the overdue variables of the applicable loan rule, even when the library does not print notices for a longer period of time than usual (such as a break or vacation).
The following extended example illustrates how overdue variables function.
For example, a library sets loan rule 7 as follows:
| Overdue Variable | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Max Number of Odues | 5 | The system sends 4 overdue notices and 1 final replacement bill. |
| Time First Odue | 6 | The item's due date counts as the Day 1 of the Time First Odue interval; therefore, the first overdue notice is generated 5 days after the item's due date. |
| Time Second Odue | 2 | Second overdue notice is generated 2 days after the first notice. |
| Time Third Odue | 7 | Third overdue notice is generated 7 days after the second notice. |
| Time Fourth Odue | 7 | Fourth overdue notice is generated 7 days after the third notice. |
| Time Fifth Odue | 7 | Replacement bill is generated 7 days after the fourth notice. |
A patron borrows an item under loan rule 7 and the item's due date is January 1.
The overdue variables for loan rule 7 function as follows:
- if overdue variables do not change
- if the Time Odue variables change
- if the Max Number of Odues variable changes
If Overdue Variables Do Not Change
If the example overdue variables for loan rule 7 do not change, the system generates overdue notices (and a replacement bill) for the unreturned item as follows:
| Overdue Notice Level | Date Generated |
|---|---|
| First | January 6 |
| Second | January 8 |
| Third | January 15 |
| Fourth | January 22 |
| Fifth (Replacement Bill) | January 29 |
If the Time Odue Variables Change
If the example overdue variables change while an item is checked out, the system could send an undesirable number of notices or send notices at an undesirable rate.
For example, on January 15 the example library decides to reduce the number of notices sent for an overdue item from five to four, but still give the patron 29 days to return the item before sending the patron a replacement bill. The library modifies the overdue variables of loan rule 7 to the following:
| Overdue Variable | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Max Number of Odues | 4 | The system now sends 3 overdue notices (instead of 4) and 1 final replacement bill. |
| Time First Odue | 12 | First overdue notice is generated 11 days after the item's due date (item due date + 11 days = 12). |
| Time Second Odue | 4 | Second overdue notice is generated 4 days after the first notice. |
| Time Third Odue | 12 | Third overdue notice is generated 12 days after the second notice. |
| Time Fourth Odue | 1 | Replacement bill is generated 1 day after the fourth notice. |
Because the library did not create a new loan rule but merely modified loan rule 7 on January 15, the following occurs:
- When notices are prepared and sent on January 16, the system finds that the example patron has already been sent the third overdue notice and is therefore due to receive the fourth overdue notice.
- Because the fourth overdue notice is now the replacement bill, and because the newly modified loan rule dictates that the system send the replacement bill the day after the third overdue notice, the system sends the example patron a replacement bill on January 16.
Therefore, because the loan rule was modified while an item was circulating, this patron's timeline to return the item before billing is curtailed from 29 days to 16.
If the Max Number of Odues Variable Changes
Before sending a replacement bill, the system automatically checks the item status to determine whether a bill has already been sent to the patron for the item. If the item STATUS is 'n' (BILLED, NOT PAID), the system does not send a replacement bill. Therefore, if a loan rule that specifies a maximum of five overdue notices is modified to generate a maximum of six overdue notices, the system does not generate a sixth notice (the bill) for any overdue item for which the system already sent the fifth notice (the bill under the previous version of the loan rule).
However, if a loan rule that specifies a maximum of five overdue notices is modified to generate a maximum of four overdue notices, the system does not generate a final replacement bill for any overdue item for which the system sent the fourth notice under the previous version of the loan rule.
For example:
- As of January 22, the Max Number of Odues element of loan rule 7 is set to 5.
- The system sends a patron the fourth overdue notice on January 22.
- On January 23, the example library modifies the Max Number of Odues element of loan rule 7 from 5 to 4.
- The library generates notices January 24.
- Because loan rule 7 now specifies a Max Number of Odues of 4, the system determines that the example patron was already sent the fourth notice and therefore does not generate another notice.
Therefore, the system never sends the patron the replacement bill.