Processing Offline Circulation Files

To enter Offline File Processing mode, you must be assigned permission 51 (Process PC transactions). See Permissions Used by Sierra for more information.

To process Offline Circulation transaction files:

  1. Update patron records with the patron registration information entered offline.
  2. Update records with the circulation transactions performed offline.
  3. View messages resulting from offline file processing.

Updating Patron Records with Offline Registration Information

To update patron records with the patron registration information entered offline:

  1. Choose Data Exchange from the Function list.
  2. Choose Load PATRON Records (ppc) from the Select Process drop-down list.

    Load PATRON Records displays only when added to the list of displayed processes assigned to your login in the Data Exchange tab.

  3. Import the patron records.

Updating Records with Offline Circulation Transactions

Update patron record information before you process circulation transactions. Updating patron data first ensures that the system correctly processes circulation transactions for new or updated patrons.

To update item and patron records with the circulation transactions performed offline:

  1. Choose Offline File Processing from the Function list.
  2. Continue as appropriate:
    • view any of the uploaded files before processing
    • immediately process all uploaded offline files
Manually Compiling Files

To manually compile a file to upload and process, see Formatting Transaction Files for Uploading: rd* File Formats.

Viewing Offline Circulation Files

To view and print the uploaded offline circulation transaction files before processing:

  1. In the View Offline Files pane, choose the offline transaction file you want to view from the drop-down list. The drop-down list displays uploaded files in the pre-processed rdydate&time format. For example:

    rdy20101023044552
  2. Choose View. The system displays the contents of the circulation transaction file in the Summary area.

When viewing offline circulation transaction files, you can:

Processing All Offline Files

To update item and patron records associated with all uploaded offline transactions:

  1. View the file(s) you want to process.
  2. In the Set Parameters pane, select the actions you want the system to take. The system always performs item renewals and checkouts. By default, it assesses fines and processes holds when applicable.
    • To prevent the system from assessing fines (for example, overdue charges or replacement bills) on the items circulated offline, uncheck the Assess Fines check box.
    • To prevent the system from processing holds on the items circulated offline, uncheck the Process Holds check box.
    • Choose the course of action you would like the system to take in the event of an item being checked out that has a status of 'n' (BILLED):
      • To adjust billed item charges, choose Reduce Billed Item Charges.
      • To waive billed item charges, choose Waive Billed Item Charges.
      The default billed item charges selection depends on the setting of the Check-Out: What to do with bill of billed item circulation option. If this option is set to "ASK", the radio button is set to a default of Waive Billed Item Charges.
  3. Choose Process All Files. The system:
    • Processes all circulation transactions in the files listed in the View Offline Files drop-down list.
    • Deletes the processed offline transaction files.
    • Displays the processing results in the Summary area.

Viewing Messages after Processing Offline Files

To view any messages resulting from offline file processing:

  1. In the View Log Files pane, select the log file you want to view from the drop-down list. The system uses the following information to name log files:
    • The statistics group number assigned to the login used to upload the files from the Offline Circulation workstation
    • The associated statistics group name from the Statistical Group Maintenance table
    For example:

    777 East End Offline

  2. Choose View. The system displays the log file name and any recent processing messages in the Summary area.
  3. To print the displayed log file, choose the Print icon.
  4. To delete the displayed log file, choose Delete File. The system prompts you to confirm the deletion.

    If you do not delete the log file before you process more offline transaction files for that statistics group, the system continues to display the old messages, and displays the new messages at the bottom of the log file.
See also:
Possible Messages (Offline File Processing)