Creating Resource Records

To create a resource record:

1. Choose Catalog from the Function drop-down list.
2. Choose File | New Record | Resource Record.

   Sierra defaults to the record template selected in Admin | Settings | New Records | New Record Templates. If the setting is "Prompt for Template," you are prompted to select one of the templates from the list.

   Preferred Templates

   You can create a customized list of preferred templates in Admin | Settings | Templates. If you use this setting, the list of templates that displays when you create a new record is limited to those you have specified.

3. Highlight the row of the template you want to use and choose the Select button.
4. If the Use wizard to create new records setting is enabled for your login, Sierra offers a "wizard" (a series of dialogs).
5. For each field that appears in the selected template, the system prompts you to enter a value for that field. In the dialogs that display, enter data for the fixed-length and variable-length fields required by the record template you chose.

   The following fields in resource records are validated against the values in the CONTACT CODE fields of contact records:

   • ACCESS PROVIDER
   • PUBLISHER
   • COPYRIGHT HOLDER
   • DATA PROVIDER
   • CONSORTIUM

   These fields associate a resource record with a contact record. The associated contact displays in the resource record's Contacts tab.

   To enter a value in one of these resource record fields:

   1. Create a contact record.
   2. Enter a value in the contact record's CONTACT CODE field.
   3. In Add New Record or Edit, double-click the resource record field. The Select a Contact dialog appears.
   4. Retrieve a contact record.
   5. Choose Use Contact Record.
   6. Choose Save.
6. For the variable-length fields listed below, you can enter a unique value by entering it directly next to the field label, or you can use a value from a list of standard values.

   With ERM, you can maintain a list of standard values to maintain consistency of data in your database. When you insert one of these fields, you can enter a value from the list by starting to key it in the field. The system displays the complete value. Press Enter to accept the value or continue typing until your field value appears. For more information on maintaining the lists of values for these fields, see Editing Multi-value Variable-length Field Values.

   • HARDWARE/SOFTWARE
   • RESTRICTED (PATRONS)
   • PERMITTED (PATRONS)
   • AUTHORIZED USERS
   • RESTRICTED (STAFF)
   • PERMITTED (STAFF)
7. You can enter substitution phrases in the variable-length fields.

   Setting Default Fields and Values

   When creating new records, the fields and their default values come from the record templates. If you change the value of one of the fields during new record creation, for some fields, such as LOCATION or COPIES, subsequent new records keyed during the same session continue to default to the values you entered. You can contact Innovative to specify which fields retain new values, or to see which fields on your system currently retain new values.

8. Choose Next to go to the next required field.
9. Choose Cancel New Record to stop creating a new record.
10. When you finish entering data in the dialogs, Sierra displays the newly created record. In the displayed record you can do the following:
    • insert and delete variable-length fields
    • convert variable-length fields between MARC and non-MARC format
    • move (re-order) variable-length fields, as necessary

    Note that you can choose Undo to cancel up to ten of your last editing actions and Redo to cancel up to ten of your last "undo" actions.

11. Continue as appropriate:
    • Choose Save to create the record.
    • Choose Cancel to exit the window without creating the record.