Creating Records

The method you use to create a record directly in Sierra depends on the category of the record you want to create:

Alternatives to Creating Records Directly

In addition to creating records directly in Sierra, you can:

"Mirror" bibliographic records from a remote database. See Searching for Records in a Remote Database.
Import bibliographic and authority records via a bibliographic utility such as SkyRiver.
Import bibliographic, patron, authority, and resource records via Data Exchange.

Primary-level Records

Records in this category can be created as individual records. The system does not require the prior creation of another record to which they are linked.

Primary-level records can be linked to each other and to secondary-level records. For more information about possible links, see Record Linking.

This category of records includes:

Record Type	To create a record of this type:
Authority	Use the standardized steps.
Bibliographic	Use the standardized steps.
Central bibliographic	These records (and associated institution records) are created automatically via the INN-Reach record-loading process. They cannot be manually created on the INN-Reach Central Server.
Contact	Use the standardized steps.
Course	Use the standardized steps.
Invoice	Creating Invoices
Patron	Use the standardized steps, or create the patron on-the-fly.
Program	Creating Programs
Resource	Use the standardized steps.
Vendor	Use the standardized steps.

The standardized steps for creating a primary-level record are as follows:

Choose the appropriate function from the Function list:

Record Type	Function	Required Permissions
Authority	Catalog	112 (Create authority records)
Bibliographic	Catalog, Serials Checkin, Place Orders, or Receive	102 (Create bibliographic records)
Contact	Contacts	232 (Create Contact Records)
Course	Course Reserves	048 (Course reserves) 171 (View course records) 172 (Create course records)
Patron	Circulation Desk or Routing¹	162 (Create patron records)
Resource	Catalog	212 (Create Resource records)
Vendor	Vendors	412 (Create vendor records)

¹Creating patron records using the Routing function is possible only if your system is configured to use the patron record database for routing.

Choose the File | New Record | <Type> Record menu option.
For example:
File | New Record | Authority Record
Complete the steps described in Entering Data into New Records.

Complete additional steps depending on the type of record you're creating:

Record Type	Additional Steps
Authority	No additional action needed.
Bibliographic	If you have chosen in the Admin \| Settings \| New Records tab to automatically attach records, Sierra prompts you to enter values for the fields in the item, order, or checkin records to be created and attached. If you use automatic record attachment, choose Save All from the bibliographic record's Summary tab when you have created all of the attached records.
Contact	(Optional) Associate the contact record with a resource record.
Course	No additional action needed.
Patron	(Optional) You can: Create a patron alias. Modify the TELEPHONE field as necessary. (Optional; Swedish sites only) Retrieve patron information from the Swedish Population Archive (SPAR) database.
Resource	(Optional) Associate a contact record with the resource record.
Vendor	(Optional) Group the vendor with other vendors.

Secondary-level Records

Records in this category can only be created after the creation of the primary-level record to which they are linked. If the primary-level record does not exist prior to your attempt to create the secondary-level record, you must create that record prior to the secondary record.

Secondary-level records must be linked to the appropriate primary-level records. Certain types of secondary-level records can be linked to each other. For more information about possible links, see Record Linking.

This cateogry of records includes:

Record Type	Required Primary	To create a record of this type:
Holdings/checkin	Bibliographic	Creating Checkin Records Creating Holdings Records
Institution	Central bibliographic	Central institution records (and the central bibliographic records to which they are linked) are created automatically via the INN-Reach record-loading process. They cannot be manually created on the INN-Reach Central Server.
Item	Bibliographic	Creating Item Records Creating Item Records for Serials Issues Creating Item Records during Serials Check-in Creating Item Records in Course Reserves Creating Item Records On-The-Fly
License	Resource	Creating License Records
Order	Bibliographic	Creating Order Records
Section	Program	Creating Sections and Sessions
Volume	Bibliographic	Creating Volume Records

See also:: Mandatory Fields; Managing Templates for New Records; Maintaining Records; Deleting Records