Creating Lists (Review Files)

To create, view, and maintain review files and their records, you must be assigned permission 018 (Create lists). Occasionally, you might encounter certain review files that you are not permitted to edit or own because the files are password-protected. In this case, you must either have the file's owner or your List Administrator (permission 186) provide you with access. In all cases, you must be assigned permission to view the record types within the review file. To administer files in Create Lists, you must be assigned permission 186 (Review File List Administrator), as well as permission 018. As a List Administrator, you can manage the ownership of and access to all review files. See Setting Review File Authorship and Ownership and Permissions Used by Sierra for more information.

To create and maintain saved search templates, you must be assigned permission 641 (Create Lists Template Administration) in addition to permissions 018 and 186. Permission 640 (Create Lists Limited) allows use of existing saved search templates only.

Use the Create Lists Settings panel to specify settings for Create Lists.

The Create Lists function enables you to create a list of records, called a review file, from the results of a query based on custom criteria. You can combine data from different record types, such as bibliographic and item records, and look for specific values in the records. However, all records listed within a review file must have the same record type. For example, you can search the bibliographic Material Type and item record Location fields to create a list of bibs with items owned by a particular branch.

Sierra converts your query into an SQL statement that it executes against the database. The query returns a list of record numbers. Sierra stores the list in a review file. Once you build a review file, you can browse (show) the list of record numbers, as well as review the query used to create the list. You can sort the list by any of the data elements contained in the records it references, list and print selected fields from those records, or export selected fields to a character-delimited text file. You can use a review file as input for other Sierra functions such as updating or exporting records.

Review files contain lists of record numbers, not static copies of actual records. When you view the records listed in a review file, the system retrieves the current version of the included records. If any of the records have changed since you created the review file, the record display reflects those changes.

Each review file retains its list of records until you choose to empty the file.

A specific user can "own" a review file, which protects it from overwriting by other users.

Your system installation includes a set number of review files. You can purchase additional review files.

For a general introduction to the logic of Create Lists queries, see How Create Lists Works.

Tasks you can perform in Create Lists include:

Working with Review Files

Creating a new review file

Using the enhanced query builder

Creating a JSON query

Renaming a review file

Copying a review file

Merging review files