Alma
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568 results found
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Handle Identifier support in Alma
Alma provides limited support for permanent URLs through Handle.net (CNRI). We propose that Ex Libris provide the same level of support for Handle URLs in Alma Digital as they do with Esploro customers.
The only documentation for producing Handle URLs in Alma is this blog entry on the Developer Network site:
https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/blog/generating-a-handle-persistent-identifier-in-alma/According to the article, an institution must install their own local Handle server to create and register Handle urls. Alma does not communicate with the handle server directly via its API. Instead, institutions that use Handle have to set up a FTP/SFTP site to receive the Handle URLs…
22 votesHi,
Functionality has been added, to allow registration of Handle PIDs in an Ex Libris hosted handle server. See further details - https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/Digital_Resource_Management/020Configuring_Digital_Resource_Management/Configuring_Persistent_Handle_Identifiers_for_Digital_Resources
Thank you,
Daniel
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Ensure sample xml is available at the same time new Alma letters are released
When new Alma letters are released it would be super helpful if:
• The sample xml file is added to the zip file here https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/blog/alma-letters-xml-samples-for-working-on-xsl-customization to coincide with the Sandbox release
• Release notes include a link to the post on the developers network
Even better would be if the sample could be downloaded from within Alma letters configuration
LettersDefault.xml which is currently downloadable in Alma is a generic xml which cannot be used for customisation. Some letters require a scheduled job to be run (these are disabled on Sandbox by default) making it inconvenient to generate a letter…
91 votesAs of of Alma May Release when configuring letters, users can make use of out-of-the-box XML examples. These examples were now enriched to provide more detail that can help uses to customize the letters.
For more information please see Release Notes:https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2021/Alma_2021_Release_Notes?mon=202105BASE
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Add 'Renewal Note' to Analytics
We use the 'renewal note' field on the POLs of our journal renewals. We then use Analytics to create lists of titles to be worked on and annotated as we make decisions on renewals. However, it's not possible to add the 'renewal note' to a report from Analytics, and hence we can't get all the relevant information easily into a single report. Please can this field be made available?
18 votesCompleted as part of the Alma February release:
The Renewal Note field was added to the PO Line dimension for every subject area in which it appears. It displays the note of the PO line renewal for continuous orders.
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Exclude cancelled or closed POLs from the search results
When you are searching for POLs, you are able to select one facet pertaining to the POL status to narrow down your results. What would be more helpful is if we could EXCLUDE search results based on a selected facet. For example, selecting a facet to remove all "Cancelled" POLs.
3 votes -
Swedish Characters (Case nr 00794172 Swedish Film Institute)
Apparently, since Alma and Primo are indexed differently, if you have chosen Scandinavian characters during implementation, Alma cannot handle searches on, for example, French accents. Works in Primo, but not Alma.
Obviously, for us Scandinavian customers this is problematic. There is a risk that both staff and patrons end up with faulty search results.
Andrew Christison, Customer Success Manager, promised to look into this on our behalf but also suggested we make an Idea Exchange for this issue.309 votesAs of July release the handling of Scandinavian characters was enhanced. For more information please see Alma July release notes: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2021/Alm
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Make the Manage Sets table sortable
Most institutions make heavy use of Sets functionality, but there are basic UI improvements that would save time and effort. One would be to make the "Manage Sets" table sortable by the column headings that are not currently sortable:
Active
Type
Content Type
Created By
Creation Date32 votesAs of Alma June Release you can:
sort the list of sets by any of the existing fields.
filter the list of sets by content origin
for more information please see Alma June Release Notes:
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2021/Alma_2021_Release_Notes?mon=202106BASE -
Specify time period for SUSHI harvests
When you manually request a particular SUSHI account/report to be harvested by Alma, by default Alma requests any data which it hasn't already loaded for that account from the last 12 months. If there are multiple months in sequence missing, Alma requests the data for these months together as a single SUSHI request.
This is an inflexible system.
Instead, at the point where a user requests a harvest, Alma should ask the user to specify the time period they would like to request.This would have several advantages:
- We would be able to use SUSHI to harvest usage data from…
168 votesAs of August release it is possible to indicate SUSHI – "Custom Harvest.
“Custom Harvest" function provides an option define the exact time frame for the harvest period
For more information see:
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2021/Alma_2021_Release_Notes_Included_Material/2021_RN_08_Main#Define_a_Specific_Time_Frame_While_Manually_Harvesting_R5_SUSHI_Data -
PO line type - able to change from Electronic one time to Physical one time.
So we are a separate special collections library within a larger university. Our records are separate from the university libraries. We have no electronic records. In the migration over a thousand of our order records got caught up in P2E and got changed from Physical one time to Electronic one time. I was informed that in order to fix this back, I would have to cancel re-imput the records which would result in invoices being sent out again.You can create a set and run a job to change physical one time records to electronic one time records but not the…
4 votesIt is now allowed to change the PO Line type.
For more information, please see the documentation in the Developers Network https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/appcenter/switch-po-line-type/.
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Add a loan time parameter in XSL similar to new_due_date_str
I was following the tutorial labeled "Letters - displaying the due date hour and a time zone related message in the fulfillment courtesy notice" located here: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Training/Extended_Training/Presentations_and_Documents_-_Letters i was using the newduedate_str option for a lost loan letter and it worked for the due date but not for adding a time to the loan date. I discovered there isn't a way to add the time the item was loaned out like you can with the due date. This is sometimes useful information for patrons when they are trying to track down an item they have lost.
8 votesIn courtesy letters, a new field element for loan date now includes time.
For more information please see Alma May Release Notes
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Alma Video Tutorials
When any updates in Alma are implemented, I would like to see the video tutorials updated to reflect those changes. The video tutorials are extremely helpful in training new and existing staff or users. However, some of the information in the current video tutorials do not necessarily reflect new changes, updates, functions, modifications, locations (of the tabs), some of which have been relocated.
1 vote -
Add option to configure Process Types for Physical Items
Alma Process Types and the associated Base status of 'Item not in place' are hardcoded, as are the automated workflows within Alma and the flow-through to Primo for the availability to be set to 'Not Available'.
This is extremely limiting and there are scenarios when a Library might want their physical resources to still be discoverable in Primo ie not suppressed, but also be marked as Unavailable, such as if there were a temporary mould outbreak. This ensures that users are aware that we hold resources already, so they don't waste time submitting purchase requests or thinking that we have…100 votesLibrary staff now have better control over process types: placing and removing institution-level work order types using the Change Physical items information job, searching by work order type and excluding a specific work order type from discovery. The work order types were enhanced to streamline workflows, allowing handling in bulk and without scanning items in.
his is especially useful when the library needs to mark a large set of items as unavailable in a way that's reflected in discovery
For more information please see Alma May Release Notes
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Allow same-day booking with "days" booking resolution.
We are testing the use of "days" booking resolution, as opposed to minutes. We notice that when patrons try to place a same-day request, they get the error: "Date must be in the future." This probably makes sense for some institutions, especially without a "lead-time" setting to provide buffer time. However, we have a collection of AV equipment that students can book same-day.
This already works fine when staff make a same-day booking request in Alma using "day" resolution; the error only occurs when patrons try to do the same in Primo. I'm not sure if the necessary change would…
2 votesIn the April 2024 release, same-day booking is allowed.
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Restrict access to analytics objects via role AND scope
When a staff member provides access to an analytics object and adds a role via "add role" there is no option to add a scope to a role. For example when editing an analytics object such as a report and the staff member adds role "physical inventory operator extended" there is no way to see "only if physical inventory operator extended has scope law library". When a staff member is editing an analytics object such as a report and adds a role via "add from profile" Alma will look only at the roles in the profile and not the scope.…
16 votes -
Ability to run Analytics reports on Alma Configuration settings
It would be exceptionally helpful to be able to run Analytics reports on all areas of Alma Configuration.
It should be possible both for each individual library to run the reports on their own behalf, AND for libraries belong to a consortium, possible for consortial staff to run the reports across all institution zones simultaneously for comparison between member IZs.
Use cases:
1) Reviewing a spreadsheet containing all of the settings in a configuration area makes settings review easier, and reduces errors. Needing to click between screens and take screenshot to compare settings is cumbersome, and leads to mistakes or…181 votesDear Colleagues,
we are very happy to provide you with the ability to review fulfillment unit roles and terms of use policies with the analytics "Configurations (Limited)" subject area.
For more information see our online help.
Additional requests for configuration analytics will require separate ideas in the idea exchange.
All the best,
Shoshana
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Cancellation notices should be sent to requesting staff via email when a temporary move or work order request is cancelled.
Currently, if a temporary move request or work order request is cancelled for any reason, the staff member who initiated the request does not receive a cancellation notice. The user who cancels the request will see the option to notify the requester, but this is extremely misleading because the notification doesn't go anywhere and isn't viewable in the record of a cancelled item. Example: a reserves staff member places a temporary move request for course reserve on an item in another location. The staff member at the other location cannot find the item, and cancels the request with a reason…
17 votesAlma now sends cancelation notices to requesting staff via email when a move or work order request is canceled. Cancelling any non-patron request (such as work orders or move requests) with the ‘Notify User’ checkbox enabled will send the cancelation letter to the request creator, such as the operator who placed it.
For more information please see Alma June Release Notes
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2021/Alma_2021_Release_Notes?mon=202106BASE -
Prevent Download Pictures (Alma Digital) when Download is not allowed
Prevent Download Pictures (Alma Digital) when Download is not allowed
When Access rights indicate to “Allow View” but not download, Alma viewer currently allows downloading the picture by “saving as”.
The digital Viewer should prevent this option.101 votesThe functionality to prevent downloads of digital images that is configured by clearing the Allow Downloads checkbox when creating digital access rights rules (Configuration > Fulfillment > Copyright Management > Access Rights > Add Access Rights > Add Rule) was enhanced. The user cannot save images using the Save As function of the browser.
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Enable digital rights statements to be assigned independently of access rights
We really like the new options for digital rights statements (January 2021 release) so that we can have creative commons licences displayed/linked in the Alma viewer.
However, in complex access scenarios having copyright statements in a 1:1 relationship with access rights will make this difficult to manage configuration, and for Alma users to filter through all the possible alternatives (likely with similar names) to choose the right one for the representation.
Access rights are technical definitions of the circumstances under which a user will be given access to a representation (parameters like concurrent users, IP range, no restriction, embargo period,…
15 votesAs of August release you can configure copyright statements directly on a representation, independently of the access rights.
For more information see:
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2021/Alma_2021_Release_Notes_Included_Material/2021_RN_08_Main#Configure_Copyright_Statements_Independently_of_Access_Rights -
Add Patron Proxy data to Analytics
It is seemingly impossible to query a list of current patron proxy relationships that have been established in Alma. This is a basic piece of reporting data that needs to be added to Analytics to help libraries keep their patron records up to date.
6 votes -
Alma task lists: "Assign to me" and bulk actions
In Alma task lists ...
- Electronic resources - activation - unassigned (Electronic Resource Activation Task List)
- Order Lines - review - unassigned (Purchase Order Lines in Review)
- Invoices - review - unassigned (In Review Invoices)
... there is only a row action ("..." button) to start the "Assign to" dialog which opens a pop-up window where you can select a user. Our colleagues are not satisfied with this cumbersome assignment functionality.
The missing functionalities are:
(1) a one-click "Assign to me" button
(2) a bulk functionality for "Assign to" and "Assign to me" (it is already possible to mark several…189 votes -
Rename Review and Approve functions in Acquisitons menu of new Alma Layout
The Acquisitions Menu has some items with exactly the same name in the different sub-menus. When these show as Quick Links, it is impossible to tell which general function it will work with,
Please rename Review and Approve to
Review POL (or Purchase Order Line)
Review PO (or Purchase Order)
Review Invoice
Approve PO (or Purchase Order)
Approve Invoice26 votesAlma – Acquisitions menu link names were modified in order to assist users using these links in as part of the ‘Quick Links’ menu.
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