Alma
Your feedback matters to us. Help us improve Alma by telling us what you’d like to see using the message areas below. You can also can support something already posted.
We would love to be able to respond to every idea that is submitted, but this is not feasible. We are, however, committed to responding to the most popular ideas—those that have received the most points.
For more information please review our FAQ and guidelines. Thank you.
1691 results found
-
Create an Alma Idea exchange category for License
There is no category specific for the License area of Alma, which makes it difficult to find other's ideas for License improvements. I had to choose a category for this idea and went with "Resource management - Electronic", and definitely didn't want to go with "other"
2 votes -
Prevent aggregation of fields in digital uploads
When using the Digital Uploader tool in Alma to import records with MARC data, the uploader aggregates fields with the same MARC tags into a single resulting field once the upload is complete. For example, if a record has multiple 650 fields in an uploaded Excel field, the imported record in Alma has a single 650 field with all of the values that were (in the sheet) separated into different 650 fields. Per Ex Libris documentation (https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/040Resource_Management/060Record_Import/075Importing_Records_with_CSV_or_Excel_Files), “Repeating fields with the same subfields and indicators cannot be imported. When the import process encounters multiple columns with the same…
1 vote -
Add Barcode as option for searching within the Receive New Materials list
We are too small of an institution to use the workflow of Keep in Dept, so we receive the item once all processing is completed and the item is ready to go into the stacks. We do it this way to prevent Alma from sending availability notices until the material is truly ready for use. Having a barcode search option will make this process a lot easier and reduce errors.
1 vote -
Add more scheduling options for EDI jobs
Currently, there are only 6 options for EDI Job Scheduling and no options to run jobs on specific days. It would be helpful if the EDI Job Scheduling options matched the options that are available for other jobs (for example: Import Profiles have many more options including specific days and times.)
3 votes -
Rapid ILL: ALMA Created lending request. To have .PDF Preview viewer also in 'Download Electronic Resource'
In ALMA there are two different ways to upload a .PDF file to a Rapid ILL created lending request. The 'Ship item digitally' (Document Delivery) way allows upload and also content preview of the actual .PDF file. The other way is via 'Download Electronic Resource' which is better because citation information also appears. But the 'Download Electronic Resource' way does not have a content preview of the .PDF file. The idea proposed is to add the same .PDF file preview window, within the 'Download Electronic Resource' option. This will improve accuracy and efficiency in our workflow.
1 vote -
Library level patron limits configuration
It should be possible to configure the Patron Limits table at the library level. Only Max Cash, Max Overdue and Max overdue recalls should be configurable, so that each library will be able to control when it starts blocking patrons independently of one another.
13 votes -
Display logic rules: always allow use of "OPEN_ACCESS" criteria
Currently, if Alma's enableopenaccessservicesfromunpaywallapi Fulfillment setting = true, then in Display Logic Rules we gain the ability to write rule criteria that considers the presence of open access service links. If the fulfillment setting = false, that DLR option disappears.
We assume this connection was made at a time when the Unpaywall API setting was the only way that OA services might get into Primo, so there was no need for OA services to be a criteria in DLRs when the Unpaywall API was turned off.
However, we've found that the new Unpaywall CZ…2 votes -
Implement Automatic Upload of Electronic Holdings for Kanopy
Kanopy is a collection of electronic streaming videos that is comparable to other autoholdings collections like Wiley Online Library - AutoHoldings Books and ProQuest Ebook Central. There is a large overarching collection of streaming videos (suitable for a Community Zone AutoHoldings Electronic Collection) a subset of which individual libraries subscribe to. It would help if Alma offered an Automatic Upload of Electronic Holdings integration with Kanopy.
15 votes -
Implement Automatic Upload of Electronic Holdings for OverDrive
OverDrive is a collection of electronic books and audiobooks that is comparable to other autoholdings collections like Wiley Online Library - AutoHoldings Books and ProQuest Ebook Central. There is a large overarching collection of ebooks (suitable for a Community Zone AutoHoldings Electronic Collection) a subset of which individual libraries subscribe to. It would help if Alma offered an Automatic Upload of Electronic Holdings integration with OverDrive.
20 votes -
MDE Search Resources mask should be empty
When opening the Search Resources mask in MDE, the previous search is still in the data mask. For us there is no benefit for this behavior and we would like to have an empty mask and not to clear the mask every time before starting a new search.
(If other libraries need this opportunity, we would suggest to make the default settings for this mask customizable)72 votes -
Enable setting of Personal Delivery Locations from Resource Sharing Form
In November 2023, The following was developed for holds based on this Idea Exchange suggestion Allow users to enter an address for home delivery – Have an idea for Ex Libris? (exlibrisgroup.com) We would like to have the same functionality available for the Resource Sharing Form as well. Our consortium policy allows for home delivery of materials from another's library. Obviously, this might not be welcome for all but without this functionality, we cannot see it being feasible to turn on this functionality for just local requests.
16 votes -
PDA import profiles for electronic titles - limit matching to specific electronic collection
The ability to limit matching of imported MARC record against existing records with portfolios in a selected electronic collection was release for repository import profiles in the Feb 2024 release in response to a previous Ideas Exchange submission:
https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/15312516-repository-import-profiles-for-electronic-titlesEchoing the comments added to that Ideas Exchange post following the release, it would be really helpful if the same functionality could be release for PDA import profiles too, for the same reasons originally stated.
22 votes -
Expand the functionality of the new labels for PO Lines
Hello! We're starting to implement labels for PO lines in the new user interface. There seem to be two major features that would vastly improve their functionality:
- Analytics indexing
- Ability to add labels in bulk via the Update PO Lines Information job (not just via advanced search).
Our use case is that we're using labels for those POLs which need to be manually encumbered or adjusted after the fiscal period rollover. This could be because we pre-paid for multiple years or because of a multi-year agreement. Each future fiscal year gets a label (FY-2025, FY-2026, etc.) so we can search…
3 votes -
Have AFN/FN loan/fine information available in IZ
Similar idea to https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/44761048-user-purge-should-be-made-afn-aware-and-not-allow
BUT there should be information in the IZ analytics so that an IZ can determine if a local patron has an AFN (or FN) loan or fine.
This doesn't need to be the full loan/fine information, but could be as simple as a flag that says "active AFN/FN loan", "active AFN/FN fine".
At this time, there is no way in the IZ (without opening each patron account within Alma) to see if someone has an active loan or fine outside of the IZ.
This is required at a number of our institutions for when patrons leave…
27 votes -
Ability to add Request Note during Scan In to Work Order Deparment
When performing Scan In on items to a Work Order Department, we have the ability to Set Status To our congigured status options, but no ability to add a Request Note, as we have if we were creating work order requests for some other Department.
If we want to include a Request Note (to be included on any subsequent transit letters, for example), we then have to go into each entry in Manage In Process Items, locate the request that was created by the Scan In, and input a Request Note.
It would be great if, while setting the status…14 votes -
See also fields for vendor names
Many of our vendors change names from time to time so it would be great to have a searchable "see also" or "formerly known as" field in the vendor record for a vendor's previous names.
2 votes -
Check coverage dates on physical holdings by link resolver
When there is no full-text match for an electronic title, the link resolver can bring back a bib record for physical holdings. However, since the coverage in the 866 field is not being checked, this shows records which do not match the dates desired sent by the the open URL.
Please consider implementing a check on the coverage dates of physical holdings to make things less confusing for patrons.
25 votes -
Sorting the linked data records in the Fund transactions
In the Funds and Ledger Transactions area, it is completely illogical that the related records cannot be sorted, but can be sorted by Type, Date and Amount. A classic use case:
I would like to know whether a particular pole has been assigned Encumberance, Disencubrance and Expenditure. As it is not clear whether the date is the invoice date or the current date of the respective action, this sorting method does not help at all.7 votes -
Add the ability to group select items in the 'Monitor Requests & Item Processes' view, the same as we can in 'Expired Holdshelf'
It would be useful to be able to group select items in the 'monitor requests and item processes' so that transit labels for them can be printed in bulk. Currently these have to be done individually per item. The ability to group select items already exists in the 'expired holdshelf' view so would (hopefully) be easy to implement
3 votes -
Recent Material suppliers in drop-down
Currently, when creating new orders in Alma staff users don't get a list of the most recent Material suppliers but only an alphabetical list of all of them.
It would be useful to see 1-2 most recent suppliers in the drop-down in order to gain some time when acquiring multiple books from the same suppliers.2 votes
- Don't see your idea?