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.
1903 results found
-
Vendor contacts need phone extension added
When adding a new contact to the vendor location, there could be numerous people using the same base number, but with different extensions. Can you add a space to allow entering the extension?
37 votes -
Cost Per Use *by fund* Report for Electronic Collections (Databases)
Problem: We are looking for a way to run a cost usage report by fund that includes titles with the PO Line Type ‘Name of Electronic Collection - Subscription.’
Description: Our library evaluates cost per use of all serials by fund. We have been able to run a cost per use report by fund for our print and electronic journals. We run into a roadblock, however, when we try to generate a report on the cost/use of a database by fund.
The E-Inventory Cost Usage report includes all titles with the PO Line Type Name of ‘Electronic Journal -…
37 votes -
Extra column in "Return items" with "Fine per patron"
We would like to have an extra column in return items, a column for fine per patron. Because at every return we immediately want to see if the patron has a fine in general, not for the returned item. We would like to see this in Return items and not via "Manage patron services / Returns". Is this possible or something similar?
37 votes -
KBART export from Alma to include title level URL
As we from time to time need to interface with software and services outside the ExLibris suite, it would be great if the KBART Schema for export would include a proper title level URL as specified in the KBART Recommended Practice:
"[Title level URL] Indicate the URL of the title’s homepage.
For journals, this page should be a listing of the available volumes and issues. "37 votes -
Allow us to suppress the License from display when it is not ready with status of "Draft" or review status "In review"
For those waiting for review licenses, we will have status "Draft" and review status "In Review". These licenses are waiting to be checked and the fields are not verified for correctness. But now once the licenses are created with inventory added, all licenses are displayed out for the user, even with status “Draft” and “In Review”.
It will be great if only the licenses with “active” and “accepted” status can be displayed, but not the “Draft” and “In review” license that they are waiting to be verified.
37 votes -
Add "linking information" in Community zone databases when they are not activated yet
Hello,
When I look in the Community Zone at an electronic Portfolio that has not been activated by us yet, I can click on "Linking Information" and test the link and control if it goes where we want it to go.Unfortunately, this is not possible yet, when we want to look at a zero title database. There, we actually can only test the link after we have activated it.
Therefore, I suggest adding the field "Linking information" on database level, too, for databases that are not activated yet; analogous to the field that exists on portfolio level.
Best,
Igor…37 votes -
Apply Automatic Convert to RS TOU when marking an item missing
When requested items are marked Missing, there are no more copies of that title, and there is a TOU term for the patron/item that allows Automatic Convert to Resource Sharing, the request should automatically convert to RS.
Currently, there is a TOU term of "Automatically convert to resource sharing," but this functionality is very limited to the use case of an expired pick from shelf item. ExL's documentation indicates this should be possible, but it is not -- when an item is marked missing, the request is automatically canceled, so any job that runs will not catch that the request…
37 votes -
Addition of the Accrued fines field in the Fines and Fees subject area in Alma Analytics
It would be great if there was an option in Alma Analytics to create a report with a list of people with a specific amount of accured fines if they had returned overdue documents on a given day (the day before actually).
37 votes -
Manage Sets without Repository Manager permissions
It would be nice if we could update and manage repository sets without needing the Repository Manager role. Without it, staff can create sets and run queries, but they can't update any sets that weren't personally created by them, making it so that managers are having to make small updates that could easily be made by staff.
37 votes -
sound alert for task
Sound Alerts for Pick From Shelf Requests
Can we please have a sound alert when new "Pick from Shelf" requests arrive as we use this for Reading Room requests which need to be actioned as soon as they arrive. Sound alerts would need to optional.
It would be good to have these available for other tasks in fulfillment such as when "holds" or "lost books" are returned and another action needs to happen36 votes -
Add series titles to Alma letters
Some items are more easily identified by there series titles than by the title of the actual volume. But the series title is not exported in the xml of the letters.
(Series title is in the 8xx $$t fields of the bib record).
This would help to send more meaningful letters to our patrons.36 votes -
Make "updated by" field configurable, not primary ID
There are many areas in Alma that will list the last Alma user to update something. These fields will display the primary identifier of the last updater, but we find this is not particularly helpful when we log in with our campus shib accounts, as this makes our employee ID number show up here. It would be more helpful if we could use Last Name, First Name or something similar in the Updated By fields.
36 votes -
상호대차 주기메뉴 노출
현재 상호대차서비스는 이용자가 본인이 신청한 자료의 제목과 상태만 볼 수 있고, 구체적인 내용(의뢰 기관, 제공불가 사유 등)을 알 수가 없어 불편하다는 클레임이 아주 많습니다. 알마에 주기 메뉴가 있는데도 이용자의 My Library에는 노출되지 않아 그러한 불편함이 있는 것 같습니다. 주기 메뉴를 노출하여 사서가 입력한 구체적인 사항을 이용자도 볼 수 있으면 그러한 불편함이 해소될 것으로 생각됩니다.
반영 부탁드립니다.36 votes -
Adding User Type field
It will be great if the User Type field could appear once you click to see the requester details in a borrowing request in Resource Sharing and in Fulfillment once you click to see who holds a loaned book (Screenshots attached).
36 votes -
Enable API Access to the Community Zone Updates Task List
Currently, the Community Zone Updates Task List is accessible only through the Alma user interface. While this provides essential functionality for monitoring and acting on updates, it limits the potential for automation and integration with other tools in the library ecosystem. Many institutions use external systems such as workflow automation tools, electronic resource management platforms, and reporting systems that could benefit from direct access to the Community Zone Updates Task List data via API.
36 votes -
Add vendor UTB to Upload Electronic Holdings workflow
The vendor UTB has already e-collections in CZ which have dozens of activations in the EMEA region. We've already contacted the vendor, and they would be willing to implement the Upload Electronic Holdings workflow.
Vendor name: UTB
Website: https://www.utb.de
Contact: Tanja Klapputh, klapputh@utb.de
Alma Interface name: UTB GmbH36 votes -
Make it possible to choose to which Work Order Department an item goes after receipt (not just Acquisitions)
We have noticed that our real-life workflow doesn't align well with Alma's behavior regarding receiving items. In practice, when we receive an item, it promptly moves to a different department – transitioning from acquisitions to the catalog department. In Alma, however, achieving this requires manual department adjustments each time an item is received. While we are familiar with options such as "keep in department," "shelf ready," and work orders, none of these options yield the desired outcome or contribute to streamlining the process. Our objective is to minimize unnecessary clicks, and it would greatly enhance the user experience if items…
36 votes -
Enhance Shelf Report
Shelf report is a great tool but only searches for items based on permanent location and not their current/temporary location. As a result, items that are on display will display exactly as if they are missing and scanning a display shelf shows that the items were scanned but do not belong in that location, the same status as if an item from the traditional shelving was placed on the display shelf.
Additionally, it was previously posted (June 28, 2022) that it would be useful to be able to select multiple locations when performing a shelf report. It was commented that…
36 votes -
Alma Split View Hides Main Menu, Affecting Cloud App Access
After rolling out the new UI for the “All Titles Search” with split-view functionality, the main menu is no longer persistent. The menu (which contains location, notifications, cloud apps, etc.) disappears when entering split view.
This is particularly problematic for institutions that frequently use cloud apps in their workflows—for example, when editing physical items. While cloud apps can be pinned before entering split view, this workaround is not satisfactory. Pinning apps adds unnecessary clicks and is easy to forget, resulting in frequent toggling in and out of split view.
As a consequence, many staff members have stopped using cloud apps…
36 votes -
Make the "General Mail" feature more customizable
On the "User Details" screen in Alma, there is a "Send Message" function. If "General Mail" is selected, any message that is composed shows up as "ILLEMAILTOUSERlongstringofnumbers" under the user's Attachment tab. Unlike other letters, this is saved as a "text/plain" type, requiring the file to be downloaded before it can be viewed. It would be nice if this attachment type could be renamed, or given a more descriptive title than "ILLEMAILTO_USER," especially as it is generated from within the User Details screen and not via Resource Sharing or ILL.
36 votes
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
- Don't see your idea?