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.
138 results found
-
In Alma analytics, "Physical Items" subject area, add "Process Type Status" field
We would like to easily report on how many and which items are currently under each process type status (sometimes also called "work order status"). Currently, this field is only available in analytics in the "Physical Items Historical Events" subject area, and it is difficult to extract the current status of an item. See also related NERS Requests #7177, #7242
See attached file for clarification of the somewhat confusing terminology in this area of Alma
97 votesAlready Supported · AdminShoshana de la Fuente (Product Manager, Esploro Repository, Ex Libris) respondedDear Colleagues,
As I previously wrote, you can use the Item Work Order Department Status Change folder in the Physical Items Historical Events subject area to report on "how many and which items are currently under each process type status". For current status, you can either filter by "Work Order Next Status" is empty or by "Event End Date is Empty".
As we have not heard from you since, we understand that this covers your request.
All the best,
Shoshana de la Fuente
Senior Product Owner
Library Solutions Analytics
-
Enable content of patron queries to be attached to Borrowing request
Content of Patron Queries: Add information sent in a patron query as an attachment to a Borrowing request to enable staff to see previous communication sent to patrons.
6 votesPlease see clip in comment
-
Bring back alt+keystrokes
In MDE pushing the alt key now moves between menu items. However, this means it is no longer possible to use alt + keystrokes to enter characters such as © etc, something that was infinitely more useful.
5 votesShortcut customization UI preference for Alt+Number (under the user icon in the persistent menu > UI preferences > Shortcuts customization > Alt + number) is applied to MDE menu shortcuts same as other menus in Alma.
-
Linked Account Shared Fields (expand with additional identifiers)
Dear,
we would like to be able to copy over the additional id's when 'find a user in another institution'! Could this field be added to the Linked Account Shared Fields mapping table?
Br,
Gijs.25 votesSetting up 'Cross Consortia Identifiers' in the NZ enables selecting which IDs will be shared across the network. The IDs must be unique across all teh network !
See https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Best_Practices_and_How-Tos/Fulfillment/How_Tos/How_to_Setup_and_Test_a_Fulfillment_Network_(FN)_and_an_Automated_Fulfillment_Network_(AFN)#Consortially_Unique_Identifiers
-
Extend or allow one to be able to extend the time it takes to time-out when on the Manage Patron Services screen.
Please extend or allow one customise their own time-out settings for the Manage Patron Services screen.
Gets on my nerves when I'm in the middle of composing an email to a Patron about their loans and I have to keep bringing up their account because it goes back to the search screen.
I need more time if I'm dealing with: fines, loan history, and making notes on an account, whilst trying to communicate what I'm doing.
1 voteCirculation desk timeout is configurable, see https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Knowledge_Articles/Timeout_in_Alma_-_Circulation_Desk
-
Restrict Access Policy for Digital representations by Geographical Location
We would like to be able to restrict access to digital representations by geographical location. The specific use case we have at the moment is that we want to apply for an orphan works license for one of our collections but it would only cover us for the UK so need to be able to restrict access.
30 votesLimiting access by geographical location can be handled by IP range policy.
Thank you,
Daniel
-
Consistently include Use Cases for new features listed in Release Notes
We'd like to see a use case or rationale for all Release Notes, in addition to the description of the new functionality and any necessary documentation. This could be something you could link to from the Release description, in the interest of brevity. While these are sometimes provided, their inclusion is currently sporadic.
Often while reviewing Release Notes with colleagues we find ourselves wondering exactly what problem is being solved and why someone would want to enable or adopt a new functionality. Including the use case or rationale for each enhancement could increase buy-in and understanding for a wider user…
3 votes -
Allow patrons to renew the due date of their item, if a request on title level exists, but their copy is not the recalled one
Please offer the option to configure physical item requests in a way that ONLY the recalled copy is blocked from being renewed.
All other patrons who have loaned a copy should be able to renew their due dates according to the maximum renew period.Our institution offers patrons to place requests on borrowed media on title level. ALMA sets the copy with the earliest loan date to the renew status "recalled". Until this - or any other copy - has been returned, ALL other copies of the title cannot be renewed and therefore have to be returned to the library.
…
60 votesIn the Fulfillment Configuration, the Block Preferences menu allows setting how the ‘Not Renewable – Item has Request(s)’ block will work. If set to ‘Handle Automatically’ then only the recalled loan will not be allowed for renew.
-
Send ebook access models through the autoholdings integration profile
It would be very helpful if vendors could send ebook access models (1U, 3U, UA), and Exlibris could load them into the portfolio information, as part of the autoholdings integration profile, especially for Ebook Central. Updating this manually is difficult, especially given that ebooks are added to this collection continuously through many different feeds and not all of them have PO lines where access models can be added. We want to take full advantage of this great new feature, and it would be great if it could be automatically managed for us.
34 votesDear community,
this is already supported for ProQuest Ebook Central and additional providers, the purchase model can be viewed on the portfolio level.
-
Add 'accessed IP' data on the FERPA Report
According to guidelines in Korea, we have to check accessing user id's IP address when the user access the Alma and view some users' information. However, there is no IP address field on the subject area 'Event' of Alma analytics (https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/080Analytics/Alma_Analytics_Subject_Areas/Events). Please add the IP address field ASAP.
3 votes -
Allow search by patron phone number
In the UI and the API. This would be helpful in managing opt-in/opt-out for SMS notification programs. We know a number has replied STOP to a library notification, but don't know which patron's settings to adjust!
1 votePhone number is a searchable field for users. Please open a support ticket if this is not your experience.
-
Converting Digitization request to RS request - The notes field from the digitization request should be added to the RS request note field
When converting a digitization request to resource sharing borrowing request. The digitization notes field should be copied to the resource sharing request note field. This would also help interlibrary loan staff know that the item was converted from a digitization request. But also many notes are added by library staff in the digitization request notes field when triaging the request. Therefore, this would be useful for the interlibrary loan staff to see on the first page of the request, rather than having to click through to the notes section.
1 voteAs of the June 2021 release, the digitization note is transferred to the resource sharing request that is created by the conversion.
The note appears in the task list – see https://www.screencast.com/t/1SyVsRmnR1S
-
Converting Digitization request to RS request - on conversion the Chapter title to be added to Chapter Number
When converting a digitation request into a Resource Sharing borrowing request. We need the chapter title should be also be transferred to the chapter number (or to both “Chapter Number” and “Chapter title”). So that it can be recognised by the RapidILL API process.
1 voteHi,
As of the 2020 December release, both Chapter Number and Chapter Title fields are sent in RapidILL requests, not just one of them. The Chapter Title in the converted RS request should therefore be sent to RapidILL
Thanks,
Moshe -
RapidILL
RapidILL chapter/article forms in Alma. If a patron fills in the wrong form e.g. Fills the article form for a chapter and vice versa. There is no way to flip them without entering a new request in the correct form.
1 votePlease take a look at the Change RS Requests Type cloud app – https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/appcenter/change-rs-requests-type/. It allows changing article to book requests and vice versa.
-
Online chat details and history
The online chat in Alma, is very useful and efficient, it's a shame, though, that the chat is not documented, and when a case is opened after the chat is closed, even the subject of the chat does not appear there. Only when support agent, actively writes a case, when it's too complicated issue for a chat, that the chat details appears. This problem might prevent customers from using the chat.
1 voteIn the current out of the box salesforce chat functionality there is an option for the customers to save the transcript of the session, the information is in the below article.
-
Have both preferred and regular user names populate User Management search list
Currently when searching for a user by their regular name, only the preferred name populates the search list. In our sandbox, with a nod to Jane Austen, a user named Elizabeth Bennet has the preferred name Lizzie Darcy. A search for Bennet only pulls up the preferred name in the list of results. This results in some confusion because there are numerous Bennets. If both names appeared, no matter what the circumstances, the patron could be readily found.
4 votesYou can set up the display of names to include preferred names see example at https://www.screencast.com/t/n5cIvMCqVd.
This is done by configuring the table at the the "User Name Display ’ menu to use ‘both’, see https://www.screencast.com/t/rKMkhl2lXK
-
Fines/Fees API needs a PUT option to allow us to change the status of the loan
We have several fines/fees that have been paid or waived that are still in ACTIVE status. We would like to be able to change the status, either in Alma (one at a time) or with the API so that we could change multiple transactions.
3 votesThe Pay/waive/dispute/restore user fine/fee API can be used to pay fines (see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/docs/users/UE9TVCAvYWxtYXdzL3YxL3VzZXJzL3t1c2VyX2lkfS9mZWVzL3tmZWVfaWR9/).
-
Alma RS: Borrowing - Receive Slip Letter cannot be reprinted after 'Receive action' completed
Issue:
For borrowing physical item requests, if staff forget to select 'Automatically print slip' when receiving an item or need to change a request's temporary item barcode, the 'Receive Slip Letter' cannot be reprinted.Currently there are no APIs that can create the printout on demand so a Cloud App cannot be created.
Requested Outcome:
Can an option be added to the Alma RS Borrowing Request Actions menu to allow staff to reprint the 'Receive Slip Letter' for received items?8 votesAfter receiving an item in the Receive Items interface, it is possible to reprint the slip using the Print Slip action, see https://www.screencast.com/t/B93NQoKt8
-
Alma automatically logs off too frequently for our busy front desk. Would like a way to stay logged on for our entire shift.
If there is a way to set the frequency of Alma automatically logging us off, we have not discovered it. We have a busy front desk and are using Alma for student fulfillment duties for up to 10 hours per day. Many times we turn back to the computer to complete a transaction only to find that we have been logged off and need to log back into Alma.
3 votesAs noted in the comments, there is a parameter for controlling the Alma timeout (see https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Knowledge_Articles/Timeout_in_Alma) and a parameter for controlling the circulation desk timeout (see https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Knowledge_Articles/Timeout_in_Alma_-_Circulation_Desk)
-
Greater functionality for the Manage Deleted Repository Function
The other day I accidentally deleted several thousand portfolios that should not have been deleted. When I went to the "Manage Deleted Repository" functionality to restore them I found I could only restore them one by one. There was no option to mark multiple items on a page or to restore a page of items at a time. There was no option to reverse the job. This shows a remarkable lack of sophistication and is quite simply unacceptable in a modern LSP
4 votes
- Don't see your idea?