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.
- or
No existing idea results
- ~ No ideas found ~
1828 results found
-
Please add the "suppress bibliographic record" to the log of the "view versions" in the MD editor
Hello,
We would like to have the ability to know when and by whom a bibliographic record was suppressed, when checking the "view versions" in the MD editor.
Thanks.
Dafna219 votes -
Fulfillment: Automatic Renewal Notices / Email Letters to patrons when loans automatically renewed
Our users have requested to be notified with the new due date when an on loan item is automatically renewed by Alma. This is currently not possible and users are not aware when the item is due back until they receive a courtesy reminder 2-3 days before the due date. We would like Alma to provide the option to configure and send Auto Renewal Notices / Email Letters to users when their loans have automatically been renewed by Alma. We have Auto Renewal Activated and our users do not receive any notification that this has taken place. We would like to be able to send notification of the Auto Renewal and the new due date to our patrons.
Our users have requested to be notified with the new due date when an on loan item is automatically renewed by Alma. This is currently not possible and users are not aware when the item is due back until they receive a courtesy reminder 2-3 days before the due date. We would like Alma to provide the option to configure and send Auto Renewal Notices / Email Letters to users when their loans have automatically been renewed by Alma. We have Auto Renewal Activated and our users do not receive any notification that this has taken place. We would like…
216 votesHi,
It will be possible to configure the system (with a utomatic renew rule output parameter to say whether to send an email to the patron when renewal takes place.
If emails are sent, they will be sent in an aggregated manner (single notice for all renewed loans)
-
Alma overlap analysis tool to include different identifiers in one comparison
We would find it useful if the overlap analysis tool compare a list that includes different identifiers. i.e. ISSN, EISSN, ISBN, EISBN, TITLE in one comparison.
Currently it only allows you to compare overlap within just one identifier. This is very important with collections from vendors that include different kinds of material.
Being able to conduct this kind of overlap analysis is important for us in terms of making purchasing decisions and we feel that including this kind of feature in the overlap analysis tool would make this a more efficient process within Alma.210 votes -
Indication that shows I edited an open record
Icons in MD-Editor only show if a record has been saved or not. I would like to have an indication to see if the record has been edited by me after I opened it.
209 votes -
How to distinguish namesakes
When you search a user (fullfiment > manage patron services), there is no possibility to distinguish to different user, who have the same nam (namesakes).
In the old UI, there was a patron card image, and, when clicking on, we accessed to a summary of the patron.
Now, we have no more solution.
Can you add this functionnality in the new UI?
Thanks a lot.
206 votesHi,
Makes sense ! Currently, the user information that is displayed in the user Ajax search results (e.g. patrons services WB) is hardcoded.
A mapping table, similar to the one that configures the user pop up, will control the fields that show in this list. The mapping table will enable the same fields that the user pop up allows, and allow setting the order of the fields.
Thanks,
-
AFN Fulfillment Network, Add patron's home institution to the fields available on the hold shelf's display
When an Automated Fulfillment network allows for their patrons to pick up materials at any Institution in the AFN, it is possible for a patron to pick up their item at a third institution, that is neither the patron's home library, nor the item's home library.
With how Alma currently manages Linked Users, and with the fields available for display on the Active and Expired hold shelf screens, library staff at that third (pick-up only) institution are unable to determine which institution the patron is from.
This is because:
Since the patron is not a local patron to the pick-up institution, and the item was not from the pick-up institution, the patron's linked user record is not automatically saved to the pick-up institution's Alma instance.
This means that the Requester ID that shows when the item is scanned in for hold is not searchable (that requester ID is only searchable at the item's home library), and, without knowing the patron's home library when the AFN is set up for staff to select the patron's home affiliation (because patron identifiers are not unique across the consortium), their name is not searchable either.
We realize the patron would, in theory, receive an email letting them know the item was ready for pick-up from the shelf and would bring their ID with them when they came to pick up the item, but, if the library wanted to contact the patron for some reason, we don't know how they would do that as we don't know how to help them retrieve the patron's record in fulfillment.
Thanks!
DebbieWhen an Automated Fulfillment network allows for their patrons to pick up materials at any Institution in the AFN, it is possible for a patron to pick up their item at a third institution, that is neither the patron's home library, nor the item's home library.
With how Alma currently manages Linked Users, and with the fields available for display on the Active and Expired hold shelf screens, library staff at that third (pick-up only) institution are unable to determine which institution the patron is from.
This is because:
Since the patron is not a local patron to the pick-up…
206 votes -
Fine for failing to pick up request
We would like to have a fine automatically applied when a patron fails to pick up a request. The fine should be applied after the last pick-up date has passed if the request has not been picked up or cancelled. It should be possible to determine for which locations/user groups the fine will be applied.
203 votesA new 'Purged request fee' will be configurable for Hold Request TOU, similar to the one that already exists for booking requests. When the Expired Hold task list is used with one of the 'Reshelve', 'Transit' or 'Activate Next' functions then the request TOU will be consulted, and a fee will be created accordingly.
-
Add ability to reorder Description Template Setup Rules using drag and drop
The Description Template Setup Rules list must continually be reordered, since the first (sequentially) rule for which the enum/chron combination meets all criteria is used for the description, even if the enum/chron would more exactly meet a later rule. Regardless, is is also helpful to order the list so that similar rules are grouped together, so reordering would desirable as rules are added or removed.
Currently, the only way to reorder the list is to move a selected rule up or down in the list, ONE PLACE AT A TIME. This is time consuming and inefficient.
Please add the ability to reorder the list by selecting a rule (or group of rules) and dragging it to it's desired new position in the list. Similar to how columns can be reordered in Alma Analytics.
This would greatly improve efficiency in working with the Description Template Setup Rules.
The Description Template Setup Rules list must continually be reordered, since the first (sequentially) rule for which the enum/chron combination meets all criteria is used for the description, even if the enum/chron would more exactly meet a later rule. Regardless, is is also helpful to order the list so that similar rules are grouped together, so reordering would desirable as rules are added or removed.
Currently, the only way to reorder the list is to move a selected rule up or down in the list, ONE PLACE AT A TIME. This is time consuming and inefficient.
Please add the ability…
199 votes -
Blocking borrowing requests on books published within the last year
With an active automatic rota for books, borrowing requests sent from Primo to Alma are automatically sent to partner. This applies for books published within the last year as well. Before we activated the autoROTA, we would usually change most of these borrowing requests into purchase requests and place the patron on a waiting list.
New books requested by a patron are often items we want to purchase ourselves, and not spend money on borrowing from our partners in addition. With the autoRota there is no way for us to block these borrowing requests from being sent.We would like a Sending Borrowing Request Rule with Input Parameter Publication date = within last year (or 2 year, maybe optional range), and Output Parameter Send Request = False.
With an active automatic rota for books, borrowing requests sent from Primo to Alma are automatically sent to partner. This applies for books published within the last year as well. Before we activated the autoROTA, we would usually change most of these borrowing requests into purchase requests and place the patron on a waiting list.
New books requested by a patron are often items we want to purchase ourselves, and not spend money on borrowing from our partners in addition. With the autoRota there is no way for us to block these borrowing requests from being sent.We would like…
200 votesHi,
We’re thinking along the lines of enabling rules that will automatically turn resource sharing requests to purchase requests based on criteria such as:
- Requester User Group
- Copyright related block
- Publication Date within time
- Request failure Yes\No → This will enable to set the rule to work when the request is created or when it is rejectedThe rules output will have options to either create purchase request in addition to the resource sharing one or cancel the resource sharing request and create purchase request instead.
-
Stop the practice of showing funds for 'in review' invoices as expenditure.
Current Alma practice is that EDI invoices automatically load into Alma and expend from a fund whilst still 'in review' and before the 'approval' stage.
Below are some examples where the practice of expending a fund whilst the invoice is still 'in review' is causing us issues:
We have full end-to-end invoice integration from our suppliers, via Alma and into Agresso. We don't send through manual invoices for payment. Our invoice data is automatically transferred through to Agresso every evening once an invoice has been approved. Only those invoices that have moved out of review are included in the export. Any invoices 'in review' will not be in the export but will be showing as expended on our system. This means that Agresso and Alma will always be out of step whilst we have invoices 'in review'. This makes it impossible to reconcile Alma and Agresso.
Some invoices have over 200 lines and it may take us some days to work through each transaction. There may be issues with incomplete or inaccurate data. We have to make a few manual amendments in order to ensure that the Agresso transfer completes successfully. Only once all of that is done do we 'approve'. Whilst this is happening our Alma and Agresso systems are out of sync. What is the point of the approval step?
We are working with IT on enabling the accrual accounting functionality so that our Finance Team don't have to maintain a separate spreadsheet of prepayments and meet monthly to reconcile. There is little benefit to be gained from working on this functionality if, once again, the two systems are always out of sync. We can't reliably turn up to meetings to discuss our accounts when the Alma reported expenditure includes invoices that aren't yet paid.
If an invoice arrives that doesn't have an Alma PO number on it, the transaction amount is expended but because there is no PO to match to the amount remains encumbered too.
Any 'in review' invoices should remain as 'encumbrance' until they have been 'approved' or have another 'pending expenditure' type invoice status.
Current Alma practice is that EDI invoices automatically load into Alma and expend from a fund whilst still 'in review' and before the 'approval' stage.
Below are some examples where the practice of expending a fund whilst the invoice is still 'in review' is causing us issues:
We have full end-to-end invoice integration from our suppliers, via Alma and into Agresso. We don't send through manual invoices for payment. Our invoice data is automatically transferred through to Agresso every evening once an invoice has been approved. Only those invoices that have moved out of review are included in the export.…
198 votes -
Linking patron name to patron record
I have noticed there are several ideas suggested in the ideas exchange regarding linking a patron's name and/or ID to their record in Alma.
These include:
- 'Link patron loan to patron record' (posted 25/05/2016)
- 'Hyperlinking from request queue/holdshelf to patron record' (posted 21/09/2017)
- Ability to view patron data via patron ID link in resource sharing' (posted 11/01/2018)I have one more to add to the list - linking within 'Manage item returns'.
When an item is returned, the patron returning the item is displayed in the 'Patron' column, with a hyperlink to their record, and the option of pop-up information. In the attached example, our next step is to post the item to the next patron, displayed in the 'Next step' column. Unfortunately this column does not have a hyperlink to the patron record, or the option of pop-up information. As it does not link through to the record or display address information, we then have to exit out of 'Manage item returns' and do a separate search for the patron in either Admin > Manage users, or Fulfillment > Manage patron services.Linking from the patron name to the patron record would assist workflow significantly in many areas of Alma. It seems to be an ongoing theme in the ideas exchange and I hope ExLibris will consider this enhancement in the near future.
I have noticed there are several ideas suggested in the ideas exchange regarding linking a patron's name and/or ID to their record in Alma.
These include:
- 'Link patron loan to patron record' (posted 25/05/2016)
- 'Hyperlinking from request queue/holdshelf to patron record' (posted 21/09/2017)
- Ability to view patron data via patron ID link in resource sharing' (posted 11/01/2018)I have one more to add to the list - linking within 'Manage item returns'.
When an item is returned, the patron returning the item is displayed in the 'Patron' column, with a hyperlink to their record, and the option…197 votesThe solution approach will be to add a link from the user contact info pop up to the user record. This link will be available for users that have a role that allows viewing a full user record.
By having this link added to the user information pop up we will have added to the many places where user information is displayed.
-
Display Logic: shared NZ choices in IZ
Currently, the Display Logic settings are limited to IZ resources only; they do not allow choices for resources that are shared from the NZ among several institutions.
For example, my library offers unmediated CCC document delivery for certain Wiley titles we don't subscribe to. So when I set the display logic rule, it should be "Hide service Full Text with Electronic collection = CCC Get It Now Wiley if exists service Full Text with Electronic collection = Wiley Online Library." However, because the Wiley Online Library ecollection is shared in the NZ for my consortium, it will not appear as an option when I try to create the rule.
Currently, the Display Logic settings are limited to IZ resources only; they do not allow choices for resources that are shared from the NZ among several institutions.
For example, my library offers unmediated CCC document delivery for certain Wiley titles we don't subscribe to. So when I set the display logic rule, it should be "Hide service Full Text with Electronic collection = CCC Get It Now Wiley if exists service Full Text with Electronic collection = Wiley Online Library." However, because the Wiley Online Library ecollection is shared in the NZ for my consortium, it will not appear as…
196 votes -
Purchase Request Library management in User records
A new multi-selection field, Purchase Request Library, was added to the User Details page with the June 2018 release. If one or more libraries are defined for a user, the user may create purchase requests only for the listed libraries. If no libraries are defined, the user may create a purchase request for any library.
But managing Purchase Request Libraries in user records can only be done record per record; there is no possibility for batch processes.
Currently, there is no option:
- to add or remove a Purchase Request Library with the Update/Notify Users job;
- to add or remove a Purchase Request Library with an API;
- to add or remove a Purchase Request Library with a SIS Integration Profile;
- to retrieve in Alma Analytics existing Purchase Request Libraries in user records or to find user records that have no Purchase Request Library.We would appreciate a lot a more efficient Purchase Request Library management that would be integrated with the existing tools (Analytics, SIS, job, API).
A new multi-selection field, Purchase Request Library, was added to the User Details page with the June 2018 release. If one or more libraries are defined for a user, the user may create purchase requests only for the listed libraries. If no libraries are defined, the user may create a purchase request for any library.
But managing Purchase Request Libraries in user records can only be done record per record; there is no possibility for batch processes.
Currently, there is no option:
- to add or remove a Purchase Request Library with the Update/Notify Users job;
- to add or…197 votesThe Purchase Request library will be supported vi SIS/API and user update job, just as the Resoruce Sharing library is.
We’ll also look into making the Purchase Request and the Resoruce Sharing library be searchable in the users advanced search option.
-
Copy PO Line Prices to Item Replacement Cost
Add a new configuration parameter to automatically copy the physical one time PO line price to the item Replacement cost. If the PO line's currency is different than the institution's default currency, the amount is exchanged and copied to the item (with no currency). The possibility (for an operator, a job or an API) to update or remove the amount in the Replacement cost should remain. Customers should be free to activate or not this configuration (true/false parameter).
196 votesDear Community,
This is to update you that we plan to develop this requirement in a future Alma release.
The PO line price could be automatically copied to the item's "Replacement cost" field in the following scenarios:
- Upon PO line creation
- When changing the PO line price
- When adding or removing items to/from the PO line.
We plan to allow this by settings 2 customer parameters:
(1) One that will turn the functionality on and off, and will have the following values:
0- false
1- copy the price from the PO line's "List price" field
2- copy the price from the PO line's "Net price" field and divide by number of items in the "Ordered Items" section.
(2) Another that will allow to add or reduce amount from the PO line price when being copied to the "Replacement cost" field. This will allow:
- To add/decrease amount in local currency- To add/decrease a percentage of the price in local currency.
Notes:
-The price will be copied only for physical one time PO lines.
-If the PO line currency is not the local currency, the total is recalculated and saved in the item in institution's defined currency.
-If currency_exchange_use_explicit_ratio equals true, and there is an entry in Explicit Exchange Rates code table for the PO line's currency, the explicit rate will be used for the "Replacement cost" calculation.Please follow up on Alma Release Notes for updates on this development.
Best wishes,
Zohar Shemesh
Alma Product Team
Dear Community,
This is to update you that we plan to develop this requirement in a future Alma release.
The PO line price could be automatically copied to the item's "Replacement cost" field in the following scenarios:
- Upon PO line creation
- When changing the PO line price
- When adding or removing items to/from the PO line.
We plan to allow this by settings 2 customer parameters:
(1) One that will turn the functionality on and off, and will have the following values:
0- false
1- copy the price from the PO line's "List price" field
2- copy the price from the PO line's "Net price" field and divide by number of items in the "Ordered Items" section.
(2) Another that will allow to add or reduce amount from the PO line price when being copied to the "Replacement cost" field. This will allow:
- To add/decrease amount… -
Add more fields to the Update PO lines information & Update POLs Advanced jobs
All fields of the POL should be something that can be updated by job.
Some specific fields that it would be really helpful to have in the Update PO Lines Information or Update PO Lines Information Advanced jobs are:
Subscription from/to dates
Renewal date
Cancellation Restriction checkbox & Cancellation Restriction Note
While it might be possible to update these fields via the APIs, the permissions and skill level needed to use the APIs is much higher than to run jobs.193 votesDear Community,
This is to update you that we plan to enhance the "Update PO Lines Information" job in a future Alma release. We plan to add 19 new fields to this job:
Additional PO line reference field
Cancellation Restriction
Cancellation Restriction Note
Add labels
Remove labels
Create new label
Reclaim interval
Subscription interval
Note to vendorVendor reference number type
Routing during receiving
Binding during receiving
Activation note
Renewal date
Subscription from
Subscription to
Renewal reminder period (days)
Renewal note
Internal noteIn addition, the job form will be divided into sections, allowing to easily locate the required field/s to update.
Please follow up on Alma Release Notes for update on this development.
Best wishes,
Zohar Shemesh
Alma Product Team
-
Ability to find bib records with attached PO lines but no inventory
Problem:
It is not possible to easily find IZ bibliographic records that have associated PO lines but no inventory. The All Titles Advanced Search has an option to search for “Has inventory | equals | no”, but those results include bibliographic records that have related holdings records (bound withs), as well as bibliographic records that have holdings records but no item records. We want the ability to easily find bibliographic records that have only a PO line associated with them.Use Case:
The ability to find bibs with only PO lines attached is necessary in order to keep the database tidy. Examples include:
bibliographic records that migrated with PO lines or order records attached but no inventory.
bibliographic records where inventory was relinked but the PO line left behind.Potential solutions:
The NZ has a job (Identify records that are not used in the Network) that provides operators with several options for defining which records are considered “unused”, including those with no inventory and not part of a boundwith relation. One potential solution to the problem is to have a similar job in the IZ that would allow us to find bib records with PO lines but also exclude holdings records with no items.Another potential solution to this problem is to have a new search index (and corresponding indexed field) in Alma that would allow an advanced search for bibliographic records with attached order records but no holdings/inventory records.
Problem:
It is not possible to easily find IZ bibliographic records that have associated PO lines but no inventory. The All Titles Advanced Search has an option to search for “Has inventory | equals | no”, but those results include bibliographic records that have related holdings records (bound withs), as well as bibliographic records that have holdings records but no item records. We want the ability to easily find bibliographic records that have only a PO line associated with them.Use Case:
The ability to find bibs with only PO lines attached is necessary in order to keep the database…190 votesDear community,
Thank you for raising this idea.
I would like to better understand the use case here:
1 How often such check is done? if this is a "cleanup" that is done once in a few month, for example, perhaps an analytics report would be sufficient?
2 In the description you wrote about the "has inventory" index. Can you give more details, why it is not useful for the described use case?
Thanks,
Tamar Fuches
Alma product team
-
"Maximum renewal date" should be viewable on Alma
"Maximum renewal date" should be viewable not only Primo, but Alma. Patron can see his/her "Maximum renewal date" by him/herself, but staff can NOT check it.
192 votesThis will be done as part of the new circulation desk UI, see https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Materials/010Roadmap/Workflow_Simplification#Circulation_Desk_Redesign
-
No Auto-Send of Activity Report Letter
The Activity Report letter automatically tries to send when “Renew Selected” and “Renew All” are selected in Alma Patron Services. This is problematic for a few reasons:
The letter is triggered even when the letter is disabled in Letter Activity configuration. It generates a ‘fail’ message for staff.
The letter slows down processes dramatically depending on how many loans are attached to the account.
A workaround is to use the letter opt-out functionality, but we'd have to continually update all of our users with the opt-out in order for this to work well for us.
I would like to see this functionality updated so that disabling the letter is enough to not trigger the letter automatically. This functionality should also be fixed so that the letter does not slow down processes when there are many loans attached to an account.
The Activity Report letter automatically tries to send when “Renew Selected” and “Renew All” are selected in Alma Patron Services. This is problematic for a few reasons:
The letter is triggered even when the letter is disabled in Letter Activity configuration. It generates a ‘fail’ message for staff.
The letter slows down processes dramatically depending on how many loans are attached to the account.
A workaround is to use the letter opt-out functionality, but we'd have to continually update all of our users with the opt-out in order for this to work well for us.
I would like to see…
188 votes -
Please add more fields to the 'Receiving Items List'
Acquisitions --> Receive --> Continuous (orders) --> Manage Items
We would be happy to have additional fields in the 'Received Items List':
- Internal note 1
- Internal note 2
- Internal note 3
- Public noteOur colleagues in the Serials Department use Item Notes to document vendor responses (of reminded issues) or for notes that only concern individual issues. Having these information already displayed in the list without additional clicks would make their daily work much easier.
Since display in the "Manage Items" list is configurable, each customer can decide for herself/himself which fields she/he would like to have displayed.Acquisitions --> Receive --> Continuous (orders) --> Manage Items
We would be happy to have additional fields in the 'Received Items List':
- Internal note 1
- Internal note 2
- Internal note 3
- Public noteOur colleagues in the Serials Department use Item Notes to document vendor responses (of reminded issues) or for notes that only concern individual issues. Having these information already displayed in the list without additional clicks would make their daily work much easier.
Since display in the "Manage Items" list is configurable, each customer can decide for herself/himself which fields she/he would like to…183 votes -
Possibility to configure that a patron can login into his/her account in ***** AFTER expiration date, to view open fees / fines and or loans
Currently a patron whose expiration date has passed is not able to log into his/her ***** account. The patron can neither see open fines/fees nor loans.
We suggest:
* institution-wide option to allow or permit users read-only-access to there ***** accound after patron’s expiry date (in Alma)
* user manager role not necessary to do any changes in role expiration dates.
* no additional functionality outside Alma needed that uses the API to achieve the goal.180 votesHi,
The login for an account that is managed in an external IdP (such as a Shibboleth IdP), is done by the IdP and not by Alma. Alma does not control the success of this type of login.
Alma does control the login status if the user record is internal, i.e. its password is managed in Alma. In that case, we will indeed allow the login to succeed even if the user is expired.
The user record status will be verified when calculating:
- GetIt services (hold/digitization/resource sharing)
- My Account renew loan option
In either case, the account will be considered active only if:
- The user record status is active
- The user record expiry date is not in the past
- The user’s patron role is active
- The user’s patron role’s expiry date is not in the past
The login, however, will not be affected by these conditions.
Thank you,
Moshe
- Don't see your idea?