Status of new items ingested into Alma

[slawlor]

Tara asked me to upload the cataloging guides that I created during the migration.  I have three, all for various ways of using Connexion to export records into Alma:

1.  Connexion-Alma Gateway Export explains how to set up the gateway export option in Connexion and then create holdings records in Alma

2. Using the Connexion Import Profile - just what it says

3. Using the Connexion Import Profile - Batch Option - same as above for those who prefer to run batches in Connexion

Thanks!    Not really what we are doing though.   I need to know if Alma automatically assigns a status or location when items are added.   

  In other words, no matter how you import records, do those records get an AUTOMATIC status??   Something like "in processing" or "cataloging" or "we have this in the back room"?   OR is everything automatically - upon import - made "available"??   

  We would REALLY like an intermediate state - where items can be processed - BEFORE they are 'available'.   Is there one?  And can we assign a time period to it?   Or does it have to be changed manually?

Thanks for any help!

Oh, gotcha.

No, they don't get an automatic status.  

And believe me, you're not the only person who wishes that they did.  

If the import process you're using creates holdings records then Alma assumes that you have inventory, and assumes that it's available.  Alma does this even in the absence of an item record (which make no sense to me).   And there really are no such things as "statuses" in Alma.  We have item policies, and in theory there could be a policy of "In Process" - but you have to have an item record to attach that to, and item records aren't created as part of the import process.

I've tried a few things to deal with this:


1. Created (or to be specific, asked the SO to create) a new location called In Process, and edited the Import Profile to make that the default location  This might have worked if anyone (students and circ staff) remembered or knew to look at the location of the items in question.  But for the most part, they didn't notice and proceeded to place holds and requests for items, even those with no barcode which causes all manner of problems with the "pick from shelf" process

2. Edited the Import Profile to keep new imports suppressed from discovery.  That works better, the students can't find them, but neither can the staff, and we have to remember to un-suppress them after processing which is annoyingly easy to forget.

3.  Edited the Import Profile to NOT create inventory (aka holdings records).  That worked the best, finding a record with no holdings seems to send a message to users that they need to ask about it, which serves our purposes.  And it's impossible to process a book *without* creating the holdings record (unlike un-suppressing)

That probably wasn't the answer you were hoping for, but if I can give you any more information, please let me know.

Susan