Alma Fulfillment

The ultimate goal of collection inventory is to make sure your catalog's description of your collection matches what is actually in your stacks so users are able to find the materials they need.
 

Collection inventories help you identify:

• Items that are missing or misshelved
• Items that are in the incorrect status
• Items that belong to other libraries

Inventory can be done:

• Any time of the year
• In small sections by:
  • Call number range
  • Call number type (if a library have more than once call number schema)
  • Library
  • Location

Collection inventories require staff to scan the barcode into a file for every items in the section of the stacks being inventoried:

• File can be text or Excel
  •  Excel is recommended as it can be used for Alma's Shelf Report and Purdue's Shelf Inventory API
• First line of the file should be "barcodes" regardless of file type
• Each subsequent line should contain only one barcode
• File name should contain the first and last call number of the barcodes scanned
  • Example; F592.F222.1966_F595.3.V35.1989
• File should not contain items in multiple locations or items with different call number types

Alma does not have a true equivalent to Aleph's collection inventory functionality. Libraries will need to use both Alma's Shelf Report tool and Purdue's Shelf Inventory API to fully replicate Aleph's collection inventory functionality. 

Alma's Shelf Report tool is housed within Alma:

• One of the following roles are required to use Alma's Shelf Report:
  • Repository Manager
  • Physical Inventory Operator
  • Fulfillment Services Manager
     

Purdue's Shelf Inventory API is external to Alma:

• Requires a server hosted by ITEC
• Each campus must have their own instance of the API
• Instances are configured by the SLS staff
• Email info@sunyolis.libanswers.com if your SUNY institution would like to use the Shelf inventory API

One of the following roles is required to use Alma's shelf report:

• Repository Manager
• Physical Inventory Operator
• Fulfillment Services Manager
   

Alma’s shelf report allows users to perform inventory control on their physical collections by identifying:

1. Items that are in place
2. Missing items that are marked in place
3. Items that have not be scanned-in and are on the shelf
4. Items not in Alma
5. Items that were scanned and are not in the range of barcodes scanned

Limitations to Alma's shelf report:

• Misshelved items are not identified

Requirement to use Alma's shelf report:

• An Excel (.xlsx) or text (.txt) file of scanned barcodes
• First line in the file must contain Barcode
• Itemized set by call number range (only required when using Set for the "Inventory definition")

To use Alma's Shelf Report by:

• Range by call number 
• Set in Alma
   

Shelf report using range:

Creating a shelf report by range requires:

• Beginning call number in the range
• Ending call number in the range
• Call number type
• Excel file of barcodes in the range

To Create a Shelf Report Using Range:

1. Go to Resources>Manage Inventory>Shelf Report
2. The Shelf Report screen opens:
   1. Inventory Definition: Range (default)
   2. Library: [Select the library. Do not use Resource Sharing library]
   3. Location: [Select the location for the items scanned]
   4. Call number type: [Select the call number type]
   5. From call number: [Type in the starting call number for the range]
      • DO NOT use spaces between the Call number, cutter, and date
   6. To call number: [Type in the ending call number for the range]
      • DO NOT use spaces between the Call number, cutter, and date
   7. Select file:  [upload the .xlsx or .txt file of barcodes]
   8. Click Submit
   9. Click Confirm 

Shelf report using a set:

Creating a shelf report by using a set in Alma requires:

• A set in alma for the range
• Excel file of barcodes in the range

To Create a Shelf Report Using a Set:

1. Go to Resources>Manage Inventory>Shelf Report
2. The Shelf Report screen opens:
   1. Inventory Definition: [Select Set]
   2. Set name: [Select the call number range set]
   3. Library: [Select the library. Do not use Resource Sharing library]
      • If items in the Excel file contain(s) a different different library/libraries than are defined in the  shelf report, they will be ignore in the report
   4. Location: [Select the location for the items scanned]
      • If items in the Excel file contain(s) a different location(s)  than are defined in the  shelf report, they will be ignore in the report
   5. Select file:  [upload the .xlsx or .txt file of barcodes]
   6. Click Submit
   7. Click Confirm 

To view and read the shelf report job report:

1. Go to Admin>Manage Jobs and sets>Monitor jobs
2. Click on the History tab
3. Search for the job by name using the search box
   • Shelf report jobs will begin with "Shelf Report"
4. Click Report from the ellipses of the job
5. Click on Analysis to expand this portion of the report
6. The following information will be provided about the shelf report:

   Report Status	Meaning	Action Required
   Items in place	Items with a status of "in place"	None - Item In Place
   Missing items but marked in place	Items not in the input file, but have a status of "in place"	Mark Item Missing
   Items on shelf but marked not in place	Items in the input file with a status of "not in place"	Scan item(s) in at the Fulfillment desk
   Known items not in place	Items not in the input file with a status of "not in place"	None - Items on Loan
   Items on shelf but out of range/set	Item barcode is in Alma, but in another range of call numbers	Move item to the correct position-Misshelved
   Barcode with no matched items	Item barcode is in the input file, but not in Alma	If the item belongs to your institution: Add item to Alma If the item does not belong to your institution: Return it to the owning library

   
    
7. Report status ellipses options:

   Report Status	Ellipses Actions
   Items in place	Preview Items Create Itemized set
   Missing items but marked in place	Preview Items Create Itemized set
   Items on shelf but marked not in place	Preview Items Create Itemized set
   Known items not in place	Preview Items Create Itemized set
   Items on shelf but out of range/set	Preview Items Create Itemized set
   Barcode with no matched items	Download list

Purdue created the Shelf Inventory API app to fill the need left by Alma’s shelf report's to be able to identify:

• Misshelved items
• What call number the item is currently shelved between
• Where the misshelved item should be moved
   

The Shelf Inventory API is external from Alma. The Shelf Inventory API requires:

• Server to host the program
  • The Shelf Inventory API is hosted on the sunyconnect server
  • URL is provided to interested SUNY institutions
• API Key in Ex Libris' Developer’s Network (https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/) to communicate with Alma
  • API key requires permissions for Bibs and Configuration to be configured to production with read-only access
  • API keys were created by the SLS for interested SUNY libraries
• An excel (.xlsx) file to input in the API app 
  • First line of the excel file must contain barcodes (lower case and plural)
  • One barcode per row

IMPORTANT!!! SUNY tested and implement Purdue's Shelf Inventory API App as is.  The lack of customization requires SUNY users to:

• Ignore errors being reported from the following input fields if the users selects "No" for Only Report CN Order Problems?:
  • Primary Item Type for Scanned Location
  • Primary Policy Type for Scanned Location
• Be aware the Library and location drop-down menus can be touchy and may require the user to click on the drop-down menu arrow a few times before the options appear

Please contact the SLS at info@sunyolis.libanswers.com if your SUNY institution is interested in getting access to the Shelf Inventory API

To use the Shelf Inventory API app:

1. Open the institution's URL for the Shelf Inventory API app in a web browser
2. The app opens
   1. Barcode XLSX FIle: [Click select and upload the Excel (.xlsx) file
   2. Call Number Type: [Select the call number type]
   3. Library: {Select the library from the drop-down menu]
      • Do Not use the Resource Sharing Library
      • May need to click on the menu a few times for the drop-down menu to appear
   4. Location: [Select the location from the drop-down menu]
   5. Primary Item Type for Scanned Location: [Leave on the default]
      • Not configured for SUNY use
   6. Primary Policy Type for Scanned Location: {Leave on the default]
      • Not configured for SUNY use
   7. Only Report CN Order Problems?: [Select "No" or "Yes"]
      • "Yes" will only report call number (CN) order problems, which does not include if there are other problems such as library and location
   8. Only Report Problems Other Than CN?: [Select "No" of "Yes"]
      • "Yes" will report all problems not related to call number (CN) order problems
   9. Report Only Problems?: [Select "No" or "Yes"]
      • "Yes" will only report problems 
   10. Clear Cache: [Select "Yes"]
   11. Click Submit

Adding the inventory date to physical items records after inventory has been completed on a range of items allows libraries to track when inventory was last done at their institution. This step is optional!

To add the inventory date to a set of items records from the Alma Shelf Report:

1. Create a set for "Items in Place"
2. Run the "Change physical items" job

Create a set for "Items in Place":

1. Go to the Shelf Report Job history
2. Click Report from the ellipses of the job
3. Expand analysis
4. Click Created itemized Set from the "Items in Place" ellipses
5. Review the set details
   1. Edit the name (optional)
   2. Add a description (optional)
   3. Edit Private (optional)
6. Click Save

Run the "Change physical items" job

1. Click Admin>Manage Jobs and Sets>Run a Job
2. Search for and select the "Change physical items" job
3. Click Next
4. Search for and select the itemized set created from "Items in Place"
5. Click Next
6. Check the box next to Inventory Date under "Change Inventory Information"
7. Click on the calendar icon for Inventory date
8. Select the date
9. Select "Unconditional" for the Condition
10. Click Next
11. Review the job details
12. Click Submit
13. Click Confirm

To change "Missing items but marked in place" from the Alma Shelf Report to Missing:

1. Create an itemized set for "Missing items but marked in place"
2. Run the "Change Physical Items" job 

Create An Itemized Set for "Missing Items But Marked In Place":

1. Go to the Shelf Report Job history
2. Click Report from the ellipses of the job
3. Expand analysis
4. Click Created itemized Set from the "Missing items but marked in place" ellipses
5. Review the set details
   1. Edit the name (optional)
   2. Add a description (optional)
   3. Edit Private (optional)
6. Click Save

Run the "Change Physical Items" Job to Change "Missing Items But Marked In Place" to Missing:

1. Click Admin>Manage Jobs and Sets>Run a Job
2. Search for and select the "Change physical items" job
3. Click Next
4. Search for and select the itemized set created from "Missing items but marked in place"
5. Click Next
6. Check the box next to Missing under "Change General Information"
7. Select missing from the drop-down menu
8. Select "Unconditional" for the Condition
9. Click Next
10. Review the job details
11. Click Submit
12. Click Confirm

"Items on shelf but out of range/set" from the Alma Shelf Report identify records that are misshelved, but it does provide the call numbers the misshelved items are between or where they need to be moved.

To Identify where "Items on shelf but out of range/set" are misshelved so that they can be moved to the correct place on the shelves:

• Review "Items on shelf but out of range/set"
• Locate where the "Items on shelf but out of range/set" are currently misshelved

Review "Items on shelf but out of range/set":

1. Go to the Shelf Report Job history
2. Click Report from the ellipses of the job
3. Expand analysis
4. Click Preview Items from the "Items on shelf but out of range/set" ellipses
5. Click the Export List icon 
6. Select Excel (current view)
   • The record list will be exported and opened in Excel
   • Check if the Library and Location are correct if the shelf report was created using range

Locate where the "Items on shelf but out of range/set" are currently misshelved:

1. Search for the barcode(s) from the "Items on shelf but out of range/set" in the Excel/Text file for the scanned range
2. Copy the barcode before and after the misshelved "Items on shelf but out of range/set"
3. Perform an advanced repository search for Physical Items:
   • Physical Items: Barcodes>Equals>[barcode number]
   • Click the plus sign to add another row
   • OR Physical Items: Barcodes>Equals>[barcode number]
   • Click Search
4. Change the Sort By to Item Call Number - Desc 
5. Write down the call numbers and add to the "Items on shelf but out of range/set" Excel file or export the call numbers to Excel
6. Go to the shelves and locate the call numbers for the items from the before and after barcodes
7. Pull the misshelved title from the stacks
8. Reshelve the book to its correct position in the library stacks

• Ex Libris' Managing Physical Item Inventory Using Shelf Reporting
• Shelf Inventory Using Alma APIs