Alma Resource Management

Indication Rules are used to identify bib records that need to be edited or enhanced based on the conditions in the indication rule. They are used to filter title sets (logical or itemized) to find bib records that meet the condition of the indication rule, which can then be saved as a new set.

Indication rules:

• Can only be used on bib records
• Are often used as an alternative to analytics or an advanced search, because neither or those options lets you look for specific MARC fields
• Resulting set can be used with jobs in Alma like the "Delete holding records with no items" job
• Can be incorporated into:
  • Publishing profiles
  • Import profiles
• Do not change data in bib records

1. Create the indication rule. DO NOT copy and paste indication rule examples from Ex Libris or other documentation because it may copy incorrectly, causing a syntax error upon saving the rule. It's better to either type the rule in the MD Editor or paste the rule into Notepad to remove formatting.
   • Duplicate and edit an existing indication rule or
   • Create in the MD Editor
2. Test the indication rule
3. Run the indication rule against a set
   • Create a set or use an existing set

Indication rules should only be edited by the user who created the rule. To make changes to an indication rule that you don't own, copy it and edit the copy. Rules do not save versions and cannot be restored.

To duplicate an indication rule:

1. Open the MD Editor
2. Make sure the "Placement of new rules" is set to local
3. Click on the Rules Tab
4. Search for the rule from the rules record list in the left-pane of the MD Editor
   • Type the indication rule name in the "Search in list" box or
   • Expand the folders and scroll
5. Right-click on the indication rule being duplicated
6. Click Duplicate
7. The Indication rules properties screen displays
   • Edit the Name: Begin the rule with your campus 3-letter identifier
   • Edit the Description: to reflect the new rule
   • Make sure it is Shared and Enabled
   • Click Save
8. The indication rule opens in the main pane of the MD Editor
9. Edit the rule as necessary
10. Click the Save icon
11. Test the rule
12. Click the "X" to close the rule

1. Open the MD Editor
2. Make sure the "Placement of new rules" is set to Local
3. Click Rules tab>New (menu)>Indication
4. The Indication rule properties screen displays
   • Name*: start the name with the campus 3-letter identifier
   • Description*: copy and paste the name or add more descriptive information
   • Type: [Select Drool - default]
   • Click on the radio button next to Shared
   • Click in the Enabled check box
   • Click Save
     
5. Write the rule
6. Click Save
   
7. Correct any syntax errors if they display upon saving
8. Test the rule
9. Click the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the main pane of the MD Editor to close the rule (New MD Editor)

Indication rules can be tested on a bib record in the MD Editor in the following manner:

• Bib record opened first in the MD Editor
• Indication rule opened first in the MD Editor

To test an indication rule when the bib record is opened in the MD Editor first:

1. Open a bib record in the MD Editor
2. Click on the Editor split mode icon (F6)
3. Click on the Rules tab
4. Click on the Indication rule type
5. Search for the indication rule to be tested
6. Left-click on the indication rule to open it on the right-side of the main pane
7. Click Try it at the bottom on the rule screen
8. The information box displays at the bottom of the screen indicating the success of the rule as True or False
9. Edit, test, and save the rule if the rule did not work as expected in step 7/8
10. Click "X" to close the indication rule
11. Release the bib record (Records Actions>Release Record / Alt+Shft+R)

To test an indication rule when the rule is opened in the MD Editor first:

1. Open an indication rule in the MD Editor
2. Click on the Editor split mode icon (F6)
3. Click the Records tab
4. Click on the MARC21 Bib record type
5. Search for the bib record
6. Left-click to open the bib record on the right-hand side of the main pane
7. Click on the rule on the left-side of the main pane
8. Click Try it
9. The information box displays at the bottom of the screen indicating the success of the rule as True or False
10. Edit, test, and save the rule if the rule did not work as expected in step 7/8
11. Click "X" to close the indication rule
12. Release the bib record (Records Actions>Release Record / Alt+Shft+R)

Control fields are also known as fixed fields:

• LDR (leader)
• 00X fields

Indication rules can use the following control field data elements with conditions:

• Control Field
• Control Field_Position_Length
• Control Field_Position_Length_Value

Control fields are made up of the following elements:

NOTE: Control fields can be opened in a form editor in the MD Editor using Ctrl+F (Editing Actions>Open Form Editor). Open the fixed field in the MD Editor to view the position and length.

• The LDR positions and length can also be found here: https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bdleader.html
• The position and length of fixed fields can also be found here: https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd00x.html

Data fields are MARC fields and subfields. Indication rules can use the following data field data elements with conditions:

Only two actions can be taken with indication rules. The following actions can be used in indication rules: 

1. set indication."true" 
2. set indication."false"

Actions in the rule:

• Actions come after the line with “then” 
• "Then" comes after the condition and before the action
• “When/If” the condition is met, “then” tells the rule to perform the action

Indication rule do not need to be complex. They contain:

• One or more conditions
• One or more elements

NOTE: Asterisks *  can be used to identify all values in a MARC field 

exists "5**" - this will find all bib records with notes fields

exists "50*" - this will identify all bib records with notes fields between 500-508

NOTE: An asterisk * can be used to match a string

exists "490.a."*nutshell" - this will look for a string that contains nutshell at the end of the series. It may include other series than "In a nutshell.

More "complex" indication rules can be written to combine more than one condition. When you combine more than one condition parenthesis and boolean terms are used in the rule to indicate what conditions need to be met.

Indication rules are used to filter a set of bibliographic records in order to create a subset of records that meet the criteria of the indication rule. They can only be applied to Title sets (All titles, Physical titles, or Electronic titles). The indication rule must be created in the Institution Zone for it to be used to filter a set.

To apply an indication rule to a set:

1. Create a set of bibliographic records (logical or itemized)
2. Go to Admin>Manage Jobs and Sets>Manage Sets
3. Click Filter Set from the ellipses of the titles set
4. Set details screen opens:
   • Name: [Edit the Name to something identifiable]
   • Private: [Select "No" if the set is not being shared]
   • Status: [Keep Active]
   • Indication Rule: [Select the indication rule from the drop-down menu]
     
5. Click Submit
6. Click Confirm when the "Confirmation message" pops-up
7. Once the set is created, find it in the set list and choose "Members" from the set options to the right of the set name

Deleting indication rules:

1. Indication rules can be deleted when they have been created by the user and no longer needed
2. Indication rules should only be deleted by the user who created the rule
3. Indication rules should only be deleted by the user who created the rule
   • DO NOT delete an indication rule created by another user
4. IMPORTANT!!!: Once a rule has been deleted it cannot be undone

To delete an indication rule created by the user:

1. Open the MD Editor
2. Click on the Rules tab
3. Click Indication rule type
4. Search for the indication rule 
5. Delete the indication rule (two potential ways):
   1. Left-click and open the record in the MD Editor main pane
      1. Click Rule Actions>Delete
      2. Click "Yes" when the confirm box pops-up
   2. Right-click
      1. Select Delete
      2. Click "Yes" when the confirm box pops-up