Can I check books in and out when Alma is down?
Yes, you can check items out to patrons and check items in when they are returned. It is a simple process:
- Download and install the Offline Circulation Utility software.
- Scan the items in the Offline Circulation Utility and save the transactions in a file.
- Upload the file to Alma when it is back online.
1. Download and Installation
1. Download the utility from https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/blog/alma-offline-circulation/. The file is called setup_offcirc.zip.
2. Unzip the file into a folder. The unzipped file contains one file: setup_offcirc.exe. This is the installer.
3. Run the installer. The utility is installed on the computer. By default, it is installed in the C:\Alma Offline Circulation folder.
2. Using the Program
1. Navigate to C:\Alma Offline Circulation\OffCirc\Bin and open the Offcirc.exe file. The file may be in a different folder if you didn't save it in the default location.
2. Enter the borrower and/or the item barcode.
a. If you choose "Loan," you will see "Borrower" and "Item barcode" fields.
b. If you choose "Return," you will only see the "Item barcode" field.
3. When all the transactions are completed, select Save To File to add the transactions to the data file of offline transactions that have not yet been uploaded to Alma's database. The data file is called OffCirc.dat and is stored in the C:\Alma Offline Circulation\OffCirc\files folder. The file may be in a different folder if you didn't save it in the default location.
3. Uploading the Files to Alma
1. When Alma is back online, go to Fulfillment > Advanced Tools - Loans > Offline Circulation.
2. Click the folder icon and navigate to your data file in the C:\Alma Offline Circulation\OffCirc\files folder. The file may be in a different folder if you didn't save it in the default location.
3. Click Upload and Validate File Content.
4. Review the transaction report to check for errors.
5. When the offline-circulation job is completed, delete the data file. Otherwise, the next time the Offline Circulation utility is used, it will add the new transaction records to the old ones. As a result, the next time an offline-circulation job is run, it will include the transactions that were already recorded.