FAQs: Using Charge History

The Charge History feature allows you to keep track of your patrons’ charges. You can set library policies to automatically create a patron’s and item’s charge history whenever a patron checks out an item and then checks it back in.

You can also determine on an individual patron basis whether or not charge history is kept. For example, your library does not maintain a charge history for patrons unless a patron specifically requests it.

Charge History records are stored in a separate charge history database. This database can be cleared with the Purge Loan History report.

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Which wizards have Charge History information?

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Setting up the Charge History feature to display on the system (How do I set up the Charge History feature to be used on my system?)

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Creating a charge history (How do I create a charge history?)

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Displaying charge history for a patron (How do I view charge history information for a patron?)

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Displaying charge history for an item (How do I view charge history information for an item?)

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Determining whether charge history is kept on a per-user basis (Is there a way for me to use or disable charge history on a per-user basis?)

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Clearing charge history from patron records and item records (How do I clear charge history information from patron records and item records?)

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Retrieving removed charged history for a patron or item (I removed the charge history from a patron or item, and need to get the information back. How can I do this?)

Which wizards have Charge History information?

Charge History information is located in the following places:

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The Display User Wizard has a Charge History tab in the patron record display.

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In the Checkout Wizard, the Charge History helper is activated after you search for or specify the patron to whom items will be checked out.

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In the Remove User Wizard, the Charge History helper is activated after you specify the patron record to be removed.

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The Item Search and Display wizard (Item Search) has a Charge History tab within the Call Number/Item tab in the item record display.

How do I set up the Charge History feature to be used on my system?

Before you can use the Charge History feature, you must contact SirsiDynix Customer Support to configure Charge History for your library system.

After SirsiDynix Customer Support has configured your library system to use the Charge History feature, you must edit your circulation rules and circulation maps to specify for which items the charge history will be saved.

To set up the Charge History feature on your library system

Click the Circulation Configuration wizard group.

Click the Circulation Rule wizard.

A list of circulation rules displays.

Select a circulation rule, and click Modify.

Do one of the following:

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To save charge history for items circulated using this circulation rule, select the Save Charge History check box.

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To not save charge history for items circulated using this circulation rule, clear the Save Charge History check box. By default, the check box is cleared.

Click Save to save your changes to the circulation rule.

Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each circulation rule you want to modify.

When you have finished modifying circulation rules, click Close to exit the Circulation Rule wizard.

Modify your Circulation Map policies to apply the edited circulation rules to the item types and users for which you want to track charge histories. Go to FAQs: Creating Circulation Maps for more information.

How do I create a charge history?

If your circulation rules are configured to save charge history for items, a charge history record is created automatically whenever a patron checks out and then checks in an item. Upon check in, the charge history record is linked to the patron’s record and to the item record.

The charge history record is very similar to a charge record, and is linked to an item record and user record only when the user checks out and later checks in the item.

How do I view charge history information for a patron?

You can view the patron’s charge history by displaying the patron’s record with the Display User wizard, and selecting the Charge History tab.

You can also view the patron’s charge history when using the Checkout wizard by clicking the Charge History helper on the Checkout screen.

The Charge History helper also displays in the Remove User wizard. When you try to remove a user record, if the wizard properties are set to prompt before removing charge history, you will be alerted if the patron has a charge history. You can click the helper to review the charge history before you remove the patron from the system.

How do I view charge history information for an item?

You can view the item’s charge history by displaying the item record with the Item Search and Display wizard, selecting the Call Number/Item tab, and selecting the Charge History tab.

Is there a way for me to use or disable charge history on a per-user basis?

Yes. The Charge History Rule field in the user record’s Basic Info Tab: Users can be used to determine whether or not charge history is saved for a particular user. The setting in the Charge History Rule field in the user record overrides the setting of the Save Charge History attribute in a Circulation Rule policy. For example, your library may decide to not maintain charge history records unless a patron explicitly asks for his or her charge history to be saved.

To use or disable charge history for a specific patron

In the Users group, click the Modify User wizard.

Search for or specify the user whose record you want to display.

Click the Basic Info tab.

In the Charge History Rule list, select one of the following options:

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NOHISTORY overrides the Save Charge History setting in the circulation rule, and does not keep history records for this user. This option is the default setting.

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CIRCRULE creates charge history records for this user based on the circulation rule’s Save Charge History setting. If the Save Charge History check box is selected, charge history will be saved for this user when the user checks out an item that uses the circulation rule. If the check box is cleared, charge history will not be saved for the user when the user checks out an item that uses the circulation rule.

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ALLCHARGES overrides the Save Charge History setting in the circulation rule and creates charge history records for every checkout by this user.

Click Modify User to save your changes.

On the record modification confirmation message, click Close to exit the wizard.

How do I clear charge history information from patron records and item records?

You can remove charge history information by periodically running the Purge Charge History report. With this report, you can remove charge history for all patrons and/or items, or only for selected patrons and/or items. Charge history will continue to be part of the patron records and item records until it is removed with the Purge Charge History report.

I removed the charge history from a patron or item, and need to get the information back. How can I do this?

Once a patron’s or item’s charge history has been removed with the Purge Charge History report, the information is not retrievable unless you can go to your backup files for the information.

If a patron is removed from the system using the Remove User wizard, all information – including charge history information – is removed and cannot be retrieved.

If an item is removed from the system using the Delete Title, Call Numbers or Items wizard, all information – including charge history information – is removed and cannot be retrieved.