FAQs: Working with Request Formats

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Creating a New Request Format

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Displaying a New Request Format in the e-Library

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How do I restrict user access to certain types of requests?

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Which request format entry lists appear when performing different tasks in SirsiDynix Symphony?

Creating a New Request Format

The following are necessary for creating a new request format.

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Simple Entry IDs to include within the new request format

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Synonym lists of the new Entry IDs for the Full, Brief, and Template appear

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A new request format that includes the use of these synonym lists

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A new format that includes Entries using the simple Entry IDs mentioned in the first bullet

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A Request Type policy that uses the new format

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A Request Status policy that may be necessary to indicate a proper response

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Request List policies that include the new Request Type policy

To create a new request format

1

On the Config toolbar, click the OPAC Configuration wizard.

2

Click the Request Format wizard. A list of Request Format policies appears.

3

Go to the Entries tab and click Create.

Note: For this example, you will create a Summer Volunteer Sign Up Request.

4

On the Basic tab of this Format policy, fill in the following attributes:

Name	SUMMER_VOL
Description	Summer Volunteer Sign Up
Record Type	OTHER
Purpose	REQUEST (This is automatically filled in by SirsiDynix Symphony and cannot be changed)

5

Click Save

You are now ready to modify the policy you just created. To do this, you will need to create Entry IDs and add them to their corresponding entries, which will be added to the format.

To create entry IDs

1

Select the new policy you created, SUMMER_VOL, and click Modify.

2

Go to the Entries tab and click Create. The Request format Policy screen appears.

3

Select the Entries tab of this Format policy, and then click the Entry ID helper in the left-hand corner of the screen to select from a list of available Entry IDs or to create a new Entry ID.

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For this example, you will select the USER_NAME Entry ID.

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Fill in the Basic tab box for the USER_NAME entry. Be certain to indicate which fields will be required and which ones will be optional. For example, the Name, Address, and Phone fields are required, but the User ID and Comment fields are optional.

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Fill in the Display tab boxes for the USER_NAME entry.

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Fill in Label with the label you want to display in the e-Library. For the USER_NAME entry, type Name.

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Click Save, and the USER_NAME entry will be added to the list of entries.

Note: To add more entries to this format, repeat the steps you just performed for each entry. For this example, you will add PHONE, STREET, CITY/STATE, REQ_DATE, and COMMENT.

You will now need to create an entry for the dates the volunteer is available.

To create an entry

1

On the Request Format screen, highlight SUMMER_VOL and click Create

2

On the Basic tab, type DATE_AVAIL in the Name field.

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In the Description field, type Dates available to work.

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Click Save, and the DATE_AVAIL entry will be added to the list of entries.

You will now need to create Full Entries, Brief Entries, and Template Entries Synonym Lists that use these new Entry IDs.

1

Click Request Format wizard, highlight SUMMER_VOL and click Modify.

2

Click Create.

3

Click the Entry ID helper to open the Policy List window.

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Click Create.

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Fill in the text boxes as follows.

Name	SUMMERFULL
Type	Synonym List
Mode	Include Specified Entries in List
Entries	USER_NAME, PHONE, STREET, CITY/STATE, DATE_AVAIL, COMMENT, REQ_DATE

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Name the templates similar to the format name, such as SUMMERFULL for Full Entries, in this example.

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Click Save, and SUMMERFULL will be selected for Full Entries.

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Repeat the steps above to create the Brief and Template synonym lists (SUMERBRIEF and SUMMERTEMP).

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After the templates are created, click Save, and your new request format is created.

You must now create a new Request Type policy that uses the new request format. Fill in the attributes using the following information:

Name	SUMMER_VOL
Description	Summer Volunteers Sign Up
Special Use	None
Request Format	SUMMER_VOL
Response Format	REPLY (Using an existing Format policy)
User Key Required	Optional
Catalog Key Required	None
Request Text Required	Optional
Status	NEW

In this example, you can modify the appropriate Request List policies to include the new Request Type, SUMMER_VOL.

1

Click the Request List wizard.

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Select the PUBLIC Request List policy and click Modify.

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Click the gadget in the Requests attribute to select the new request type, SUMMER_VOL and move it to the List Selected box.

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Click OK.

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Click Save.

Note: The request lists are used by User Access policies that are linked to user logins.

Displaying a New Request Format in the e-Library

Now that the new request format is created, complete the following steps to make this format appear in the e-Library.

To make this format appear in the e-Library

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On the Configuration toolbar, click the OPAC Configuration wizard.

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Click the Gateway Database configuration wizard.

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Select the iBistro gateway, or the appropriate gateway to modify, and click Modify.

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Under Public Access Choices select the Request Group element and click Create.

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Fill in the Basic tab boxes for this gateway element. For this example, the gateway name will be SUMMER_VOL, and the description will be Summer Volunteers.

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Check the box beside WWW in Use. Also make certain the element status of this gateway is set to Available.

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On the Destination tab for this gateway element, you have the option to check either Sort Group or Application Level Group.

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On the WWW Information tab for this gateway element, click Display Paragraph Top, and select a paragraph from the list.

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Here you can include a text file describing the request element. The text files are stored in the /Unicorn/Gateway directory. Below is a sample text you can use for this example:

The Library needs teen volunteers for the Summer 2001 Reading Program. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill in the following form. The Children’s Librarian will be contacting you about your volunteer schedule.

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Click Save, and the new Summer Volunteer Sign Up request format will appear in the Public Access Choices list.

How do I restrict user access to certain types of requests?

The following are necessary to restrict user access to particular request types.

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A Request List policy that includes accepted request types for the user

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A User Access policy that includes this Request List policy

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An Environment policy that references this User Access policy

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A Gateway policy referenced by this Environment policy

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A User Profile policy that references this Environment policy

To restrict user access to specific request types, perform the following steps.

Note: For this example, JUVENILE users will be limited to the HOLD, SRCHSVC, and QUESTION request types.

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On the Configuration toolbar, click the Access Control Configuration group.

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Click Request List.

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Create a new Request List policy, JUVENILE, and include the request types HOLD, SRCHSVC, and QUESTION.

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Click User Access.

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Select the JUVENILE User Access policy, and click Modify.

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In the Request List box, select the newly created JUVENILE request list.

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Click Environment.

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Select the JUVENILE Environment policy, and click Modify.

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In the Gateway Database box, select the Gateway policy created just for your children’s room users, such as CHILDROOM.

Note: This gateway has been previously modified to include a Request gateway element that displays only the HOLD, SRCHSVC, and QUESTION request types.

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On the Configuration toolbar, click the User Configuration group.

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Click User Profile.

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Select the policy created for children, such as JUVENILE, and click Modify.

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In the Environment box, select the JUVENILE Environment policy.

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In the User Access box, select the JUVENILE User Access policy.

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On the Circulation toolbar, click the Modify User wizard.

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Look up the user ID that needs to be restricted.

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In the Profile Name box, select the JUVENILE User Profile policy.

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When the user logs into the e-Library and clicks the I Need Material button, only the HOLD, SRCHSVC, and QUESTION request types will display.

Which request format entry lists appear when performing different tasks in SirsiDynix Symphony?

The following describes which request format entry lists appear when performing different tasks in SirsiDynix Symphony:

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Template entries for request formats appear when a request record is created or modified.

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Full entries for request formats appear in the single record view at the workstation or printed in report lists.

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Brief entries for request formats appear in lists of requests.