Completing an inventory without a portable scanner using WorkFlows Standard procedures for inventorying ALL item types in the collection Note: You can use a wireless PC laptop or you can scan the items at a workstation. If you have a laptop, you may find it easiest to move the laptop to the shelves on a book truck or cart. Connect your barcode reader to the laptop. You will need to have Workflows installed on the laptop. Start WorkFlows using your library login.
1. Set Inventory Date. The “Set Inventory Date” report accounts for any items currently checked out. This report must be run immediately before the inventory process. If you are circulating books during the inventory process, run this report at the start and finish of each day you are conducting inventory. This will account for any items circulated during the day.
• Click on the “Reports” toolbar. •
In the Report Wizard, click on “Schedule New Report”. Accept the defaults and click “OK”.
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Click on the tab “Templates”. Confirm the report templates are for your library. Click on: “Inventory [your library name] Step 1) Set Inventory Date”. Click on “Set up and Schedule”. (The password for this report is “y”.) Accept the defaults under the Basic tab. Click on “Item Selection” tab. Make sure your library name is showing in the library window. Leave “Item type” window blank. Click on “Run now”. Click on “Display Finished Reports”.
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Note: Be sure you record the first date of the inventory process. Subsequent reports will need to refer to the beginning date of your current inventory.
2. Scan Items. •
Click on the “Inventory” toolbar.
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Open the “Inventory Item” Wizard. Begin scanning the barcodes on the items you want to inventory. IMPORTANT: Watch the screen while you are scanning. If you scan an item that is checked out to a patron or not in the catalog, a warning window will pop up. If you do not click “OK”, the next item will not be scanned and will show up on your missing report. Make sure you are connected to WorkFlows. The item ID should be moving from the Item ID window to the list of Items Inventoried. If there is a book on the shelf that is checked out to a patron, scanning will not check the book in. You may either check in the book immediately by opening the “Check In” Wizard, or you may pull the book to be checked in later.
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If you scan an item that is not in your catalog, you will receive a warning pop up message. These items will need to be marked and added to the catalog at a later date. Scan all items you want inventoried.
3. Produce a list of items not scanned. • • •
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Return to the Report toolbar. Click on “Schedule New Reports.” Click on “Template” tab. Click on “Inventory [your library name] Step 2) Inventory Date BEFORE” Report. This report will provide a listing of all of the copies that were previously inventoried but not in the current inventory. Click on “Set up and Schedule”. Click on “Item Selection.” Make sure your library name is showing. Modify the “Date Inventoried” information by clicking on the gadget. Click on “BEFORE” tab and record the date you used the first time you ran Step 1. Important: Since the goal of this report is to obtain a list of copies that are not in the current inventory, be sure to click
Click on “Run Now.” Click on “Display Finished Report”. Print the report. Click on “Inventory [your library name] Step 3) Inventory Date NEVER” Report. This report will provide a listing of all copies that have NEVER been inventoried. Click on “Set up and Schedule”. Click on “Item Selection”. Make sure your library name is showing. Accept the “Date Inventoried” default of NEVER. Click on “Run Now”. Print the report.
4. Check the shelves for items not scanned. • •
Using the reports from Step 3, check the shelves to make sure the items listed are really not in the library. If an item is found, inventory it using the Inventory Item Wizard.
5. Repeat 3 and 4 as many times as necessary to locate as many items as possible.
6. When you are satisfied you have scanned all items, notify Mr_Libs at . • Include the following information: o Date you began your inventory process (first time you ran Step1 Report). o If you want to exclude LOST, LOST-PAID, LOST-CLAIM from being marked as MISSING. o In the subject line type: Inventory [your library login name] missing items • System Admin will check out any items that have not been accounted for to MISSING.
7. When Mr_Libs notifies you that Step 6 has been completed, you may produce a final list of missing items for your campus reports or your files. • Open the Report Templates. • Click on “Inventory [your library name] Step 4) Final Missing Copies List”. This report will identify all MISSING items, items not on the shelf, and items not found in the inventory. • Click on “Set up and Schedule”. • Accept the defaults if correct.
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Click on “Run Now”. Check the stacks as well as other locations for the missing items. If you find any missing items, use the “Check In” Wizard to manually change the item status from MISSING.
8. You may leave items marked as MISSING for a year before checking out to “Discard Patron”. When you want the items permanently removed, notify Mr_Libs.
May 2009 (updated)
