How do I use the Fulfillment Configuration Utility to check the loan policies for a patron/item?
Answer
The Fulfillment Configuration Utility is a tool that allows staff to view the terms of use (TOUs) and related policies under which a specific item will loan to a specific patron. It is generally preferable to test fulfillment policies using this tool rather than checking out/in items for testing.
The tool can be found in Alma > Fulfillment Menu > Advanced Tools - Loans > Fulfillment Configuration Utility. (Note: A role of Circulation Desk Operator or above is required to use this tool.)
To use the tool, enter the student/employee ID of an active patron in Alma, and enter the barcode of a specific item.
- The first tab will reflect the Fulfillment Unit and Loan Terms of Use that apply to this item/patron combination.
- The terms of use are labelled descriptively for the fulfillment unit, patron group, and loan length.
- The second tab will reflect the Request Terms of Use that apply to this item/patron combination.
- The request terms of use are labelled to indicate whether requests are allowed or not, and whether requests may be picked up anywhere (e.g. General) or only from the owning campus (e.g. Reserves).
- The final tab will reflect the Overdue and Lost Loan profiles which control when letters are sent and when an item is changed to lost.
Important notes for using the Fulfillment Configuration Utility:
- The utility does not track the expiration date of the patron. This means that calculated due dates may not be accurate.
- If the library is closed (such as during intercessions), calculated due dates will reflect the closure and related policy action (e.g. move the due date to the next open date).
- Most loan rules are now the same for Faculty/Staff and Students so you may test the utility with either type of patron.
- Currently Booking TOUs are not in use. The default rule (no booking) will show for all items.
Ex Libris - Alma documentation and demo video on the Fulfillment Configuration Utility