Import Profile for Embedded Order Data

Acquisitions vendors, such as YBP, offer services for supplying MARC records for resources on order. These records contain embedded order data (EOD), details included in local MARC tags that help Alma to create purchase order lines for the resources ordered on the vendor platform. Library staff will use an import profile to import MARC21 records, then map the embedded order data into Alma PO Lines. CARLI's recommended EOD settings uses values for Alma local extension fields 950 and 952. Libraries may work with YBP or other vendors to incorporate these tags into their EOD profiles, or they may adapt their import profile to match their existing EOD profile.

General instructions on creating and modifying import profiles are found in the Ex Libris Knowledge Center document Managing Import Profiles. CARLI staff have created an import profile template that library staff may refer to for guidance on EOD settings. Users with either the Catalog Administrator or Acquisitions Administrator role may view this template by navigating to the Resources menu > Manage Import Profiles, Network tab, then Add EOD Bibs to NZ, Order Recs from YBP GOBI. 

This page documents the following details:

Last Updated June 12, 2020

Creating the EOD Profile

In order to create a import profile, a user must have the either the Catalog Administrator or Acquisitions Administrator role.

  1. Select the Resources menu > Manage Import Profiles.
  2. Add New Profile.
  3. Choose new profile type of New Order. Click Next.
  4. On the Profile Details screen, enter a Profile Name, something indicative of the type of imports you perform, e.g., "Add EOD Bibs and Orders to IZ from YBP GOBI." Then include the following options:
    • Use Network Zone: Uncheck this box
    • Profile Description: This is a long form note that you may use to include details of the profile. It may be more helpful to fill this out after you've created and tested the profile.
    • Originating System: GOBI (YBP)
    • Import Protocol: Upload (for testing your profile settings manually); or, FTP (for ongoing, scheduled transfers) *See Using the EOD Import Profile below.
    • Physical Source Format: Binary
    • Encoding format: ISO8859_1 (unless YBP informs you that records are Unicode; then choose UTF-8)
    • Source format: MARC21 Bibliographic
    • Status: Active
  5. Click Next.
  6. On Import Profile Details screen 3, CARLI has no recommended settings at this time. Click Next.
  7. On Import Profile Details screen 4, select the following settings:
    • Match by Serial/Non-Serial: Yes
    • Serial Match Method: ISSN/024/035 Match Method
    • Non-Serial Match Method: ISBN/024/035 Match Method
    • Handling Method: Automatic
    • Upon Match: Merge
    • Single Match - match only record with same inventory type: Check this box
    • Automatic Multi-Match Handling: Check all four boxes.
    • Select Action: tick the box for Do not override/merge a record with a lower brief version
    • Merge Method: Overlay all fields but local
    • Upon No Match: Import
      • If the options for Upon No Match include Import to NZ and Import to IZ, then go back to Profile Details screen 2 using the Back button next to the Next button. (Do not user browser back and next buttons.)
  8. Click Next.
  9. On Import Profile Details screen 4, select suppression options according to whether patrons should find order records.
    • Suppress record/s from publish/discovery: This setting controls whether the order record appears in Primo VE.
    • Suppress record/s from external search: This setting controls whether Z39.50 searches will find order records.
    • Synchronize with OCLC: Don't publish
    • Synchronize with Libraries Australia: Don't publish
  10. Click Next.
  11. On Import Profile Details screen 5 (Inventory), select whether the profile will be used to import physical items, electronic portfolios, or both. This choice affects how defaults are applied and what data must be present in the MARC records. See the EOD Field Mapping Profile for Inventory below for CARLI default mapping options to apply. Click Next when done.
  12. On Import Profile Details screen 6 (Orders), enter the type of order to be created, along with the vendor and account being used with this profile. See the EOD Field Mapping Profile for Orders below for CARLI default mapping options to apply, or use your existing vendor profile.
  13. Click Save.

EOD Field Mapping Profile for Inventory

As documented in the Managing Import Profiles document section covering Embedded Order Data, imported MARC records need to contain data in specific tags and subfields. The Inventory Operations section determines what kinds of inventory records should be created by import AND identifies what kinds of orders are contained by the imported records. Physical will create a holdings record and an item record. Electronic will create a service and portfolio. If you select either of these, the file of MARC records can only contain orders for that type of resource.

If the incoming MARC file might contain orders for either electronic or physical resources, you may select mixed. By Selecting mixed, you must also select which tag and subfield in the incoming record specifies what type of order the record represents.

CARLI's local extension field 952 has been developed to provide for the EOCR specification, and map into inventory elements as listed below. If you are following CARLI's specification, you will use the 952 tag for incoming holdings data, along with the 856 for URL details.

Inventory Operations: Select Electronic, Mixed, or Physical. 
Resource Type: Only visible if you select Mixed. 

  • Resource Type: 952
    • Subfield: q

E-Book Mapping

  • This section appears if you selected Electronic or Mixed for the Inventory Operations. Enter details as below:
    • Portfolio Type: Standalone. If you select Part of an electronic collection, you must also select an existing collection in Alma and a service, which means you may need an import profile for each different electronic collection.
    • Material Type: Book
    • Extract access  URL from field: 856
      • subfield: u
    • Extract interface name from field: 856
      • subfield: 3
      • Default interface name: optionally select an interface (i.e., eBook platform). Interfaces must already exist, and are created as part of a vendor record.
    • Extract public note from field: 856
      • Subfield: z

Physical Mapping

  • This section appears if you selected Physical or Mixed for the Inventory Operations. Enter details as below:
    • Mapping Policy: Basic
    • Library Field: 952
      • Subfield: b
    • Location Field: 952 -- Your incoming EOD file must include location data, even though this field isn't starred as mandatory on the screen.
      • Subfield: c
    • Default Library: You must select a default library to associate order and inventory records.
    • (Default) Location: You must select a default location within the default library to associate order and inventory records.
    • Number of items field: 952
      • Subfield: 3 or t 
    • Default number: 1 -- You must provide a default number of copies to order.

Click Save when done editing this tab.

EOD Field Mapping Profile for Orders

As documented in the Managing Import Profiles document section covering Embedded Order Data, imported MARC records need to contain data in specific tags and subfields. The EOD section maps MARC tags and subfields to elements of the Alma PO Line. YBP's standard GOBI EOCR profile provides 24 possible elements for export, many of which may be mapped to specific Alma PO line elements.

CARLI's local extension field 950 has been developed to provide for the EOCR specification, and map into PO Line elements as listed below. If you are following CARLI's specification, you will use the 950 tag for incoming order data.

EOD General Parameters

  • This section determines what type of PO line is created and to what vendor the order is assigned. The best practice at this time is to have a distinct EOD import profile for each vendor.
    • Physical PO Line Type: Select Physical - One Time. -- This option appears only if you selected an Inventory Operations type of Physical or Mixed.
    • Electronic PO Line Type: Select Electronic Title- One Time. -- This option appears only if you selected an Inventory Operations type of Physical or Mixed.
    • Vendor: Search for the vendor you are associating with this profile, e.g., YBP. The vendor must already exist in Alma before you reach this screen. If these orders will also be invoiced via EDI, be sure to select the version of the vendor that is EDI enabled.
    • Vendor account: Select the vendor account information associated with these orders, e.g., firm orders. All PO lines must have both a vendor and vendor account.
    • PO Line currency: Keep US Dollar (unless using a foreign vendor).
    • Decimal Point Location: 0 (assumes USD list price is sent in format XX.XX; if list price is encoded in cents instead of dollars, then use 2)
    • Acquisition Method: Purchase at Vendor System

EOD Mapping

  • This section determines the contents of the created PO Line. Fields on this page are not listed in the same order that they appear in the PO Line.
    • Additional PO line reference field: 950
      • Subfield: q
    • Vendor Reference Number field: 024
      • Subfield: a
    • Vendor Reference Number type field: 024
      • Subfield: q
    • List price field: 950
      • Subfield: d
    • Vendor title number field: 035
      • Subfield: a
    • Volume Part Number field: 950
      • Subfield: g
    • PO number field: 950
      • Subfield: a
    • Default PO Line owner: You must select a default library to own the PO line.
    •  Fund distribution field: 950
      • Subfield: e
      • Percent subfield: f -- Alma assumes 100% is applied to the fund in the first $$e; if there are multiple $$e present, each $$e must be followed by a $$f
      • Default fund: You must identify a default fund for PO lines in case the incoming EOD record somehow lacks a fund.
    • Reporting code field: 950
      • Subfield: m -- If present in the record, this subfield should contain a valid reporting code for a reporting code.
      • Default reporting code: Optionally select from the list of reporting code descriptions. Reporting codes must be defined in advance in Alma Configuration.
    • Secondary reporting code field: 950
      • Subfield: n -- If present in the record, this subfield should contain a valid secondary reporting code for a secondary reporting code.
      • Default secondary reporting code: Optionally select from the list of secondary reporting code descriptions. Secondary reporting codes must be defined in advance in Alma Configuration.
    • Tertiary reporting code field: 950
      • Subfield: o -- If present in the record, this subfield should contain a valid tertiary reporting code for a tertiary reporting code.
      • Default tertiary reporting code: Optionally select from the list of tertiary reporting code descriptions. Tertiary reporting codes must be defined in advance in Alma Configuration.
    • Note field: 950
      • Subfield: z
    • Note to vendor field: 950
      • Subfield: g
    • Ordered ISBN/ISSN field: 950
      • Subfield: j -- Optional field, but if present it must be preceded by $$i containing values of ISBN, ISSN, or ISAN.
    • Access Model field: 950
      • Subfield: p -- If present in the record, this subfield should contain a valid Access Model Code.
      • Default Access Model: Optionally select from the list of access model descriptions. Access models must be defined in advance in Alma Configuration.

Click Save when done editing this tab.

Using the Profile in the Import Process

Your new import profile may be used to manually import files of MARC records to Alma on an as-needed basis, or you may configure the profile to import from a secure FTP server on a scheduled basis. Initial tests of the profile should use the manual method. 

Manual Imports

Before beginning your import, make sure that you have a file of EOD MARC records in a folder on your workstation where you can find it. To perform imports manually, you must have one of the following Alma roles: Purchasing Manager, Purchasing Operator.

  1. In Alma, go to the Acquisitions menu > Import, which limits the list of import profiles only to those that create new orders.
  2. From the Institution tab, locate the import profile, "Add EOD Bibs and Orders to IZ from YBP GOBI." Click the row actions menu button on the right, then select Run.
  3. Click Select File, then click the folder icon to browse for your MARC records file. Optionally, provide a label and/or notes for the file, which will be stored in the log of imports. Click Add. Alma will present an information box that suggests the file may have been separated into smaller files for processing. This is normal.
  4. Review the settings, click Submit if settings are acceptable.
  5. At the Monitor and View Imports screen, you may click Refresh until the import job completes processing.
  6. Once the job completes, click the row actions menu button, then select Report. This will identify how many records were imported and PO lines created. The row actions menus in each section of the report may be used to locate the imported records and PO line. The report will also identify errors in processing the bib records. The report will identify how many PO lines are created, but it may not identify why PO lines were not created.

Scheduled Imports

Once you have tested your import profile, you will want to schedule the retrieval of EOD files directly from the vendor's server. You may choose to modify your import profile, or keep the working copy as is and create a copy of your working profile and modify that for scheduled imports. To create a copy, go to the Manage Import Profiles screen, choose the row actions menu button, then select Copy. Be sure to modify the profile name and notes to identify that the profile is scheduled to use FTP. Then modify the import profile's main page as below.

  1. On the Profile Details screen, change the Import Protocol value to FTP. This will refresh the screen.
  2. For File Name Patterns, enter the pattern for the files that this profile should import. For example, *.mrc; or if the profile should only retrieve files labeled with account numbers, *544009*.mrc.
  3. In the Scheduling section, for Files to Import, select New.
  4. For Scheduler Status, select Active.
  5. In the Scheduler list, select the option for connecting and retrieving files, e.g., "Every Day at 11:00."
  6. Click the Email Notifications button to create a list of users who will be notified on scheduled FTP activity.
    • Click Add User to send notifications according to email addresses in Alma user records.
    • Click Add Email Address to directly notify specific email addresses (e.g., a departmental or group email).
    • Click Done to save your notifications.
  7. In the FTP Information Section, enter the details for connecting to the vendor's FTP server. Your vendor will provide you with the details you will need for Server, Port, UserName, Password, and Input Directory. Check with the vendor whether to use FTP Passive Mode.
  8. CARLI recommends the following additional values for the FTP details
    • Description: [Vendor Name] EOD FTP Connection
    • Max Number of Files: 1000
    • Max File Size: 2000
    • Size Type: MB
  9. Click the Test Connection button. Alma will attempt to connect to the FTP server and transfer a file to and from the server. Alma will present a message of success or errors following the test.
  10. Click the Save button in the top right.

Staff that you entered on the Email Notifications screen will begin receiving messages when the scheduled profile runs.

Finding Imported Bib records

Finding Imported PO Lines

Resolving Import Errors

Last Updated June 17, 2020