RCLS: ILS Services: Offline Circulation
Symphony Workflows Offline Circulation
Offline Circulation provides libraries an automated method to log transactions if the server is unavailable. The data is saved to the hard drive of the PC and automatically transferred to the RCLS server when logging in after system and server are working again.
Please note that the Offline Circulation Module is not available in SymphonyWeb. Please refer to the "MobileStaff" tab of this guide for another option.
In offline mode, WorkFlows cannot search or display information from the Symphony database about items or users. Data recorded by Offline Circulation will be copied from the hard drive of the PC to the server automatically on the next connection to the server. Overnight processing is required before data is included in patron and catalog records.
Offline Circulation Quick Start
Work in Offline Circulation mode:
1. Start Workflows with the desktop icon.
2. In the Configuration window, select the Operate in Offline Mode check box.
3. Click OK.
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4. Select the Offline tab in the toolbar.
5. Click the Offline Session wizard.
6. In the User Access list, select your ZCLIBRARY (your library) 3. In the Library list, select your library. 4. Accept the default values Current Date and Current Time. Transactions recorded at the workstation will be stamped with the PC time. 5. Enter a Default Due Date using the gadget.
6. Do not change the Log Directory path as this is where the WorkFlows client writes the transaction log for all activities performed in the Offline toolbar.
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7. Click OK.
Checking Out Items Offline
1. In the Offline toolbar, click the CheckOut wizard.
2. Scan the user’s barcode or type in the User ID and press Enter. The cursor will move to the Item ID field.
3. If necessary, click the Alt Due Date gadget to set a different due date than the one you may have set in the session settings.
4. Scan the barcode of the item or type in the Item ID and click Check Out Item To User.
5. Continue entering barcodes until all items are checked out.
7. When you are finished checking out to the user, click Check Out To New User to check items out to a different user or click Close to exit the wizard.
Do not use Discharging ***Because you do not have access to patron records, it is recommended that you use the offline mode for Checkout only. ***
Going Back Online
RCLS will notify ansercontacts & allrcls via email when Workflows is operational again.
Libraries do not need to contact RCLS to let them know when they are up and running again. (That is something we did in Horizon.)
1. Close the Offline WorkFlows client.
2. Start the WorkFlows client and clear (uncheck) the Operate in Offline Mode check box.
3. Click OK.
4. Enter your WorkFlows login and PIN and click OK.
The first time you log back in on any computer that was using the offline mode (when WorkFlows connects with the server) your offline data is automatically uploaded to the RCLS server.
Overnight Processing is required before your offline data is included in patrons’ records and the catalog.
Notes:
All Circulation desk workstations that might need to use Offline Circulation should be set to show the "Configuration" window when you start WorkFlows. Do NOT ever uncheck that "Show this window at next startup" box. If you do, you'll find it impossible to get into Offline Circ without getting one of our ANSER techs to modify the settings on that PC.
We highly recommend that you do not use Checkin (Discharge) in offline mode because there is no catalog, hold, or ILL information when offline. Any items that are checked in during offline mode will be assigned an on-shelf status, whether they belong to your library or another library or if they are on hold for someone. There is no transit information, no hold information, no patron information, or any other special routing information when offline. This is why we ask you to just put items for Discharge aside until Workflows is online and live again.
There is a short tutorial called Workflows Offline Circulation found in the RCLS Staff Academy in NicheAcademy. It can either be found when logged in with a staff account or a supervisor can assign the tutorial to their staff.