You are here: About Interlibrary Loans > Multiple Request Processing

Multiple Request Processing

Frequently a VDX search for incoming only or outgoing only requests will result in a hitlist containing several request items, potentially a large number. Bulk Action allows you to choose a group of records that require an identical action and to carry out that action automatically without having to work through each record individually. VDX displays a dialog from which to pick an appropriate action. The chosen action is then automatically applied to all selected requests in the result set. Bulk Action can be used for example when processing a number of items as RECEIVED or SHIPPED .  

Note:However, bulk action cannot be used if you have Circulation integration with that ILL service. In this case use Batch Updates. With Bulk Action you search or input the ILL numbers of e.g. 15 items and then apply an ILL Action; with Batch Updates you pre-select the required Action and process each item by the Circulation barcode number (usually with a barcode reader). 

 

What does bulk action/authorisation do?

When you select a bulk action option the normal input screen associated with that action is displayed. However any data that would normally be defaulted from the current request will not be displayed because there is no single current request from which default data can be drawn. These fields therefore appear blank. When you submit the bulk action screen each selected record is processed in turn according to the details on the bulk action screen.

 

Blank fields on the bulk action screen do not overwrite the original contents of the equivalent fields in the records being processed. However if you enter details in any of the bulk action fields these do overwrite the existing values in the records being processed. Once all selected requests have been processed, these are shown as a summary on the Bulk Action/Authorisation Report screen.

 

VDX processes the requests all in one go and tells you at the end of processing which succeeded and which failed. Successful and rejected requests are then displayed to you in a popup dialog asking whether you wish to continue or not. (Rejected requests are also set with Authorisation Status Check Manual).

 

To do bulk action and authorisation

  1. Check the Bulk box next to each of the items in the hit list and click on the bulk action button at the top of the page. This will enter the request numbers for all the selected requests into a box in the Bulk Action / Authorisation screen. (Alternatively, you can click the bulk action button located in the top menu bar to display a blank bulk action screen, into which you manually enter the request numbers).

  2. The bulk action/authorisation screen shows the ILL numbers of the requests selected. Others can be added manually.

  3. Select one of: - the required Action, Authorisation Status, or Process Status from the pull down box.

  4. Press the action button to then obtain a screen to enter the details for the selected Action or Authorisation Status.

  5. This information will apply to all the requests selected.

  6. On pressing the button (e.g. Add) at the bottom of the screen, VDX displays the Bulk Action/Authorisation Report screen showing the request numbers that have been successfully updated, and those that have failed bulk action. The request numbers that have failed the bulk action can be actioned individually from this results screen. 

 

Bulk shipped action

Using the SHIPPED action with bulk action as above is exactly the same. However the following should be noted for these fields:

Shipped Service Type: On a normal shipped action screen this would only contain the requested service types named in the original request. However in the bulk shipped action screen, because bulk action deals with multiple requests the Shipped Service will contain all possible service types. When bulk action processing takes place, any individual requests will be rejected if the selected shipped service type is not in the list of requested service types for the current request. The log message for this problem will be selected shipped service is not a requested service type.

Base Cost Ex Tax: On a normal shipped action screen for an individual request, this field contains the cost before tax as calculated from the ILL Services tables (in Windows Admin.Client). As there are several requests in bulk mode, this field will be left blank in the bulk SHIPPED action screen. If you leave this field blank then the calculations from the ILL Services tables will be defaulted into each request during bulk processing. If a cost cannot be calculated the final cost to the borrower (requester) will be set to NULL (meaning no cost calculated). However if you do manually fill in a cost in Base Cost then this figure will be applied uniformly to all the selected requests for bulk shipped action, overriding any original cost applied. In both cases VDX calculates tax in order to obtain a final ‘shipped-cost’ per request.

Recalc Cost and Recalc Tax buttons: These buttons exist on the normal shipped action screen but do not appear on the bulk shipped action screen. Instead, as each request is bulk processed, the final cost and tax calculations are recalculated according to the individual requirements of each request.

 

Bulk completion

To complete a number of requests: 

  1. Select requests by clicking in the bulk action box next to each request in the hitlist.

  2. Click on Bulk Action at the top of the screen.

  3. A 'bulk action/authorisation' screen will be displayed, showing the selected requests.

  4. Select Complete from the pull-down list of actions.

  5. On the 'Action-Complete' screen, add a private note if required.

  6. Click Complete.

  7. The 'Bulk Action/authorisation' screen will confirm which requests have been successfully completed.

 

Requests failing bulk action

The Bulk Action/Authorisation Report screen displays request numbers failing validation together with the reason,e.g. Selected Bulk Action (Resend Last Message) is not applicable to this request. The summary screen also enables you to action the result set of records that failed the previous bulk action.

 

Some requests will be reported as successful only to be later rejected by the ILL server processes. For example, with bulk shipped if you select a ship service type that isn't a requested one by all requests they will all initially be reported on the report screen as successful. It is not until they are processed by the appropriate ILL server that this problem will be picked up and the request set to Check Manual.

 

The only things that bulk action processing picks up immediately are the Selected Bulk Action is not applicable to this request and record not found (e.g. you manually entered an invalid ILL no) errors.

 

Using bulk action to change a process Status

Process Statuses are defined by system administrators when setting up a system and are unique to your own VDX installation. They are used as a ‘flag’ on an incoming or outgoing ILL record, to inform ILL staff of the current state of a request. A change of process status, either on its own or with a change in ILL status, can be used to trigger an e-mail alert. From the ILL Request Search screen you can search by process status in order to find all requests at a particular point.

 

To change a process status:

  1. Click the requests button to load the ILL Requests Search screen.

  2. Retrieve the request.

  3. Click the bulk box next to the requests to be updated. 

  4. Click on Bulk Action box at the top of the screen.

  5. The Bulk Action/Authorisation screen will be displayed.

  6. Select a value from the process status pull down box.

  7. Click on Action.

Release note: The ability to update a process status through a request record is not available in VDXWebadmin 4.0.

 

 

Related Topics