Millennium Acquisitions - Orderingrelease 2006

Millennium Acquisitions - OrderingRelease 2006

Order Acknowledgements

The process for acknowledging an order depends upon what the vendors support. Most vendors that support electronic ordering will support electronic acknowledgements for those orders. Electronic acknowledgments also involves an FTP file transfer, but in this case you Get a file from the vendor’s web site, rather than Put in a file to the vendor site.

Electronic acknowledgements are transferred using the Status Reports mode in Millennium acquisitions. Click Download.

Millennium displays an FTP window. If this is the first time you have connected to this site, you will need to enter the address for the vendor’s FTP site in the white box labeled Host. Once you have entered an FTP address, the address will appear in the drop down list. Click Connect

Enter your user id and password for the vendor’s FTP site and click OK.

If the connection is successful, the window will populate with directory and file names from the vendor’s FTP site. Directories are indicated with a file folder icon. If you need to go to a directory, double click on that directory name. If you need to go up to the parent directory, click the file folder with the up arrow. Using the information from the vendor, locate the directory and the file name for your acknowledgement file.

Highlight the filename, and click Get.

Millennium processes the file and displays the order response information for each order in a table on the Preview tab.

Each row in the table above contains standard information for a specific order, such as record number, and title. Additionally, the table includes the following status columns:

Status Desc.

This column displays the message from the vendor regarding the order status. This message can include information such as the order action taken by the vendor (e.g., "accepted without amendment", "accepted with change", or "cancelled"), the quantity ordered, the quantity sent, availability status (e.g., backordered), and a free text message. Note that if an order is listed as cancelled, Millennium does not automatically cancel the order in Millennium.

System Status

This column displays the status for each order response, as well as any error messages. If there is an error in this column for a specific order, that order record cannot be updated. Only orders with the status of "Ready" can be updated.

From the Preview tab, you can review and print the order response information. You can also sort the table by clicking on any of the column headers.

When you have finished reviewing the order response information, click Process to update the order records with the current status. Millennium inserts a variable-length field into the order record to store the vendor's response. After the processing is complete, the Processed tab automatically displays. For each order that was successfully processed, Millennium changes the System Status to "Updated".

If you do not want to process the current file, you can exit the Status Reports mode by choosing another mode. Alternatively, you can download a different file without processing the current information by choosing Download. Millennium clears the Preview tab and displays the FTP dialog again for you to retrieve the new file.

Order Confirmation Possible Error Messages

When you retrieve the order response file via FTP, Millennium attempts to interpret the file and match each order response to an order record in your database. The system uses the order record number for matching purposes. If Millennium cannot read the file or there is a problem matching a specific order record, the system displays an error message in the System Status column on the Preview tab.

The table below provides a list of possible messages you might encounter while processing EDIFACT Status Reports. The table also explains what each message means and offers possible solutions to resolve the problem. You can process the order responses even if there are error messages present. Millennium will update only the orders with the status of “Ready”. Orders with an error status cannot be updated. Alternatively, you attempt to resolve the errors first and then reload the file for processing.

System Message / Meaning / Possible Solution
No Match | For recnum <n>, record type is <x> and was expecting 'o' (order record). / Vendor has included information for the wrong record type in the order response file. Contact your vendor.
No Match | item <n> has either a null LIN or RFF value. line rff <value>. cannot determine record number. / Incorrect coding in one of the segments of the order response file. Contact your vendor.
No Match | Unable to read record due to Record <order record #> in use by system. / The order record matching this entry in the order response file is busy. You can either free the record in use or process the file which will exclude the busy order record from being updated.
No Match | Unable to read record due to Record <order record #> deleted on <date>. / The order record was deleted and therefore cannot be updated. Continue processing the order response file.
No Match | Unable to read record due to Record <order record #> belongs to another account. / You cannot update this order record because it belongs to another accounting unit. Continue processing the order response file.
No Match | Unable to read record due to Record <order record #> is outside of scope. / You cannot update this order record because it is outside of your scope. Continue processing the order response file.
No Match | Unable to read record due to Record <order record #> does not exist. / The order record number from the order response file does not exist in your Millennium database. Contact your vendor.
This is not an order response header <value>. / You have attempted to load a file that does not contain order responses. Check the name of the file you want to process and repeat the FTP steps
Work record is null for <order record #>. / The order record number could not be determined in the order response file. Contact your vendor.

Claiming and Canceling Orders

The claiming process is used to identify and follow up on orders that have not been received as expected. The Claim Cycle that you set up with a vendor determines what orders are eligible for claiming. Claiming an order record updates the CLAIM fixed field, adds an internal note to the record, and queues a claim letter to the claims awaiting printing file. Updating a claim updates the record, but does not queue a claim letter.

Canceling an order queues a cancellation letter, updates the order’s STATUS field, adds an INT NOTE field, and requires posting so that the order’s funds may be disencumbered. Cancellation is not complete (and the order record is not updated) until you post the session to which you added the cancelled order.

Claiming or Canceling a Specific Order

Choose the CLAIM/CANCEL icon on the navigation bar.

Or, with an order record displaying in ORDERS or RECEIVE AND ADD ITEMS, change the function to CLAIM by choosing Tools from the menu bar, then Function, then Claim/Cancel.

If the “Browse” screen is not displaying, choose Tools from the menu bar, then Search, then Browse.

Search for the order record. When the record displays it is in view-only mode.

To queue a claim letter for the order record, choose the CLAIM button. The order record will be locked and will not be updated until you print the claim letter.

To claim the order without queuing a claim letter, choose the UPDATE CLAIM button. If the record is claimable, the system updates the order record immediately.

To cancel the order, choose the CANCEL button. The order record will be locked and not be updated until you print the cancellation letter and then post the session to which the cancellation was written.

If you CLAIM, UPDATE CLAIM, or CANCEL the order, the system closes the record.

The system warns you if the record cannot be claimed or canceled, and in that case, does not close the record.

Searching for Claimable Records

You can routinely search for, review, and claim or cancel any of your claimable order records.

Choose the CLAIM/CANCEL icon on the navigation bar.

If the “Range” screen is not displaying, choose Tools from the menu bar, then Search, then Range.

Choose a range or subset of order record numbers to search.

To search a range of order record numbers enter the record prefix (o for order records) and the starting record number in the START box. [The initial display is the first record number in your range.]

Then enter the record prefix and the ending order record in the STOP box. [The default is the last order record number in your range.]

Choose the START button to begin your search. As the system searches for records, it displays the record number of the current record in the CURRENT box.

The current order record will display on the screen. If there is more than one order records attached to a bibliographic record the screen will default to the summary tab.

Choose NEXT to display the next matching record. PREVIOUS allows you to page backward through the records. Use the STOP button to clear the search.

To search a subset of order records, change the default search from Range to Index.

Then choose an index from the index drop-down menu.

Enter the starting and ending index entries in the text boxes.

Choose the START button to begin the search.

Just as in an order record number range search, the current order record will display on the screen. If there is more than one order records attached to a bibliographic record the screen will default to the summary tab.

Using either search the system displays claimable order records one at a time.

When each order record displays you can choose to CLAIM, UPDATE CLAIM, or CANCEL ORDER as described in the previous section, Claiming or Canceling a Specific Order.

If you do not choose to claim, update claim, or cancel the order, choose the NEXT button to see the next claimable record. When you claim an order (with or without a claim letter) or cancel it, the system automatically begins looking for the next claimable record.

To stop looking for records before all of the records in the subset have been checked, click STOP.

When you Stop looking for records or when all the records have been searched, the system displays the number of records searched and the number claimed or cancelled.

Canceling an Order Upon Vendor Notification

Use the Cancel by Vendor function when a vendor reports that a title will not be supplied or when the library issues a cancellation without needing to generate a letter. Canceling in this function disencumbers the funds for the order and, in the order record, changed the status to <z> and creates an internal note. A cancellation letter is not generated. These cancellations are tracked in vendor statistics.

In the ORDERS, CLAIM/CANCEL, or RECEIVE and ADD ITEMS mode, search for the record for which you have received notification.

Change the function to “Cancel by Vendor” by choosing Tools from the menu bar, then Function, then Cancel by Vendor.

Note: The record is view-only when in the Cancel by Vendor mode.

Fill in the date in the Cancel Date box if you choose. Type the letter t to enter today’s date. You may also leave the date blank.

Click the CANCELLED BY VENDOR button. A pop up box enters to enter a reason for the cancellation. The note can be up to 35 characters long. This system appends the reason to the internal note in the order record Click OK.

You will get the following message. Click OK. Notice the order record has not changed. You will need to post before the canceled order records get updated.

To post the cancellations, go to Invoices mode. Click the Cancellations session to highlight it, and click Select at the bottom of the window.

Click Post on the next screen to start the posting process. Enter a report header. Click OK to close the preview reports. Click OK when asked if the printout is OK.

The last posting message is “posting all done.” Click Quit at the bottom of the screen to finish. The cancelled order records are updated and unlocked.

Printing Claims and Cancellations

When you print claims and cancellations, Millennium makes the changes to the order records that you initiated when you claimed or cancelled the order. Note that you must also post the session to which you added a cancellation before the cancellation is added to the order record.

To print claims and cancellations choose the SEND icon on the navigation bar, then choose the PRINT CLAIMS submode.

The current list of claims to print displays. You can limit the printing and display by choosing the LIMIT BY LOCATION or LIMIT BY VENDORS buttons.

You can permanently delete claim or cancellation notices from the claims awaiting printing file by highlighting the appropriate row(s) and then clicking the DELETE icon. Note that this does not delete the order record itself.

To print one or more of the claims choose the CLAIM PRINT button.

This box will appear:

You can choose to print all of only the selected claims and cancellations. You can also select whether CLAIM or CANCEL prints on the face of the of the form

After making your choices choose PRINT to print your claims and cancellations. Once you click when asked if the printout is OK, the order will be automatically removed from the queue.

For cancelled orders, complete the cancellation process in the INVOICE mode by posting the session to which the cancellation was written.

Serials and Standing Orders

There are some additional order statuses available that allow additional options for treatment of encumbrances for serials orders.

Status F (Serial No Encumbrance) Orders

If you use separate funds for serials orders, you can create serial order with a status of “f.” A payment against a status “F” order expends against a fund, but does not disencumber. The library may choose to create additional fund codes for payments for new subscriptions, depending on how monies are appropriated at the library and depending on how the library staff prefer to track statistics for new title expenses.

Typical Workflow for Status F (Serial no encumbrance) Orders

1. At the beginning of the fiscal year, staff makes appropriations the funds that pay for status F orders.
2. Over the year, staff pay for the orders. The orders’ payments expend but do not disencumber against the funds.
3. At the end of the year, no change to the order record is necessary.
4. New subscriptions and standing orders use order status c – serial on order. When fully paid, these statuses change to d – serial paid. At the end of the fiscal year, libraries using the status f payment method must manually update the “d” statuses in orders for new subscriptions and standing orders to f to prepare for making payments against the orders for the next fiscal year. At this time, any updates to notes and codes may also be made.

Status G (Serial Liened) Orders – Lump Encumbrance

Status G is normally used when the library does not maintain separate funds for monographs and serials. A payment against a status G order expends against a fund and disencumbers the amount paid.

Typical Workflow for Status G (Serial Liened) Orders

1. At the beginning of the year, staff makes appropriations to the funds that will be used to pay for status G serials and standing orders.
2. Staff adds a lump encumbrance to these funds to represent the amount staff expects to pay for the status G serials and standing orders.
3. Over the year, staff pay for the orders. The orders payment expend and disencumber the amount paid against the funds.
4. At the end of the year, no change to the order record is necessary.

Charging a Single Copy to Multiple Funds

Millennium can split the cost of a single copy between multiple funds on a percentage basis. You can do this when the order is created, and you can edit an existing order record.

1. When you are prompted to enter the location, fund, and copies in the multi-field editor, enter the location for the copy.
2. Enter the first fund in the Fund column.
3. In the Copy# column, enter a percent sign (%) followed by the percentage of the order that should be attributed to the fund indicated for the row. Note that you can enter up to three decimal places, e.g., E.250. Press Tab.