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  1. When matching on an ISBN for record loading, it should be possible to limit the match to the first 13 (or 10) digits. There are often extraneous data in 020 subfield |a. There are now other subfields where that is supposed to go, but it frequently ends up in |a anyway, and then your record loading won't match.

    7 votes

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  2. Similar to the keyboard codes (ex. %ENTER%), it would be useful to have a command code for today's date. In item records, we input the current date in a 995 field using a macro but must update our date macro each day. Being able to have a command for the current date would save time and lead to fewer errors when users forget to change the date.

    4 votes

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  3. We are a Consortia of 51 libraries with 25 Acquisition's Units. We would like to see how many copies each library has ordered. This was available in Encore.(see screenshot) Vega does not show order records at all so we would like to see more detailed information in Sierra. Currently, you can only see that other libraries have ordered, not number of copies (see screenshot)

    15 votes

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  4. Sierra does not preserve any applied sorts after a "Notices Job" Edit dialog is closed. Instead, jobs are re-sorted by job number. This makes it difficult to keep track of which jobs have been reviewed, and generally contributes to unnecessary frustration in the Notices function.

    This improvement is related to "Arrange Saved Notice jobs" suggested by Kathy Setter, but instead of applying a custom arrangement I am asking for persistence on a short-term basis:
    https://ideas.iii.com/forums/951745-ils-sierra/suggestions/46677958-arrange-saved-notice-jobs

    Rationale:
    When making changes to multiple notice jobs at once, it is often necessary to sort notice jobs (e.g., by template, location, or "auto") to…

    13 votes

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  5. The ability to create custom print templates is an essential component of many parts of the system. LX Starter is a viable replacement for the templates used for notices but not for the printing of things like due slips, spine labels, and hold slips that must remain within the SDA to support daily workflows.

    Print templates are designed in a third party software called Jaspersoft Studio, but Sierra's documentation lists version 6.0 as being the last supported version of that software. However, that version is roughly 10 years old and the installer only seems to exist as an old link…

    45 votes

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  6. We have implemented SDA Context User functionality so staff will open Sierra using shared library login and then add their own login (permissions). We would hope faster way to change the user. At this time you must first remove previous user (Admin - Clear Permissions) and then add new user (Admin - Set Permissions). Staff suggested one function that would both Clear previous and Set new Permissions. E.g. Set Permission could remove the old user and then ask the new user. We set up macros for both functions so staff can use them instead of drop-down menu. However, I suppose…

    2 votes

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  7. Hello Everyone,

    We are currently using the GET /v6/bibs/search API to take advantage of the AWS search integration, which has been working well. However, we’ve encountered limitations in filtering the search results by Material Type, Collection, Language, and Location.

    It would be highly beneficial if this API supported additional filtering parameters to narrow down results at the source. Relying on the client or webhook server to apply these filters adds complexity and can introduce delays in presenting results to the end user.

    Thank you.

    2 votes

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  8. As a default suppressed records are not included in the harvest stream. This becomes an issue when a harvested record later becomes suppressed in Sierra as the harvester does not know to remove it from its listings as its omission from the stream does not allow for identification of its suppressed state. I would recommend that the option to include suppressed records should be configurable as a harvest stream level, giving the library the ability to configure the inclusion/exclusion dependent on their business rules.

    11 votes

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  9. Technical Services Staff and Circulation Staff often ask for the ability to toggle between tabs in Check Out. We need to reduce repetitive keyboard strokes at checkout and this workflow requires staff to continually reach for the mouse during a circulation transaction.

    For example: There is no way to move from the patron check out screen to the patron holds screen without using the mouse to select the corresponding tab.

    The Check Out options (check out, checked, out items, holds, fines, check in, linked patrons, bookings etc) could be hardcoded to the drop down menu options so that Administrators could…

    10 votes

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  10. The problem that's prompting this suggestion:
    I work at Gondor Library. An item arrives from Rohan Library (outside of scope) to fulfill a hold for my Gondor patron. But staff notices it has damage that has NOT been noted in the record (or on the physical object).

    Gondor staff have two choices.
    a) the damage is extensive enough that we decide to not fulfill the hold and send it back to the owning library, Rohan.
    b) we use our judgement to decide whether the Rohan book's damage is minor enough to fulfill the hold.
    For example, only light stains on…

    17 votes

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  11. There must be a configuration in Sierra to limit the number of holds can be placed at the bib level. We want to limit the hold count to number of copies in the Bib.

    1 vote

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  12. In Sierra's invoicing function, when selecting an order record already paid, a pop-up box appears with a warning message stating, "ITEM ALREADY PAID FOR." Currently, the only option available is to click "OK," which immediately proceeds to the next step of entering the item's price on that paid order record. However, adding a button labeled "CANCEL" in the warning pop-up box would be beneficial to prevent staff from inadvertently continuing to pay for the item on the wrong record. Clicking "CANCEL" should close the warning pop-up without proceeding further, returning the user to the search results list. The "CANCEL" option…

    21 votes

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  13. Our library recently started using LX Starter, which includes merge tags for the hold pickup location and expiration date in its template for hold cancellation notices. However, we've been told that Sierra doesn't pass this information to LX Starter and therefore this information can't be included in our cancellation emails. We would like to have this information added so we can provide additional information to our patrons about when and where their holds expired.

    16 votes

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  14. The current documentation on loan rules, loan rule determiner, and float determiner table is very limited, and training on these important functions do not exist within Innovative's training & learning center. More comprehensive documentation with examples would help libraries better manage loan rules, and perhaps simplify how libraries' existing rules are setup.

    20 votes

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  15. Do you want all of your patrons to receive due slips by email, every time they check out an item?

    Express Lane can be configured to automatically print a due slip, or allow patrons to choose between some combination of print or email due slips with an option to decline, but cannot be configured to automatically send an email due slip with no option to decline.

    In our special library, it is desirable to always send email due slips with no option to decline. We want our patrons, who are all employees, to receive this documentation for every loan for…

    5 votes

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  16. As the system administrator overseeing a 54-member library consortium, managing Offline File Processing is a routine responsibility. However, we often encounter delays in processing files because libraries don't consistently notify us when they upload offline files. This results in files remaining unprocessed until the next library contacts us, potentially causing unnecessary checkout delays. If we process the files too many days after uploading, additional errors may occur, making it challenging to track items adequately.

    An email notification for Offline File Processing would ensure timely handling of uploaded files. We could proactively monitor file uploads, swiftly process them, and promptly address…

    18 votes

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  17. We occasionally have issues with staff abusing their ability to waive fines or deleting items inappropriately or accessing patron accounts outside of acceptable library operations. We would like to have a way to view these actions within a log file associated with each Sierra login (or filterable by login) so that these activities could be periodically audited by managerial staff and retroactively be reviewed when inappropriate system activities are believed to have taken place.

    24 votes

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  18. The Item Code 1 field was going to solve all my statistical issues. I thought it had 5 characters and each character could be 0-9 which meant I could assign a meaning to each character. For example, the first character indicates agency (1 for CPL, 2 for ADL, 3 for BKM) and the second character indicates audience (1 for adult, 2 for young adult, 3 for juvenile, 4 for other) and the third character, format, etc. HOWEVER it turns out that the largest number this field can hold is 32767 which is weirdly random and very limiting when you want…

    6 votes

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  19. Someone at CHPL is suffering from Polaris envy & suggested Sierra offer a comparable record to copy/duplicate patron records. They're hoping for a way to speed up the record creation process for families of 5 or 6 that visit the library together & all need to register for cards, which is apparently not an uncommon scenario. The ability to quickly replicate certain fields (address, home library, maybe phone, e-mail, etc.) from one record for x more should facilitate that.

    21 votes

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  20. When a tickler has invalid data in the "Date (YYYYMMDD)" field, Sierra's nightly tickler process will fail and any ticklers on order records not already processed will not be sent. This failure will keep happening every night until the problem is discovered.

    For example, dates entered with dashes separating the elements ("YYYY-MM-DD") or with additional characters following the date ("YYYYMMDD - Note text here") will cause this kind of failure.

    In the absence of an easy way to search for invalid data in the tickler date field (e.g., Create Lists), it would be very desirable for Sierra to validate user…

    5 votes

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