Self Checkout
Koha has a built in self checkout module that libraries can use, and Jessie and Kelly show libraries how to set it up.
System Preferences
The first thing you will want to enable is the WebBasedSelfCheck preference. Set this to ‘Enable.’ This system preference will include the ending part of the URL you will add to your OPAC URL.
Once you have enabled the web based self check system preference, you can access the Self Check Module module by adding /cgi-bin/koha/sco/sco-main.pl after your OPAC URL.
The next option for self checkout is the ability for this module to be logged in automatically. This system preference if turned on, will require libraries to create a self check patron in Koha and attach the permissions.
This is three settings in one: AutoSelfCheckAllowed, AutoSelfCheckID, AutoSelfcheckPass.
AutoSelfCheckID will be the username of the account.
AutoSelfCheckPass will be the password of the account.
The permissions of this account will need to have the Self Check Module- Perform self checkout at the OPAC turned on.
Another important part of this setup is determining how your user will log into their account to check out material. This is driven by the system preference, SelfCheckOutbyLogin. The options are, cardnumber or username and password. So depending on your library, you can allow patrons to use just their cardnumber to checkout material or their username and password.
This is what it will look like once a user has logged in:
Customizing the SelfCheckout Module
Koha has a few system preferences that drive how your self checkout module looks. These system preferences are:
SCOUserCSS: The CSS entered in this preference will be used on all of your Koha
self checkout screens.
SCOUserJS: The JavaScript entered in this preference will effect all of your Koha self checkout screens
A few other ways to customize this module:
When a patron uses this self checkout module, Koha will automatically log the patron out after 120 seconds by default. If a library would like to alter this time period, the system preference is : SelfCheckTimeOut. There is a Finish button for patrons to log themselves out, however, if they don't this system preference will come in handy.
If a library would like to set up a receipt printer to this self checkout module- that is also possible! There is a system preference that will allow libraries to have a receipt prompt appear for patrons to choose to print the receipt or not. This system preference is called, SelfCheckReceiptPrompt.
Helpful Report
Here is a helpful report that was shared in the ByWater Partner Slack channel to run stats on these self checkout transactions:
SELECT CONCAT_WS(" ", b.firstname, b.surname) AS 'checkout station', date(timestamp), count(info) AS 'count of items'
FROM action_logs
JOIN borrowers b ON action_logs.user = b.borrowernumber
WHERE timestamp >= <<From|date>> AND timestamp <= DATE_ADD(<<To|date>>, INTERVAL 1 DAY)
AND user IN (340)
AND module = 'CIRCULATION'
GROUP BY date(timestamp), user
The user (340) is the borrowernumber of your selfcheck account. So this line would be altered to have your library's selfcheck borrowernumber included as opposed to using the (340).
OPAC Self Checkout
Libraries can set up the OPAC to allow for patrons to check items out to themselves directly from the OPAC. This feature is driven by the system preference: OpacTrustedCheckout which will turned off by default.
If a library enables this system preference:
- 1. Logged in patrons will see a new checkout option in the header of the page when logged in. This option displays a modal where they can scan barcodes to perform a self-checkout.
- 2. The patron can choose to "Self-checkout" ==> window pops up asking you to enter a barcode.
- ==> Message should say: "Item '39999000006094' was checked out", and an option to enter another barcode, as well as Submit and Close buttons.
- 3. The patron will see that checkout is listed in their Account Summary.
- 4. If patron owes more that the NoIssueCharge dollar amount in the System Preference, the checkout will be blocked.
If an item is marked withdrawn, on hold for another patron, or set as a Not For Loan item, these items will also not be checked out.
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