Ordering and Receiving with Koha's Acquisitions Module
Broadly, the workflow for non-EDI ordering in Koha is:
- Create a basket
- Add materials to basket
- Close basket
- Receive orders
- Close invoice
For more information about the EDI process, see EDI - Library Setup and Workflow.
Placing orders
Adding material to baskets
The Koha manual covers how to create a basket and the different ways that libraries can add materials to baskets.
In addition to the information in the manual, libraries ordering from purchase suggestions may want to review the Purchase Suggestions article in the Knowledge Base.
Closing baskets
Baskets must be closed in order to receive the items they contain. Visit the manual for details on how to close baskets that are complete, including dealing with uncertain prices and making use of basket groups.
Baskets
must be open in order to modify general settings (such as name and
billing place) or individual order lines. Managers, the managing
library, and the basket group can be edited whether baskets are open or
closed.
Keep in mind that if you reopen a
basket to make modifications, the 'basket closed' date will be updated
when you re-close it, which can affect late order calculations. Read
more about modifying orders at Modifying and Cancelling Orders.
Editing baskets and orders
Libraries sometimes need to edit either the basket or the orders it contains. The Koha manual discusses how to edit baskets.
Keep in mind that baskets must be open in order to modify general
settings (such as name and billing place) or individual order lines.
Managers, the managing library, and the basket group can be edited
whether baskets are open or closed.
Edit estimated delivery date
Libraries
can update the estimated delivery date for an individual order line. If
none is entered, Koha will use the timing defined in the vendor's
'Delivery time'. This date is used to calculate late orders.
Modifying order lines
Starting
in 24.05, the 'Modify' link can be used to increase the quantity of
items ordered in addition to changing the price, fund, and other
accounting details. Note that if the additional items need to have
different accounting information (cost, fund, etc.), they will need a
separate order line created instead of adding to the existing quantity.
Transferring order lines
To learn about transferring orders to another vendor or another basket for the same vendor, visit Transferring orders in the Koha manual. Orders can be transferred from open baskets or from a vendor's receiving page. Orders that have been
received cannot be transferred to another vendor, but their funds can be
modified.
Editing at receipt
Libraries can change an order line's item
cost and fund at the time of receipt. If you realize that edits are
needed after the basket has already been closed, this can be preferable
to reopening the basket so that you don't create a new 'basket closed'
date.
Cancelling orders
Orders that will never arrive can be cancelled per the steps in the Koha manual.
As of 23.11, orders can be cancelled from closed baskets if the system preference CancelOrdersInClosedBaskets is set to 'Allow'. This is set to 'Allow' by default for ByWater partners.
As noted in the manual, staff need the Manage baskets
and order lines (order_manage) or superlibrarian permissions to
cancel orders in open or closed baskets. If the basket is limited to
specific users or a library other than the person trying to cancel, they
will need Manage all baskets and order lines, regardless of restrictions on them (order_manage_all).
Deleting order lines
Libraries can delete order lines that they have cancelled. Baskets must be open to delete cancelled order lines.
To delete a cancelled order line:
- From an open basket, cancel a title using the 'Cancel order and delete catalog record' option (if 'Cancel order' is selected instead, delete the item from the bib record and then delete the bib record before proceeding)
- Click the 'Delete' link in the 'Delete order' column
- Click OK on the confirmation popup asking 'Are you sure you want to delete this order line?'
Note that this is intended only for bibliographic records that are
deleted from Koha - order lines for records that will remain in Koha
(because items already exist, or because another order exists or will be
placed) should only be cancelled, not deleted entirely.
Staff with the Manage baskets and order lines (order_manage) permission will be able to use this function.
Receiving orders
System preferences
The acquisitions system preferences specific to receiving are:
- AcqItemSetSubfieldsWhenReceived: As noted in the manual, this allows libraries to have Koha automatically update 952 subfields for items created in Acquisitions when orders are received. For instance, if your library wants items received in Acquisitions to have their not for loan status (952$7) automatically updated to In Processing/-2 upon receipt, this would be set to 7=-2. Note that EDI orders have an option in the plugin to automatically update items' not for loan status on receipt as well, and that both the plugin setting and this system preference will apply when EDI orders are received. That means that if the plugin is not set to update items' not for loan status but this system preference is, EDI items' not for loan status will be updated per the system preference.
- AcqItemSetSubfieldsWhenReceiptIsCancelled: This is addressed in the manual. An example of use would be: if items created in Acquisitions have a not for loan status (952$7) of On order/-1 upon creation, and that subfield is changed to In processing/-2 when items are received, a library may want 952$7 changed back to On order/-1 if receipt is later cancelled. In this example, they would enter 7=-1 into this system preference.
To find the appropriate item subfield, visit the Items tab in Administration > MARC bibliographic frameworks as discussed in the manual, or open an item for editing to view the code associated with each subfield. Be sure to use the subfield code (a letter or number), not the description. Since the subfield values on the two examples above are not for loan statuses, they would use the numeric authorized value code for each status. These are in Administration > Authorized values > NOT_LOAN.
Receiving process and invoices
The Koha manual outlines the steps for receiving orders in Acquisitions. In addition to the process described in the manual for receiving individual order lines, libraries can receive multiple orders by selecting checkboxes on the 'Pending orders' screen and then clicking the 'Receive selected' button:
Next, click the 'Edit' button on the first order:
Follow standard receiving procedures for receiving that order line, but instead of clicking 'Save', click the 'Next order ->' button:
Repeat with your other selected orders. Note that you can use the '<- Previous order' button to return to an order earlier in the receipt process, if needed. When you've received the last selected order, click 'Save changes':
On the summary screen, click 'Confirm' to continue (or 'Cancel' to end the receiving process):
Keep in mind that the cost for items you're receiving is moved from the Ordered column to the Spent column in your budget at the time that items are received, regardless of whether the invoice remains open or is closed. If receipt is later cancelled, the cost will automatically be added back into Spent and deducted from Ordered.
If there are no edits needed on the invoice, you can navigate away from this page. To add shipping costs or adjustments, or to close the invoice, click 'Finish receiving' to return to the invoice. From here, you can add shipping costs, edit your shipping fund, or make adjustments following processes in the manual. If the invoice is complete, you can close the invoice at this time. If your library has AcqEnableFiles set to allow file attachments, you can also attach files from that screen. Once files are attached, they can be downloaded or deleted. Note that adjustments can be made whether invoices are open or closed.
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