FAQs: Adding Recurring Orders

Like approval orders, recurring types of orders—frequently called “standing orders”—represent a similar library-vendor agreement made to facilitate the receipt of certain materials without requiring individual orders from the library.

Irregular, non-periodical serials and many annual publications are frequently purchased by standing order, with the vendor sending volumes to the library whenever published. Some publishers offer special discounts if a library purchases a monographic series as a standing order, rather than as individual volumes. Since there is no predictable production of the volumes, they cannot be paid for in advance as a subscription. The library accepts each volume as it arrives and pays for each individually.

When standing order items are received or invoiced, SirsiDynix Symphony automatically takes certain actions internally to create a new orderline. Standing order items must be checked in using the Receive Orders wizard, or invoiced using the Add Invoice wizard. Otherwise the automatic generation of the new orderline cannot occur.

This automatic orderline generation happens because an order is marked as a recurring function order type. The order types STANDING and BLANKET are delivered recurring order types.

The library first establishes the standing order by creating an order with a single orderline record, referred to as the “pattern orderline.” This orderline item must be line 1. This orderline may be used on a standing order purchase order notice (notification to initiate standing order).

Unlike a subscription or dated order with a specified renewal date, there can be no claim period or cancel period on a standing order. Since you do not know what is coming, you cannot claim anything as late. You can either set these dates to NEVER if you do not want to generate any claims, or you can enter a feasible claim date at which point you may check with the vendor to make sure the order is still active, if nothing has been received automatically by that date.

What are the two main types of recurring function order types?

A recurring order is typically used in the following ways.

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A single title may be received in more than one part, but the final number of parts cannot be known at the time of order. For instance, a title may have been published in 2000, but an occasional loose-leaf release is sent out and interfiled with the existing volume, bringing the title up to date to the current year. Even if the loose-leaf releases are released in a predictable pattern, the recurring order type should be used instead of a dated order, because the vendor bills the library with each release, rather than over a specified time period. A similar example would be pocket parts or replacement volumes, often found in legal collections. This single title order is assigned a STANDING order type and is linked to the catalog.

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Many titles may be received as part of the same order. For instance, a library may have an agreement with a vendor in which all of the materials published in large print, or in a particular subject area, will be sent and accepted by the library. This is different from an approval, for which it is understood that the materials will be reviewed, and possibly returned, before they are added to the collection. This multiple title order is assigned a BLANKET order type and is not linked to the catalog.

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Many titles may be received as part of a monographic series, under a single title. For instance, a series may be published with titles that are cataloged separately. In this case, you have the option to use the STANDING order type and receive all of the titles on the bibliographic record for the series, or a BLANKET order that is not connected to a title.

How is a single title standing order processed?

If items acquired through a standing order belong to a single title, the bibliographic record for that title should be added to the catalog. If you are entering an order for updates to a title that is already part of the collection, only enter a STANDING order. If you are ordering a new title which you know is going to be updated, create a FIRM order for the original volume or set, and then create a STANDING order for the updates.

When the standing order is created for a single-title standing order, orderline 1 is a pattern line marker that is never received, loaded, invoiced, or paid. This orderline is used to create all the orderline records that represent real volumes sent to the library.

When a volume of the standing order title is received or invoiced, SirsiDynix Symphony duplicates the pattern line, creating a new orderline, and the copy orderline is marked as received or invoiced. The next time a volume of this title is received or invoiced, SirsiDynix Symphony duplicates the pattern orderline record again, making another new line item for the item received/invoiced. If a standing order volume should be funded from a new fiscal cycle, not only a new orderline, but also a new order is duplicated from the pattern orderline.

A standing order might be required for a semi-annual title if it is not treated as a periodical because it cannot be purchased with a subscription. Each volume is invoiced individually and all volumes received are going to be added as call numbers and copies.

After the orderline is created with either Receive Orders wizard or the Add Invoice wizard, you must modify the order to complete the processing. If you update the new orderline directly after receiving or invoicing, the identification of the order line to be changed is carried over into modify wizard current search. If you are not updating the order right away, look up the orderline. When you edit the orderline, replace $0.00 with the actual price of the volume, and change the Parts in Set fields to identify the actual material received for the order, such as the volume number or date of pocket parts. If the item received is distinguished by a year or range of years, enter the year in the parts field along with the volume. If the orderline was created with a receipt, you may wish to update the invoice at this time, or enter payment on the order. If the orderline was created from an invoice, you may wish to update the receipt information at this time.

Loading the holdings of the orderline to the title is the last processing step. Every item received under this standing order can be loaded as a call number attached to the title. Use the Link Order Line Holdings to Titles wizard to load the holdings into the catalog.

How is a monographic series standing order processed?

If items received through a standing order belong to a single series, but should be created as separate titles in the catalog, you may create a title and call number without any copies. You may also wish to shadow this series record, rather than letting it display to the public. Alternately, the series record may be searchable, and you can use the OPAC_NOTE extended information to indicate that the titles are cataloged separately. As each item is received and cataloged in full, its line item order record may be attached to its own title. The pattern order line 1 remains attached to the series (and perhaps shadowed) title. For a monographic series standing order, the pattern orderline created on the order does not represent any particular volume, but the entire series. The purchase order for the monographic series is generated from this order line.

Each time a monographic standing order volume is received or invoiced, SirsiDynix Symphony duplicates the pattern order line record to make a new line item the new volume. The pattern orderline is always Line 1. The new orderline is always the last item on the order.

For example, Line 1 may be a pattern orderline linked to shadowed series title record, and Line 2 is received/invoiced and linked to the series title. The new order line should now be modified with the real price and volume information, and linked to the correct monographic title.

Each time a monographic standing order volume is received or invoiced, SirsiDynix Symphony duplicates the pattern order line record to make a new line item for the new volume. Initially, the new orderline is linked to the series title, but after it is received and invoiced, the orderline is modified to reflect the actual price and volume receipt, and is linked to the separately cataloged title received for that volume. The new orderline is then linked to its own monographic title record.

For example, after the second volume is received and processed, the order looks like the following.

ORDER ID:PO-143(MS) fiscal:2003line:1 pattern orderline (linked to shadowed series title record)line:2 order line (linked to title for VOL. A)line:3 order line (linked to title for VOL. X

)How is a new orderline generated when a recurring order is received?

For recurring orders, you may use either the Receive Orders wizard or the Add Invoice wizard to stimulate generation of the new orderline record. See “How do I create an invoice line for a recurring (standing) order?” in FAQs: Adding Invoices for information on the Add Invoice wizard and automatic orderline generation.

If you create recurring orderlines with the Add Invoice wizard, before generating a new orderline with the Receive Orders wizard, make sure the orderline you are receiving has not already been created.

The following steps illustrate automatic orderline generation using the Receive Orders Wizard.

Click the Receive Orders wizard.

Note: If your properties are set with either the auto-generate a packing list or a date received other than TODAY, you may specify packing number, library, and date to receive as the first step of the wizard.

In the Order Search, search the order you want to receive.

If the selected order is an individual order with multiple orderlines, select the order and click Receive Orders, and the Orderlines tab appears. Select the correct orderline and click Receive Orderline.

Or, if the order you selected from the Orders list is an individual order/orderline or if you selected one of the orderlines from the multiple-line order click Receive Orderline for the selected title and orderline.

In the Line field, NEW appears by default.

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To generate a new line item and mark it received, NEW should remain in the Line field.

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To mark the last, existing, line item on an order as received, type LAST in the Line field.

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To mark a specific, existing, line item on an order as received, type the specific Line number.

Type the Quantity. Parts in Set cannot be changed in this window.

Click Receive Orderline.

Note: You are receiving one or more copies that belong to a recurring order. A recurring order duplicates Line 1 each time copies are received or invoiced. This duplication occurs when you click Receive Orderline.

The Segments tab appears, and you are prompted to distribute the copies received.

The newly created orderline opens automatically for editing. For standing orders, click the Orderline tab, and specify the Parts in Set that were received. For blanket orders, click the Title Info tab and use the Change Title Link Helper: Acquisitions to link the new orderline to the bibliographic record that represents the item.

Click OK to save changes to the orderline.

Why is a LAST instead of NEW recurring orderline being generated?

If there is a blank Line field, and the last orderline on the standing order has not been received, the following message appears.

Recurring order: receive “LAST”, “NEW”, or other order line#

LAST is entered as the default in the Line field. SirsiDynix Symphony is letting you know that an unreceived orderline already exists and is the last item on the order. If you leave LAST in the Line field and click Receive Orderline, SirsiDynix Symphony marks the last order line as received. If you type NEW in the Line field and click Receive Orderline, SirsiDynix Symphony creates a new orderline and marks it as received. Or, you may specify any existing, unreceived orderline by its line number, click OK, and mark it as received.

If you also create recurring orderlines with the Add Invoice wizard, make sure the orderline you are receiving has not already been created before generating a new orderline with the Receive Orders wizard. If LAST displays in a blank field, you should display the order and type the appropriate orderline number for receipt.

How do I roll over recurring orders?

A standing order may need to be reconfirmed periodically, or funds for standing order volumes must follow the fiscal cycle. You can roll over recurring standing orders in two ways.

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Automatic generation of a new order and orderlines at the workstation

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Batch generation of new orders and orderlines through reports

Automatic Generation of New Order and Orderlines at Workstation

When the first volume is received in a new fiscal cycle, whether you are creating the invoice or receiving the order, clear the Line field and change the value in the Fiscal field to the next fiscal period. When you click Receive Orderline, the following message appears.

Recurring order: new order and line will be created.If you click Receive Orderline again, the following processes occur automatically.

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The previous fiscal cycle’s order is duplicated into the new fiscal cycle using the same order ID.

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The pattern orderline 1 is duplicated into the new order.

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A NEW orderline is duplicated from the pattern orderline 1 on the duplicated order. This orderline is either marked as received or as invoiced, depending on the wizard used.

The vendor and fund cycles used by the order must already exist in the new fiscal cycle, otherwise you see one of the following messages.

Vendor cycle does not exist

Fund cycle does not exist

Batch Generation of New Orders and Orderlines through Reports

The Rollover Recurring Order report can select recurring (standing) orders in any fiscal cycle and duplicate any the order and pattern orderline 1 into the next fiscal cycle.

If the new order must be used in a notice to confirm a standing order (with a printed purchase request), the order and orderline created by SirsiDynix Symphony in the new fiscal cycle will need to be modified to include vendor information as stated in the Add Recurring Order Wizard topic.

How can I change fundings, distributions, and other orderline information?

The Segments tab displays the fundings and distributions segments for an orderline. In the left pane, a Segment tree displays the orderline with its associated fundings and distributions. You can click anywhere in this tree to display the current segment information for the orderline. The editing pane allows you to modify the current segment information, or add or remove segment information as required.

For detailed information, see the following topics.

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Segments Overview

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Segments Tab

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FAQs: Working with Orderline Segments.

Can I have the wizard automatically calculate funded orderline quantities?

Yes. The Sum Distribution Quantities check box appears on the Orderline tab when creating or modifying an order. You can select this check box to sum distributed quantities and automatically calculate the orderline quantities. This feature is useful when you are ordering many copies of a title and don’t want to be concerned with adding up the funded quantities to calculate the total quantities.

When you select this check box, the total Quantity field on the Orderline tab is unavailable. After typing values for Unit Price, Parts in Set, and so forth, when you click Continue, you will see that the Funded Quantity field on the Segments tab is also unavailable. But as you add distributions and distribution quantities, the Funded Quantity fields will be automatically updated, as well as the Quantity field on the Orderline tab.

If you start the order, but then decide to use Sum Distribution Quantities, you can use the Recalculate Funding and Orderline Quantities Helper helper to update the Quantity and Funded Quantity fields from the distributed quantity. This helper is also useful when using Modify Order to modify orderline quantities.

Is there a limit to the number of copies I may add to an order?

Yes. No more than 32000 copies may be added to one order in a given fiscal cycle.

When I try to create or edit an orderline, a message about the fund cycle not having library authorization for the library of the distribution holding code displays. What does this message mean?

In multilibrary systems that use the Fund Library Authorization policy, each fund cycle‘s library authorization is compared to the holding code library in the associated holding distribution(s). The library of each holding code must be present in the fund cycle’s library authorization. When the holding code library is not authorized in the associated fund cycle, the following message displays.

This fund cycle does not have library authorization for the library of the distribution holding code.The message lists the fund ID and the holding code name that did not pass validation. When the message window is closed, the insertion point will be placed in the first fund ID field that did not pass validation. An invalid fund cycle/holding code pair will not be saved.