Booking Profile WizardBooking Profile WizardBooking Profiles contain information used in calculating the booking timeline. When a booking is created, the Booking Profile is checked to make sure the booking falls within the item’s available hours. If the booking may proceed, the booking timeline uses values in the Booking Profile to set aside a standard amount of time for preparation and cleanup. Information about the shipping method is also used to set the shipping date and time. Booking Profiles also determine whether wear should be distributed over multiple copies of library materials or equipment.
Booking Profiles also group related items to be booked as a single booking job or to suggest related items that may be needed when a particular Item Type is booked.
Booking Profiles may be one of two types, either Single or Group. Single Booking Profiles are associated with Item Types. When a single item is booked, its Item Type points to a single-type Booking Profile. When a group of items are booked, they are identified by the name of their group-type Booking Profile.
From the List Policies window, you can create, display, modify, copy, or remove the Booking Profile policies. Click Close to exit the wizard.
Attributes
The Booking Profile policy includes the following attributes.
| • | Name |
| • | Description |
| • | Preparation Time |
| • | Cleanup Time |
| • | Profile Type |
| • | Fixed Time Slots |
| • | Rotate Copies |
| • | Shippable |
| • | Requirements List |
The Name attribute uniquely identifies the Booking Profile. The name should be descriptive, since policy names are used in reports and in the workstation. This name is ten characters or less, and may not include spaces or punctuation, except for dash (-), underscore (_), and dollar sign ($). Additionally, the pipe character (|) may not be used.
The Description attribute is used to provide more information about the Booking Profile and its use in the library. The description might include information about situations in which this policy would be used, or may describe the Item Type to which this Booking Profile should be attached. The description may be up to 60 characters in length. Although the Description attribute may contain spaces and punctuation, the pipe character (|) cannot be used.
The Preparation Time attribute describes the amount of time needed to prepare a booked item or group of items for use. This time may be measured in days, hours, or minutes. When calculating the time needed to prepare a group of items, consider the total amount of preparation time for the single profiles.
For example, a Booking Profile has been created to group a 16mm projector, a screen, a takeup reel, an equipment cart, and an extension cord. The individual items in this group require anywhere from one minute to fifteen minutes for preparation. Library staff may need additional time to assemble the group of items, so the Preparation Time should be more than 15 minutes.
When specifying Preparation Time, type 0-365 days, 0-24 hours, or 0-60 minutes. If no preparation time is required, type zero days, zero hours, or zero minutes.
The Cleanup Time attribute describes the amount of time needed to process a booked item or group of items after use. Post-use processing might include checking equipment, cleaning a room, rewinding a videocassette, or other tasks. This time may be measured in days, hours, or minutes. When calculating the time needed to post-process a group of items, consider the amount of time required to clean up the single profile items.
When specifying Cleanup Time, type 0–365 days, 0–24 hours, or 0–60 minutes. If no post-use processing time is required, type zero days, zero hours, or zero minutes.
The Booking Type attribute establishes whether this Booking Profile is a single-type Booking Profile, to be used generically for a given Item Type, or a group-type Booking Profile, which is used for booking a group of related items. The Shippable and Rotate Copies attributes are selected only when Single is selected.
This attribute specifies a list of available fixed time slots that may be scheduled by a user. Only one slot can be scheduled at a time, unless the user’s profile allows consecutive booking. See the Consecutive Booking Allowed attribute of the User Profile Wizard for more information. Use the Fixed Time Slot gadget to select fixed time slots.
| • | If the Fixed Time Slot booking configuration is not used, the available hours will continue to function as outer limits with the library retaining full control over the scheduling of individual bookings within the available hours. |
| • | The Fixed Time Slot does not override an item’s loan period. Fixed Time Slots should correspond to the loan period for items that are booked. |
For example, if the booking’s time slot is two hours and the item’s loan period is one hour, the patron will be fined for the second hour of his booking. If the booking’s time slot is two hours and the item’s loan period is two days, no OVERDUE fine will accrue for the time between the end of the booking time slot and the end of the loan period.
The Rotate Copies attribute determines whether multiple copies attached to the same call number record should be rotated when selecting an item to satisfy a booking request.
For example, to distribute wear and tear evenly among its videocassette recorders, a library may create a Booking Profile policy to be used for the VCR Item Type. The Rotate Copies attribute would be set to Yes in this Booking Profile policy. When a VCR is booked, the systems selects a machine that was not the last one booked from the pool of available VCRs.
This attribute specifies whether or not the item can be shipped using a shipping schedule. Shipping schedules define the pickup and delivery times of shippers, including library delivery vehicles, and are used in calculating when library staff should prepare items and when post-use processing can begin. For items such as rooms, the Shippable attribute will be set to No.
Note: The Shipping Schedule is referenced from the User Profile policy.
For group-type Booking Profiles, the Requirements attribute lists single-type Booking Profiles that are booked as a group of related items. This attribute is used only in group-type Booking Profiles. Use the Requirements List gadget to select the profiles to group together, as well as the Delivery Shipping and Return Shipping policies for these items.
For example, a Booking Profile, MTGROOMGRP, has been created to book meeting rooms. Any time a meeting room is booked, other related items are also set up for use. In the MTGROOMGRP Booking Profile, a meeting room, 15 chairs, and a VCR are grouped and booked as a single job.
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