If you want to edit more than the status (for example, item type, location, call number and so forth) for a group of items, you need to use the main Item Group Editor. (For information on the main Item Group Editor, see the “Using the Item Group Editor” appendix of the Circulation Guide.)
You can change the item status for a group of items in two ways:
• | Create a formal group. When you create a formal group, you choose the item records whose status you want to change and give the group a descriptive name. If you want to, you can keep a hard copy of the changes you make. (For example, using a spreadsheet, summarize the changes you made, why you made them, and any other information you feel useful.) This is helpful in keeping track of your groups and the changes you make in their status. |
• | Create an informal group. You can also edit a group of items without creating a formal group. In this case, you just search for item records meeting your desired criteria, choose the items you want to edit, and then change their status in a batch edit. (For example, search for items with a status of “Newly Acquired,” choose those that have been sent to Cataloging, and change their status to “In Cataloging.”) You may still want to keep a hard copy of your changes, because Horizon does not store the group of items as a named group in the database. |
Horizon lets you change only certain item statuses. This prevents you from inadvertently bypassing circulation processes that trigger other necessary circulation operations.
For example, when you want to return a group of items to circulation, you must check the items in individually, rather than group changing the item status to “Checked In.” This triggers certain circulation operations (such as fulfilling hold requests) and helps you keep track of each item’s current status instead of just replacing it with a status that may no longer be valid.
Do not attempt any direct update of the item status using SQL. Unless you know exactly what you are doing, you stand a very good chance of corrupting your database. For example, changing an item’s status from “o“ to “i“ will orphan data in the circ table, bypass any fines calculations if the item is overdue, leave rows in the recall table, leave unresolved blocks on the borrowers, and ignore any pending requests.
Other item status values can have similar problems.
Here are the item statuses to which you can change:
• | Archived (a) |
• | Bindery (b) |
• | Closed Stack (csa) |
• | Damaged (dmg) |
• | Item missing (m) |
• | Missing Inventory (mi) |
• | In Cataloging (t) |
• | User fast-added item (ufa) |
If you try to change an item status to a status that you cannot edit using the Item Group Editor–Status Only process, Horizon displays a message telling you to change the status through a Circulation transaction.
This section explains these topics:
• | Creating a Formal Item Group |
• | Editing Status Information Using a Formal Item Group |
• | Editing Status Information Using an Informal Item Group |
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