Serials Management

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The Serials app allows to create serial records that store information about the status of the order, the title in the Receiving app, a description, a purchase order (PO) line and notes. The app also allows to create publication patterns and generate predicted piece sets. The recieving pieces you generate in the Serials app are shared with the Receiving app. To create a serial it is necessary to create an order and PO line in the Orders app in advance.

Definition of terms related to the Serials app:

Cycle length. The amount of time it takes for a single cycle of the publication pattern to complete.
Days of publication, per cycle. The day(s) on which an issue is published, within one cycle of the publication pattern.
Label. Labels define the enumeration and chronology for the issues of a serial.
Omission rules. Omission rules can be applied to remove individual issues in a publication cycle.
Pattern ID. Is a unique ID that refers to a created publication pattern.
Piece sets. A predicted piece set shows information like date generated, pattern ID and a list of the next expected issues.
Publication cycle. This records how often issues are published, how many are published in that time and on what days they are published.
Publication pattern. This sets up everything about the expected publications of a serial so that it can generate the appropriate issues and label them correctly.
Serial. A serial record provides a way of linking together various pieces of information for a serial like order line, publication pattern and predicted piece sets.
Template. A template defines how values from the enumeration and chronology labels are to be used in each predicted piece.
Token. In a template, tokens are used as a placeholder for different labels of the publication pattern.

Permissions

The permissions listed below allow you to interact with the Serials app and determine what you can or cannot do within the app. You can assign permissions to users in the Users app. If none of these permissions are assigned to a user, they are unable to see the Serials app or any related information.

Serials permissions:

Serials: Create predicted pieces. This permission allows the user to generate predicted pieces.
Serials: Delete predicted pieces. This permission allows the user to delete predicted pieces.
Serials: Edit publication patterns. This permission allows the user to edit publication patterns.
Serials: Edit serials. This permission allows the user to edit serial records.
Serials: Search & view predicted pieces. This permission allows the user to search and view predited pieces.
Serials: Search & view serials. This permission allows the user to search and view predicted pieces.
Settings (Serials): Manage pick lists and values. This permission allows the user to manage pick lists and values in the settings.
Settings (Serials): View pick lists and values. This permission allows the user to view pick lists and values in the settings.
Settings (Service-interaction). View number generator settings and use number generators within apps.
Settings (Service-interaction). Manage number generator settings and use number generators within apps. View, create, edit, delete number generators and sequences.

Note: Only one of the service-interaction permissions is required for the user to be able to work with the Serials app.

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts allow you to perform actions in this app using the keyboard. See Platform essentials > Keyboard shortcuts for more information.

Creating a new serial

To create a serial record it is necessary to create an order and PO line in the Orders app in advance.

In the Serials pane, click New.
In the New serial window, select Select PO line. Search for the PO line you would like to link with this serial record and click on it in the Order lines pane. The PO line is now linked to the new serial record and information about the order number, order status, acquisition units, product IDs, vendor, funds, material type and the title is shown.
Set the Status (required) accordingly, active or closed, add an optional description and optional notes.
Save & Close

After choosing a PO line it is still possible to replace the PO line by clicking Replace PO line in the Serial record. It is also possible to delete the PO line by clicking the trash bin icon next to the Replace PO line button.

Clicking on the PO line in the Serials record takes you to the Orders app.

Clicking on View in inventory takes you to the Inventory app.

Adding a publication pattern

To add a publication pattern, you first need to create a serial. A serial record can have one publication pattern with an “Active” status at any one time, but can have multiple publication patterns with non-active statuses: “Deprecated” for ones that are no longer used, and “Draft” for ones being planned or setup for the future. When adding a new pattern older patterns automatically receive the status “Deprecated”.

In the Search & filter pane, search for the serial to which you would like to add a publication pattern. Click on the record in the Serials pane.
In the Serials record under the tab Publication pattern, click Add publication pattern.
Select Status (required), active or deprecated or draft, and add an optional description.
Fill in the Publication cycle.
Optional: Add Omission rules when you would like to remove indivual issues in your publication cycle.
Optional: Add Combination rules, which can be applied to combine sequences of issues into a single issue.
Add label(s), which have two label styles (required): chronology and enumeration. Use the template (required) to display the order of the specified labels correctly in the intended publication pattern.
Optional: Preview your publication pattern.
Save & Close

Publication cycle

The publication cycle consists of the cycle length and the days of publication, per cycle.

Cycle length

Time unit (required). The time unit can be selected from the following options: Day, Week, Month and Year.
Number of the time units (required). Enter the number of the time unit you have specified before, or use the arrow icons to increase or decrease the number.
No. of issues published per cycle (required). Enter the number of issues published within one cycle of the pattern, or use the arrow icons to increase or decrease the number.

For example, for a monthly publication an publication cycle might be setup as follows:

Time unit: Month
Number of months: 1
No. of issues published per cycle: 1

A mnemonic for defining the cycle length could be as follows: Every [number of the time unit] [time unit] [No. of issues] issue/s is/are published.

Days of publication, per cycle

Days of publication, per cycle is only displayed once you have entered the cycle length.

Choose a day format (required): “Day (1-31)” or “Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-4)”
Depending on which day format you have selected, only Day or Day and Of week will be visible for you to fill in.

For example, a monthly issue published on the fourth Monday would be created as follows:

Day format: Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-4)
Day: Monday
Of week: 4

Adding omission rules

Running the publication pattern will generate a minimum of one year’s worth of predicted issues. Omission rules can be applied to remove individual issues. For example, to omit a public holiday, a specific month or week, or the “nth” issue from the year’s set of predicted issues.

Click Add omission rule.
The Time unit can be selected from the following options: Day, Week, Month and Issue. After choosing a time unit, the Omission rule type becomes visible.
The Omission rule type varies depending on what Time unit is selected. For example, the time unit “Week” has two options: “Week (1-52)” and “Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec)”. By selecting “Week (1-52)” you can then decide whether you want to omit one specific week or omit several weeks. The checkbox Omit range of [time unit] only appears for the time units Week and Month.
Click Add omission rule again, if you need more than one omission rule.

Omission rule type

Time unit: Day

Day (1-31), Month (Jan-Dec)
Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-52)
Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-52), Month (Jan-Dec)
Day (1-31)
Day (Mon-Sun)

Time unit: Week

Week (1-52)
Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec)

Time unit: Month

Month (Jan-Dec)

Time unit: Issue

Issue (1-n)
Issue (1-n), Week (1-52)
Issue (1-n), Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec) or
Issue (1-n), Month (Jan-Dec)

Adding combination rules

Click Add combination rule.
Select Issue under Time unit. Afterwards the combination rule type becomes visible.
Choose one of the following Combination rule type:
- Issue (1-n)
- Issue (1-n), Week (1-52)
- Issue (1-n), Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec) or
- Issue (1-n), Month (Jan-Dec)
The rule type and associated fields will pinpoint the first issue to be included in the combination. Depending on which rule type has been selected, different fields are displayed that must be filled in. Afterwards enter the Total number of issues to combine.
Click Add combination rule again, if you need more than one combination rule.

For example, a combinded July and August issue of a monthly published publication would be defined as follows:

Combination rule type: Issue (1-n), Month (Jan-Dec)
Issue: 7
Of month: July
Total number of issues to combine: 2

Define labelling

Click Add label.
Choose the label style for your first label. Choose from Chronology or Enumeration:
- Chronology: Fill in Chronology format (Date, Month, Year) and Locale
  - Weekday format: Monday, MONDAY, Mon, MON
  - Month day format: 3, 3rd
  - Month format: October, 10, Oct
  - Year format: 2024, 24
- Enumeration: Fill in Enumeration format (Enumeration Numeric or Enumeration Textual)
  
  Numeric:
  - No. of units
  - Format: Number (1, 2, 3), Ordinal (1st, 2nd 3rd), Roman numerals (I, II, III)
  - Sequence: Continuous, Reset
  - Internal note
  Click Add level if your label contains more than one enumeration, e.g. volume and issue.
  
  Textual:
  - Pick list: e.g. Season
  - No. of issues
  - Label text
  - Internal note
  Click Add value if your label contains more than one textual enumeration.
If required, add another label with Add label.
Use the Template field to specify how values from the enumeration and chronology labels are to be used in each predicted piece.

Using templates

Writing a templates requires you to know to include the appropriate values from each chronology and enumeration label you have setup. To use a value from an enumeration or chronology in the template, you will need to put a token in double curly braces in the template. The token will identify which enumeration or chronology label is being used, and which part of the label is being used. All other text in the template (i.e. text not in double curly braces) will be treated as simple text that should be included.

By clicking Preview it is possible to preview the labels for the publication pattern to make sure the expected pieces will be labeled and generated correctly.

Table for token examples:

Type of label	Part of label	Token example
Chronology	Weekday	{{chronology1.weekday}}
Chronology	Month day	{{chronology1.monthDay}}
Chronology	Month	{{chronology1.month}}
Chronology	Year	{{chronology1.year}}
Enumeration (numeric)	Level 1 number	{{enumeration1.level1}}
Enumeration (numeric)	Level 2 number	{{enumeration1.level2}}
Enumeration (numeric)	Level n number	{{enumeration1.leveln}}
Enumeration (textual)	Value	{{enumeration1}}

Note: If a second chronology label is added it is named chronology2. If a second enumeration label is added it is named enumeration2.

For example, a pattern with 2 issues per year with labeling “Volume 45, number 1 (2024)” is defined as follows:

Label 1:

Label style: Enumeration
Enumeration Format: Enumeration Numeric

Level 1 (volume):

No. of units: 1
Format: Number
Sequence: Continuous

Level 2 (issues):

No. units: 2
Format: Number
Sequence: Reset

Label 2 (year):

Label style: Chronology
Chronology format: Chronology Year
Locale: English
Year format: 2024

Template: Volume {{enumeration1.level1}}, number {{enumeration1.level2}} ({{chronology1.year}})

More information about templates: “Using Templates” by Owen Stephens

Generating predicted pieces

To generate predicted pieces, you first need to add a publication pattern to your serial.

In the Serial record pane, click Actions and then Generate predicted pieces
Enter a Start date (required) and an optional note.
Enter the values to be used for the first issue (required).
Optional: Click Preview to preview the predicted pieces.
Click Generate.
A predicted piece set record is created automatically and linked to the Serials record. An unique Pattern ID that refers to this publication pattern is created as well.

Clicking on the date in the Serial record pane under Predicted piece sets takes you to the Predicted piece set record.

In the Search & filter pane with Piece sets selected you can search for the pattern ID (without leading zeros) of your piece set.

The pattern ID can be customised. (Link will be added.)

Generating receiving pieces

To generate receiving pieces, you first need to generate predicted pieces.

In the Predicted piece set record, click Actions and then Generate receiving pieces.
If there are locations or holdings for the linked PO line you are able to select location or holding for the receiving pieces.
Fill in Time between publication and receipt (days) (required). This describes the time interval between the date that the piece is published and when it is recieved at the location.
Select Supplement if the piece is a supplementary material such as a CD or a map.
Click Generate receiving pieces.

Selecting Generate receiving pieces will create new expected pieces in the Receiving app. You can view the pieces in the Receiving app under the Expected tab.

The Predicted piece set record will be updated in the Serials app.

Clicking on the publication title under Title in Receiving in the Predicted piece set record takes you to the title in the Receiving app. Clicking on the publication title under Serial takes you the Serial record of the title.

Last modified November 15, 2024