Job profiles

How to create job profiles

How profiles work together

Job profiles are assembled from several different types of sub-profiles. These components lay out a logical order of actions on incoming records. Incoming data for job profiles must be either in MARC or EDIFACT format. A job profile takes a file of MARC or EDIFACT data and processes it per each step specified by the match, action, and field mapping sub-profiles.

Example job profile structures

Overlay on an instance and create attached holdings and item records (incoming MARC record)

In this scenario, a suppressed instance already exists for the title, created by the Acquisitions team and linked to a purchase order line (POL) in the Orders app. The cataloger is overlaying this instance with the finalized catalog record while simultaneously creating holdings and item data for it.

• Match profile (instance) — Incoming 949$a to instance HRID
• Action profile (instance) — Update instance (uses default MARC-Instance mapping)
  • Field mapping (instance) — Set Instance status to “Cataloged”; enter today’s date in Cataloged date
• Action profile (holdings) — Create attached holdings record
  • Field mapping (holdings) — Set permanent location to “Main”; map 050_4 to Call number
• Action profile (item) — Create item record attached to holdings
  • Field mapping (item) — Assign Can Circulate as permanent loan rule

Remove existing 856 fields from a batch of e-resource records (incoming MARC record)

In this scenario, Acquisitions is creating an order and then creating a suppressed instance to link to that order. See the Field mapping section for more details about the specific placement of field mapping profiles that modify incoming MARC.

• Action profile (MARC SRS) — Modify incoming MARC data
  • Field mapping profile (MARC SRS) — Delete all existing 856 fields
• Action profile (instance) — Create instance (uses default MARC-Instance mapping)
  • Field mapping (instance) — Set Instance status to “Uncataloged” and mark Suppress

Overlay existing instances to transform call numbers in holdings (incoming MARC record)

In this scenario, a group of titles needs new call numbers. The record subset is identified in Inventory or Lists, exported from Data Export (using a profile that puts holdings HRIDs in the 960$f), modified in MarcEdit, and imported back into Data Import to effect the change.

• Match profile (MARC to instance) — Incoming 001 to instance HRID
  • Match profile (MARC to holdings) — Incoming 960$f to holdings HRID
    • Action profile (holdings) – Update holdings
      • Field mapping (holdings) – Map 050_4 to call number field

Types of sub-profiles

Match profiles

• Optional — Only needed if job profile operates on existing records in Inventory
• Designates a match point between incoming data and a FOLIO record or SRS field, which allows overlay on or updates to existing records
• Can be nested for cascading logic
  • Example: An initial match on an instance HRID can implement an action profile/field mapping pair to update an instance, then a secondary match profile can match on an attached holdings record and implement another action profile/field mapping to update the holdings

Action profiles

• Required — Defines what operation to perform and on what type of record
  • Example: Create item record, Update instance
• Must be paired with a field mapping profile that specifies how to handle the incoming data
  • Example: a field mapping for a holdings record can be combined with an action profile that updates holdings records
• Action profiles can only be associated with one field mapping profile so must be created for each specific scenario

Field mapping profiles

• Required — Highly customizable mappings that can insert incoming data into Inventory record fields
• Insert incoming data into Inventory record fields
  • Example: a field mapping for a holdings record can take location information from a 999 in an incoming MARC record and use that to set the permanent location of a resource in a FOLIO holdings record

Note: Data export profiles can be an important counterpart to field mappings. For instance, a Data export job profile could map the holdings permanent location code to a 960$a and a related Data import job would then use that 960$a as a match point for a match profile

• Must be paired with an action profile
• Can be associated with more than one action profile
• Each of these must be created and saved separately, then they are combined into an overarching job profile

Note: It can be a helpful practice to give each component part a shared name element so they are more easily searched on and identifiable

Creating a job profile

All sub-profiles must be created before creating a job profile. Detailed guides for sub-profile creation are forthcoming.

TIPS

• Establish a naming convention for job profiles (i.e. ERM1, ERM2, CAT1, CAT2) that indicate their purpose and make them easier to refer to
• Make descriptions detailed (e.g., “Matches on holdings HRID in 960$f; updates holdings electronic access from 960$c; Used for transfer workflow”)
• You can edit existing job profiles, but you cannot reorder sub-profiles - sub-profiles can only be added or removed

For steps to create a job profile see Settings documentation

Last modified June 12, 2025