Alma supports these basic Acquisitions workflows:
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Can you please add somewhere: what should staff do if they need to back out of a step? Such as:
- they click "Save and Continue" on an order but they meant to click "Order Now", etc.
I can make a list of where I think these potential trap spots are if that would be helpful...
- what they need to do will vary depending on where they are ... we have some info re this in the Order maintenance document; for other situations, we may need a list from you--dab
Purchasing workflow
- Orders can be created either manually, or via an order load (called EOD: Embedded Order data)
- Orders can be either one-time (monographs) or continuous (serials and standing orders)
- Purchase order lines (POLs) contain the order information, vendor, budget, renewal period for ongoing orders, etc
- Inventory (meaning: items and holdings) can be created automatically or manually during the POL creation
- Purchase order lines go through a validation phase to check for mandatory information and an additional review phase (if there is inaccurate or missing data)
- Once the POL passes review and validation it is "packaged" into a Purchase order (PO) and sent to the vendor (if applicable), either by EDI or email
- If it is necessary to printout an order, it may be possible to send the email to a printer rather than to an email recipient. Bill is testing this--dab
Receiving workflow (Physical titles)
- Receipt of Physical material is indicated via a Receiving process on the item records
- Items can Items can be marked as Received as a separate process or during the invoicing process<For continuous orders, the Renewal date can be generated either automatically or manually> --this line doesn't really need to be here; I think I was still trying to understand the workflow when I wrote it--dab
- After receipt, the titles can be assigned to another section for cataloging, binding etc, or marked In transit to be sent to their final destination
- One-Time orders close when fully invoiced and received
- Continuous orders remain in the status "Waiting for Renewal" once an item has been received and the invoice paid: these orders are closed manually.
Activation workflow (Electronic titles)
- Electronic titles go through an Activation process (rather than a Receipt process) in Alma; the link is tested and then made active
- <For continuous orders, the Renewal date can be generated either automatically or manually >this line doesn't really need to be here; I think I was still trying to understand the workflow when I wrote it–dab
- One-Time orders close when fully invoiced and activated.
- Continuous orders remain in the status "Waiting for Renewal" once activated and the invoice paid: these orders are closed manually.
Invoicing workflow
- Invoices can be created manually (either from scratch or from a POL or PO), from an Excel file uploaded file uploaded into Alma, or or loaded as EDI
- Invoices go through a system validation and system validation and review (if there is any missing or inaccurate data) process after creation
- Invoice approval is the final step