USER ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 3. MAINTAINING THE USER DATABASE
Preparing an Import File
NOTE: The import file can be prepared using any standard text-editing utility (such as Wordpad or Notepad), or it can be generated from a spreadsheet utility (such as Microsoft Excel).
The import file provides the means of simultaneously uploading and importing multiple patron records to your library’s database. Each line in the file contains the data for a single patron record. Patron records are separated by line breaks.
Each data line (patron record) in the file is comprised of multiple data fields, separated by delimiters (either commas or tabs). Each data line contains both mandatory and optional data fields. Data must be entered in all mandatory data fields for each data line (patron record); optional data fields may be left blank, if desired. Data fields must be entered in the following order:
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| username |
The unique Username or Barcode for the patron. The username
can contain any combination of alphabetic and/or numeric
characters, and the underscore character “_”. Do not include spaces
in the username. This field is mandatory. If you do not include a
username, an import error will be generated, and the record will not be
imported.
NOTE: Each patron must be assigned a unique username. If you attempt to add two or more patrons with the same username, the records containing the duplicate username will be skipped or overwritten, depending on the Action on Duplicate Records option selected during upload (see Importing a File for details). |
| password | The personal Password or PIN for the patron. The password can contain any combination of alphabetic and/or numeric characters, and the underscore character “_”. Do not include spaces in the password. This field is mandatory. If you do not include a password, an import error will be generated, and the record will not be imported. |
| question | The reminder question for the patron’s password. This field is optional. |
| homelocation | The Home Location for the patron. Any value entered in this field must be mapped to the corresponding Home Location. This field is mandatory. |
| firstname | The patron’s first name. This field is optional. |
| initial |
The patron’s middle initial. This field is optional.
NOTE: If you enter the patron’s full middle name in the initial field, the system will truncate the name to show the middle initial only when the record is saved. |
| lastname | The patron’s last name. This field is optional. |
| address1 | First line of the patron’s mailing address (street address). This field is optional. |
| address2 | Second line of the patron’s mailing address (street address). This field is optional. |
| city | City for the patron’s mailing address. This field is optional. |
| state |
State for the patron’s mailing address. This field is optional.
NOTE: When entering data in the state field, enter the two-character abbreviation for the state in upper-case characters. If you enter the state in lower-case characters, or enter the complete state name, the proper state will not be saved when the record is imported. |
| zipcode | Zip code for the patron’s mailing address. This field is optional. |
| country | Country for the patron’s mailing address. This field is optional. |
| The patron’s email address. This field is optional. | |
| telephone | The patron’s home telephone number. This field is optional. |
| faxnumber | The patron’s fax number. This field is optional. |
| status |
Current account status for the patron. This field is optional. This field may contain only one of the following values: A - Active; the user’s account is enabled. I - Inactive; the user’s account is disabled. NOTE: If you choose to leave the status field blank, a default account status (selected during the import process) will be applied to the patron’s account. |
| lastactivity | The last date on which activity (check out, check in, etc.) for the patron occurred. Enter the last activity date using the format “MM/DD/YYYY”, including slashes. This field is optional. |
| patron_group | The patron group to which the patron is assigned. Any value entered in this field must be mapped to the corresponding Patron Group (see Importing a File for details). This field is optional. |
| patron_category | The patron category to which the patron is assigned. Any value entered in this field must be mapped to the corresponding Patron Category (see Importing a File for details). This field is optional. |
| custom_number | Any unique identifying number for the patron. This field is optional. |
| mobilephone | The patron’s mobile/cellular telephone number. This field is optional. |
| workphone | The patron’s work telephone number. This field is optional. |
| blocked | Indicates whether or not the patron’s borrowing privileges are active or suspended. Enter Y (borrowing privileges are suspended, patron may not borrow materials from the library) or N (borrowing privileges are active, patron may borrow materials from the library). This field is optional. If a value is not entered in this field, the default value N is inserted. |
| block_reason | The reason the patron’s borrowing privileges are currently suspended. It is recommended that if a value of Y is entered in the blocked field that a reason be included in the block_reason field. This field is optional. |
| expire_date | The date on which the patron’s borrowing privileges will expire. Enter the expiration date using the format “MM/DD/YYYY”, including slashes. This field is optional. |
| sponsor | The name of the party, group or organization sponsoring the patron. This field is optional. |
| comment | Any comment you wish to include in the patron’s record. This field is optional. |
| date_added |
The date on which the patron’s user record was initially added to
the VERSO system. Enter the date added using the format “MM/DD/YYYY”,
including slashes. This field is optional.
NOTE: When a new record is added to the system and the date_added field does not contain data, the system sets the value for this field to the current calendar date. When an existing record in the system is updated and the date_added field does not contain data, the content of the date_added field in the existing record is retained. |
| date_updated |
The date on which the patron’s user record was most recently
updated. Enter the date updated using the format “MM/DD/YYYY”,
including slashes. This field is optional.
NOTE: When a new record is added to the system or an existing record in the system is updated and the date_updated field does not contain data, the system set the value for this field to the current calendar date. |
| notes | Any free-form message you wish included in the Notes field of the patron’s user record. This field is optional. |
| fine_balance | The patron’s outstanding fine/fee balance. This field is optional. |
| dob | The patron’s date of birth. This field is optional. |
| message | Any free-form message you wish displayed in the Message field on the Patron Status, Checkout & Reserves screen for the patron (see the Circulation User Guide for more information). This field is optional. |
| LDF1 ~ LDF20 |
Library defined fields 1 through 20. These fields are optional.
NOTE: When entering information for a Library Defined field configured as a “list” field, you must enter a valid (currently defined) option for the associated field. |
| nickname | The patron’s Nickname. This field is optional. |
| foreign_key | For use when importing user records from an external system where matching of existing records is determined by an alternate ID (a field other than the incoming username). When content is included in the foreign key field, matching records will be determined by comparing the content of the foreign_key field in the import file to the username field in the existing patron record. |
When preparing an import file, keep the following in mind:
- Be sure to include all listed fields, both mandatory and optional, even if a given field is not shown in the user records for your library.
- Do not include fieldnames (i.e., username, address1, etc.) in the user record.
- Be sure to separate each data field with the appropriate delimiter (either tab or comma). Use the same delimiter throughout the file.
- Do not include a “blank” space immediately before or after a field delimiter (tab or comma, as applicable)
- Be sure to include the mandatory fields in each user record.
- Be sure to include the delimiters (tabs or commas) for all data fields, even if the field will be left blank.
- When preparing a “comma delimited” file, do not include additional commas within the field data (for example, when including “Jr.” with a surname, or an apartment or suite number with an address, as shown below).
| INCORRECT | CORRECT |
| Williamson, Jr | Williamson Jr. |
| 620 W. Route 66, Apt. 211 | 620 W. Route 66 Apt. 211 |
- Do not enter a full middle name in the initial field. If a full middle name is entered, the name will be truncated to the first character only when the file is imported.
- Separate multiple user records using line breaks.
- Save the import file as a text (.txt) file.