There are a variety of ways to collect catalogue records for batch modification or deletion. These instructions will outline how to use the Reports module to locate and send records to the different modification tools.

The options for sending records to be modified or deleted using the Reports module are to identify bibliographic records or item records.

Identifying bibliographic records to be modified requires a report which retrieves biblionumbers.

Identifying item records to be modified requires a report which retrieves item numbers.

It is possible to create a report with both biblionumbers and item numbers which will provide the option to use either the item modification tool or the bibliographic record modification tool.

Option 1 - Using a report to modify bibliographic records

The example below uses a report for records added between two dates. This is just a random scenario to demonstrate how completing a batch record modification from an SQL report can be completed. Please be aware this is a very general report and this should be tested to ensure it won’t slow your site by being too large.

If you have any concerns, or would like support in creating your own SQL report, please contact Interleaf Technology directly.

Go to Reports > Guided reports > Use saved.

This will bring you to a table of reports on your site.

The report results are generated and as they include a bibliographic number there is a button at the top of the table called Batch operations with 20 visible records. This is the feature that allows staff to send records in the report to be batch modified or deleted. Only records that actually appear on the first page of the report will be sent to be altered, records on the other pages of the report will not be sent. This limitation is to prevent too many items being sent through to the modification or deletion tool and slowing the system. 

To increase the number of items appearing on the first page of the report click the box to the right of the line Rows per page and select the appropriate number from the dropdown menu.

After altering the amount of results appearing on the first page of the report the button has changed to Batch operations with 79 visible records.

Clicking Batch record modification will send the visible records to the Batch record modification page.

If the Batch record deletion option is clicked the records are sent to the Batch record deletion tool and the deletion can be completed from that point.

 If there are too many records for the deletion tool to deal with at once the tool will display a warning and it will not be possible to complete the deletion.

If Add to list is clicked a pop up option will appear with the list the records from the report and options for adding the items to an existing list or creating a new list to add them to.

Option 2 - Use a report to batch modify item records

This will bring you to a table of reports on your site.

In this example, the report is found by searching for the title in the search box at the top of the table. This narrows the table to a single report which can then be run by clicking the Run button in the Actions column.

The report results are generated and as they include an item number there is a button at the top of the table called Batch operations with 20 visible records. This is the feature that allows staff to send records in the report to be batch modified or deleted. Only records that actually appear on the first page of the report will be sent to be altered, records on the other pages of the report will not be sent. This limitation is to prevent too many items being sent through to the modification or deletion tool and slowing the system. 

To increase the number of items appearing on the first page of the report click the box to the right of the line Rows per page and select the appropriate number from the dropdown menu. After altering the amount of results appearing on the first page of the report the button has changed to Batch operations with 812 visible records.

When the Batch operations with 812 visible records is clicked the options changing item records appear, Batch item modification and Batch item deletion.

Clicking Batch item modification will send the visible records to the Batch item modification page.

If there are too many records for the modification tool to deal with at once the tool will display a warning and it will not be possible to complete the modification.

If the Batch record deletion option is clicked the records are sent to the Batch record deletion tool and the deletion can be completed from that point. 

If there are too many records for the deletion tool to deal with at once the tool will display a warning and it will not be possible to complete the deletion.

Option 3 - Use a report with the option of either item or bibliographic modification tools

When the Batch operations with 20 visible records button is clicked the options for both modifying the item records and the bibliographic records appear.