How to create an item group for holds

This document will outline how to group items together on a bibliographic record so that a specific subset can be defined for placing holds. All items on the bibliographic record will still follow the same holds rules as set in the fine and circulation rules of the library, but this feature allows a selection of the items to be clustered together so one of those specific copies can be requested during the holds process. 

Enable Item hold groups

Go to Koha administration > System Preferences and search for item groups, This will bring up two system preferences using that phrase.

EnableItemGroups

EnableItemGroupHolds

Set EnableItemGroups to Enable and click Save all Cataloguing preferences.

Set EnableItemGroupHolds to Enable and click Save all Circulation preferences.

Creating an item group

Go to a bibliographic record with multiple item records attached. 

If the item group system preferences have been successfully enabled there will be a tab for Item groups at the top of the holdings table.

Click on the Item groups tab at the top of the holdings table.

This will open a new page where item groups can be defined and previously created item groups will appear. 

Click + New item group.

This will create a popup box where the name of the item group and the place it should display on the list of item groups on your site can be defined.

Once the name and order have been defined, click Submit.

Grouping items together

In this example, we will be grouping items of a specific item type together.

Once the item group has been defined, click the little box to the left hand side of the holdings table on the line of the item to be added to the group.

This will make a line appear at the top of the Holdings table called Add/move to item group. Click this line 

This will cause a popup box where the item group the items should be sorted into can be selected.

Select the group to sort the items into and click Set item group.

There will be a column in the Holdings table called Item group, where the item group the items have been sorted into will be recorded.

Item groups when placing holds

Click the Place hold at the top of the record.

This will take you to a new page where the patron to place the hold for can be found.

Search for the patron to place the hold for.

This will bring up a new page where the hold can be placed.

Scroll down to find the item hold group.

Click the radial button beside the Hold next available item from an item group line.

This will cause the item group to be available for use. 

Click the radial button beside the item group the hold should be filled from and click Place hold.

This will place a hold to be filled only be items in the specified hold group.

Multiple item groups

It is possible to have multiple item groups available to place holds on.

Example:

Version	Date	Detail	Author
1.0	16/10/25	Document created	Holly Cooper
1.2	17/16/25	Adding details	Holly Cooper

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