How to Create a New Item Type

How to Create a New Item Type



Item types are categories applied to every item on your system. They are important because they are used within the fine and circulation rules to determine which items can be taken out by which patrons and for how long. They also be used to determine global functions on individual items, for example, if an item can be loaned out. This document will outline how to navigate to the item types table to view existing item types on your system and how to add new items type. 

Notes
Please note, saving an item without an item type can result in serious errors on your system. For more details, please contact us directly or check our Help Centre.

Go to Koha administration > Basic parameters > Item types



This will take you to a new page with a table of item types already on your system. 

Fields in the New Item Type Form

Click on +New Item Type

This will take you to a new page with a form to fill out the specifics of the item type being created.



Item type

You will need to add a code for the item type in keeping with the codes already on the system. E.g. If the coding convention for other item types is BG_FIC, the new item type should start BG_XXX, the XXX being a code to help identify the nature of the items to be associated with it. Please note it is not possible to edit this code after it has been set. 

Parent item type

This field allows staff to group multiple item types together under the heading of another item type. This can be used to flag items with similarities as related to each other and define more granular circulation rules.


NotesFor more information on parent item types, please contact us directly or check our Help Centre.

Description

You will also need to add a description e.g Fiction, Non-Fiction, Reference. This is the human readable version of the code and should identify the nature of the items associated with it. 

Search category 

If defined, this will allow you to search for items of this type by specific categories you determine in ITEMTYPECAT authorized values. 

Notes
For more details on authorised values, please contact us directly or check our Help Centre.

Icon 

An option where you can set a picture to accompany items with this item type.

Hide in OPAC

If ticked items with this item type will not appear in the OPAC.

Not for loan

Sets an overall rule that prevents these items from being checked out that will override any fines and circulation rules.

Automatic check-in

Ticking this option will cause any item under this item type to be checked in by default when it reaches the due date, without the need to manually check the item in through the staff or OPAC interface. This is frequently used for digital records. 
Notes
Please note, this requires additional setup which needs to be requested from Interleaf Technology. To request the setup to be completed, please contact us directly.

Bookable

Ticking this option will allow any items under this item type to be reserved in advance. This is different than the holds feature, as the bookable feature defined a solid, specific time from that the items will be reserved for. 

Rental charge

This function creates a flat, one time fee for items that have been rented out.

Daily rental charge

This function allows the library to set a fee for every day an item with the specific item type is rented out for. 

Daily rentals use calendar

Ticking this will cause the rental charge to be applied based on open and closed days set in the internal calendar. With no tick, the rental charge will follow the checkout days.

Hourly rental charge

This function allows the library to set a fee for every hour an item with the specific item type is rented out for. 

Hourly rental use calendar

Ticking this will cause the rental charge to be applied based on open and closed days set in the internal calendar. With no tick, the rental charge will follow the checkout days.

Default replacement cost

Optional price that will be charged to the patron should they lose an item of this type and there is no price on the item record.

Processing fee

Optional price charged to the patron should they lose an item. This is intended to cover the labour involved in ordering a replacement item and is separate to the replacement price.

Checkin message

Optional free text box to set a message to be displayed whenever an item of this type is checked in. 

Checkin message type

Option to set the free text message as a message or alert. Messages have a blue background and alerts have a yellow background.

SIP media type

Only used for SIP-specific media type.

Library limitation

This provides the option to restrict the use of the item type to a specific branch or a specific set of branches. Any library not specified in the group will not be presented with the item type as an option when creating or editing items. If this option is kept blank then there will be no limitation to the item type.

Summary

This is an obsolete function. 

Once you are happy with the selection, hit Save changes and the new item type will then appear in the item type table. 

Version

DateDetailsAuthor
1.030/03/2020Document createdHolly Cooper
2.026/05/2020Transferred to ZohoHolly Cooper
2.131/12/20Adding TOC and clarifying languageHolly Cooper
2.112/06/26Updating for newer version of KohaHolly Cooper

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