How to Create a New Item Type

How to Create a New Item Type



Patron categories 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. The item type table may be updated in different releases of Koha as new functions and features are released. This document is accurate for the 20.11 version, however there are many features that will apply to other versions of Koha.

Step 1 - Navigate to the item types table

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. 

Step 2 - 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. For more information on parent item types, please 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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

Checking 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 on All libraries 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 and the new item type will then appear in the item type table. 



Version History 

Version

Date

Detail

Author

1.0

30/03/2020

Document Created

Holly Cooper

2.0

26/05/2020

Transferred to Zoho

Charles Quain

2.131/12/20Adding TOC and clarifying languageHolly Cooper




Retention Policy

Permanent

X





    • Related Articles

    • How to group item types using parent item types

      Item types are used by the fine and circulation rules to determine how many items can be checked out and by which patrons. It is possible to link item types to each other by assigning a parent item type which allows libraries greater control over ...

    • How to set circulation rules for parent item types

      Item types are used by the fine and circulation rules to determine how many items can be checked out and by which patrons. It is possible to link item types to each other by assigning a parent item type which allows libraries greater control over ...

    • When to create item records for titles brought in through the Acquisitions module

      This document will outline the options for setting a default functionality for creating item records for copies of titles added through the Acquisitions module. While it is possible to set up default behaviour for creating item records for titles ...

    • Creating a new authorized value

      This document outlines the general steps for creating a new authorised value. Depending on the specific authorised value being created, there may be slight variations, but these are the fundamental steps all authorized values are structured with.  If ...

    • How to set a bibliographic level item type

      This document will outline how to set Koha to use bibliographic level item types rather than item level items types for circulation. It is possible to provide item level items types on individual item records while at the same time use an overall ...