How to mark a subfield in a framework as mandatory
Koha frameworks shape MARC21 into workforms of information library staff can use to create records for the catalogue. The fields in these workforms can be edited in a variety of ways through the associated framework. This document will outline how to edit a field in a workform so it will be mandatory, meaning a workform will not save unless the mandatory fields have been filled.
If you require more assistance in edited frameworks, please contact Interleaf Technology with a Changes to Framework form filled out.
Please note that the Default framework should never be edited.
Navigate to the MARC framework to be edited
Go to Koha administration > Catalog > MARC bibliographic framework
This will take you to a page with a table of the frameworks available on your site.
The framework with Default framework in the Description column and a blank field in the Code column is the Default framework. This Default framework should never be edited.
Edit the framework
Identify the framework from the table to be edited and click the Actions button to the right hand side of the line the framework is on. This will create a dropdown menu. Select MARC structure from this dropdown menu.
This will bring up a page with a table of the fields in the framework.
Across the top of the table there will be a search box, which can be used to limit the table to a specific field.
This example will use 245$b field, but the principles can be applied to whichever field you wish to edit. As the number being searched for is typed into the search box, the table of fields will narrow down to matching entries.
Once the table has been reduced to the specific field to be edited, click the Actions button to the right hand side of the line the tag is on.
This will create a dropdown menu. Select Edit subfields from this menu.
This will open a new page where the subfields that make up the tag appear. The subfields will be split into different tabs, based on their alphabetic and numeric representation.
Go to tab b, (or the tab of the subfield to be edited). This will show a form of information which controls the behaviour of the subfield.
Under the Basic constraints section, there will be a line called Mandatory with a box to the right hand side. To mark a subfield as Mandatory, ensure there is a tick mark in the box. If there is no tick mark, click into the box so a tick appears. If there is a tick mark, make no changes to the box. If a tick is inserted into the box, click the Save changes button at the bottom of the screen.
How a mandatory field will appear on a workform
The name of the field will appear in red and the word Required will appear to the right of the field in red.
Saving a bibliographic record without filling in a Required field
If a Required field is not filled out when an attempt is made to save the record, a warning will pop up, identifying the field that will need to be filled in before the record can be successfully saved.
Required fields will then be highlighted in yellow.
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