User Manual

66
Store/Forward
Use this tab to configure the optional store and forward feature.
This section describes the feature, lists feature limitations, describes the
entire store and forward process, and describes how to configure the feature.
About the store and forward feature
Store and Forward is an optional feature that enables the SelfCheck system
to process library materials when the circulation system is unavailable. While
operating offline, the SelfCheck system stores transactions for later
forwarding to the circulation system. When back online, stored transactions
are forwarded to the circulation system.
Limitations
Lack of access to the circulation system imposes some limitations on the
offline operation of the SelfCheck system. They include the following:
 Reserved items can be inadvertently checked out.
 Magnetic media can be ruined by accidental processing in the
V-Cradle because the ILS cannot identify an item as magnetic media and
warn the SelfCheck system not to desensitize the security strip.
 Customer and item IDs can be confused if a customer scans one or the
other at the wrong time (scans an item ID when prompted for a customer
ID, for example). This limitation can be overcome, however, by setting up
validators. (See “Validating customer and item IDs” on page 58.)
 Transactions can be processed out of order, which can invalidate some
of the item data. This is dependent on the circulation system. If it
processes transactions according to the date imbedded in the SIP
message, item data should be valid. If not, however, the last transaction
it processes will determine the status of an item. This can be an issue if
the library runs more than one SelfCheck system in Offline mode and
allows both check-in and checkout during this time. To minimize this
problem, 3M recommends that you either run one SelfCheck system with
customer-selectable check-in and checkout or have multiple SelfCheck
systems running only in check-out mode.
 Manual updates may be necessary. If transactions fail during the
forwarding process, a list of the failed transactions is generated for the
librarian to review. At that point, the librarian must manually update the
circulation system based on list entries.
 Customers who have had their library privileges suspended will be able to
check items out unless their IDs have been entered in the blocked
customer list.