Notices And Slips | Best Book Buddies
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Know patrons and circulation features.

  • Get there: More > Tools > Patrons and Circulation > Notices & Slips

All notices and circulation receipts (or slips) generated by Koha can be customized using the Notices & Slips Tool. The system comes with several predefined templates that will appear when you first visit this tool.

notices

Each notice can be edited, but only a few can be deleted, this is to prevent system errors should a message try to send without a template. Each notice and slip can be edited on a per library basis, by default you will see the notices for all libraries.

If you have a style you'd like applied to all slips you can point the SlipCSS preference to a stylesheet. The same is true for notices, using the NoticeCSS preference to define a stylesheet.

You will also want to review the Notices & Slips Field Guide for more information on formatting these notices.

To add a new notice or slip

  • Click 'New Notice'

    newnotice

  • Choose which library this notice or slip is for

  • Choose the module this notice is related to

  • The Code is limited to 20 characters

      Important

      When working with the overdue notices you want each notice at each branch to have a unique code. Think about using the branch code in front of the notice code for each branch.

  • Use the name field to expand on your Code

      Note

      With overdue notices, be sure to put your branch name in the description as well so that it will be visible when setting up your triggers.

  • Next you can customize the notice for every possible delivery method

    • Every notice should have an Email template set for it

      newemail

    • If you're using the TalkingTechItivaPhoneNotification service you can set up a Phone notification

      newphone

    • If you plan on printing this notice you can set the Print template next

      newprint

    • If you have enabled SMS notices with the SMSSendDriver preference you can set the text for your SMS notices next

      newsms

  • Each notice offers you the same options

    • If you plan on writing the notice or slip in HTML check the 'HTML Message' box, otherwise the content will be generated as plain text

    • Message Subject is what will appear in the subject line of the email

    • In the message body feel free to type whatever message you feel is best, use the fields on the left hand side to enter individualized data from the from database.

        Note

        Review the Notices & Slip Field Guide for info on what fields can be used here.

        Important

        Overdue notices can use <<items.content>> tags by themselves, or use <item></item> to span all of the tags. Learn more about the Overdue Notice Markup

        • On overdue notices make sure to use <<items.content>> tags to print out the data related to all items that are overdue.

        • The other option, only for overdue notices, is to use the <item></item> tags to span the line so that it will print out multiple lines One example for the <item></item> tag option is:

          <item>"<<biblio.title>>" by <<biblio.author>>, <<items.itemcallnumber>>, Barcode: <<items.barcode>> , Checkout date: <<issues.issuedate>>, Due date: <<issues.date_due>> Fine: <<items.fine>> Due date: <<issues.date_due>> </item>






        Important

        Only the overdue notices take advantage of the <item></item> tags, all other notices referencing items need to use <<items.content>>

        Note

        To add today's date you can use the <<today>> syntax

        Note

        If you don't want to print the patron's full name on your slips or notice you can enter data in the Other name or Initials field for each patron and use that value instead.

When creating your overdue notices there are two tags in addition to the various database fields that you can use in your notices. You will also want to review the Notices & Slips Field Guide for information on formatting item information in these notices.

Important

These new tags only work on the overdue notices, not other circulation related notices at this time.

These tags are <item> and </item> which should enclose all fields from the biblio, biblioitems, and items tables.

An example of using these tags in a notice template might be like:

   The following item(s) is/are currently overdue:

   <item>"<<biblio.title>>" by <<biblio.author>>, <<items.itemcallnumber>>, Barcode: <<items.barcode>> Fine: <<items.fine>></item>

Which, assuming two items were overdue, would result in a notice like: 

   The following item(s) is/are currently overdue:

   "A Short History of Western Civilization" by Harrison, John B, 909.09821 H2451, Barcode: 08030003 Fine: 3.50
   "History of Western Civilization" by Hayes, Carlton Joseph Huntley, 909.09821 H3261 v.1, Barcode: 08030004 Fine: 3.50

Among the default notices are notices for several common actions within Koha. All of these notices can be customized by altering their text via the Notices & Slips tool and their style using the NoticeCSS preference to define a stylesheet. You will also want to review the Notices & Slips Field Guide for information on formatting item information in these notices. Here are some of what those notices do:

  • ACCTDETAILS

    • Sent to patrons when their account is set up if the AutoEmailOPACUser preference is set to 'Send'

  • ACQCLAIM (Acquisition Claim)

    • Used in the claim acquisition module

    • Get there: More > Acquisitions > Late issues

  • CHECKIN

    • This notice is sent as the 'Check in' notice for all items that are checked in

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • CHECKOUT

    • This notice is sent as the 'Check out' notice for all items that are checked out

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • DUE

    • This notice is sent as the 'Item due' for an item is due

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • DUEDGST

    • This notice is sent as the 'Item due' for all items that are due

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice as a digest

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • HOLD (Hold Available for Pickup)

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

    • When this notice references the branches table it is referring to the pickup branch information.

  • HOLDPLACED (a notice to the library staff that a hold has been placed)

    • This notice requires the emailLibrarianWhenHoldIsPlaced system preference to be set to 'Enable'

    • When this notice references the branches table it is referring to the pickup branch information.

  • MEMBERSHIP_EXPIRY

  • ODUE (Overdue Notice)

  • PREDUE

    • This notice is sent as the 'Advanced notice' for an item is due

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • PREDUEDGST

    • This notice is sent as the 'Advanced notice' for all items that are due

    • This notice is used if two criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The patron has requested to receive this notice as a digest

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • RENEWAL

    • This notice is sent as the 'Check out' notice for all items that are renewed

    • This notice is used if three criteria are met:

      1. The EnhancedMessagingPreferences is set to 'Allow'

      2. The RenewalSendNotice preference is set to 'Send'

      3. The patron has requested to receive the checkout notice

        • Get there: OPAC > Login > my messaging

        • Get there: Staff Client > Patron Record > Notices

  • RLIST (Routing List)

    • Used in the serials module to notify patrons/staff of new issues of a serial

    • You have the option to select the 'Routing List' notice when creating a new subscription (Choose from the 'Patron notification' drop down).

      • Note

      Notice also that if you'd like to notify patrons of new serial issues, you can click on 'define a notice' which will take you to the 'Notices' tool

  • SHARE_ACCEPT

  • SHARE_INVITE

    • Used to notify a patron that another patron would like to share a list with them.

    • Requires that you set OpacAllowSharingPrivateLists to 'Allow'

  • TO_PROCESS

There are also a set of predefined slips (or receipts) listed on this page. All of these slips can be customized by altering their text via the Notices & Slips tool and their style using the SlipCSS preference to define a stylesheet. Here is what those slips are used for:

  • ISSUEQSLIP

    • Used to print the quick slip in circulation

    • The quick slip only includes items that were checked out today

  • ISSUESLIP

    • Used to print a full slip in circulation

    • The slip or receipt will show items checked out today as well as items that are still checked out

  • HOLD_SLIP

    • Used to print a holds slip

    • The holds slip is generated when a hold is confirmed

  • TRANSFERSLIP

    • Used to print a transfer slip

    • The transfer slip is printed when you confirm a transfer from one branch to another in your system

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