You can import information, such as textbook data and cover art, to Textbook Tracker from outside sources to add to or update your existing data. The Imports interface places everything you need to quickly find, modify, and run an import of patron, item, and transaction command information. You can also create and schedule your own custom imports.

Image Added

Toolbar

Image Added Quick/Saved. Choose the Quick tab to run a one-time import, or choose the Saved tab to run a customized import via FTP.

Image Added Lock/Unlock. In a saved report, click the padlock icon to unlock it for editing.

Image Added Actions. Options to duplicate or delete a saved report. 

Image Added Switch Site. In a Central Union, click this icon to change the site you're working in.

Image Added Operations Management. Go to Operations Management to view and download the log of your finished import.

Image Added Support. Having trouble? This will open support documentation for this topic in another tab.

Quick/Saved

The list of available imports and the options they contain depend on whether you're in the Quick or Saved tab.

Quick Imports

The Quick tab contains import templates that do not store custom settings. They're mainly used for running one-time imports or as a foundation for custom Saved imports. Any modifications made to a particular import are discarded immediately upon clicking on another category. However, if you would like to save the Quick report you’ve just modified, click Create Saved Import at the bottom of the Selected Import pane. After adjusting the default name (optional), your new import—including custom settings—will be added to the Saved tab.

In the Imports Selection pane, click Choose File to select the file to import, then click Field Mapping to specify where the data will be imported.

Saved Imports

The Saved tab contains custom reports imports that you (or others) have created, saved, and shared. Saved reports can also be set to run on a schedule, emailed to the recipient(s) of your choice, and uploaded to an FTP server. Keep in mind that saved reports only keep the selection criteria used to create the report, not the results of the report itself. Saved reports can be run, modified, duplicated, or removed.

Toolbar

Image Removed Quick/Saved. Choose the Quick tab to run a one-time import, or choose the Saved tab to run a customized import via FTP.

Image Removed Lock/Unlock. In a saved report, click the padlock icon to unlock it for editing.

 Saved imports store the selection criteria that was used to create it, not the import file itself. However, you can set it up to import a specific file from your FTP server, allowing operators to schedule recurrent imports with minimal initial setup time.

Changing the frequency of imports is quick and easy. For example, you can set it up to import new patron records and update existing patron records monthly, weekly, or even daily—no need to prepare reports or request downloadable import files from the office or technical support staff. Manual entry of fines and overdue statistics have become a thing of the past.

Image Removed Actions. Options to duplicate or delete a saved report. 

Image Removed Switch Site. In a Central Union, click this icon to change the site you're working in.

Image Removed Operations Management. Go to Operations Management to view and download the log of your finished import.

Image Removed Support. Having trouble? This will open support documentation for this topic in another tab.

Categories

Choose an import type from the Categories pane on the left. These categories are specialized, meaning the import is limited to the specific type. For example, if you select Patrons from the Categories pane, you will only be able to import patron records.

The import categories created specifically for Textbook Tracker are:

• Textbooks. Add or update textbook titles and copies.

• Images. Import new or update existing patron pictures, item cover art, or textbook cover art.
  
  

Other import categories are included as part of Alexandria:

• Patrons. Import new or update existing patron records.

• Items. Import new or update existing item records.

• Circulation Groups. Import circulation group-based data not covered by the other import types.

• Images. Import new or update existing patron pictures and/or item cover art.

• Special. Import data conversion and enhancement files from Mitinet or other authorized partners.
  
  

Import Selection

The options here depend on whether you have Directly below the toolbar is the Import Selection pane. The information in this pane relates directly to the category you've selected, whether you're in the Quick or Saved tab selected., and the information entered into the filter bar (saved only).

The results in the Saved Imports list reflect the import type selected from the Categories pane and can be further refined by the Filter bar. For example, if you select Patrons from the Categories pane, the Import Selection pane will only display Saved patron imports.

Image Added Favorite. See the imports marked as Favorite.

 Shared. See the imports marked as Shared.

Image Added Operator. See the imports that you (the current operator) have saved.

Image Added Filter. Enter a term to filter the imports by title.

Select an import from the Import Selection pane to see it in the Selected Import pane, where you can manage the settings that determine what and how information is imported.

Quick Imports

Once you've selected a category, the associated import will be listed in the Imports Selection pane on the right. Scroll through the list to locate and select the one you'd like to view, modify, or run. In the Saved tab, you can further filter the list of imports by Favorites, Shared, and Operator (reports saved by you), or you can search for a specific report title.

Remember, the reports that appear in the Report Selection pane directly relate to the category (or subcategory) selected from the Categories pane and/or the information that is entered into the Filter bar.

Saved Imports

Selected Import

You can customize the import you've selected in the Selected Import pane. Quick imports have only the Selections and Options tabs, while Saved imports allow more customization options.Quick Imports to import a single fileSaved imports to schedule a

The controls at the bottom of the Selected Report pane depend on whether you're viewing a Quick or Saved report.

• Create Saved Import. Save this import with your custom settings so you can run it again later. (Requires FTP setup.)

• Run. Send your import to the Operations Management queue. When complete, the import log will be documented Operations Management.
  

Import File Source

Troubleshooting

All data is subject to the same import rules as Alexandria:

• Import fields can NOT begin or end with spaces or contain control characters.
  
• All runs of more than one space will be converted to a single space.
• Tab-delimited import files must contain a title field.
• Added titles must have a valid title with one or more characters.

General Textbook Data Import Rules

All data is subject to the same import rules as Alexandria in that Import fields can NOT contain Control Characters, begin or end with Spaces, and all runs of more than one Space are converted to a single space. These rules are further specified in the Textbook and Textbook Copies Schema where additional restrictions may be identified.

Import Settings

If the import options and/or the import data can not be reasonably processed, an error message is placed in the Operations Manager Summary PDF and the import is terminated or the record is Ignored.

If the import is not terminated, the Summary PDF will contain a line item for each imported record, with how it was processed, ADDED or UPDATED or Ignored  (Title if available) (Barcode if available) — at the end of the Summary should be a “summary” or count of the total number of records ADDED, UPDATED or Ignored.

Reject Import File

• Import files must have a Title field.
• If the import file is Tab Delimited file and there is no Title field in the import header; this is an error and the import is terminated with “Title Field required in import records. Import canceled.” The import is canceled. This is included in the summary file.

Record Error Logging

Added Titles must have a valid Title of one or more characters, or “Missing Title data, import record ignored.” is logged in the Summary and the imported record is ignored.

Settings that are not relevant to the selected Import Settings are visible and enabled, but the data is ignored for the import.

Valid with every scenario where a title is added or updated (i.e. all radio button options except Update Copies). Note that this only applies if there is no barcode in the import record.