p_cir_32 / patron scrubbing questions

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Article Type: General
Product: Aleph
Product Version: 20

Description:
We're looking at running p_cir_32 for the first time to scrub patron data (our records in Z35 date back to 2003, 3.7 million entries) and have a few questions.

1) Will we still be able to circulate books while the job is running?
2) We have found about 600,000 entries in the table that are code 82 - return of nonloaned items. Can we safely delete these entries?
3) The "Number of days to retain" option is limited to 3 characters in the GUI. If we were to run that job from the job daemon could we have more than 3 characters?
4) Could we scrub the user data ourselves using SQL directly on the database for Z35?
5) Can we just completely blow away all of the contents of Z35? Would the system miss it?

Resolution:
1) Will we still be able to circulate books while the job is running?

<<js KB 8192-7033 describes how to tell if a job locks the library. p_cir_32 does not lock the library.

2) We have found about 600,000 entries in the table that are code 82 - return of nonloaned items. Can we safely delete these entries?

<<js I assume that the "table" you refer is the z35.... See #5 below.

3) The "Number of days to retain" option is limited to 3 characters in the GUI. If we were to run that job from the job daemon could we have more than 3 characters?

<<js Since, in #5, you are talking about "blowing away" the contents of the z35, I don't understand why you would need a "Number of days to retain" greater than 999 ... 999 means that you would be leaving the patron ID's in 2.5 years-worth of z35's.

4) Could we scrub the user data ourselves using SQL directly on the database for Z35?

<js This is possible. It used to be done with SQL, before p_cir_32. But I don't see what the advantage would be. If you go this route, you should study the options in the p_cir_32 Help to make sure that you are accounting for them properly.

5) Can we just completely blow away all of the contents of Z35? Would the system miss it?

<<js As described in KB 16384-18578, the z35 is used to produce circulation statistics. if you were to completely blow away the z35 you would be unable to produce statistics ... even for last week.

Article last edited: 10/8/2013