EOD import - inconsistent handling of duplicate records in import file

Question

Through human error, we received two files from the vendor which contained the same two MARC records and exact same order details. The import profile says that if the record already exists then it should not be imported. Alma imported the two files as part of the same import job. Result was that one of the records was imported once, and then the match for the same record was recognised and the order on the second copy of the same record was applied to the single record (= 1 bib record with 2 POLs). But the other duplicate records were *both* imported, with a POL attached to each (= 2 bib records, each with 1 POL). Why were both duplicate records imported for the second title whereas for the first title, the match for the same record was recognised and the record imported only once?

Answer

The reason why the second record imported twice is that it didn't have an 001 field. You can see it when converting the imported MARC file to XML:

- first title

-<marc:record>
<marc:leader>00556nam a22001817a 4500</marc:leader>
<marc:controlfield tag="001"> 201304726</marc:controlfield>
<marc:controlfield tag="008">141107s2014 enk ||||||eng d</marc:controlfield>
-<marc:datafield tag="020" ind2=" " ind1=" "><marc:subfield code="a">9780199791200 (Cloth)</marc:subfield></marc:datafield>
..

- second title

-<marc:record>
<marc:leader>00560nam a22001817a 4500</marc:leader>
<marc:controlfield tag="008">141107s2013 nyu ||||||eng d</marc:controlfield>
-<marc:datafield tag="020" ind2=" " ind1=" "><marc:subfield code="a">9780199931767 (Paper)</marc:subfield></marc:datafield>
..

• Article last edited: 1/12/2015