New Layout 2022
Overview of the New Layout
Beginning with the August 2022 release, Ex Libris is gradually introducing a set of new layout features in Alma task lists. These features are designed to facilitate quicker access to common processes, more focused filtering by means of multiple facet-value selection, and the ability to perform workflow tasks while the task list remains visible.
The rollout process for the new layout of each type of task list is scheduled to take place over at least three quarterly releases. During this time period, users will be able to choose whether to work with the old layout or the new layout; see Opting In or Out of a New Feature.
Task List
When you first open a task-management page, such as the Borrowing Requests page, it opens a task list in the right panel, with a Facets panel to its left. You can use the Facets filtering system and the sort feature, as well as other options that are specific to certain types of tasks, to help you find the tasks you need to work with.
- Facets panel
- Collapse button
- Secondary-search controls (Resource Sharing task lists only)
- Sort controls
- Current status
- Label
- Assignee (select to see user information)
- Notes link (for Resource Sharing task lists, only displayed when notes exist and are active; see The Alma User Interface)
- Actions menu
- Task checkbox
- More actions button (row actions)
- Main action
- Refresh
- Export
- Requester (select to see user information)
Facets
The Facets panel enables you to filter the task list so that you only see tasks that meet selected conditions. The facets are divided into categories, such as Status and Creation Date. In the New Layout, you can select multiple values in each category, enabling you to filter the task list so that it only shows the exact collection of tasks you need to see. The currently selected facets appear at the top of the Facets panel, under Refine by.
In some cases, a particular facet value is already selected when you first open a task list. For example, when you open the resource-sharing Borrowing Requests task list, Activity Status "Active" is already selected. You can clear the selection if you wish, as explained below.
Selecting Facets
All facet categories relevant to the current task list appear in the Facets panel, with all of their values listed immediately below each category and, in parentheses beside each one, the number of items in the current task list that have that value.
In the New Layout, the Assignment and Activity Status filters are now categories in the Facets panel, so you can select one or more specific assignees and an activity status as filter conditions. In addition, Labels are a category in the Facets panel, so you can filter the task list based on the labels that are assigned to tasks.
If you select multiple values in a single category, tasks with any of the selected values are included in the list (i.e., the logical relationship between selected values within a category is OR). If you select values in multiple categories, only tasks that meet at least one of the selected requirements in each category are included in the list (i.e., the logical relationship between selected categories is AND). If you do not select any values in a category (or you select all of the values in a category), the category has no effect on the filter process.
- In the Facet panel, select the value you want to include in the task list. It is added to the list of active facets, and the change is implemented immediately – the task list is filtered in accordance with all of the currently selected facets.
- In the Facet panel, select the checkbox beside each value you want to include in the task list.
- At the bottom of the Facet panel, select Apply. The task list is filtered in accordance with your selections.
- In the upper part of the Facets panel, select the x beside each value you want to remove. To remove all facet values, select Clear all.
Collapsing the Facets Panel
If you want to have more space for the task list, you can collapse the Facets panel.
- At the bottom of the Facets panel, select Collapse (
).
- At the bottom of the collapsed Facets panel, select Expand (
).
In smaller screens, the Facets panel is automatically collapsed, and when you expand it, it overlaps the task list.
Secondary Search
The secondary search allows you to search the current task list for tasks that meet certain criteria. It is available for Resource-Sharing Borrowing-Request and Lending-Request task lists. For additional information, see Managing Borrowing Requests, Managing Lending Requests.
Sorting the Task List
You can sort the task list by various criteria.
- Under Sort by, select the desired sort criterion. The list is sorted.
- Select
.
Information in the Task List
For each task in the task list, Alma displays basic information about the task, as well as its current status. If the task list is wide enough, icons showing labels that are attached to the task and its current assignee, also appear, as well as a link to attached notes. If the list is not wide enough to display these objects, selecting a task in the list opens the Details pane, where this information also appears.
Customizing the Record Display
The record display - the display of each task in a task list - can be configured to suit your needs, by hiding information that is not relevant to your work and changing the order and/or locations of the information that is displayed, to make it easier for you to find the information you need quickly.
- Above the task list, select Customize (
). The customization menu opens. - Under User customization, select Record customization. The Record Customization pane opens on top of the task list, and outlines the current layout of the record display in the task list - its columns, the fields that can be displayed in them, and their current arrangement. It also explains what adjustments are made to the display of each column if the window is not wide enough to display all of the information from all of the columns.
A Move (
) icon appears beside fields that can be moved; they can be moved up or down within columns or sideways between the first and second columns. A selected checkbox beside a field indicates that that field will be displayed in each record; a cleared checkbox means that the field will not be displayed. Fields that cannot be moved or hidden, such as the title of a book in a resource-sharing task list, appear in the pane, but their checkboxes cannot be cleared, and they do not have Move icons.
Record Customization pane for resource-sharing Borrowing Requests task list - To move fields, drag their Move () icons up or down to change the order in which they appear in a column, or to the right or left to move them to a different column.
- To hide a field entirely, clear the checkbox beside its name.
- When you have finished customizing the record display, at the top of the panel, select Apply. The changes are implemented.
- When any of the customization settings are customized, a dot appears on the Customize sections icon -
. - To revert to the default settings, select Reset to default.
Opening a User-Information Pop-Up
You can see additional details about a user (assignee, requester, etc.) whose name appears in the task list (or the Details pane; see New Layout 2022 below).
- Select the name of the user. A pop-up opens and displays additional information about the user.
Actions Menu
The Actions menu allows you to perform actions on one or more selected tasks (changing status, removing tasks, managing labels, etc.) or actions that are not related to any specific task in the task list (e.g., creating a new task).
You can select tasks on different pages in the task list, and perform the action you select on all of them.
- In the task list, select the checkbox beside each task on which you want to perform the required action. The options that can be performed on the selected tasks become available in the Actions menu.
- In the Actions menu, select the action to perform. (For information about managing labels, see Managing Labels Through the Actions Menu, below.)
Depending on how wide the task list is, the Actions menu may be expanded so that each of the options it contains appears separately above the task list, or collapsed so that some or all of the options are only available in the Actions dropdown menu.
Managing Labels Through the Actions Menu
Labels are reusable identifiers that can be attached to tasks as required. Each label is essentially one word; no blank spaces can be included in a label. (Hyphens and underscores can be used to separate words, if necessary.) Labels attached to a task are displayed in the task's line in task lists, and are automatically color-coded there in order to highlight them.
You can use labels for a variety of purposes, including: to highlight important features of particular tasks, to group tasks, and to make it easier to find them later on. For example, you could attach an "Exhibition" label to all the books that are being requested from other libraries in your network for a particular exhibition that is planned at your library.
Labels are also included as a category in the Facets panel, so they can be used to help find particular tasks. For example, you could select the "Exhibition" label in the Facets panel to find all tasks with this label.
When one or more tasks are selected in a task list, you can attach labels to – or remove labels from – all the selected tasks, from the Actions menu. You can choose labels that already exist in your system, or create new ones on the fly, as required. Any new labels you create are saved in the system and available for reuse. Each type of task has its own list of saved labels.
You can also manage the labels of individual tasks in the Details pane; see Managing Labels in the Details Pane, below.
- In the task list, select the checkbox beside each task to which you want to add labels.
Do not be concerned if your selections include some tasks that already have some or all of the labels you choose to add; the labels will not be attached a second time, and the process will not fail.
- In the Actions menu, select Manage Labels. The label manager opens.
- Select Add Labels.
- Select the Labels field.
Save (
) and Cancel (
) buttons are added below the field. - Do one of the following:
- Begin typing the text of the label. A list of existing labels that contain the sequence of characters you enter is displayed. If the exact sequence you type is not the full name of a label that already exists, a new label, containing just the sequence you type is also added to the list (as a suggestion - it is not saved at this point).
- Select the field a second time. A list of all the existing labels is displayed.
- Select the labels you want to add to the task.
- Select Save, and then select Assign to selected. The label is attached to the selected tasks. If it was a new label, it is also saved in the system.
- If the labels you added do not appear in the selected tasks, refresh the task list.
- In the task list, select the checkbox beside each task from which you want to remove labels.
Do not be concerned if your selections include some tasks that do not have some or all of the labels you choose to remove; the labels will still be removed from the selected tasks that do have them, and the process will not fail.
- In the Actions menu, select Manage Labels. The label manager opens.
- Select Remove Labels.
- Select the Labels field. A list of existing labels opens.
- Select the labels you want to remove from the currently selected tasks.
- Click outside the label area, or select Assign to selected. The labels are removed from the selected tasks.
- If the labels you removed still appear in the selected tasks, refresh the task list.
If, after you remove a label from one or more tasks, the label is no longer attached to any tasks, the label is deleted from the list of saved labels.
Performing Actions on Individual Tasks
Depending on the type of task and its current status, various actions can be performed on individual tasks that appear in the task list, such as assigning it to a staff member, updating its status, sending messages to people interested in the task (patrons, vendors, staff members), and viewing and editing its details. The More actions button (
) gives you access to the available row actions for each task, given its current status. The Main action of the list of available row actions may appear as a separate button beside the More actions button (). For example, if Edit is the main action for a task, given its current status, there may be a separate Edit button beside the More actions button (see Task List above).
You can customize the More actions menu by changing the order in which the row actions appear in it and by hiding row actions you do not use. The order in which the row actions are listed also determines which action will be the Main action, with a button of its own.
- Above the task list, select Customize (). The customization menu opens.
- Under User customization, select Actions customization. The Action Customization pane opens on top of the task list.
The first item in the list is the Main action. It is this action that appears as a separate button beside the More actions button, when the action is available for the task. (If it is not, the next action in the list that is available for the task serves as the Main action.)
Action Customization pane for resource-sharing Borrowing Requests task list - To move row actions within the More actions menu, drag their Move () icons up or down.
- To hide an action entirely, drag it to the Hide actions area at the bottom of the pane.
- When you have finished customizing the row actions list, at the top of the panel, select Apply. The changes are implemented.
- When any of the customization settings are customized, a dot appears on the Customize sections icon - .
- To revert to the default settings, select Reset to default.
Refreshing the Task List
In some cases, the results of actions that are performed in the task list are not visible until the display is refreshed.
- Above the task list, select Refresh (
).
Exporting to Excel
You can export the current task list to Excel. A maximum of 100,000 lines can be exported at one time; if the task list is longer than this, only the first 100,000 tasks are exported. For additional information about exporting to Excel, see Export to Excel.
- Select Export. The download process begins immediately. During the export, Alma displays a progress bar. Downloading proceeds in the foreground. While the download is in progress, you can select Cancel to cancel the download.
Views
The New Layout supports three views:
- Split view: In Split view, an additional Details pane is added to the right panel, alongside the task list. This pane provides fast access to more information about the currently selected task and to many workflow and editing options.
- Full Page view: In Full Page view, either the task list or the Details pane is displayed in the entire right panel. You can switch between them as necessary.
- List view: In List view, the task list is displayed in the entire right panel, and the Details pane is hidden.
Split view is only available if the window is wide enough to provide a useful display area. In narrow windows, such as those that are opened on relatively small computer screens, Full Page view is activated automatically.
Split View
In Split view, a Details pane is added to the right panel alongside the task list, and the most significant information about the currently selected task is displayed there. Some of the task's fields can be edited in this pane, notes and labels can be attached to the task directly from this pane, and other handling and editing options can be accessed from a dropdown menu. Because the task list remains open beside the Details pane, you do not lose sight of the task list while you are working on the selected task. The Split view option can be turned on or off, as desired.
-
When Split view is turned on (see below), in a task list, select a task. The Details pane opens and displays further information about the selected task.
- Details pane
- Customize button
- Split screen button (on)
- Drag to resize
- Open full page view
- Close Details pane
Resizing the Panes
By default, when the Details pane is open, the task list and the Details pane are of equal widths. You can change their proportions by dragging the border between the two panes to the right or left. If you leave the page after you adjust the arrangement of the panes, the system saves the arrangement, and implements it the next time you open the same page.
- Align your mouse cursor with the border between the two panes. The cursor changes into a resize icon (
). - Drag right or left to resize the panes as required.
Closing the Details Pane
When the Details pane is open, you can close it, so that you only see the task list.
- Select Close (x - #6 in the illustration above).
Turning the Split Screen Option On or Off
You can turn the Split view option on or off. When it is turned on, selecting a task in the task list opens the Details pane alongside the task list, as described above. When it is turned off, selecting a task in the task list opens the Details pane in Full Page view, as described below.
Select the Split screen button (#3 in the illustration above).
Full Page View
In Full Page view, either the task list or the Details pane is displayed in the entire right panel.
- On the border between the two panes, select the Open Full Page view (
) button. The Details pane fills the entire right panel.
- Back to list
- Sections menu
- Return to split view
- Select an item in the task list.
- Select Back to list.
- Select Return to split view (
).
Working in the Details Pane
The Details pane displays information about the currently selected task, and provides a number of convenient features for editing and processing the task.
1. Sections menu
2. Main action
3. More actions button
4. Navigation arrows
5. Label
6. Notes section
7 & 8. Editable sections
Navigating Within the Details Pane
The Details pane is divided into sections. The first section provides basic information about the selected task. Additional sections display further information, provide fields in which you can edit some of the task's information, and enable you to add notes and labels to the task. The sections available in the Details pane vary depending on the type of task.
Navigating Between Sections
You can navigate from section to section either by scrolling or by selecting a section from the Sections menu.
Navigating Between Tasks
You can navigate from task to task either by selecting one of the navigation arrows to go up or down in the task list, or by selecting a different task in the task list.
Expanding and Collapsing the Sections Menu
The Sections menu can remain open while you are working in the Details pane, or it can be collapsed to allow more space for the other components displayed in the window.
- At the bottom of the menu, select Collapse ().
- At the bottom of the collapsed menu, select Expand ().
In smaller screens, the Sections menu is automatically collapsed, and when you expand it, it overlaps the rest of the Details pane.
Counters in the Sections Menu
For some options in the Sections menu, counters indicating how many items exist in the section appear in parentheses after the name of the section. For example, a Notes section that contains two notes would appear as Notes (2), while a Notes section that does not contain any notes would appear without a counter in parentheses, simply as Notes.
Additional Links in the Sections Menu
In some types of tasks, additional links appear in the Sections menu. These links open additional information about the task in a sliding panel, rather than in the Details pane itself, and are identified by link icons (
). Like the Sections options in the menu, these links may have counters in parentheses indicating how many objects in that category are defined for the task.
Required-Information Indication
A red asterisk (*) marks sections that contain fields that must be filled in in order for the workflow to proceed.
Editable Sections
Some fields of a selected task can be edited directly in the Details pane. Sections that contain editable fields are shaded light blue. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk (*).
In some types of task lists, such as PO line task lists, you cannot edit the fields of a task unless you are in Edit mode. In these cases, an Edit button (
) appears in the task list, and another Edit button (
) appears at the top of the Details pane when it is opened. In other types of task lists, such as Resource Sharing task lists, sections can be edited individually, and without first entering Edit mode.
In addition, in order to enter Edit mode, it may be necessary for the task to be assigned to you.
In the task you want to edit, select the Edit button. The task is opened for editing in the Details pane, and Save and Cancel buttons are added at the top of the pane.
- Select anywhere in the shaded region containing the field. All of the editable fields in the region become available for editing. If you did not previously enter Edit mode, Save and Cancel buttons are added to the region.
- Select fields and edit their contents as required.
Editing a field - Select Save. The changes you made are saved in the task.
Managing Notes in the Details Pane
Any notes that are already attached to the selected task are displayed in the Details pane, in the Notes section. You can also add, edit, and delete notes in this pane.
For information about active and inactive notes in Resource Sharing task lists, see The Alma User Interface.
Two views of the Notes section are available, Notes layout mode and List layout mode. List layout mode supports searching within and sorting of the existing notes, but Notes layout mode does not. To switch between the modes, select an option at the top of the section (
).
- In the Notes section, select Add Note. A new blank note is added to the section.
- In the blank note, select the Enter Text Here message.
- Enter the note text.
- Do one of the following:
- In Notes layout, select any spot outside of the note.
- In List layout, in the note, select Save.
The note is saved and attached to the item.
- Select the text area of the note and then modify the note as required.
- Do one of the following:
- In Notes layout, select any spot outside of the note.
- In List layout, in the note, select Save.
The changes are saved.
In List layout:
- Select the note.
- Select the Delete button.
- Confirm the deletion. The note is deleted.
In Notes layout:
- Place your mouse on the note. A Remove button (
) appears in the upper-right corner of the note. - Select the Remove button ().
- Confirm the deletion. The note is deleted.
- At the top of the notes, under Sort by, select the option by which to sort the notes. The list is sorted.
- Select the Sort icon ().
- At the top of the notes, select the Search icon (
). The search options and search text fields open.
- Select the search option, and enter the text to search for in the notes.
- Select the Search icon (). The list of notes is filtered so that only those that match the search criteria are displayed.
Managing Labels in the Details Pane
Any labels that are already attached to the selected task are displayed in the Details pane, in the General Information section at the top of the pane. You can also attach additional labels to a task and remove labels from a task in this pane. For additional information about labels, see Managing Labels Through the Actions Menu, above.
Labels can also be managed for multiple tasks at once from the Actions menu; see Managing Labels Through the Actions Menu, above.
- In the Details pane, in the top section, select the label area. The label area becomes editable, and a text field in which you can enter the name of a new label opens.
If no labels are attached to the task, select Add Label. If labels are already attached to the task, select the label area.
- Select the label area again to open a list of already-defined labels below the field (if labels already exist).
- Do one of the following:
- To attach an existing label, select it from the list. You can select multiple labels.
- To create a new label, type its text.
- Click outside the label area, and then select the Save button (
). The selected labels are attached to the task. - If the labels you added do not appear in the selected tasks, refresh the task list.
- In the Details pane, in the top section, select the label area.
- Do one of the following:
- Select the x on a label you want to remove. The label is removed from the label area, and a list of the labels currently attached to the task appears.
- Select the label area again. A list of the labels currently attached to the task appears.
- In the list of the labels currently attached to the task, clear the checkboxes beside each of the labels you want to remove from the task.
- Click outside the label area, and then select the Save button (). The labels are removed from the task.
- If the labels you removed still appear in the task's row in the task list, refresh the task list.
If, after you remove a label from a tasks, the label is no longer attached to any tasks, the label is deleted from the list of saved labels. (You may have to refresh the task list to see the change.)
More Actions and Main Action Buttons
The More actions (
) and Main action (e.g., Edit) buttons (see Performing Actions on Individual Tasks above), are both available in the Details pane when it is open. If the Details pane is wide enough, some or all of the options in the More actions menu appear as separate buttons at the top of the pane, alongside the Main action button.
If the task list is wide enough, these options are also available in the task list. Otherwise, when the Details pane is open, they only appear there.
Customizing the Details Pane
You can choose which sections to display in the Details pane, and the order in which they should appear. You can set the default settings for your institution and/or your own personal settings.
The top section cannot be moved or hidden.
- Above the task list, select Customize (). The customization menu opens.
- To customize your own display, under User customization, select Details sections customization.
To set the default settings for your institution, under Institution customization, select Details sections customization.
The appropriate Sections Customization pane opens on top of the Details pane.
Section Customization pane for resource-sharing Borrowing Requests task list (institution-level settings) - Under Display sections, drag the sections up or down to change the order in which they appear in the Details pane.
- To hide a section entirely, drag it to the Hide sections area.
- When you have finished customizing the section display, at the top of the panel, select Apply. The changes are implemented.
- When any of the customization settings are customized, a dot appears on the Customize sections icon - .
- To revert to the default settings, select Reset to default.
Sliding Panel
When you select certain options in the New Layout task lists, the result is displayed in a sliding panel that is superimposed on the task list. For example, in the Resource Sharing > Borrowing Requests page, selecting Edit in a task opens the full request form in a sliding panel in which it can be edited.
- Page header
- Task header
- Back
- Close
The page header contains the page title and various action buttons. The task header, containing the task title and buttons you can select in order to see more information about the task.
- Back
- Close
- Cancel
- Select Save.
- Select Save and Edit.