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    Intota Assessment: Non-transactional Circulation Data

    • Product: Intota

    My library's ILS does not use transactional data where each record contains an associated date for each individual use, can this have implications for how our data displays in some Intota Assessment reports?

    When loading ILS (Print) data into Intota Assessment, circulation data is ingested to indicate an item s usage (for example: checkouts, renewals, in-house use). Transactional data is ideal because each record contains an associated date for each individual use. Having a date connected with each circulation activity allows greater ability to plot data over time providing better trend analysis capabilities within Intota Assessment.

    While some ILS store and allow the export of individual transactional data from a database or log file, other ILS may not either the data is not stored/retained, or the data is not able to be exported. Most ILS utilize an incremental counter at the item level to record total checkouts and renewals, and in-house uses, and this data is stored in a total transaction field. Most ILS also have a field to store the last used date or last checkout date. The total transaction and last used/last checkout date fields may be used to provide the circulation data for the ILS (Print) data load if transactional data is not available.

    When the above fields at the item level are used, there are some constraints on certain reports in Intota Assessment. Below is a list of print reports that are impacted when such non-transactional circulation data is used.

    Library Reports >> Books >>

    • Top Chart (Top 10 Publishers by Circulation)
    • Print Cost by Publisher
    • Print Cost by Subject
    • Print Book Cost Per Use
    The results set of the above reports will include items where the last used/last checkout date is in the usage period selected. Because there is only one date associated with all circulation activity, the usage reported will be the cumulative checkouts (not just the ones that occurred in the usage period selected).

    The below Book reports are impacted as well:
    • Print Checkouts by Year: The total usage number will include the total checkouts/renewals/in-house uses for all items associated with the title where the last used/last checkout date is within the Calendar Year(s) selected.
    • Print Circulation Dynamics: Since there is only one date available (last checkout date) often the first and last use fields in the report will display the same date (unless there is more than one item associated with the title then the first date may reflect the item that last circulated earlier in time and the last date will reflect the most recent circulation). The item was likely checked out before the date that is displaying as the first use (unless there is one checkout only). Therefore the First Use and Months Until report data may not be very reliable as they are not truly representative of the first use and thus the time between acquisition and first use (months until) will also be affected.
      • Note that the Last Use, Months Since as well as the Months Elapsed report data should be considered accurate and reliable. Additionally, in this report the Total Use is for the lifetime of the item so these numbers are also accurate and reliable.


    • Date Created: 7-Sep-2015
    • Last Edited Date: 10-Sep-2015
    • Old Article Number: 13101
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