Serials Management

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The Serials app allows to create serial records that store information about the status of the order, the title in the Receiving app, a description, a purchase order (PO) line and notes. The app also allows to create publication patterns and generate predicted piece sets. The receiving pieces you generate in the Serials app are shared with the Receiving app. To create a serial it is necessary to create an order and PO line in the Orders app in advance.

Definition of terms related to the Serials app:

  • Combination rules. Combination rules can be applied to combine issues in a publication cycle.
  • Cycle length. The amount of time it takes for a single cycle of the publication pattern to complete.
  • Days of publication, per cycle. The day(s) on which an issue is published, within one cycle of the publication pattern.
  • Label. Labels define the enumeration and chronology for the issues of a serial.
  • Omission rules. Omission rules can be applied to remove individual issues in a publication cycle.
  • Pattern ID. Is a unique ID that refers to a created publication pattern.
  • Piece sets. A predicted piece set shows information like date generated, pattern ID and a list of the next expected issues.
  • Publication cycle. This records how often issues are published, how many are published in that time and on what days they are published.
  • Publication pattern. This sets up everything about the expected publications of a serial so that it can generate the appropriate pieces and label them correctly.
  • Serial. A serial record provides a way of linking together various pieces of information for a serial like order line, publication pattern and predicted piece sets.
  • Template. A template defines how values from the enumeration and chronology labels are to be used in each predicted piece.
  • Token. In a template, tokens are used as a placeholder for different labels of the publication pattern.

Capabilities and Capability Sets

The capabilities listed below allow you to interact with the Serials app and determine what you can or cannot do within the app. You can assign capabilities to users in the Settings in Authorization roles. If none of these capabilities are assigned to a user, they are unable to see the Serials app or any related information.

Permission Display Name (OKAPI) Resource (EUREKA) Type Action Description
Serials: Create predicted pieces UI-Serials-Management Predictedpieces data edit Grants all capabilities included in Serials: Search & view predicted pieces plus the ability to creatre predicted pieces based on publication patterns.
Serials: Delete predicted pieces UI-Serials-Management Predictedpieces data delete Grants all capabilities included in Serials: Search & view predicted pieces plus the ability to delete predicted pieces that are not linked to receiving pieces.
Serials: Edit publication patterns UI-Serials-Management Rulesets data edit Grants all capabilities included in Serials: Edit serials plus the ability to create publication patterns.
Serials: Edit serials UI-Serials-Management Serials data edit Grants all capabilities included in Serials: Search & view serials plus the ability to edit serials. It does not include the ability to create Publication patterns.
Serials: Manage publication pattern templates UI-Serials-Management Modelrulesets data manage Grants capabilities to create and delete publication pattern templates.
Serials: Manage serials UI-Serials-Management Serials data manage Grants all capabilities included in Serials: Edit serials plus the ability to delete serials.
Serials: Search & view predicted pieces UI-Serials-Management Predictedpieces data view Grants all capabilities included in Serials: Search & view serials plus the ability to search and view predicted pieces.
Serials: Search & view serials UI-Serials-Management Serials data view A user with this capability set can search and view existing serials. This includes the capability to see and access the Serials app in the Folio interface and capability to view publication patterns.
Settings (Serials): Manage pick lists and values UI-Serials-Management Picklists data manage Grants all capabilities included in ‘Settings (Serials): View pick lists and values’ plus the ability to manage pick lists and pick list values.
Settings (Serials): View pick lists and values UI-Serials-Management Picklists data view A user with this capability set can access the settings for the Serials app and view pick lists and pick list values.
Settings (Service-interaction): View number generator settings and use number generators within apps UI-Service-Interaction NumberGenerator data view A user with this capability set can view number generator settings and use number generators within apps.
Settings (Service-interaction): Manage number generator settings and use number generators within apps UI-Service-Interaction NumberGenerator data manage A user with this capability set can manage number generator settings and use number generators within apps.

Note: Only one of the service-interaction capabilities is required for the user to be able to work with the Serials app.

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts allow you to perform actions in this app using the keyboard. See Platform essentials > Keyboard shortcuts for more information.

Creating a new serial

To create a serial record it is necessary to create an order and PO line in the Orders app in advance.

  1. In the Serials pane, click New.

  2. In the New serial window, select Select PO line. Search for the PO line you would like to link with this serial record and click on it in the Order lines pane. The PO line is now linked to the new serial record and information about the order number, order status, acquisition units, product IDs, vendor, funds, material type and the title is shown.

  3. Set the Status (required) accordingly, active or closed, add an optional description and optional notes.

  4. Save & Close

After choosing a PO line it is still possible to replace the PO line by clicking Replace PO line in the Serial record. It is also possible to delete the PO line by clicking the trash bin icon next to the Replace PO line button.

Clicking on the PO line in the Serials record takes you to the Orders app.

Clicking on View in inventory takes you to the Inventory app.

Adding a publication pattern

To add a publication pattern, you first need to create a serial. A serial record can have one publication pattern with an “Active” status at any one time, but can have multiple publication patterns with non-active statuses: “Deprecated” for ones that are no longer used, and “Draft” for ones being planned or setup for the future. When adding a new pattern older patterns automatically receive the status “Deprecated”.

  1. In the Search & filter pane, search for the serial to which you would like to add a publication pattern. Click on the record in the Serials pane.

  2. In the Serials record under the tab Publication pattern, click Add publication pattern.

  3. Select Status (required), active or deprecated or draft, and add an optional description.

  4. Fill in the Puclication cycle manually or search for a pattern template name or description. When using the pattern template search, select the pattern from the list to apply the template and have it fill out the form below with predefined values. Check that all required fields are filled in. Steps 7 to 9 are not usually necessary if you are using the pattern template search, unless you want to adjust the pattern.

  5. Optional: Add Omission rules when you would like to remove indivual issues in your publication cycle.

  6. Optional: Add Combination rules, which can be applied to combine sequences of issues into a single issue.

  7. Add chronology labels.

  8. Add enumeration labels.

  9. Fill in the Template to display the order of the specified labels correctly in the intended publication pattern.

  10. Optional: Preview your publication pattern.

  11. Save & Close

Publication cycle

The publication cycle consists of the cycle length and the days of publication, per cycle.

Cycle length

  1. Time unit (required). The time unit can be selected from the following options: Day, Week, Month and Year.

  2. Number of the time units (required). Enter the number of the time unit you have specified before, or use the arrow icons to increase or decrease the number.

  3. No. of issues published per cycle (required). Enter the number of issues published within one cycle of the pattern, or use the arrow icons to increase or decrease the number.

For example, for a monthly publication an publication cycle might be setup as follows:

  • Time unit: Month
  • Number of months: 1
  • No. of issues published per cycle: 1

A mnemonic for defining the cycle length could be as follows: Every [number of the time unit] [time unit] [No. of issues] issue/s is/are published.

Days of publication, per cycle

Days of publication, per cycle is only displayed once you have entered the cycle length.

  1. Choose a day format (required): “Day (1-31)” or “Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-4)”

  2. Depending on which day format you have selected, only Day or Day and Of week will be visible for you to fill in.

For example, a monthly issue published on the fourth Monday would be created as follows:

  • Day format: Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-4)
  • Day: Monday
  • Of week: 4

Adding omission rules

Running the publication pattern will generate a minimum of one year’s worth of predicted issues. Omission rules can be applied to remove individual issues. For example, to omit a public holiday, a specific month or week, or the “nth” issue from the year’s set of predicted issues.

  1. Click Add omission rule.

  2. The Time unit can be selected from the following options: Day, Week, Month and Issue. After choosing a time unit, the Omission rule type becomes visible.

  3. The Omission rule type varies depending on what Time unit is selected. For example, the time unit “Week” has two options: “Week (1-52)” and “Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec)”. By selecting “Week (1-52)” you can then decide whether you want to omit one specific week or omit several weeks. The checkbox Omit range of [time unit] only appears for the time units Week and Month.

  4. Click Add omission rule again, if you need more than one omission rule.

Omission rule type

Time unit: Day

  • Day (1-31), Month (Jan-Dec)
  • Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-52)
  • Day (Mon-Sun), Week (1-52), Month (Jan-Dec)
  • Day (1-31)
  • Day (Mon-Sun)

Time unit: Week

  • Week (1-52)
  • Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec)

Time unit: Month

  • Month (Jan-Dec)

Time unit: Issue

  • Issue (1-n)
  • Issue (1-n), Week (1-52)
  • Issue (1-n), Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec) or
  • Issue (1-n), Month (Jan-Dec)

Adding combination rules

  1. Click Add combination rule.

  2. Select Issue under Time unit. Afterwards the combination rule type becomes visible.

  3. Choose one of the following Combination rule type:

    • Issue (1-n)
    • Issue (1-n), Week (1-52)
    • Issue (1-n), Week (1-4), Month (Jan-Dec) or
    • Issue (1-n), Month (Jan-Dec)

    The rule type and associated fields will pinpoint the first issue to be included in the combination. Depending on which rule type has been selected, different fields are displayed that must be filled in. Afterwards enter the Total number of issues to combine.

  4. Click Add combination rule again, if you need more than one combination rule.

For example, a combinded July and August issue of a monthly published publication would be defined as follows:

  • Combination rule type: Issue (1-n), Month (Jan-Dec)
  • Issue: 7
  • Of month: July
  • Total number of issues to combine: 2

Define labelling

Chronology labels

  1. Click Chronology label and Add chronology label.

  2. Fill in Chronology format (Date, Month, Year) and Locale

    • Weekday format: Monday, MONDAY, Mon, MON
    • Month day format: 3, 3rd
    • Month format: October, 10, Oct
    • Year format: 2024, 24

  3. If required, add another label with Add chronology label.

  4. After the label has been filled in, the required template tokens are automatically displayed below and can be copied by clicking on the clipboard icon. Use the Template field to specify how the values from the chronology labels are to be used in each predicted piece.

Enumeration labels

  1. Click Enumeration label and Add enumeration label.

  2. Fill in Enumeration format (Enumeration Numeric or Enumeration Textual)

    • Numeric:

      • No. of units
      • Format: Number (1, 2, 3), Ordinal (1st, 2nd 3rd), Roman numerals (I, II, III)
      • Sequence: Continuous, Reset
      • Internal note

      Click Add level if your label contains more than one enumeration, e.g. volume and issue.

    • Textual:

      • Pick list: e.g. Season
      • No. of issues
      • Label text
      • Internal note

      Click Add value if your label contains more than one textual enumeration.

  3. If required, add another label with Add chronology label.

  4. After the label has been filled in, the required template tokens are automatically displayed below and can be copied by clicking on the clipboard icon. Use the Template field to specify how the values from the enumeration labels are to be used in each predicted piece.

Using templates

When using a pre-defined template pattern by using the template pattern search, the template field is already filled in automatically. If you wish, you can still change the template.

Writing a template manually requires you to know to include the appropriate values from each chronology and enumeration label you have set up. To use a value from an enumeration or chronology in the template, you will need to put a token in double curly braces in the template. The token will identify which enumeration or chronology label is being used, and which part of the label is being used. All other text in the template (i.e. text not in double curly braces) will be treated as simple text that should be included.

By clicking Preview it is possible to preview the labels for the publication pattern to make sure the expected pieces will be labeled and generated correctly.

Table for token examples:

Type of label Part of label Token example
Chronology Weekday {{chronology1.weekday}}
Chronology Month day {{chronology1.monthDay}}
Chronology Month {{chronology1.month}}
Chronology Year {{chronology1.year}}
Enumeration (numeric) Level 1 number {{enumeration1.level1}}
Enumeration (numeric) Level 2 number {{enumeration1.level2}}
Enumeration (numeric) Level n number {{enumeration1.leveln}}
Enumeration (textual) Value {{enumeration1}}

Note: If a second chronology label is added it is named chronology2. If a second enumeration label is added it is named enumeration2.

For example, a pattern with 2 issues per year with labeling “Volume 45, number 1 (2024)” is defined as follows:

Label 1:

  • Label style: Enumeration
  • Enumeration Format: Enumeration Numeric

Level 1 (volume):

  • No. of units: 1
  • Format: Number
  • Sequence: Continuous

Level 2 (issues):

  • No. units: 2
  • Format: Number
  • Sequence: Reset

Label 2 (year):

  • Label style: Chronology
  • Chronology format: Chronology Year
  • Locale: English
  • Year format: 2024

Template: Volume {{enumeration1.level1}}, number {{enumeration1.level2}} ({{chronology1.year}})

More information about templates: “Using Templates” by Owen Stephens

Generating predicted pieces

To generate predicted pieces, you first need to add a publication pattern to your serial.

  1. In the Serial record pane, click Actions and then Generate predicted pieces

  2. Enter a Start date (required) and an optional note.

  3. Enter the values to be used for the first issue (required).

  4. Optional: Click Preview to preview the predicted pieces.

  5. Click Generate.

  6. A predicted piece set record is created automatically and linked to the Serials record. An unique Pattern ID that refers to this publication pattern is created as well.

Clicking on the date in the Serial record pane under Predicted piece sets takes you to the Predicted piece set record.

In the Search & filter pane with Piece sets selected you can search for the pattern ID (without leading zeros) of your piece set.

The pattern ID can be customised. (Link will be added.)

Generating receiving pieces

To generate receiving pieces, you first need to generate predicted pieces.

  1. In the Predicted piece set record, click Actions and then Generate receiving pieces.

  2. If there are locations or holdings for the linked PO line you are able to select location or holding for the receiving pieces.

  3. Fill in Time between publication and receipt (days) (required). This describes the time interval between the date that the piece is published and when it is received at the location.

  4. Select Supplement if the piece is a supplementary material such as a CD or a map.

  5. Click Generate receiving pieces.

Selecting Generate receiving pieces will create new expected pieces in the Receiving app. You can view the pieces in the Receiving app under the Expected tab.

The Predicted piece set record will be updated in the Serials app.

Clicking on the publication title under Title in Receiving in the Predicted piece set record takes you to the title in the Receiving app. Clicking on the publication title under Serial takes you the Serial record of the title.

Last modified April 24, 2025