Sierra Global Update Basic Training (On-request)

Participants attending this training should have previous knowledge and experience using Create Lists. One learning objective is to better understand the fixed-length and variable-length fields in the bibliographic, item, and patron records.

Another learning objective is how to use the fixed-length and variable-length field toggles to view record information in a review file.  Participants will be shown how to use the Command Choice to change fixed-length fields, including the item record status and the patron expiration date.

Global Update training outline lists the areas that will be shown and discussed during training.

Global Update training exercises may help to reinforce the training. 

Learning and Application Worksheet can be completed after the training and given to a director/supervisor/manager.

Create Lists Conditions Definitions

Global Update Change Item Status

Create Lists Creating a Review File

Global Update Change Patron Expiration Date

Create Lists Grouping & Ungrouping

Global Update Command Type Fields

Create Lists JSON Reusing a Search

Global Update: Remove Records from a Review File

Fixed-length & Variable-length Fields

Global Update Save and Load Change Commands

 Other Global Update Documentation

Global Update View Review File Information 

Fixed-length Fields - may be limited by the code's length, the code's definition, the length of the code name, and the maximum number of codes. Examples of data in fixed-length fields are itypes, icodes, location, ptypes, and pcodes.

Variable-length Fields  - contain data that is usually alphanumeric. Examples of data in variable-length fields are free-text notes, addresses, and barcodes. 

Review File - the Create Lists function enables you to create a list of records, called a review file, also known as a bucket.

Select Records tab - allows you to choose the record type to update.  There is a drop-down menu to choose the review file, an index, and advanced searching.  

Command input tab: the commands specify updates, such as edits or deletions to records. When you create a list of commands on the Command input tab, the system applies the entire list to the selected records after you choose Process in the Preview tab.

Preview tab- this tab previews the pending changes.  For each selected record, a row shows the current subject, the Old data, and the New subject text. The message "No Changes Detected" appears for records that are unaffected by the change commands.  By default, the Preview tab shows how the commands affect all records. Select an option from the View drop-down list to view only records with changes or only records with no changes.

Process button - Global Update makes no changes to the records in the database until you choose the Process button and choose OK to verify.  Before choosing Process, you can make changes to the Command input; refine the list of records chosen using the Select Records; select or deselect records in the Preview tab to update.

Statistics tab - this tab is used to view or print a brief report of the changes made to the records.  The tab contains the following information: the number of records updated, the number of records not updated, the number of busy records, and the total number of changes made.