Templates (Record Templates)

Templates are used to make it easier to create all types of records. They are used to create patrons, bibs, items, orders, ILL, reserves and holdings records.

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Managing Templates for New Records

A template defines the information that will be included in a new record and can include the following:

• Fixed-length fields, with or without default data 

• Variable-length fields, with or without default data 

• Substitution phrases in variable-length fields 

• MARC or non-MARC display of variable-length fields

• Either fixed or variable fields can be set to be prompted for when creating new records

• FYI, when templates are used for batch loading records, only fixed-length field settings are used.  All variable-length field information is ignored.

Record templates are available for every Sierra record type and a template must be defined for a record type in order to create a record. Default templates were included for each record type provided when Marmot’s Innovative system was implemented.

The ability to create, edit, and delete record templates, and manage your own list of preferred templates is available in the Record Templates tab in Admin | Settings. 

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For additional information about managing templates, access the online Sierra manual and search for template settings, creating record templates, editing record templates, and deleting record templates. 

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New record templates can be created for all Sierra record types. When a new template is created, it is added to the list of Other Templates allowing all other users to access the template. 

To create a new record template, use any of the following methods, which are described below:

• Use the New template function in the Templates window

• Copy an existing template by using Copy Template

• Open an existing template and Save As Template

• Open an existing MARC record and choose Save as Template in the Edit menu

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Creating a New Template

New record templates are created by following these steps:

1. Choose the Record Templates tab from Admin | Settings.

2. In the Templates window, click on the arrow for the drop-down list to select the

Record Type and then choose New.

3. In the Template Code/Description dialog box, enter the following information:

In the Code field, enter a template code, consisting of one to ten alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for codes:  the code must start with the 2 or 3 letter location code for the site;  i.e.: gc for Garfield County, ev for Eagle Valley, mp for Mesa County Libraries, ssb for Bud Werner.  In a multi-branch district, the third letter should designate which branch library the template is for i.e.: gcp for Garfield County Parachute, grk for Grand County Kremmling, etc.

• In the Description field, enter a description of the template, consisting of up to 25 alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for descriptions:  the description should start with the library abbreviation and then a word or two that defines the template; i.e.: BVPL adult non-fic book, EVL Patron, etc.

4. Click OK when the fields are filled in.

The new record template window appears, displaying the template record type, template code, and the description in the title bar.

5. Choose the fixed-length fields to be included in the template by double-clicking the field in the fixed-length field grid and then choosing a value from the Select or Edit dialog box.

The data selected for each field becomes the “default field data” and will automatically appear in new records created with this template. When users create a record with this template, they can keep the default data or replace it with different data.

TIP: if you have your Preferences set to change the background color of invalid fields, then fields that should not be left blank will be highlighted like this:

6. To specify that a fixed-length field be set to prompt the user when creating new records, click in the field to select it and then click on the Prompt icon near the top of the template window.

When you specify that a fixed-length field should be prompted, the field appears in the scrollable Fixed-length field prompts area, in the order it will be prompted during record creation.

• Change the order in which these fields are prompted by selecting a field in the Fixed-length field prompts area and choosing Move Up or Move Down to reorder the fields.

• To remove a fixed-length field from being prompted, select the fixed-length field and click on the Prompt icon again.

7. Insert new variable-length fields by clicking the Insert icon and selecting the field from the drop-down list.

8. To specify that a variable-length field be set to prompt the user when creating new records, select the field by putting your cursor in the field box.

9. Click Prompt.

• The prompt button will toggle on and off prompt status for the selected field. When the field is set to be prompted, a yellow arrow displays next to it in the variable-length field area.

• The order in which variable-length fields are prompted is determined by the order in which the field appears in the variable-length area of the template. You can change the order in which these fields should be prompted in the wizard by right clicking the field and choosing Move Up or Move Down.

• Note: If the record uses MARC fields and they have been entered out of order, place them in order by choosing from the menu at the top left of the screen, View | Put fields in record sequence. Save the template before using this option, so that, if necessary, the MARC fields can be returned to the order they were in before choosing View|Put fields in record sequence, by closing the template without saving the new field order. 

When a user creates a new record while using a template, the new record will display all the variable length fields included in the template.  If no field data is entered into a field that has been prompted, that field will be removed from the new record when the user chooses Next to move through the record creation.  Non-prompted variable length fields will remain in the new record even if there is no data in the field.

• To delete a field from the template, right-click the field and choose Delete Field.

10. To change the variable-length field display for MARC records to non-MARC format, right-click in the variable-length field area and choose Change to non-MARC.

• To change the display from non-MARC to MARC format, right-click in the variable-length field area and choose Change to MARC.

11. To finish creating the template, choose Save and then Close.

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Copying a Template

To create a template that is similar to an existing template, copy the template and then make the necessary changes.  Copy a template by doing the following:

1. Choose the Record Templates tab from Admin | Settings.

2. From either the Preferred Templates or Other Templates list, select the template and choose Edit.

3. In the Edit Template window, choose Edit | Copy Template.

4. In the Code dialog box, enter the following:

• In the Code field, enter a template code, consisting of one to ten alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for codes:  the code must start with the 2 or 3 letter location code for the site;  i.e.: gc for Garfield County, ev for Eagle Valley, mp for Mesa County Libraries, ssb for Bud Werner.  In a multi-branch district, the third letter should designate which branch library the template is for;  i.e.: gcp for Garfield County Parachute, grk for Grand County Kremmling, etc.

• In the Description field, enter a description of the template, consisting of up to 25 alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for descriptions:  the description should start with the library abbreviation and then a word or two that defines the template; i.e.: BVPL adult non-fic book, EPL reader, Grand Co magazine.

• Choose OK.

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Editing a Template

The steps for editing templates are similar to those used in editing records in Sierra.  In the Record Templates window, follow these steps to edit existing templates, including the code and description:

1. Choose the Record Templates tab from Admin | Settings.

2. From either the Preferred Templates or Other Templates list.

Select the template and choose Edit.

• To change the code or description for the template, choose Edit | Change Code or Description in the template record window.

• In the Code dialog box, enter the following:

• In the Code field, enter a template code, consisting of one to ten alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for codes:  the code must start with the 2 or 3 letter location code for the site;  i.e.: gc for Garfield County, ev for Eagle Valley, mp for Mesa County Libraries, ssb for Bud Werner.  In a multi-branch district, the third letter should designate which branch library the template is for;  i.e.: gcp for Garfield County Parachute, grk for Grand County Kremmling, etc.

• In the Description field, enter a description of the template, consisting of up to 25 alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for descriptions:  the description should start with the library abbreviation and then a word or two that defines the template; i.e.: BVPL adult non-fic book, EPL reader, Grand Co magazine.

• Choose OK.

Note: this change is saved only when you choose Save in the record template window.

3. To add a fixed-length field, double-click the field in the fixed-length field grid and choose a value from the Select dialog box.

4. Insert new variable-length fields by using the Insert icon and entering the data in the variable-length field section. 

5. To add or edit default field values:

• Double-click the fixed-length field value and choose a new value.

• Enter the new text next to the field in the variable-length field area.

• The field can also be left blank, which will allow users to enter their own data, by choosing the empty value in the fixed-length Select field dialog box.

6. To add a field prompt or to remove a field prompt, select the field and click on the Prompt icon.

7. To delete a field from the template, select the field and choose Edit | Delete field.

8. When finished modifying the template, choose Save and then Close.

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Renaming a Template

To rename a template 

1. Choose the Record Templates tab from Admin | Settings.   

2. In the Templates window, click on the arrow for the drop-down list to select the Record Type for the template you would like to rename.

3. Find the template from the Preferred Templates or the Other Templates.  Click on the template to highlight it.  

4. This will make the Edit button active. Click the Edit button.

5. This will open up the template for editing. Click on Edit and Change Code or Description.

6. The Code and Description can be changed.  Click OK when finished.

7. Click Save and Close.

8. Any changes made will be saved for that template.

9. Click the Save Settings and OK button located at the bottom of the screen.

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Creating a Template from an Existing MARC Record

To create a template that is similar to an existing record, save the record as a template and make the necessary changes. Do the following:

1. Find the MARC record that you want to save as a template.

2. Choose Edit to open up the bib record.

3. Choose Edit and Save as Template (W).

4. In the Code dialog box, enter the following:

• In the Code field, enter a template code, consisting of one to ten alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for codes:  the code must start with the 2 or 3 letter location code for the site;  i.e.: gc for Garfield County, ev for Eagle Valley, mp for Mesa County Libraries, ssb for Bud Werner.  In a multi-branch district, the third letter should designate which branch library the template is for;  i.e.: gcp for Garfield County Parachute, grk for Grand County Kremmling, etc.

• In the Description field, enter a description of the template, consisting of up to 25 alphanumeric characters.

• MARMOT guidelines for descriptions:  the description should start with the library abbreviation and then a word or two that defines the template; i.e.: BVPL adult non-fic book, EPL reader, Grand Co magazine.

• Choose OK.

5. A template record window displays the data from the record you selected. To modify a template follow the steps described in Editing Templates above.

6. When finished with the template, choose Save and then Close.

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Deleting a Template

Follow these steps to delete a record template:

1. Choose the Record Templates tab from Admin | Settings.

2. In the Templates window, choose the record type from the Record Type drop-down list. Select the template to be deleted in either the Preferred Templates or Other Templates list.

• It is possible to delete multiple templates at one time by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the templates' names, but all the templates must be in either the Preferred Templates or Other Templates list.

3. Choose Delete.

• Sierra displays a message indicating that deleting templates removes them permanently from the database.

4. Choose Yes to delete the template(s).

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Templates Settings

In the Record Templates tab you can build a custom list of new record templates for each record type. When you add templates to your list of Preferred Templates, these templates are saved for your specific user account and are accessible to you wherever you access Sierra, whether on your office PC or when you access Sierra from a computer in your library.   While the number of templates you can create is not limited, your Preferred Templates list is limited to a total of 150 preferred templates for all record types per user account.

To create or maintain a list of Preferred Templates:

1. Choose the Record Templates tab from Admin | Settings.

2. In the Templates window, choose a record type from the Record Type drop-down.

3. View a template by double-clicking the template name in the Preferred Templates or Other Templates list, or by selecting the template and then clicking View. The template displays in a record template window.

4. Add to or remove from your list of Preferred Templates by doing the following:

• To move multiple templates at the same time, select the templates by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the templates' names. Then choose the appropriate arrow button.

5. Display a template by double-clicking its name in either the Preferred Templates or Other Templates list. If you are authorized to edit templates, the template displays in editable form. 

If you are not authorized to edit templates, the template displays in read-only form. 

6. When you have finished adding to or removing preferred templates, choose OK to save the settings for the current session only. To save your preferred templates lists for the current and subsequent sessions, choose Save Settings, and then choose OK.

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Prompting for Record Templates

When there are several record templates used under a Sierra login, prompting is a good way to make sure the correct template is chosen.

Go to Admin|Settings.

The system defaults to New Records.

At the bottom of the page is the New Record Templates. Each template has a drop down menu with the option to Prompt for template, Always prompt for template, or pick a specific template. If you have more than one template, it is best to choose Always prompt for template.  Otherwise, once a template is chosen, that template will become the default template until you restart Sierra.  Click OK.  Click Save Settings.

• Prompt for template - The system prompts you to select from a list of templates the first time you create a record in a session.  Your preferred templates display in alphabetical order by template code. This template remains the default for the duration of the session.

• Always prompt for template - The system prompts you to select a template for each new record you create.

• Pick a specific template - This will always be the template used and it will never ask which you want.  With this setting you have to come back to this screen to change it.

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