Setting up a real-time acquisitions workflow with ProQuest Coutts OASIS
by Skalk Van Der Merwe July 17, 2017 (Updated: December 19, 2018) Contributors:
- Skalk van der Merwe, Victoria University of Wellington Library
- Yoel Kortick, Senior Librarian, Ex Libris
This article contains the required steps for institutions to set up real-time acquisitions with ProQuest Coutts, for both firm and approval plan orders.
For a general description of the real-time acquisitions workflow, see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/blog/Real-time-Acquisitions
Success in setting up real time ordering using API is easy, if there is VERY close cooperation between staff who can configure Alma, staff who can select titles from OASIS, and staff who know the institution-specific workflows – as well as the ProQuest Coutts contact person.
To make this works steps need to happen at ProQuest Coutts as well as in Alma.
Configuration in Alma
1. Default Metadata template: ensure that a default metadata template is configured. (Open metadata editor – template – choose the one you want to define as a default – click properties – check as default).
2. New Order API Integration Profile: Decide about the matching rules that you want to apply – see ‘How the bibliographic record is determined’:
3. Validations for fund-related issues can also be configured.
Vendor specific Alma configuration:
Coutts: The vendor account representing Coutts should be defined with 0% discount.
Information you will need to send the vendor
API key
1. An API key should be generated by you and supplied to the vendor:
Log into the Developers Network using your institution account. Make sure you are connected with your institution account and not with your personal account: Go to Dashboard – Organization. Your institution code should be displayed:
2. Define an application with the name “Integration with vendor”.
3. Add “Acquisition” API to the application, with read/write plan for your production environment.
4. Add “Configuration” API to the application, with a read-only plan for your production environment.
Note: API key must be defined for the Alma production environment:
Copy the API key of the application. This is the API key that will be used as part of the vendor API calls in order to identify your institution.
For more details regarding API key generation and working with Alma APIs, see: Alma APIs:
Vendor code and Vendor account code – this is the information regarding your vendor record in Alma. The created PO line will be related to this vendor record and vendor account.
Other EDI messages (e.g. for invoices) can be sent if this is your workflow.
Owning Library code(s) – this is the library for which the created PO line will be assigned to:
You will need to supply a list of possible owning library codes to the vendor. The implementation on the vendor side might be to give a drop-down on the ordering form, to choose the relevant owning library. Other implementation might be to associate an account to a single owning library. In this case, the operator will have to be logged in with the relevant account.
Note that the vendor might use the retrieve libraries API in order to get full list of libraries, or use the get library API in order to check a code of specific library.
Location code(s) – this is the location in which the related item(s) will be created. Relevant only for physical material.
Note that the LSP might use the retrieve locations API in order to get full list of libraries, or use the get location API in order to check a code of specific library.
Fund code(s) – this is the fund from which the payment will be done. Note that the vendor can use the Retrieve funds API.
ProQuest Coutts make MARC records available throughout the order process. The API creates a short record in Alma, with Holdings and Items. So any subsequent MARC record loads (after the initial order?) should either be Update Inventory or Replace.
In order to make use of this functionality we requested that Coutts use the tags listed in the tables below. (These are our Library’s standard tags for MARC EOD ordering, which we use with other vendors).
Configuring the Update Inventory Import Profile
Create a Manual Update Inventory Profile. This profile will match on the POL value that the API has sent back to ProQuest Coutts. This is obviously the Update Inventory Match point. Select `Mixed inventory` and specify the Alma Resource type (P or E). Use this profile to test incoming records from the ProQuest FTP server.
Once the Manual Update Inventory profile works, copy the profile and supply FTP (credentials) from ProQuest-Coutts and use this new inventory profile to automate going forward.
Firm and Approval order records for Physical Books
| TAG | Data Required from PQ |
|---|---|
| 960$a | Vendor Reference Number field. Coutts CIS number |
| 960$b | Barcode field (Optional) |
| 960$c | Library Code (Can be used to updated inventory e.g. MAIN) |
| 960$d | Location field (Can be used to updated inventory) |
| 960$o | Number of items field (Can be used to updated inventory) |
| 960$r | Alma Reporting Code |
| 960$t | PO Line Owner Code (Default library code) |
| 961$c | Interested in users field |
| 961$c | Notes field |
| 980$c | Alma Resource type (Print titles = P) |
| 987$a | Additional PO line reference field (Alma POL) |
| 999$a | Fund distribution field |
| 999$b | Percent subfield (Optional) |
Firm and Approval order records for Electronic Books
Coutts are able separate out e-book records by platform in separate files; that way one can create a profile for each platform. Please talk to your Coutts representative to set this up.
| TAG | Data Required from PQ |
|---|---|
| 960$a | Vendor Reference Number field. Coutts CIS number |
| 960$c | Library Code (Should be the Main Library e.g. MAIN) |
| 960$d | Location field (Should be the ONLINE) |
| 960$r | Alma Reporting Code |
| 960$t | PO Line Owner Code (Default library code) |
| 961$c | Interested in users field |
| 961$c | Note field |
| 980$c | Alma Resource type (Electronic titles = E) |
| 987$a | Additional PO line reference field (Alma POL) |
| 999$a | Fund distribution field |
| 999$b | Percent subfield (Optional) |
Create Update Inventory profiles in Alma
Automated Coutts Update Order Inventory Profile — Update physical inventory for all orders. Match and overlay the existing Coutts short record on POL ID, with metadata from Coutts, for records that have been created via Coutts API. Profile does not create inventory.
Automated Coutts Update Ebook Central Portfolios — Updates ProQuest Ebook Central (EBC) portfolios. Will match and overlay the existing short record on POL ID, with metadata from Coutts for ProQuest Ebooks. The Alma Default interface name is set to ProQuest New Platform with License attached.
Automated Coutts Update EBSCO Portfolios – Updates EBSCO portfolios. Will match and overlay the existing short record on POL ID, with metadata from Coutts for ProQuest Ebooks. The Alma Default interface name is set to EBSCOHost with License attached.
Automated Coutts Enhanced Firm Order Inventory Profile – Updates all inventory for firm orders with enhanced records. Match and overlay the existing Coutts short record on POL ID, with metadata from Coutts, for records that have been created via Coutts API.
Automated Coutts Enhanced Approval Order Inventory Profile – Update all inventory for approval orders with enhanced records. Match and overlay the existing Coutts short record on POL ID, with metadata from Coutts, for records that have been created via Coutts API.
OASIS and Coutts In action
1. In OASIS a title matches the Approval plan parameters
2. Alma creates the short order record:
3. The Alma API creates a Holding record
4. The Alma API creates an item record
5. The Order time record is being made available:
6. The Invoice time record is being made available
7. Library Staff update the item and add the Call Number.
Notes: To only load the specified files, use a Regex to only load the file you are interested in:
Will find:
Lots of REGX testers are available:
4 Replies to “Setting up a real-time acquisitions workflow with ProQuest Coutts OASIS”
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In reference to the API key, has the Developers Network has had a refresh since these instructions were written? They are hard to follow. I can’t see a Dashboard option with my institution login. Do you define an application with the name ‘Integration with vendor ‘ under ‘Build my APIs >>> Manage keys, (as per these instructions (under ‘API Keys’):https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/ ).
Hi Lucy…
Yes, there has been an update to the Developer Network. Instead of “Dashboard”, click “Build – My APIs”, then “Manage Keys”. Click “Add API Key”. Click “Add Permission” to add the “Acquisitions” and “Configuration” permissions.
The screens will look a bit different, but the instructions from there are the basically the same.
Hi Mark, that’s great, thank you for help. All the best.
I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask this: Is it possible to set up this API in both Alma production and sandbox?
We are already using this API in Alma production but now I would like to test this API again in the sandbox for a new print order workflow we are setting upwith the vendor, specifically because we need to have two account codes on Alma for one vendor.
So, I set up another ‘Integration with vendor’ profile, defining the API key for the Sandbox, and sent the vendor the new API key.
The vendor is getting a PO number from Alma sandbox for our test orders but for each order it is the same, POL, POL-1234. And, I am not seeing any order or bibliographic information coming into our sandbox for these test orders.
I have checked my setup as outlined above numerous times and it seems to be correct but, while it’s perfectly possible I have made an error somewhere, I just wanted to rule out the possibility that it is just not possible to have the same type of API set up in both production and sandbox.
Or, would the way to approach this be, in our existing ‘Integration with vendor’ application, to add additional ‘Acquisition’ and ‘Configuration’ APIs for the sandbox alongside those already set up for production?
We did successfully test this API in the sandbox last year.
Apologies if I have missed an obvious answer to my query in articles linked to this blog post.
Thank you.