Voyager 6.1: Using Voyager’s Offline

Backup Circ [OBC]

When to use it When NOT to use it How to use it First thing, after the

upgrade…

OBC: When to use it

Use OBC when your circ desk is open, but Voyager is down.

Only for charges or renewals

Only for YOUR items

Onsite reciprocal charges—UB Charges work fine. Remember: YOUR items/YOUR circ desk.

OBC: When NOT to use it

Can’t use it to discharge

Can’t do certain UB transactions: Can’t charge other libraries’ items. E.g., items on your Hold Shelf

for your patrons that came from a remote library. Don’t use it for Short Loan/Reserves Don’t use it when patron’s library ID is an SSN or in a

similar 9-digit format

OBC: Moral of the story

As long as it’s YOUR item at YOUR Circ Desk, using OBC to check out works fine. The OBC files will upload successfully.

Keep items on your Hold Shelf. If necessary extend the “Hold Shelf Life” parameter in SysAdmin to cover the period that the system will be down.

You can’t do anything that would require a discharge transaction.

You can’t upload OBC charges of OTHER libraries’ items. Don’t send items around the state during the downtime.

OBC: Downtime Capture Files

Option displays when the connection to Voyager is not available.

Error checking of patron or item barcodes is not available in OBC. Offline Charge Mode will accept any barcode that is scanned or typed in.

Details on using OBC in Voyager Circulation Manual, pg. 6-27 to 6-30.

REMEMBER: COPY THE OBC FILES THAT YOU CREATE!! Found in: C:\Voyager\Circulation\Offline

OBC: First thing, after upgrade

After upgrade, move the captured offline files into the …Circulation\Offline folder.

At first login to Circ the system will tell you that you have charge transactions from previous offline sessions.

Before you do anything else in Circ, follow the instructions to upload the OBC files.

For each capture file you created, a report will be generated. Check for errors.

OBC:DISCHARGE!!!

Discharging the backload--probably the next Voyager 6.1 circulation task

Recommendation: backdate the discharges to start of upgrade