[Koha] ACQ non-standing-order baskets, only-closed receiving restriction

[Jeffrey Gabel]

Hi everyone,
In Koha ACQ module, for baskets which are NOT selected for standing order, we at Brooklyn Law School Library are wondering whether there could be consideration some day for removing the restriction which blocks the ability to receive orders while their basket is open. We don't use the new Standing Order functionality, it confuses our workflow, mainly because of the way in which our standing orders were created long ago, pre Standing-Order Koha, and pre-restriction on Koha open basket receiving;  this, plus the fact that we rarely add new baskets, but continue to add to those old standing order baskets.

This history is, we left baskets continually open for standing orders, as opposed to firm orders which we close upon receiving, as Koha didn't seem to have functionality to manage titles with ongoing payments. At some point Koha developed a restriction which did not allow receiving an order while its basket is open. This disrupted everything for us, so our support company made a patch for us to bypass this restriction. After the development of Standing Order basket functionality, our patch was removed with the last upgrade. However, as we found that the Standing Order functionality confuses our workflow, we've resorted to closing baskets after entering each order, then receiving, then re-opening the baskets.

I've spoken with a few other Koha libraries who choose not to use the Standing Order baskets, and are working around this too, among other things simply leaving all baskets closed. The point is, there could be any reason a library might not want to close non-standing-order baskets. Is there a reason that this restriction can't be removed, a structural reason? Functionality-wise, it wouldn't stop anyone from closing their baskets if they want to, it would simply allow others not to have to close them.

Any thoughts on this, anyone else dealing with this issue?


Thanks,

Jeff Gabel
Acquisitions Librarian
Brooklyn Law School Library
250 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-780-7978
jeff.gabel at brooklaw.edu