1. Introduction to Import Profiles July 2016
Hello. I’m going to give you a brief overview of Import Profiles. As Karen mentioned, we have our documentation on the Alliance website, and it will give you more detailed information.

2. What is an Import Profile?
“Metadata and purchase order information is imported into the Alma repository by defining import profiles.
“Import profiles are used to import input file records and map them to corresponding records in Alma.”
Overview of Importing Records and Import Profiles
Ex Libris Knowledge Center
So, what is an import profile? Here’s some verbiage from the Alma documentation. Import profiles are basically used to import and map metadata and order information into Alma.

3. Types of Import Profiles
New Order
Repository
Update Inventory
There are three types of import profiles that are relevant to the ordering process:
The New Order profile creates item records and POLs, and it adds the brief bib records to the NZ if a full record match is not found
The Repository profile overlays existing bib records, and is also able to create an item record (we’ll talk more about that in a bit)
And the Update Inventory profile adds information to an existing item record
Let’s talk about the applications of these in a little more detail.

4. Brief Records
Use New Order import profile to create an order and an item record
Add or match records to the NZ
Use Match Method ISxN/024/035
Unless you receive brief records with OCLC numbers
Concerns
Matches on incorrect format records
Duplicates due to matching difficulties
Multi-matches
When you order from a vendor like YBP and you subscribe to their EOCR service, you’ll get brief records with your order information. Use the New Order profile to import them into Alma, which will create a holdings record, an item record, and a PO Line. You will also be either adding a brief bib record to the NZ or matchingon and using a full bib record that is already in the NZ.
As Karen mentioned, there are some concerns when importing these records:
Sometimes you’ll get a print book that will match on an ebook record, or vice versa. There’s a setting in the profile, “Prefer record with the same inventory type,” and it can help with the easier matches but not with multiple matches.
Unless you subscribe to EOCR Plus, YBP brief records do not have OCLC numbers and will not match on NZ records that do not also contain the YBP UID number. Thus you can easily get two records for the same item in the NZ with the same ISBN
ISBN can match on multiple records with different OCLC numbers and you won’t know which one is the one you want until you get your full record

5. Full Records Use Repository import profile
Match on YBP UID (035 – Other System Identifier)
Select NONE under Inventory Options if overlaying a brief record
Concerns
Selecting Physical under Inventory Operations will create a new item
“035 – Other System Identifier” doesn’t necessarily only match on the YBP UID
If you subscribe to the WCP service and you get full records with your YBP shipments, you’ll need to overlay the brief records from your order. To do that you’ll use the Repository import profile.
Because the Repository profile has the ability to create an item record, and you presumably already created the item record with the New Order profile, be certain not to create a second item record.
In addition to that, the other concern with this type of import is with other system identifier match method: you could get a match on the YBP UID or the OCLC number; so you could theoretically match your full record to a bib that has the same 035, but not your holdings and you’ll have to do some relinking.

6. Shelf Ready Records Use Update Inventory import profile
In the IZ
Adds barcode and other item information to already existing items
Concerns
Need to use two import profile to update bib and item information
Using Update Inventory with the NZ causes duplicates; use IZ
If you receive shelf ready materials, you will need a Update Inventory profile in addition to the Repository profile we just discussed. The Update Inventory profile will add your barcode and other information to the already-existing item record that was created with your New Order import.
Some concerns with this type of import is that you need two profiles, one to overlay the full bib and one to update the item record. And it’s also really important to note that you should use the IZ with this type of profile because using the NZ can cause duplicates. We’ll go over how to choose NZ vs IZ in the next couple of slides

7. Parts to an Import Profile
Profile Details
Normalization & Validation
Match Profile
Set Management Tags
Inventory Information
PO Line Information
Mapping
Here are all the parts of an import profile, and we’ll go over them each one by one along with Alliance recommendations. I’ll note here that the PO line information is only in the New Order profile, and Mapping is only in the New Order and Update Inventory profiles. So let’s go through them.

8. Profile Details
The first tab is the Profile Details tab. If you want your records to go to the NZ, you need to check that top box at the point of creation. Once chosen, you cannot go back and change the Use Network Zone. This also applies to copying import profiles: You cannot copy this Import Profile and be able to change this setting. You must start from scratch.
You’ll choose your originating system, YBP for example.
If you use Binary format, be certain to change your encoding format to UTF-8.

9. Normalization & Validation
Normalization and Validation is the next tab. The only Alliance recommendation for the time being is to use the out-of-the-box norm rule “Remove Vendor Data ”

10. Match Profile – New Order
The Match Profile tab is kind of meaty, so we’re going to go through each profile type’s settings individually. Here’s the New Order Match Profile.
If you don’t receive OCLC numbers in your brief bibs, the Alliance recommends using the ISBN/024/035 match method, but it is a bit problematic.
Handling method: The Alliance doesn’t have any specific recommendations for this, but we do want to point out some things, and you can see our documentation for a more detailed analysis of the two options. Basically, using Automatic carries some risks of creating duplicate records, so be thoughtful about which you choose. If you use automatic, you can use the import’s report to catch mismatches. Choosing the manual option will have you manually handle every record that has more than one match before completing the import.
You’ll want to “use nz record” when it finds a match
Under “Do not override/merge record with an older version” you’ll need to select “Disabled” when you have “Upon match, Use NZ Record” selected.
And under “No match” at the bottom be sure to choose add to NZ so the brief records that don’t find a match get added to the NZ as briefs.
I want to mention that you may see some options in your Match Profile tab that are not in the screenshot if in your Resource Management configuration you have “ignore CZ records” set to “false”. And there are other optional criteria in this tab that we go over in more detail in documentation.

11. Match Profile – Repository
Here’s the Repository profile’s Match Profile tab.
You’ll want to match your full records on the OCLC number or the YBP UID. Usually this means using the 035 (Other System Identifier) match method.
You’ll want to “merge” upon match, which (unlike the Overlay option) will combine the brief and the full records.
And since we’re merging, we’ll want to choose “ignore originating system” for the “do not override/merge record with an older version”
And finally, for “upon no match” choose “do not import,” otherwise you’ll be creating duplicates.

12. Match Profile – Update Inventory
The Update Inventory profile’s Match profile is easy. The match method defaults to “By PO Line” and it is matching specifically on the Vendor Reference number in the Order record.
There are no Alliance recommendations as of right now, but this may be changing the in future so be on the lookout.

13. Set Management Tags
One the Set Management Tags tab, the only Alliance recommendation is to not suppress at the bib level.

14. Inventory Information
Inventory Information is another meaty tab. Basically you need to tell your import profile which type of records are being imported.
Again, if you don’t want your repository import profile to create inventory, select None. (The repository profile is the only one that has None as an option)
Choosing electronic will give you options for portfolios, enabling proxy, and URLs
Choosing physical will give you options regarding locations, barcodes and item policies
And you’ll want to choose Mixed If you don’t have separate download files for print and electronic resources. It is essential to let Alma know what kind of record it is by setting up a MARC field that designates the record as electronic or physical.

15. PO Line Information – New Order
Like I mentioned before, PO Line information is only in the New Order profile type, and this is where you will map the order information into your POL. Things like fund codes, receiving notes, list price. Just put in the marc field that carries the information in the brief record.
The required fields are:
Vendor Reference Number
List price
Fund distribution
Owner/Library
Let’s take a look at how this manifests

16. Brief record input file
New Order Import Profile
Alma Order Record
The information you want to import into Alma is in a brief record provided by your vendor and that file is transferred to Alma via the Import Profile.
In this example, the list price is in the 980 field, subfield b; when we indicate that in the profile, the information from the file is translated to the List Price field of the newly-created POL. Same goes for the Vendor Reference Number, the Fund, and the Receiving Note.

17. Mapping
The final tab is Mapping. There are no Alliance recommendations, and the need for this functionality will vary from library to library. Basically you’ll use the mapping if fund codes/locations in the GOBI do not match what you have in Alma.

18. Questions? Thank you! YBP EOCR Record Loads Group
Karen Kunz, Chair – OIT
Cathy Chapman – St. Martin’s
Julie Gaida – Pacific
Mary Ellen Kenreich – PSU
Heather White – Mt. Hood Community College
Milly Williams – PCC