Inventory Guide

Assess—Support Materials

Inventory Guide & PHD Troubleshooting Guide

Prior to Inventory | Dolphin Setup | Prepare Follett | Scanning Items

Downloading Scans | Exception Reports | Erasing Scanner | Print Unmarked Items

Finalize Inventory

 

An annual inventory helps identify lost or missing items in the library collection. In the Follett inventory design, there are three categories of items in the database: marked, unmarked, and missing.

1. Unmarked copies - When you choose 'Begin a New Inventory' (see below), every item in your database becomes Unmarked except items that are actually checked out at the time you begin the inventory. After you've scanned everything, printing a list of unmarked books will show every item that was not scanned and is not checked out. It's important to locate as many of these unmarked items as possible prior to finalizing the inventory.
2. Marked copies - When you scan items into the inventory, they become marked. Copies that are checked out are also considered marked.
3. Missing copies - When you finalize the inventory, every copy that is still unmarked becomes missing.

Prior to Inventory

1.  Schedule the PhD Dolphin+ scanners through Library Media & Technology Department.
2. Gather the necessary paperwork
   1. Inventory directions
   2. Scan log
   3. Follett manual available online for all Bellingham School District Librarians using your administrative password.
3. Schedule your volunteers.
4. Shelf read to put the books in order on the shelves.
5. Check the equipment and software
   1. One or more PhD Dolphin+ scanners
   2. Proper cradle connection cable (USB or serial) note: for Windows 2000 or XP machines, USB cradle and cable is recommended. For Windows 98, use serial cradle and cable.
   3. Connect the USB or serial cables to the appropriate computer port
   4. Charge Dolphin batteries overnight in the cradle
   5. Warning: Do not let the Dolphin batteries run down during an inventory, as all data may be lost. Placing the Dolphin in the cradle will continue to charge the batteries.

 

Dolphin+ Site Setup (Sorry, these are old directions and no longer apply)

 

This step prepares the Dolphin + to recognize your school's database in order to transmit inventory data.

 

1. Some Dolphins are serial and some are USB. Plug the USB Dolphin base into a power outlet and connect it to the computer via the USB connection. The serial Dolphin can be used to recharge the second Dolphin. Use the same computer that you used last year for inventory, hopefully that computer still has the Dolphin drivers loaded on it. If it does, when you connect the Dolphin, the Dolphin should work--scan a few books and try downloading the file to the computer using the Dolphine File Transfer Utility. If it works, you are good to go!
2. If it does not work, you should get a "Found new hardware" message in the tray of your desktop. If this happens, you must first download two dolphin drivers to get the computer to recognize the Dolphin. If the computer is frozen (Deep Freeze) you will need to unfreeze it to load the drivers. Open Windows Explorer (the file management application, NOT Internet Explorer, the browser) and enter the following UNC in the Address text box:
   \\fol1\drivers
   Copy the "DolphinXP-USBDrivers folder to the computer's desktopas well as the Dolphin-Destiny-Utility to your desktop. You will also notice a file, "Inventory Dolphin instructions.doc" in the folder and you might want to open and print those instructions.
3. After downloading the drivers to your desktop, unplug and replug in the USB wire from the Dolphin. When you get the "Found new hardware" message and it prompts you to install the drivers, point the driver install tool to the drivers folder on your desktop. You will be prompted two times. Each time, go to the same folder.When both drivers are installed, you shoudl be good to go!
4. Sometimes the Dolphin will still not connect with the computer. Usually this results from an incorrect port setting. In the File Transfer Utility click on the Settings button and change the port setting, nothing else. With this change it may work. You need to wait until the Dolphin times out (is not longer showing errors) before you try agian.
5. If all this fails, call Follett support or bribe Ken to come by! 8-)
   

 

Prepare the Follett Software for Inventory

 

Note:   This step is done once and only once - just prior to beginning the actual inventory scans. Do NOT repeat this procedure once you have begun your inventory.

 

You must have exclusive access to the database while this Begin procedure is running (no Follett applications may be open at any other workstation). Once started, the process cannot be stopped.

 

1. Go to the Follett / Inventory
2. Finalize any previous open inventory if the begin button is grayed out
3. Select Begin. Are you sure? Yes.
4. This takes just a few minutes, depending on the size of your collection (20-25 min. for a 16,000 item collection). This step removes all the markers from any previous inventories.
5. When the process is complete, the Inventory Statistics will indicate:
• Marked (# of items currently checked out or on hold)
• Unmarked (# of items on the shelves)
• Missing (0 if you deleted the previously missing prior to beginning the inventory)

Scan Items on Shelves with the Dolphin+

1. Turn Dolphin+ on with On/Scan button.
2. Clear any previous scans from the Dolphin+. At Dolphin main menu press:

F1 for Circ Plus menu

F2 for Inventory menu

F4 to erase INV scans.

 

3. Press F1 to scan items. Scan, pressing the ON / Scan button for each barcode scanned.
4. When Dolphin is full, or you want to download, place Dolphin on cradle and use the BKSP button to return to the Dolphin Main Menu.

 

Scanning Tips

 

• Duplicate the scan log so you can keep track of which areas have been scanned, by whom, and with which scanner. This is important to avoid skipping sections or duplicating sections, particularly if you have a variety of volunteers working on the project.
• A simple floor plan of the library may be helpful, or as each shelf is scanned, attach some sort of visible marker to the shelf (in a consistent place); bright red sticky dots at the lower left corner of the shelf work well. At a glance, you can see which shelves have been scanned.
• Keep the scanner far enough away from the barcode so that the red light is wider than the barcode. When it beeps, go to the next barcode.
• Scanning from the right-hand end of the shelf to the left is faster for some people.
• Another technique is to push all the books to the back of the shelf, start at the left end, and pull each book to the edge of the shelf as it is scanned.
• If the PhD+ won't accept the barcode, press in the number (don't press the "T") and then ENTER.

Downloading Scans from the Dolphin+ to Follett

Note: You will be working with menus on both the computer and the Dolphin in these steps.

1. On the computer open Follett / Inventory and click on the Remote button.
2. On the Dolphin + Main Menu, press F3.
3. On the computer screen, click Proceed button to begin the download of scans into Follett.
4. When downloading is complete, you will be asked if you want to save the inventory file. Yes to save. This file serves as a backup file in the \\cc40\temp directory (or other location of your choice) and may or may not be useful if a problem occurs during inventory. Most likely the file is not needed, but it doesn't hurt to save it. Delete the files at the end of inventory.
5. Close after saving. A message says, An exception report has been generated, would you like to view? Say YES! This one is very important to you, as it tells you which barcodes were invalid, which items were on the shelves that your system says were checked out, and indicates other problems.
6. Print this Exception Report (File/Print in the notepad text file) and deal with the problems immediately, for best inventory results.

 

Dealing with Exception Report Problems

The exception report shows which titles that are inactive, or were checked out during the time period between the actual scanning and the uploading of the scanner.

 

The exception report shows the 'problem' book/barcode and the ones on either side of it on the shelf. Take this printout to the shelves immediately after printing, and locate the problem item. If you do not do this troubleshooting immediately, the report is of little value. In that case, you'll rely on the list of unmarked books, which you print later.

 

The Follett manual shows a list of all inventory messages and what they mean.

 

 

Erasing the Scanner Memory

 

Clear any previous scans from the Dolphin+. At Dolphin main menu press:

 

F1 for Circ Plus menu

F2 for Inventory menu

F4 to erase INV scans.

Are you sure? <Enter> = Yes

 

Print a list of Unmarked Items

 

1. When scanning is complete, run a printout of all Unmarked Copies.

 

Note: Running this list during the school day may affect network functionality. Approx. time= 45 min for 16,000.

 

2. Open Follett/ Reports.  Select Circulation Reports tab.
3. Select Inventory List by Call Number
4. Select Unmarked.
5. Select Starting At. Be sure the first title in the database is highlighted, and press Select.
6. Select Ending At. Type zzz for the last record in the database, and press Enter. Highlight the last title and click Select.
7. Select Print.

 

Check the Shelves -Attempt to locate the materials on the list of Unmarked Items .

 

1. As materials are found, scan them into the inventory. There are several ways to do this:
   1. Check the book out, and then back in.
   2. Open Follett/Inventory. Type or scan the barcode of the unmarked item.
   3. Use Dolphin+ to scan items for future downloading.
2. The Unmarked Titles list can be reprinted and shelves can be checked occasionally before finalizing.
3. When you have found as many unmarked items as possible, it is time to finalize your inventory.
   

Finalize the Inventory

 

This process changes all the Unmarked Copies to Missing in (year). This is often done just before the final report for the year is submitted. You must have exclusive use of the database to do this process. No Follett application may be open at any other workstation.

 

1. Go to Follett/Inventory and select Finalize Inventory.
2. Watch screen for message stating inventory has been finalized.

 

Print Missing Copies after Finalizing

 

1. Select Follett/ Reports/ Circulation tab.
2. Select Copy List by Status and set the parameters (start at 000, end at ZZZ).
3. Select Missing from the Copy Status pull-down menu.
4. Select Print.
5. Include a copy of missing materials in your Inventory File. This report does not need to be included in the Year End report to Library Media Technology, but is for building records only.

 

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