The Final Frontier: Creating Effective Interfaces Between Acquisitions and Financial

Systems

Joan LambornJoan LambornUniversity of Northern University of Northern

ColoradoColoradoJune 16, 2002June 16, 2002

American Library AssociationAmerican Library AssociationAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia

Advantages

• No Rekeying of Data on Parent No Rekeying of Data on Parent SystemSystem

• Elimination of ErrorsElimination of Errors

• Faster ProcessFaster Process

History

• Intermediate format for file Intermediate format for file transfertransfer

• FTPFTP

How the Interface Works

Parent Accounting

System

Remote Host

Library System

The Route to Follow

Getting Started

1.1. Secure agreement from parent Secure agreement from parent institution financial officersinstitution financial officers

2.2. Plan the interface in consultation Plan the interface in consultation with parent system with parent system representatives and library representatives and library system staff system staff

Decisions to Make

1.1. What functions will be performed What functions will be performed in each systemin each system

2.2. What data will be required by the What data will be required by the parent systemparent system

3.3. What data will be supplied by the What data will be supplied by the library systemlibrary system

Decisions to Make

4.4. Vendor maintenanceVendor maintenance

• Permanent vendor records in Permanent vendor records in both systemsboth systems

• Temporary vendor records in Temporary vendor records in the parent systemthe parent system

Decisions to Make

5.5. File transfer process File transfer process

• To what remote host will the data To what remote host will the data be exportedbe exported

• When will the exported file be When will the exported file be reviewed and editedreviewed and edited

• How will the loading of the How will the loading of the exported file into the parent exported file into the parent system be initiatedsystem be initiated

Close Encounters

Programming

OptionsOptions• Programmer internal to institutionProgrammer internal to institution

• External programmerExternal programmer

• Programming from another institution Programming from another institution that implemented the interface using that implemented the interface using the same library and parent systemsthe same library and parent systems

Library System Preparation

Review vendor and fund records to Review vendor and fund records to be sure data required from the be sure data required from the library system will be providedlibrary system will be provided

More Decisions

Determine who will:Determine who will:• Create and export payment files from Create and export payment files from

the library systemthe library system

• Match invoices to exported file dataMatch invoices to exported file data

• Review and edit the exported fileReview and edit the exported file

• Initiate loading payment files into the Initiate loading payment files into the parent systemparent system

Two Approaches

Pay File

Created

FileReformatted

ReformattedFile

Edited ParentSystemUpdated

Edit inLibrary Format

Testing

• Create a test fileCreate a test file

• Examine the exported test file Examine the exported test file before and after the data is before and after the data is reformatted for loading into the reformatted for loading into the parent systemparent system

After Implementation

Be aware that an upgrade to either Be aware that an upgrade to either the parent or library system could the parent or library system could affect the interfaceaffect the interface

Looking Ahead

This presentation can be found at:This presentation can be found at:

http://lib.colostate.edu/lts/frontierhttp://lib.colostate.edu/lts/frontier

The pictures were provided by the The pictures were provided by the Tessa Dalton Photo Collection, Tessa Dalton Photo Collection, James A. Michener Special James A. Michener Special Collection, University of Northern Collection, University of Northern Colorado.Colorado.