SCF - Add More Collection Items

At a glance

Status: Active

Environment / Tags: SCF Workflow

Applies consortium-wide?: No / likely institution-specific
Inferred: The workflow appears to be specific to SCF because the workflow name, tag, and Alma credentials all reference SCF. The export does not show a broader consortium-wide tag or multiple institution-specific branches.

Runs on: SCF Production Alma tenant / IZ
Inferred: The workflow uses credentials named “SCF Production - Alma APIs - Read Only” and “SCF Production - Alma APIs - Read & Write.” The export does not explicitly list an Alma institution code or IZ name.

Trigger: Manual web form submission. A staff user submits a form titled “Add More Collection Items” with a required Model Barcode field.

Primary outcome: Creates a new Alma item record on the same bibliographic record and holding as an existing “model” item, using selected values entered or edited by the staff user.

Who receives results: The person using the form sees either a success message or a barcode error message in the form interface. No email recipients are listed.

Why this exists

This workflow helps staff create additional special collections item records in Alma when those new items should be attached to an existing bibliographic record and holding. Instead of requiring staff to manually build the new Alma item from scratch, the workflow uses an existing item as a model, copies its Alma structure, removes system-specific fields that should not be reused, and applies a new barcode and selected description/enumeration values.

Member libraries should care because this makes SCF collection maintenance more consistent, reduces repetitive cataloging work, and lowers the risk of creating new item records on the wrong bibliographic or holdings record.

What it does

• Presents a staff-facing form called “Add More Collection Items.”
• Requires the user to enter a Model Barcode.
• Looks up the existing Alma item that matches that barcode.
• If the barcode lookup fails, the workflow stops and shows a Barcode error message with the Alma error returned by the lookup.
• If the barcode lookup succeeds, the workflow prepares a review form using data from the existing Alma item.
• The review form asks for:
  • New Barcode — required
  • Enumeration A — optional
  • Description — required
• The workflow also carries forward hidden values for:
  • model MMS ID
  • model holding ID
  • original barcode
• After the review form is submitted, the workflow normalizes the entered fields by trimming extra spaces.
• It retrieves the original model item again using the original barcode.
• It builds a new Alma item payload by copying the model item, removing system-specific item identifiers, replacing the barcode, and applying the submitted enumeration and description.
• It creates the new item in Alma under the same bibliographic record and holding as the model item.
• It shows a success message with the title and new barcode, and reminds the user that the new item still needs a tray location in Internal Note 1 and the Item Call Number fields.

Where it runs

Alma IZ(s): SCF Production Alma tenant / IZ
Inferred: The workflow export identifies SCF Production credentials but does not explicitly state an Alma institution code or IZ name.

Systems touched:

• n8n form interface — used to collect the model barcode and later the new item details.
• Alma APIs — Alma is the library services platform where bibliographic, holdings, and item records live. This workflow uses Alma APIs to retrieve the model item and create the new item.
• Alma item records — the workflow reads an existing item and creates a new item attached to the same bibliographic and holdings record.

Reports / queries used: None.
The workflow does not use Alma Analytics reports or saved queries.

Credentials referenced:

• SCF Production - Alma APIs - Read Only
• SCF Production - Alma APIs - Read & Write

No secrets, tokens, or API keys are included here.

How it works

Logic overview

1. On form submission
   The workflow begins when a user submits the Add More Collection Items form with a required Model Barcode.
2. Retrieve item using barcode
   The workflow searches Alma for an item matching the submitted model barcode.
3. Barcode error path
   If Alma returns an error, the workflow sends the user to a Barcode error response page. The message displays the Alma error text and offers a restart form button.
4. Prepare Review Form
   If the barcode lookup succeeds, the workflow extracts useful values from the model item, including:
   • collection title
   • original barcode
   • alternative call number
   • internal note 1
   • enumeration A
   • enumeration B
   • chronology I
   • chronology J
   • description
   • MMS ID
   • holding ID

5. Review/edit form
   The workflow displays a second form asking the user to provide or confirm the new item’s:

   • new barcode
   • enumeration A
   • description

   The form description shows the collection title, MMS ID, and holding ID for context.

6. Normalize Submitted Item Fields
   The workflow trims spaces from the submitted values and requires the new barcode to be present.
7. Retrieve Item 2
   The workflow retrieves the original model item again using the original barcode.

8. Build Create Payload
   The workflow copies the model item, removes system fields that should not be reused, and then applies the new submitted values.

   Removed system fields include:

   • item PID
   • item barcode from the model record

   Replaced or updated fields include:

   • barcode
   • enumeration A
   • description
9. Create Item
   The workflow posts the new item to Alma using the model item’s MMS ID and holding ID.
10. Success response
    The workflow displays a success page confirming that another item record was created and showing the new barcode.

If results exist

If Alma finds the model barcode, the workflow continues to the review form, lets the user enter the new item details, and then creates a new Alma item record attached to the same bib and holding as the model item.

If no results exist

If Alma cannot retrieve an item for the submitted model barcode, the workflow follows the error path and displays a Barcode error response. The export does not define a separate “no results” branch; failed lookup behavior is handled through the Alma API error output.

Artifacts produced

Alma item record: A new item record is created in Alma.

Files or reports: None.

Email output: None.

Naming pattern: No report or file naming pattern is present in the workflow export.

Inferences / verification notes

• Inferred: This appears to be an SCF-specific workflow, not a consortium-wide workflow, based on the workflow name, tag, and SCF Production Alma credential names.
• Inferred: The workflow appears to run in the SCF Production Alma tenant / IZ, but the export does not explicitly list an Alma IZ code.
• Unknown: The referenced error workflow exists by ID in the settings, but its name and behavior are not included in this export.
• Unknown: The export does not identify who is authorized to access the form beyond the form trigger’s Alma authentication setting.
• Unknown: The export does not include a build date. The tag was created on 2025-11-04 and updated on 2026-04-01, but those dates should not be treated as the workflow build date without checking the workflow export or n8n history.