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Subworkflow – Add WRLC Retention

This subworkflow applies a WRLC retention commitment to a specified item by setting the retention-related fields in Alma for a given barcode and institution.

At a glance

  • Status: Active (parent workflow is Active)

  • Applies consortium-wide?: Yes 

  • Runs on: Alma Institution Zones via Network routing 

  • Trigger: Executed by another workflow (subworkflow only; no independent trigger)

  • Primary outcome: Applies WRLC retention to the item and, when eligible, records the commitment on the Network Zone bibliographic record.

  • Who receives results: No direct output; results are returned to the calling workflow.


Why this exists

WRLC retention commitments must be recorded consistently on Alma items. For items whose bibliographic records are linked to the Network Zone, the commitment can also be represented by a 583 field on the shared bibliographic record. This subworkflow gives calling workflows a reusable way to make those updates.


What it does

    • Receives a Barcode and Institution Code from a calling workflow.
    • Uses the institution code to route item retrieval and updates to the appropriate Alma Institution Zone.
    • Retrieves the item and sets Committed to Retain to Yes and Retention Reason to WRLCRetentionDONOTDELETE (WRLC Retention).
    • Clears the item’s Retention Note only when its current value is exactly Duplicate. Other retention notes are preserved.
    • Saves the updated item, then retrieves its Institution Zone bibliographic record to check for a Network Zone link.
    • If the record is linked to the Network Zone and the institution code is not 01WRLC_SCF, looks up the institution’s OCLC code and adds a 583 retention field to the Network Zone bibliographic record.
    • Returns the barcode and institution code at the end of the Network Zone update path.

Where it runs

    • Alma IZ(s): Selected dynamically from the supplied Institution Code; the workflow does not select all institutions at once. The Network Zone bibliographic update excludes items supplied with institution code 01WRLC_SCF.
    • Systems touched: Alma item and bibliographic APIs; Alma Network routing; the LibOW WRLC Institution Information data table, used to look up an institution’s OCLC code.
    • Reports / queries used: None.

How it works

Logic overview
  1. A calling workflow supplies Barcode and Institution Code.
  2. The workflow retrieves the item in the selected Institution Zone. It applies the WRLC retention values and saves the item. A retention note of exactly Duplicate is cleared; any other note remains.
  3. The workflow retrieves the Institution Zone bibliographic record. It proceeds with a Network Zone update only if the linked record type is NZ and the supplied institution code is not 01WRLC_SCF.
  4. For an eligible record, it retrieves the institution’s OCLC code from the WRLC Institution Information data table, retrieves the Network Zone bibliographic record, adds a 583 field, and saves the record. The field includes the OCLC code, the supplied barcode, and the workflow’s configured retention statement.
  5. After that update, the final node returns Barcode and Institution Code to the calling workflow.

If results exist

The item is marked for WRLC retention. If the bibliographic record also meets the Network Zone conditions, the workflow adds a 583 field to that record. The workflow contains no check for an existing matching 583 field before adding one.

If no results

If the bibliographic record is not linked to the Network Zone, or the institution code is 01WRLC_SCF, the Network Zone update path does not run. The item update has already been attempted, but that path has no separate final output node.

Item retrieval, item update, and the retention code nodes are configured to continue with regular output on error. The export does not establish that a missing item or failed update will be handled successfully; the calling workflow should inspect the result. An error workflow is configured, but its behavior is Unknown (not in workflow export).


Artifacts produced

  • An updated Alma item record with the WRLC retention values.
  • When eligible, an updated Network Zone bibliographic record with an added 583 field.
  • No files, sets, spreadsheets, or email notifications.