There are three new LOST reports available for libraries that use Koha’s LOST status feature to remove items from a patron’s checkouts and add the replacement cost as a FINE.
1. LOST Report
2. LOST Report ALL
3. LOST Report ONLY showing null values for replacement cost
Here’s a recap of the way the Koha LOST status feature works, as a reminder:
- Manually changing a checked-out item’s status to Lost will remove the item from the patron’s checkout page, but add a replacement cost to the patron’s account under the Fines tab. Often, this will result in an account debarment, since the debarment ceiling is $10 and most items cost more than that.
- If a Lost item is Checked In, the replacement cost is removed (reversed) from the patron’s fine account automatically. However, any overdue fines accrued prior to the item’s being marked Lost will remain on the account. You can forgive or pay these manually if you choose. Or not.
- The returned item’s status will become AVAILABLE again in the catalog, but the debarment on the patron account will NOT be automatically lifted. You will need to do this manually.
Since applying the Lost status effectively severs the link between the patron and the item in the Checkouts page, there needed to be a different way to identify Lost items via the Fines account. The LOST Report does just that, identifying by name and cardnumber those patrons that have items in their Fines account, along with the date/time when the item was given a LOST status. It lists all currently lost items, excluding those which have been returned. It’s sorted by patron, and you will see multiple entries for patrons with more than one lost item. The current amount outstanding for each lost item is in the last cell of each row. Here’s some sample data from the report:
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 00105000634847 9/21/2009 12:36 $16.00
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 00105000429354 9/23/2009 10:52 $25.00
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 0003000000781 9/23/2009 10:53 $10.00
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 0003000008926 9/23/2009 10:53 $15.00
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 0003000010689 9/23/2009 10:53 $15.00
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 00105000609229 9/23/2009 10:54 $17.00
10030070039X0 Miller Leslie Q. Lost Item 00105000408820 9/23/2009 10:54 $25.00
1003X99003039 Mirett Mark N. Lost Item 00103000402361 11/3/2009 14:33 $19.33
1003X99005892 Myles Samuel R. Lost Item 0003000002969 9/21/2009 12:12 $15.00
1003X99005892 Myles Samuel R. Lost Item 00105000452332 9/21/2009 12:12 $25.00
1003X99006021 Nunn Grace Ellen Lost Item 00105000336914 2/12/2010 10:59 $10.00
1003X99006021 Nunn Grace Ellen Lost Item 00105000344063 2/12/2010 10:59 $15.00
1003X99000909 Otembo Odenga Lost Item 00105000429990 9/22/2009 13:44 $25.00
1003X99000909 Otembo Odenga Lost Item 0003000010425 9/22/2009 13:45 $15.00
This report will allow you to identify patrons with Lost charges, as well as the specific Lost item by barcode, and to assess the dollar value of Lost items per account.
*The second “LOST Report ALL” outputs the entire NExpress catalog’s LOST items, ordered by Library.
*The third “LOST Report ONLY showing null value for replacement cost shows all items that have a NULL (zero) value for Lost Items” shows accounts where an item has been returned, and the replacement charges reversed; it also shows accounts where an item-linked WRITEOFF has occurred, or cases where the replacement cost is zero for a Lost item. You can run this report by inserting your Library Code into the SQL statement and running the report yourself.
Please let us know if you have any questions about these reports.