FAQ
Below are a few FAQs that might answer some of your questions
No, all you have to do is send an Excel spreadsheet listing the Titles that you have and the number of items of that title. We then use that data and create all the textbooks with unique Accession Numbers. That data is installed when we install the system
Yes, you can print the barcodes from within ProText, or optionally we print them for you and we only charge R100 per thousand barcodes for printing plus the cost of the stationery.
Yes, but you can buy the labels from any stationers and we tell you the size to get. Optionally we can source the labels for you at a cheaper price.
No, they print on an ordinary printer
No you can have any number of textbooks. There is no limit.
Yes, if you are on a network you can set up different stations around the school or campus and you can run the same or different operations in parallel.
Yes the system has a Bulk Disposal feature and this creates a Disposal Register.
Yes, there are several available conditions which can be assigned to textbooks – but the usual ones are New, Used and Tatty. These can be updated when the books are Issued and when they are Returned. So a book may go out as New but when it is returned you can note that it is now Tatty. Other conditions are “In need of disposal” or “In need of Repair”. The system can warn you about those Learners that continually return books in a worse state than when they were issued.
Yes, at the click of a button the system gives you all the reports required by the Department including condition of the books and % retrieval figures.
Yes you can secure your data on your network, the Cloud, memory sticks (flashdrives) or CD’s. In that way, if you have a computer crash you can restore your data from your backups. The system reminds you if you have not taken backups for 7 days and will only allow you back into the system once you have taken securities (which only takes a few minutes).
Yes, in this way a photo of the Learner is displayed when books are Issued and Returned. This is especially useful if you do not know every Learner in the school.
Yes, the system creates Issued Letters. You can print any number - so for example you can give one letter to the Learner to sign, you can send one home for the Parents to sign and the school can keep one for their own records. Similarly with Returns letters. This shows which books have been returned and which are still out to the Learner. The letters also reflect the value and the condition of the books.
Yes, there is an Audit facility that can be run whenever the school chooses (usually the second and third terms).
Yes, there is a facility to record the Purchase value as well as the Current value and the Replacement cost, depending on the Policy of the school.
Yes, in the situation where you do not have enough copies of a particular title, you can put these on Backorder. When those books arrive the system can show you which Learners are waiting for those titles. When you issue to that person the backorder is automatically deleted.
Yes there is a facility to keep your old stock numbers if you wish to.
Yes, you can watch a demo on this YouTube video:
Yes, the Monitors log on as MONITOR and they see a restricted menu which only allows them to perform the functions that you want them to have access to, usually, Issues and Returns.
Yes, by means of a prefix (of your choice) you can bring all the Foundation Phase books together and shelf them in a different place to the rest of the fiction.
Yes, that would be another separate collection which you define by putting a P for posters in front of the Dewey number. This brings all the posters together as a separate collection but they are still arranged by Dewey number.
No, you can do a Stocktake at any time. You print out a Shelf List which is linked to the Issues and Returns system. So at any time you can print a list which shows you which books should be on the shelf and it helps you get your books in order. In this way you can do a rolling Stocktake. Just choose a section at a time.
Yes, there is a HotLine support which is manned during school hours as well as the week prior to school starting and the week after schools close. Your annual licence fee covers this Hotline support.
Yes there is a comprehensive manual which is provided with the software. You can print this out if you prefer a paper version but you can also access it on your screen. When you are in the software you can click on a link which takes you to the particular part of the system where you are working. So it is context sensitive.
Yes, there is a very comprehensive Reserves facility in ProLib. If a Learner asks for a book that is currently out to another child, you can put a reserve against that book When the book comes back into the Library the system gives you a warning (visible and audible) that someone has reserved that book. Then the system can optionally print out a letter for the Learner to tell them that the book is waiting for them in the Library. The Reserves system is Title based so the next copy with that Title that comes into the Library, goes to the Learner who is waiting for it.
Yes, if you elect to allow books to be out for the holidays, the system caters for this. For some Learners this is the only time they have to read.
Training is done at your school with your elected Staff, using your data. The training is split into different sessions so you have a chance to absorb the knowledge in stages. We can also give you practical advice about setting up or organising your Library as our trainer is a qualified Librarian with many years of experience in school libraries. Additional training can be done remotely using WhatsApp or Skype or YouTube videos.
Yes, you define User Names (as many as you like) and allocate what permissions each User has.
There is a special routine which processes everything that has happened in your library from Day One to the point of failure. It only takes a few minutes to run the routine and then you are back to where you were with a fully accurate data base.
Yes, there is a special routine to automatically convert your entire data base.
ProLib has a special routine that can automatically correct mistakes with initial articles in the titles. It only takes seconds to run.
Yes, you can easily extend the loan period of a book. You can decide how many times the system will allow extensions of a particular item. You can also assign Long, Medium or Short loan periods to individual books. So for example you can make your Where’s Wally books short loans and your Gutenberg Bible “Never to be issued”.
Yes, although hopefully you will not need this feature but it is there should you want it. They can Return books, pay fines but not take out books until the Blacklist is lifted.
No, there is a very sophisticated but easy to use Promotions Routine that can promote Members to new classes. Alternatively you can import a file that is arranged by CEMIS or SASAMS number. Any number that is not found implies a new member and a record is created for them. Any number that is found has the record updated putting them into their new Grade and Class.
Yes, you can have any number of Asset Registers. So for example you can have one register for items bought by the Department and another for items bought from Governing Body funds.
No, ProAssets was designed to cater for Educational facilities where there are often many identical items. So you enter the overall common data and a screen pops up showing you all the locations. Then you simply enter the quantity of that asset in each location.
ProAssets has routines that allow you to easily move single assets, or a group of assets from one Location to another.
Yes there is an area where you record the serial numbers for each asset.
Yes, you can print barcodes for the assets AND the locations.
No, they print on an ordinary printer.
No, you can have any number of Assets, Areas, Locations, Asset Types or Asset Groups.
Yes, the system allows you to define a short description (40 characters) but there is also an option for a long description (160 characters).
Yes, every asset has an area where you can record the value of the asset and the Insurer.
Yes, there is a field for Supplier.
Yes, you can do a Stock Take of your entire school in 2 days.
Yes, there are numerous reports available that can list your assets from any angle, eg. By Area, By Type, by Value etc.
ProAssets allows for 16 alpha-numeric characters. This makes it NATO compliant but the system also has an in-built number that automatically numbers the assets from 1 to 999999.
Yes, if it is there then the system advises the user when as asset is reaching its ‘end of life’. In this way you can budget for replacements in the next financial year.
Yes, you can nominate any number of depreciation formulas or rules and apply one of these to an asset. Every time you access that asset’s data the current depreciation data is recalculated.
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