Physical Format

You can customize the way Decision Center handles physical formats using the application's Admin features. You can group multiple formats into a single category, give the category a unique name, and assign the preferred display order for such roll-up categories. See Code Categories for step-by-step instructions.

Depending on your system's configuration, the available codes reference either the item types (I TYPE) or material types (MAT TYPE) from your library's database. The library chooses which configuration to use when Innovative installs and configures Decision Center, though this can be changed later by Innovative at your request if you decide that another configuration better meets your needs.

Note that until you create one or more Physical Format Roll-up categories in the Decision Center Administration Section, the Physical Format filter displays only the default category "Unknown".
Choosing Codes for Roll-up Categories

Innovative offers three options for the types of codes used to create roll-up categories:

  1. Physical Format categories use material type codes (MAT TYPE) and Collections use item type codes (I TYPE). This is the default option.
  2. Physical Format categories use material type codes and Collections use shelf locations.
  3. Physical Format categories use item type codes and Collections use shelf locations.

Collections should reflect the way your library manages collections for budgeting, collection development, and shelf space allocation purposes. In Decision Center, Collection categories are intended to be more granular than Physical Format categories. You should decide which code combination option works best for your library. If you want to use option 2 or 3, contact Innovative. If you decide to change your roll-up category code type option, you must delete any existing Physical Format and Collections categories before Innovative can make the configuration change.