Output to Bursar's Office

The Output to BURSAR'S office option in Admin Corner allows you to transfer data files containing patron charges from Sierra to a bursar's office. When you select this option, the system displays a screen similar to the following:

Bursar's Office Interface
______________________________________________________________________
C > CREATE bursar output file (bursar.out)
S > SORT bursar output file   (bursar.send)
T > TRANSMIT bursar file      (bursar.send)
R > REMOVE files
Y > DISPLAY file SIZE & DATE
Q > QUIT
Choose one (C,S,T,R,Y,Q)

If patron charges were previously sent to the bursar's office, a bursar.out file created during that prior session might be listed on this display.

When you output a data file to the bursar's office you can:

  • create an output file of patron fines and charges
  • sort the records in the output file
  • check the output file's size and date
  • transfer the file to the bursar's office
  • remove the bursar.out file from Sierra after the transfer

When you use the Output to BURSAR'S office feature, Sierra logs the information in patron records to the Paymentbursar file. You also have the option to log waived fines to the Paymentbursar file (contact Innovative to enable this option). This file is sent to the bursar's office.

Outputting a file to a bursar's office uses Innovative's File Transfer Software (FTS) to transfer files.

Secure FTP Available

Innovative can enable secure FTP for this feature upon request.

Libraries that use the Output to BURSAR's office option may still collect money for fines as a means of clearing fines from a patron's record. The patron record will be updated when a file is returned to your library with the INPUT from bursar's office feature. Therefore, if your library has acquired Input from BURSAR's office, it is not necessary to update the patron record manually.

Manually collecting money for fines is usually done when a library has not acquired Input from BURSAR's office. These libraries prefer to update individual patron records when patrons present receipts as proof of payment, rather than globally purging fines.