Physical records management workflows
Charge out is a process that delivers and tracks physical items, which cannot be seen online. The Physical Records Management (PRM) workflow tracks where the entities are at each step. You can charge out individual records (one at a time) or any of the containers that hold physical items.
The PRM workflow spans the entire cycle of reserving, receiving, and releasing the entity to the next user. The workflow also tracks delays in receiving or releasing the entity. In addition, it tracks entities that are lost in transit or by the user who is listed as being in possession of the entity. Tracking an entity by using the PRM workflow requires that all participants accurately note where an entity is always. The participants respond to tasks in their inboxes in a timely manner.
For information about the charge-out status of an entity, view its properties page. You can see the location, home location, and charge-out status of the entity. You can also see who has it charged out. If the entity has a bar code, you can also check its charge-out status in the Physical Item View. For more information, see the scanning a physical entity topic.
Inboxes used by the PRM workflow
As the entity travels and users receive and release it, work items are generated. A user's inbox shows some of the items and some are shown in public inboxes. User and group security settings determine who can see the public inboxes. These settings determine who can open a workflow step. These settings determine who can see the charge-out status of an entity. The PRM workflow can populate the following public inboxes with work items.- PhysicalEntitiesKeeperQueue: By default, the keeper is defined as the reviewer of the home location of the entity. The work item to release an entity goes to the inbox of this user. If the location has no reviewer, work items that are generated for entities at that location are sent to the PhysicalEntitiesKeeperQueue public inbox. Users authorized to access this inbox can select work items to release the entities and receive them when returned.
- PhysicalEntitiesWaitQueue: A work item goes in this queue to show who requested an item and where it is to be delivered. This status is provided only for the user first in line to receive the entity. You do not interact with the work item. It remains in the inbox until the requesting user indicates that the item is received.
- PhysicalEntitiesReserveQueue: Work items that are generated by requests from extra users after the first one in line go in the Reserve queue. After the user in the Wait queue releases the entity, the user with the earliest reservation date is next in line to receive it.
- PhysicalEntitiesDeliveryQueue: If the current entity holder selects Delivery Service as the delivery mode when you are releasing an entity, a work item is sent to the PhysicalEntitiesDeliveryQueue public inbox. Users with access to this inbox are responsible for delivering the entity to the next user.
- PhysicalEntitiesFindLostQueue: If the current entity
holder responds to a Receive step with Not Received,
a work item is sent to the PhysicalEntitiesFindLostQueue public inbox.
This result is also true if the delivery service indicates that an
entity is lost. Users who are authorized to access this inbox can
click the work item and indicate the status of the entity. If the
user or group is unable to find the entity and declares the status
of the entity as permanently lost, two groups are notified. Users
in the PhysicalEntitiesWaitQueue and PhysicalEntitiesReserveQueue
inboxes are notified. They are notified that the status of the entity
is changed to Lost. In addition, all workflows run for the lost entity
are completed.
After an entity is marked as permanently lost, there is no way to indicate that it is found later. Anyone who attempts to charge out the entity in the future will receive the message that the entity is lost.
Charge out procedure
Charging out an entity begins with selecting Charge Out from its menu. Thereafter, work items show up in the personal inboxes of participants or work items go to the public inboxes. When an entity is first charged out, the system shows that the requesting user charged it out to the specified location. However, the keeper must release the item before the requesting user has it.- When an item is already charged out, other requesting users set a Reservation Date. The reservation date is used to prioritize multiple requests. The entity is passed on other users that are based on the earliest reservation date, as shown by work items in the PhysicalEntitiesReserveQueue. The system does not wait for the reservation date to arrive to generate new work items.
- If the keeper or other current entity holder requests a delivery service instead of manual delivery, then the delivery queue gets a work item. The delivery service either delivers the item or indicates that it is lost. When the keeper or the delivery service indicates that the item is delivered, the requesting user gets a Receive work item. If the delivery service indicates that the item is lost, a work item goes to the Find Lost queue.
- When the requesting user completes the Receive work item, a Release work item replaces the Receive work item in the personal inbox. If the requesting user indicates that the item is not received, a work item is sent to the Find Lost queue.
- The Find Lost group either finds and delivers the item or indicates that it is permanently lost. Finding and delivering the item generates a Receive work item in the user's inbox. Indicating that the item is lost sends messages to affected participants (users in the Wait and Reserve queues) and all remaining work items are completed. Indicating that an item is permanently lost is done only if you are sure that the entity will not be found in the future. In the future, there is no way to indicate that a lost entity is found. All users who attempt to charge out the entity in the future receive a message about the lost status.
- When you are done by using the item, complete the Release work item and deliver the entity to the next person or to the keeper. The keeper then completes the Receive work item.
- If you try to charge out an entity whose parent container is charged out, your only option is to close the message. You can charge out the parent container. This action puts you in the queue with others who might be waiting. Or you can try charging out the child entity. If you try to charge out a container when one or more of its content items are charged out, you get a message. The message indicates that there is a Child Charge Out. You need to try again.
Launch Workflow
The various steps of the workflow share some common items.| Workflow Step Items | Description |
|---|---|
| Instructions | At the beginning of the window, there are instructions for completing the step. These instructions are written by the workflow designer. If you do not see the instructions, click View Instructions. |
| Name | The entity name is displayed in the name column. You can click on the name and complete actions on the entity. |
| Comments | Enter comments directly in the Comments box. Or click the icon in the text box for a larger window. |
| Actions | Items in the menu vary with the step. |
| Location | Click Select in the Charge Out Location column to select a location. |
| Reservation date | Click the calendar icon to select the date you want to reserve an entity. If the entity is not currently charged out, select today. If the entity is charged out, select today or a future date, but the system does not necessarily show the date that you select. The system determines reservation dates as the entity moves from 1 location to another. |
| Information columns | Different steps might show who had the item, where it is located, the reservation and request dates, and who receives it next. |
| Save | You can change information and click Save without taking any further action. The work item remains in the same inbox. This step is useful when you want to declare that an item is lost, but you think you can find it. This step avoids taking the more permanent action that would be generated by using Complete. |
| Reassign | This step opens a window where you select another user to complete the step. Enter the first few characters of the name and click Search. Select the user and click Continue. |
| Complete | Complete finishes the workflow step and is the usual choice. |
Receive step
A Receive step is listed as an Approve step in your inbox, but when you open it, the page title is Receive Step. You get the Receive step when the previous user (or keeper) releases the item and you are next in line to receive it. If you did not receive it yet, you can see who is delivering it, where it was last located and how it is to be delivered. If you do not receive the item after a reasonable amount of time, you can indicate that you did not receive it. This response generates a work item for the Find Lost queue. If you are the keeper, you get a Receive step when the last user releases the item.Attention: It is possible
that you do not receive the entity because of a delay. This delay
can be caused by the delivery service or the user currently working
with the entity. It is also possible that the entity is lost in transit.
In this case, you are notified about the status of the entity.
Release step
A Release step is listed as an Approve step in your inbox, but when you open it, the page title is Release Step. The Release step must be completed by the current entity holder, which can be either the keeper or a user who charged out the item. You indicate the method of delivery, if there is any delay in the delivery, or if the item is lost. Deliver the item to the requesting user at the charged out location.Wait Queue step
When you reserve an entity and are next to receive it, the work item in the Wait queue shows your name as the requesting user. Users authorized to access this queue can view information, but there is nothing to complete.Reserve Queue step
The PhysicalEntitiesReserveQueue public inbox contains work items for each user who is waiting for delivery. Authorized users can open each work item to see who requested the entity, their request dates, and the requested locations. You can modify the reservation dates to change the priorities of users.Find Lost Item step
When an entity is declared as Lost, the system sends a work item to the PhysicalEntitiesFindLostQueue public inbox. If you are authorized to access this inbox, you can click the work item to view the Find Lost Step page and update the status. Either you find and deliver the entity or you declare it as permanently lost. This action notifies all affected users and completes all PRM workflows run for that entity. In addition, when a user attempts to run a workflow for that entity, the system immediately sends a notification about the lost status of the entity.After an entity is marked as permanently lost, there is no way to indicate that it is later found later. Anyone who attempts to charge out the entity in the future receives the message that the entity is lost. If the lost item is a container that is found later, its contents cannot be charged out. Anyone attempting to charge out items from a previously lost container gets a message that the parent is charged out.
Delivery Service step
When a user selects the delivery service to send a physical entity, the system sends a work item to the PhysicalEntitiesDeliveryQueue public inbox. If you are authorized to access this public inbox, you can click the work item to complete the Delivery Step page.Message step
The Message Step page notifies you of the status of the physical entity you run the PRM workflow for. The page is sent as a work item to your inbox. You receive it in any of the following situations:- The current entity holder delays release of the entity.
- The entity is lost by the delivery service or the current entity holder.
- There is an error in the PRM workflow.
- The parent or child entity of the requested entity is already charged out and no work item was sent to any queue. (The Wait and Reserve queues are used only when the entities match.)