User's Manual

Portable Inventory Reader: Searching the Inventory 4-17
Searching the Inventory
Use this function to search for missing or desired materials. Library material must have a
circulation circuit attached to it for this function to succeed. Also, it is helpful if scanning
for more than one item that you prepare an Item Search List file before searching.
Preparing an Item Search List File
An Item Search List file contains the barcodes you wish to find. The file uses the .psl file
extension and can be created:
• By formatting a report from the circulation system
• By formatting an Inventory Search or Shelf Order Search file conducted with the
Portable Reader
• Using a text editor (like Notepad) to manually enter item information
Create the file in the following manner:
1 Gather your barcode data of missing items. If you have conducted an Inventory Search,
you can use this file by changing the extension to “.psl” and following the formatting
identified in step 2.
If you are producing a report from your circulation system, ensure that it follows the
parameters explained in the step 2.
2 Enter the data by typing or copying and pasting the data into a simple text editor, like
Notepad, shown in the figure below: “Sample PSL File”.
• The barcode numbers must be in a single row, with a return at the end of each line.
• If you wish the call number and book title to appear associated with that barcode,
you must separate the information with a pipe symbol “|”.
• You can also have just a call number or just a book title appear as well with the
associated barcode. If you want just a Book Title to appear with that barcode, you
must include two pipes sequentially to account for the empty call title column.
If your data resides in a more complex spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel
®
, it is
not recommended that you copy the data from Excel and paste it into your text editor as
the correct pipe symbol is not used to separate data. However, you can manually alter
the file if you choose to paste the data from a spreadsheet.
Figure 4.23 Sample PSL File
3
Once the data is entered, save with a descriptive name and close the file. Note the
location where you saved the file.
Barcode only
Barcode with Call #
Barcode with Call # and Book Title
Barcode with only Book Title