efmnhtransactions module

FAQ | Q&A | ISSUES/closed | LUTS | data cleanup | Workflows

What does an efmnhtransactions record represent?

A Transaction module record represents the flow of specimens/Objects into and out of the museum. It contains Acquisition (for Exhibitions), Accessions, some Deaccessions (if involved in a transfer of multiple objects/specimens out of museum) and Loans.

An accession is the formal, permanent acceptance of specimens, cultural objects, or other materials into the Museum’s permanent collections through donation, fieldwork, purchase, etc. Botany & Insects - An accession can be both a gift and an exchange
A donation is a transfer of ownership and legal title of objects or specimens to the Museum during the donor’s lifetime with nothing received in return.
A bequest is an incoming Gift whereby ownership and legal title are transferred via the donor’s will after the donor’s death.
An exchange is a reciprocal transfer of materials between two or more parties.
Fieldwork is direct acquisition or collection of objects or specimens from the field by Field Museum staff.
A purchase is when the Museum in good faith buys an object through auction, dealers, or from a private individual.
A partial gift is when the Field Museum pays less than the value of the objects or specimens and the other portion is donated.
A loan transaction record represents the tracking of the movement of specimens/artifacts in or out of the building.

Current Sub class Status

Subclassed?: Yes This is a Field Museum specific module

Tab Switching:

Column Name: SumAction
Lookup List: Transaction Catalog
Tab switching: Yes

Record Types:

Accession.

Used for tracking the addition of groups of objects/specimens into the permanent collection through a donation, fieldwork, bequest, purchase, etc.

Acquisition

Used for the legal acquisition of objects in the Anthropology study collection through donation, fieldwork, purchase, etc.
Used to track the acquisition of items, such as exhibition props, by the exhibition department.
These are not part of the accessioned permanent collections, but can be used in outreach and analysis with a lower standard of care.

Deaccession.

Used to track deaccessions (removal of an object from the permanent collections) of groups of objects.

Loan.

Used for tracking of the movement of specimens/artifacts in or out of the building.
Replaces current "transaction" record type.

Record Structure:

Network; There are attachments to records of the same module (but different actions) but no hierarchy exists ie they are lateral attachments eg new Deaccession action can be attached to a Accession record.

Fields

Mandatory

SumDepartment
AccCatalogue
SumAction
AccAccessionNo if SumAction contains “Accession”
AccAccessionType if SumAction contains “Accession”
TraDirection if SumAction contains “Loan”
Purpose (new field) if SumAction contains “Loan”
TraInvoiceNo - Invoice #/Invoice/Loan # if SumAction contains “Loan”
TraTransactionType - Transaction Type if SumAction contains “Loan”
LoaStatus - if SumAction contains “Loan”

Unique

Ditto Skip

Insert Defaults

SumDepartment and AccCatalogue should be auto-filled dependent on the user group (no changes requested)

If a value is entered in AccPurchasePrice, AccPurchasePriceCurrency = USD
If a value is entered in AccValue, AccCurrency = USD
If a value is entered in MovInsurance, MovTotalInsuranceCurrency = USD
If a value is entered in MovTotalCost, MovTotalCostCurrency = USD

SumDepartment autogenerated prefixes:

Prefix	Department
A	Anthropology
B	Botany
G	Geology
Z	Zoology
L	Library
E	Exhibitions
D	Education or Learning
P	Photo Archives or Photography

Query Defaults

SumDepartment and AccCatalogue should be auto-filled in dependent on the user group

Record Security

General Statement

Each record should be affiliated with a Security Department which has primary edit responsibility for the record but records should be shared as read-only by all Security Groups. The exception is the Purchase Price and Value fields, where only groups that have creation and edit rights can view.

Software Dependencies

Resources -> Tools

Summary String(s)

Requests and updates to the summary string should be submitted as issues and tagged eparties. When approved they should be documented in structural changes.

Default:

Department prefix + “-” + irn

Action (SumAction)

WHERE SumAction CONTAINS Loan or Transaction or Deaccession

Summary String = SumDepartment prefix + “-” + TraInvoiceNo + “: “ + (SumAction - Department - “-”) + “: “ + TraDateProcessed + “ : “ TraContactPerson_tab + “ for “ + TraForUseBy_tab + “ : “ + DatLoanClosedDate + “: “ + LoaStatus

IF SumDepartment = Anthropology + [TraPrintedNotes]

e.g. (irn 55695 Z-50162) : Transaction : 04 May 2016 : P. J. Makovicky, The Field Museum - Geology Division, for S. Baumgartner : 01 Mar 2017: Closed)
e.g. (irn 63973) A-3668 : 25 Sep 2017 : University of Chicago - Oriental Institute ["The Book of the Dead: Becoming God in Ancient Egypt," 10/1/17 - 3/31/18]

WHERE SumAction CONTAINS Accession

SumDepartment prefix + “-” + AccAccessionNo + “:” + AccAccessionType + “:” + AccDateAccessioned + “-” + AccReceivedFrom_tab + (Received from)

IF SumDepartment = Anthropology + “:” AccCollector_tab + (Collector) {limit to first collector in list only}

e.g. (irn 25323) Z-11877 : Accession : Museum Collected : 08 January 1959 : Emmet R. Blake : Chicago Natural History Museum)
e.g. (irn 63707) A-4460 : Purchase : 29 Dec 2016 : Bunky Echo-Hawk (Received from) : A. Wali :Field Museum of Natural History (Collector)

WHERE SumAction CONTAINS Acquisition

SumDepartment prefix + “-” + LoaOtherInstitutionNo + “:” + AccAccessionType + “:” + AccDateAccessioned + “-” + AccReceivedFrom_tab + (Received from)