[Koha-devel] Fines chargename field

[Jack]

Dear Chris

I am currently working on the fines system. At present I am looking at 
the chargename field, it seems this is no longer used anymore, is that 
right?

Is anyone working on re-writing the fines and accounts system? If not 
this is somthing I would not mind doing as the original is a litle sparce.

Thanks


Jack

I have changed the fines system in our Koha to work in the following 
manner :

I have changed the fines in the following ways, please check them and 
let me know if they are correct.

Definition >>
  days_overdue = the number of days that the item has been overdue.
          Sundays > We dont fine people on Sundays, thus, if the item 
is 7 or more days overdue, Koha looks at the total no of days the item 
is overdue, divides it by 7 which gives us the integer number of weeks 
the item has been overdue. We then subtract this integer number of weeks 
from the days_overdue amount, as each week has one Sunday.
We then subtract one more day from the days_overdue to allow for the 
fact that we dont fine people for the first day that the item becomes 
overdue.

Thhe fines will be run on Mon, Tue, Wed,Thur and Fri.


Each time the fines are run the process is as follows >


1. Item is 2 or more days overdue :

When an item has been overdue for 2 or more days a new fines account is 
created for the item and is updated each day from then on until the item 
is returned. This is the first account created for the overdue item.

The name of the account in the borrowers record will be "Overdue Fine > >"
From now on this account will always hold the fines for the item for as 
long as it is overdue.


2. Item is 7 or more days but less than 14 days overdue :

If the item has been has been over due for 7 or more days AND the first 
fines letter has NOT been
sent we will generate the first fines letter for that item.
NO new account will be created and the existing account will be updated 
with the fact that the
first letter has been generated.

The fines for the item will continue to build on a daily basis until 
either the item is returned OR the maximum fine amount of $10 is reached.

The name of the account in the borrowers record will now be "Overdue 
Fine > letter_no=1 >.... "
to reflect the fact that the account is for overdues fine and the first 
letter has been sent.

If the max fine limit of $10 is reached the fine will remain at $10 from 
then on.


3. Item is 14 or more days overdue but less than or equal to 35 days 
overdue :

If the item is 14 days overdue AND the second fines letter has NOT 
already been sent, we will send out the second fine letter.
The borrowers record will be updated with the fact that the second fine 
letter has been sent.

NO new account will be created and the existing account will be updated 
with the fact that the
first letter has been generated.

The name of the account in the borrowers record will now be "Overdue 
Fine > letter_no=2 >.... "
to reflect the fact that the account is for overdues fine and the second 
letter has been sent.

The fines for the item will continue to build on a daily basis until 
either the item is returned OR the maximum fine amount of $10 is reached.

If the max fine limit of $10 is reached the fine will remain at $10 from 
then on.


4. Item is more than 35 days overdue but less than or equal to 60 days 
overdue :

If the item is MORE than 35 days overdue AND the third fines letter has 
NOT already been sent, we will send out the third and final fine letter.

From this point on the item is considered lost. Thus the itemlost field 
in the items table in Koha will be set to 2 ( which means the item is 
long overdue ). And from then on Koha will treat the item as being lost.

The borrowers record will be updated with the fact that the third fine 
letter has been sent.

The name of the account in the borrowers record will now be "Overdue 
Fine > letter_no=3 >.... "
to reflect the fact that the account is for overdues fine and the final 
letter has been sent.

Two new accounts will be created for the newly lost item :

1. Processing fee account > This account holds the non-refundable 
processing fee for the item.

This account will be called "Non refundable processing fee for lost item.".

2. Replacement Account > This account holds the replacement value of the 
item and is effectively a bill. The account will be called "Lost Item 
Replacement Bill >..."


The fines for the item will continue to build on a daily basis until 
either the item is returned OR the maximum fine amount of $10 is reached.

If the max fine limit of $10 is reached the fine will remain at $10 from 
then on.

Lost Item Search List >>

Koha will generate a lost item search list for each branch that will 
list all of the newly lost items sorted by dewey. This can then be used 
to do one final shelf check before sending out the final letter.