Change Contract Item State

The Change Contract Item State task is used to change the status of contract items and set the Actual Start and Actual End dates for contract items. Users can perform the following functions with this task:

• Change contract item status: The status can be changed for all contract items or only contract items with specific asset types. For example: Use this task to change Preliminary assignments to Active after the assignments have been reviewed.

• Change Actual Start and Actual End dates: Date changes can be performed for all contract items or only contract items with specific asset types.

• Reverse certain contract state changes: Contract state change can be reversed—such as changing a contract in a Completed state to Active. This option is useful if (for example) the Actual End date (move out) was not set before the item states were changed to Completed. Or the contract item states may need to be changed from Active to Preliminary to replace charge schedules.

• It is important to select the Change Contracts In Use At date. This option defines which contract items or assignments are changed. The selected date must fall between the contract items’ Start and End dates.

• If running the task with the Change Contracts In Use At option set to Run Task Date (the default setting), running the task in Preview mode and then later running the task again (without Preview) may produce different results depending on contract dates. When using Preview mode, CBORD recommends setting the Change Contracts In Use At option to the same date and time that will be used when the task is run normally.

• Patron Selection: Select one of the following options to provide a list of patrons for the Change Contract Item State task process:

o Remote File Path: Enter the full directory path and file name (including extension) in the available field. For example:

The imported file can be an ID List or a simple text file with only one record per line. The file must be stored on the Odyssey HMS/ResCenter server. It is not possible to import the file from a local workstation.

Notes: If a file path is defined for a scheduled task, the path is referenced each time the task runs. If the file’s data is updated (either manually edited or overwritten), the updated data will be used the next time the task is processed.

When creating or editing a task, ResCenter only verifies that the Remote File Path field is populated—not that the file exists—allowing a user to schedule a future task with a file that will be added later. If the file does not exist when the task runs, an error will be recorded in the Task History, and a failure email will be sent (if the task is configured with an email address).

o Advanced Find: Click the  Advanced Find button to use the Patron Advanced Find function to search for and select patrons to process with this task.

Note: When configuring an Advanced Find filter, the Max items to return field is set to 1,000, by default. CBORD recommends users increase this value if there’s a possibility that more than 1,000 patrons could be returned for this task.

• Change Contracts That Are/To: Use this option to change contract items and assignments from a particular state (the first menu) to another state (the second menu). For example, select Preliminary and Active to change Preliminary contract items to an Active state.

• Change Contracts In Use At: Select the second radio option and specify the In Use date to select the items to process. The In use date must fall within the contract items’ Start and End dates.

Alternatively, leave the Change Contracts In Use At option set to Run Task Date and the task will generate all charges through the date and time the task runs.

• Actual Use Start Date: If necessary, select a date. Each contract will be changed to use this defined date for the Actual Start date.

• Actual Use End Date: If necessary, select a date. Each contract will be changed to use this defined date for the Actual End date.

• Only Change Assignments: Check this box to only process assignments and not other contract items (such as those for services, equipment, or fees).

• Fail Patrons with Unpaid Deposits: For institutions that record deposits in the contract item’s Add/Edit window, use this option to cause contract changes to fail for patrons with unpaid deposits. For failed changes, a record will be added to the task’s history.

For each patron with an unpaid deposit (causing the contract item state change to fail), any of the task’s other contract item state changes for that patron will be reverted (i.e. no contract item state changes will be made for the patron).

Note: An institution must use the Deposit Paid check box in the contract item’s Add/Edit window to indicate whether or not patrons have paid their deposit.

• Only Process Asset Types: Select this option to process specific asset types. Select one or more asset types from the left window and click the  mover button to add them to the right window. To add all asset types, click the  Move All button.

• If necessary, check the Preview check box to run the task in preview mode. When enabled, the task will be run, but no contract item state changes will be saved in the system. When viewing the task history, for each item, the Is Preview check box will be checked to indicate that the change was not saved.

To make the changes final, the task must be run again with the Preview check box unchecked.

Note: If the Change Contract Item State task is run with the Change Contracts In Use At option set to Run Task Date (the default setting), running the task in Preview mode and then later running the task again (without Preview) may produce different results depending on contract dates. When using Preview mode, CBORD recommends setting the Change Contracts In Use At option to the same date and time that will be used when the task is run normally.