Completing Fields in Catalogue Records
Catalogue record fields
There are a number of different Field Types in Calm and the type of field will affect the way that data is entered. If certain fields are completed incorrectly you will receive a validation warning message, providing that the Validation Options have been set. The Complete Field List gives precise details for all the fields in the Catalogue database.
Mandatory Fields
In the Catalogue records certain fields are mandatory and must be completed for Calm to work properly. Other fields are optional and may be left blank if required. The mandatory field on Archive Catalogue records is Title.
RefNo: This is an alphanumeric field which you
must complete with a unique number or combination of letters and numbers. The
RefNo acts as a unique identifier for the archive catalogue records. The RefNo
field is also a tree field and is used to create the archival tree
hierarchy. The RefNo field uses a / (forward slash) to
indicate the different levels. For instance, you may have a collection about
John Smith which has a RefNo of JS. You can then subdivide this collection into
Personal and Business, giving these sections RefNos of JS/1 and JS/2, and so
on. To display the tree structure press the
button on the button strip, followed by the
button.
This shows clearly the various levels and how different records are linked
together.
Title: Title is a text field into which you should type a short title for the record or records you are cataloguing. More detail may be entered in the Description field.
Other Important Fields
Repository: When you first use Calm you may find that the Repository field has been given a sample Default Content. The default content may be altered (for example to the name of your institution) or removed using the Default Content facility in the Admin program. The repository field is also a Picklist Field, it has been given a sample pick list which may be altered or removed using the Pick list facility in the Admin program.
Date: The Date field in the catalogue database is a Period Date field. Dates must be entered in a valid format to ensure that when searching the date field, the date parser can interpret the date properly. A warning message will appear if you save a record containing an invalid date.
AltRefNo: Sometimes an existing reference numbering system does not indicate hierarchical levels and so is unable to be used as a basis for the tree structure display. If this is the case we recommend that you use this field for your existing system and create a new numbering system for the RefNo field. AltRefNo is an alphanumeric field.
RCN: Record Conservation Number. The RCN field is normally a hidden field but may be viewed by pressing F9 on your keyboard. It is a Serial Number Field which is automatically completed by Calm when a new Catalogue record is created. Calm uses the RCN to uniquely identify catalogue records and to link them to records in the Conservation database when required. The serial number which appears in this field may be customised using the Serial Number facility in the Admin program.
Level, MgtGroup, MgtSubGroup and CatStatus: These fields are all Pick list fields. By default they have been set as “pop-up” pick lists, therefore to view the list you may double-click within the field or start typing in the field to make the list appear. The pick lists can be customised, removed or changed to “drop-down” style lists using the Pick list facility in the Admin program.
BarCode: If you are using a barcode scanning app such as Axiell Move to work with objects, for example by assigning or changing their locations, you will need a field the scanner can use to identify the object and connect it to a barcode. This field is meant to hold a barcode's unique identifying number. If you are not using a barcode scanning app, this field can be safely ignored.
Field Comments
If you are unsure of the intended use of a field you may view the Field Comment to see whether a use for the field has been defined. Place your mouse pointer over the field in question or click in the field and choose View Comment from the Field drop down menu to see the field comment. Comments may be added, deleted or altered using the Field Comment facility in the Admin program.Linked Data
The linked data feature enables you to add data from external sources into fields on your Calm records. By default, the following data sources are available in Calm: AIM25, British Library and Wikipedia. The External Linked Data page explains how to link the data to your Calm Catalog records.