Hello,
  Upon the suggestion of Dimitry at Gallery Systems,I created a Thesaurus term in Attributes (Objects module)called "Loan Renewal Year" and Search Types: 2003, 2004, etc.  This allows me to run a query for all accessioned long-term loans (objects loaned to CWF) for each year to determine those which need to be renewed.  Haven't explored using the Loans Module yet, except for CWF objects being loaned out for exhibitions.  TMS offers more than one means to accomplish tasks--I'm finding out more day-by-day!
 
Margie Gill
Registrar
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P. O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA 23187
757-220-7519
-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Waldemar [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 11:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Begin Date for Renewals of Long Term Loans

Hi Susan-
 
One alternate approach to loan renewal dates would be using Text Entries.  In the Loans Module, you could create a Text Type called Renewal Date.  To enter your long-term loan renewal date, you would choose this Text Type, then enter the date of the renewal.  You could use the Status field to indicate whether the loan renewal has actually been processed.  Remember, you must enter something in the Text field or you can't save the Text Entry.
 
I just tested this here and verified that I could search this data in advanced query based on Text Entry Type and various date ranges.  You could also pull this data into reports, just like Statuses.
 
Hope this helps!
 
Karen
 
______________________________
Karen Waldemar
Director, Product Management
 
Gallery Systems
261 West 35th Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10001-1902
t  646 733 2239 ext. 229
f  646 733 2259
___________________________________
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Garton [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2003 9:21 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Begin Date for Renewals of Long Term Loans

When dealing with renewals of long term loans, how are others recording the Begin Date of the renewal period? We would like that date to be searchable and reportable, but we do not want to create an entirely new loan for each renewal period. Nor do we want to change the Begin Date each time--we would like that to remain the initial Begin Date. We use Display Date for a different purpose, and that is the only other date field available. We are considering putting renewal dates in a remarks field in the Statuses grid, but a text field is definitely not ideal. Has this been an issue for anyone else out there?
 
Thanks for any advice you can offer.
 
Susan Foster Garton
Data Administrator
Center for Electronic Research and Outreach Services
National Portrait Gallery
Tel:  (202) 275-1842
Fax:  (202) 275-1907
[log in to unmask]