Hello everyone!

Has anyone encountered problems 're-using' Object records? The sort of thing I'm thinking of is related to 'alternate' numbers. For example, where an object was a long loan in, with an 'L' pre-fixed Object record number, was returned to it's lender and then borrowed again, re-using the Object record, but with a new 'X' pre-fixed number assigned. Our users are concerned that it's not immediately apparent that a short-term loan was once a long-loan and they're also not keen on over-writing credit lines where this is the case. On the latter I've suggested that we could store previous credit lines as a text-entry and for the former, create a status flag indicating that an Object has an alternate number - or more explicitly that an Object has changed it's status at some point - for example 'previously long-loan'?. Maybe it's a training issue? One thing that has occurred is that it would be useful if the Object Number quick search feature searched all object numbers for an Object. It would also be useful if 'alternate numbers' could be included in use defined forms.

Also, we're not sure how to proceed cataloguing 'temporary' objects e.g. a wall painting created for a specific exhibition and then painted over so that, in effect, they no longer exist. Create an object status; a status flag; record via a location? Something else? How have you tackled these sorts of objects?

A final query… does anybody else use the Object status on the Exhibition record to record whether an Object is agreed/declined/provisional for a given Exhibition? Any problems/thoughts? We have written reports summarising Exhibition records that include/exclude Objects based on the value of the Object status and that also provide details of the Object status - useful where an object is provisionally agreed (this can't be done with the yes/no included/excluded windows on the exhibition record). But users still tend to want the list of Objects visible on the Objects tab to be the actual Objects in the exhibition and to simply delete Objects not in the exhibition - which loses the information about them having been considered, but subsequently rejected/declined etc.. More training?! :-)

Thanks
Jon

Tate
Millbank
London SW1P 4RG

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