Deleting (withdrawing) item records in Alma

Alma role needed: Physical Inventory Operator-Extended

Important disambiguation of the term Withdrawal as used in Alma: In Alma, withdrawing and deleting an item are the same thing. These procedures cover scenarios where the item records are unneeded for retention purposes, not for what we have traditionally considered as Withdrawals.

Before you begin

Since all item records are attached to a holdings record, the process of deleting item records sometimes impacts holdings. If you delete the last item on a holdings record, Alma will prompt you to take action on the holdings record. Before you begin the process of deleting unwanted item records, you should survey the holdings landscape and be aware of whether or not the holdings should also be deleted. Look at notes and other information in the holdings record(s) to make this determination.

Deleting a duplicate item record created in error/not needed

In this screenshot you can see that the 2nd item record, with barcode “ucb00007747”, is a duplicate. The holdings record has a valid item record, so the deletion action does not affect the holdings record at all.

To delete a single item record:

1. Start from View items
2. From the ellipsis menu for the item you want to delete, select Withdraw
3. Click Confirm in the confirmation “Are you sure you want to delete the item” message popup
   • If the item record has a work order (e.g., Process type is set to Acquisition technical services), the confirmation window displays additional text indicating that deleting the item will cancel the requests. Click Confirm to delete the item

Deleting multiple items on holdings record

On the rare occasion, you may need to delete multiple items from a holdings:

1. View items 
2. Select the items to be deleted by checking the boxes on the left
3. Click Manage Selected and select Withdraw Items from the drop down menu
4. Click Confirm in the Confirmation message popup

Deleting the last item on a holdings record

If you delete the last item on a holdings record Alma will prompt for action to be taken on the holdings record by displaying the Last item(s) of Holdings record deleted or moved window.

Choose the action you wish to take with the holdings record:

1. If the holdings record was created in error, select Delete the holdings record and click Go
2. If the holdings record existed prior to the item deletion process, or if it has notes that should be retained, instead select Suppress the holdings record from discovery and click Go
   1. If Suppress the holdings record from discovery is selected, the holdings record will automatically be suppressed. 
   2. If the holdings should eventually be deleted, and not permanently retained, follow the Interim procedure for marking Alma records for deletion instructions to complete the marking for deletion process.
3. If a POL is attached to the holdings record, suppress the holdings record; do not delete it
4. If in doubt about whether or not a holdings record should be deleted, suppress the record; do not delete it

DO NOT USE THE LAST RADIO BUTTON OPTION to Delete bibliographic record. You should never delete a Bibliographic record yourself; instead refer to the Interim procedure for marking Alma records for deletion document.