A loan records which user has an item and when the item is due back. The loan starts when you check the item out. It ends when you check the item in.
A user can reserve items before borrowing them if your organization enables reservations. Admins can also use Build Order to gather reserved items before pickup. Both steps are optional. You can check out an available item without a reservation.
1. Reserve items and approve the reservation (optional)
Users can submit reservation requests for specific dates if reservations are enabled and their Membership Type allows reservations. Admins can also create a reservation for a user.
An approved reservation blocks the items for the reserved dates. A pending reservation does not block availability. If you enable automatic approval, myTurn approves non-conflicting reservations automatically. Otherwise, admins review and approve the requests.
To review reservations, go to Inventory > List Reservations. Check for conflicts and review any notes before preparing the items.
If Reservation Reminders are enabled, myTurn emails users about approved, unfulfilled reservations before the start date. The Days Before and Run Time settings control when these reminders are sent.
For details, see:
- Enabling & Configuring Reservations
- Creating Reservation for a User
- Managing Reservations and Building Orders
2. Build the order before pickup (optional)
Use Build Order when you physically gather reserved items and set them aside for the user.
From Inventory > List Reservations, select Build Order for the reservation. Scan, enter, or select each item as you set it aside.
Swap interchangeable copies
If your items are in the same Grouping, you can pick any available copy. You do not need to find the exact copy listed on the reservation. When you scan or enter the copy you picked, myTurn swaps it for the reserved copy and adds the exact copy you scanned or entered to the order.
Swapping saves time when gathering items. It also lets you use an available copy when the reserved copy is in maintenance or is overdue.
Set items aside and notify the user
Items added to the order are unavailable for other reservations from the time you set them aside through the end of the reservation. Building an order does not record that the user has received the items. You still need to check them out.
When the order is ready, you can select Notify Ready to email the user. This is a separate admin action from the scheduled reservation reminder.
See Managing Reservations and Building Orders.
3. Check out the items
Check out the items when the user receives them. Checkout records the loan and its due date.
To check out a reservation, select Check Out on the Build Order page or, when the reservation is ready for checkout, on the List Reservations page. The checkout cart opens with the due date set to the reservation end date. Review the items, due dates, and any fees or payments. Then select Record Transaction to complete checkout. Completing checkout from either reservation page always marks the reservation as Fulfilled.
If you start an admin cart for a user with an upcoming, unfulfilled reservation, a pop-up lists their reservations. You can use the pop-up to check out a reservation that is ready for fulfillment.
Review the due date even if the user collects the items early or late. The default remains the reservation end date when you start checkout from the order. An admin can change the due date during checkout.
For an item without a reservation, start a cart for the user and add the item. Review the default due date and complete the transaction. The default loan length can depend on the item settings and the user's Membership Type.
See Item Check In / Check Out and Renewal.
Self-checkout
If your subscription plan and configuration support self-checkout, eligible users can check out items themselves. Self-checkout can use the software-only Self Service Kiosk Mode or an integration with electronic locks and lockers. The process still records a loan and a due date.
See Self Service Kiosk Mode & Electronic Locks and Lockers.
4. Send reminders while items are on loan
If Loan Reminders are enabled, myTurn emails users before their loans are due. Set Days Before to choose how far in advance to send the reminder. For example, a value of 1 sends a reminder the day before the due date. Run Time sets the approximate sending time.
If an item remains checked out after its due date, the loan becomes overdue. Overdue Reminders are also available if enabled.
Configure these emails at Settings > Customers > Configure Loan Reminders. The customer label can vary with your site's terminology. Enable each reminder type you want to use, set its schedule, and save. Reminder schedules use your organization's time zone.
Reminder recipients are determined when the scheduled process runs. Recording a return before that process runs prevents that returned loan from triggering a reminder. A user can still receive a reminder for another loan.
Review the email templates when you change reminder timing. For setup guidance, see Automated Email Reminders.
5. Renew a loan if the user needs more time (optional)
An admin can renew a loan and review the new due date. Check upcoming reservations before extending the loan so the item can be returned in time for the next user.
If you enable self-renewal, users can renew eligible loans from My Account > Loans. Renewal availability depends on your settings, the loan, and upcoming reservations.
For details, see:
6. Check in the returned items
When the user returns an item, check it in to record the return and end the loan. In the user's cart, scan or select the returned items. Review any late fees, other charges, and payments. Then select Record Transaction to complete check-in.
Record only the items the user has returned. Any other items remain checked out with their existing due dates.
Checking in an item records its return. Its availability for the next loan or reservation also depends on your item statuses, reservation buffers, and other settings.
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