Suspension Structures

Use this screen to create or edit fixed and periodic suspensions.

To access this screen, sign in Service Configuration, open the WMS Circulation left navigation, select Billing and Suspension, and then select the Suspension Structures link.

A suspension structure is used to define how long a patron should be suspended after returning or renewing an overdue item.

View suspension structures

The following describes the fields on the Suspension Structures screen:

Policy Name: Name of the policy. Click the Policy Name to edit the policy.
Last Modified: Date and time the policy was last modified.
Suspension Reason: Describes why the patron was suspended. See Suspension Reasons for more information.
Suspension Structure Type:
- Fixed Suspension: Suspends a patron for a set period of time per item returned.
  - Suspend For: Determines the duration of the suspension.
- Periodic Suspension: Used to change the rate of suspension penalties to reflect how long the item has been overdue.
  - Suspension Amounts Per Overdue Period: Determines the duration of the recurrence of a suspension period.

Create or edit a fixed suspension

On the Suspension Structures screen, click Create New, or click the Policy Name you want to edit.
Enter a policy name.
Select a Suspension Reason from the list.
- Create suspension reasons on the Suspension Reasons screen.
If you are creating a new suspension structure, in the Suspension Type list, click Fixed Suspension.
In the Suspend For field, enter the desired duration.
Click Save.

Create or edit a periodic suspension

On the Suspension Structures screen, click Create New, or click the Policy Name you want to edit.
Enter a policy name.
Select a Suspension Reason from the list.
- Create suspension reasons on the Suspension Reasons screen.
If you are creating a new suspension structure, in the Suspension Type list, click Periodic Suspension.
Use the Suspension Amounts Per Overdue Period table to determine the duration of the recurrence of a suspension period. Columns are as follows:
- Suspension Amount: Enter the desired duration of suspension.
- Recurrence: Select how often the suspension occurs.
- Duration: Enter the period of time the reoccurrence of suspension accrual will continue.
  - The library's open hours will be used to calculate the overdue duration for periodic suspension structures if the Accrue bills and/or suspension when closed? setting in the Loan Policy is set to No. See WorldCat Registry, Open Hours to set the institution's open hours. See Branch Open Hours Override Settings to set open hours per branch.
- Add/Delete (rightmost column): The system reads the rows in the Suspension Amounts Per Overdue Period table from top to bottom until the Duration ends.
  - To add a row, click the Add button ().
  - To delete a row, click the Remove button ().
  - To move a row up, click the up arrow ().
  - To move a row down, click the down arrow ().

Copy suspension structures

Click the Policy Name you want to copy.
In the top right corner, click Copy. The copied policy appears.
Enter a policy name and edit any additional fields.
Click Save.

Delete suspension structures

Policies cannot be deleted if they are in use.

Click the Policy Name you want to delete.
In the top right corner, click Delete.
On the Confirm window, click OK.

Related policies

Suspension Structure depends upon:

Suspension Reasons

Suspension Structure is used on:

Loan Policy