MARC Instances
- Magda Zacharska
Sunflower (R1 2025) updates in Progress
What is MARC instance?
A MARC instance is an instance record whose source is set to MARC. Typically, MARC instances are imported via Data Import or added in QuickMarc. In FOLIO, each MARC instance has both an inventory record and a corresponding MARC source record (known as SRS record) in source-record storage. To view the MARC source record, select "View source" from the Actions menu in the Inventory app:
During Bulk edit, both FOLIO and MARC versions of the record will be updated based on the default MARC to Instance mappings.
Identifying MARC instances for bulk edit job
MARC instances for bulk editing can be identified by building a query or by submitting a file with a list of UUIDs or HRIDs.
Building a query
To build a query, navigate to the Bulk Edit app’s Query tab, choose "Inventory - Instance" as the record type, and click the "Build Query" button.
In the query builder form, once the query is built and tested, clicking the "Run Query" button retrieves the entire list of matching records in on the Bulk edit’s preview form:
Submitting a list of UUIDs
A list of instance record UUIDs can be generated from Inventory search results by exporting the UUIDs of records that match the search results:
After the file with instance UUIDs is generated and saved locally, it can be used to initiate a bulk edit job by selecting "Inventory - Instances" as the record type and "Instance UUIDs" as the record identifier:
Bulk edit MARC Instances in Ramson (R2 2024) release
Editing Administrative data
In the Ramsons release, Bulk edit supports modifications to the following data for Instance records:
Administrative notes
Staff suppress
Suppress from discovery (allowing to also suppress linked holdings and items)
Administrative data for MARC instances can be edited the same way as for FOLIO instances by selecting “Instances and Administrative data” option from the Actions menu, under “Start bulk edit”:
Editing Administrative note
In the Bulk edit form, users will be able to:
Add a new administrative note
Remove all administrative notes:
Changing Administrative note to another instance note type is not supported and will cause an error.
Selecting “Find (full field search)” action will enable either removing a note with the matching text or replacing it with new text:
Editing Staff suppress and Suppress from discovery flags
Both "Staff Suppress" and "Suppress from Discovery" can be set to either True or False. When setting "Suppress from Discovery," users can also choose whether the associated holdings and item records should be suppressed or unsuppressed:
Editing MARC 5xx and 9xx fields
The functionality has been introduced in Ramsons (R2 2024) as a Proof of Concept and allows users to add, append, or remove fields in the 5xx and 9xx range by selecting "Instances with source MARC (POC)" in the Bulk Edit menu, then specify field updates as needed.
Previewing changes
After making edits, users can preview the proposed changes in the "Are You Sure?" form. Inventory data based on MARC-to-Instance mapping is displayed, and the modified MARC records can be downloaded in .mrc format for further review by clicking the “Download preview in MARC format” button:
Committing changes
Once the changes have been committed, a green banner will indicate the number of updated records. Users have the option to download these records in .mrc format from the Actions menu.
In the event that errors are encountered during the saving process, these errors will be displayed on the screen within a separate "Errors" accordion. Furthermore, the details of these errors can also be downloaded in .csv format for review and analysis.
Reviewing logs of completed bulk edit jobs
Upon completion, logs of the bulk edit job are available in the Logs tab. By default, these logs are retained for 30 days and can be configured. Errors, if encountered, are shown in the "Errors" accordion and can be downloaded in .csv format for troubleshooting.
Bulk edit MARC Instances in Sunflower (R1 2025) release
Editing Administrative data
Bulk edit supports modifications to the following data for Instance records:
Administrative notes
Staff suppress
Statistical codes (added in Sunflower (R1 2025))
Suppress from discovery (allowing to also suppress linked holdings and items)
Starting with Sunflower (R1 2025) release, administrative data for MARC instances can be updated directly on the form that supports updating MARC fields so that librarians can update them in one bulk edit job:
Editing Administrative note
In the Bulk edit form, users will be able to:
Add a new administrative note
Remove all administrative notes:
Changing Administrative note to another instance note type is not supported.
Selecting “Find” action will allow to find a matching text and either remove it or replace it with another text:
Editing Staff suppress and Suppress from discovery flags
Both "Staff Suppress" and "Suppress from Discovery" can be set to either True or False. When setting "Suppress from Discovery," users can also choose whether the associated holdings and item records should be suppressed or unsuppressed:
Editing Statistical codes
By selecting “Statistical code” option users will be able to add new, remove existing or remove all statistical codes:
It is possible to add new one and remove already assigned statistical codes in one bulk edit job:
Editing MARC fields
The functionality introduced in Ramsons (R2 2024) as a Proof of Concept, has been expanded in Sunflower to cover all MARC fields with the exception of control fields (00x) and system protected 999 ff field.
In the Bulk edit form, users can add a new field, append additional subfields or remove all specified fields:
Selecting “Find” action enables appending a new subfield to the field with matching text, remove the entire field, remove the subfield or replace the matched text with a new text:
Previewing changes
After making edits, users can preview the proposed changes in the "Are You Sure?" form. Inventory data based on MARC-to-Instance mapping is displayed, and the modified MARC records can be downloaded in .mrc format for further review by clicking the “Download preview in MARC format” button:
In Sunflower (R1 2025) release user will be also able to download updated records in .csv format. <add screenshot>
Committing changes
Once the changes have been committed, a green banner will indicate the number of updated records. Users have the option to download these records in .mrc format from the Actions menu.
In the event that errors are encountered during the saving process, these errors will be displayed on the screen within a separate "Errors" accordion. Furthermore, the details of these errors can also be downloaded in .csv format for review and analysis.
In Sunflower (R1 2025) release user will be also able to download updated records in .csv format. <add screenshot>.
Reviewing logs of completed bulk edit jobs
Upon completion, logs of the bulk edit job are available in the Logs tab. The logs contain files:
File with identifiers of the records identified for the bulk edit job
File with matching records in .csv format
File with encountered errors and warnings during matching records (if any)
File with proposed changes (in .mrc and .csv formats)
File with updated records (in .mrc and .csv formats)
File with encountered errors while committing changes (if any)
By default, these logs are retained for 30 days and can be configured. Errors, if encountered, are shown in the "Errors" accordion and can be downloaded in .csv format for troubleshooting.
Recordings
The following recordings demonstrate bulk editing MARC Instances (no audio):
Bulk editing MARC Instances by building query
Ramsons (R2 2024)
Sunflower (R1 2025)
<to be added>
Bulk editing MARC Instances by submitting UUIDs
Ramsons (R2 2024)
Sunflower (R1 2025)
<to be added>