Notifications RFC

Notifications Overhaul

Status:	unknown
Sponsored by:	UT Tyler
Developed by:	Elliott Davis
Expected for:	2011-12-31
Bug number:	Bug 6833
Work in progress repository:	link(s) to currently published work on this RFC
Description:	*Overdues are limited to 3 per patron. This needs to be unlimited, so a more robust triggering methodology needs to be put into place, along with tie-ins to fines and privilege restriction. Since the overdues will be unlimited we would want them to have a frequency of release. Overdue rules need to be expanded to include item type and collection code. Advance notices are limited to 1 predue and 1 due. Overdues have two competing syntaxes for item information, <<items.content>> and <item></item>, neither of which are particularly good. <item/> is only supported in Overdues, not in any of the Advance Notices or Hold notifications <<items.content>> has to be specified on the commandline, adding sysadmin's to the customization process. Predue and Due both have separate digest forms, instead of notation that could be flexible enough to handle one or multiple items at a time. Advance Notices cannot be mandated by the library like Overdues are; what if you want to guarantee your patrons are being sent hold notices? Overdues cannot be opted into by patrons (I can see no opt-out, but what if you've configured a patron category to not receive overdues, and someone within that category wants to be notified because they're responsible, if a little forgetful?) Handling of notices to people without email addresses is inconsistent. For overdues (and possibly advance notices as well) the Koha branch email or admin email are sent the document of all the undeliverable message. For holds, a completely different HOLD_PRINT notice form is used, as well as a separate script to gather the notices, in HTML, into a directory somewhere on the Koha server. Overdues and Advance Notices have an HTML option, which works completely differently, but produces the same net effect: notices files on the server Nothing for checking/checkout notices Notices are mostly in plain text (except HOLD_PRINT). Should have HTML option, with a WYSIWYG editor. Message sending is sometimes handled by "process_message_queue", and other times the messages are sent directly Overdue, Advance and Holds notices are completely incompatible with Hourly Loans at this time Hold notices are broken out by Branch, Overdues can be too, but Advanced Notices are global. The use of the <<branch>> token has proven quite buggy in my experience Meaning of "branch" can be unclear in some notice circumstances. Is it the patron's branch? the item's branch? The checkout branch? The currently-logged in branch? Should it follow CircControl? HomeOrHoldingBranch? HomeOrHoldBranchReturn? None? All, in different cases? SMS is not sufficiently supported; there are character limits that need to be factored in. Notices do not make use of "reply-to" headers, which would make it much easier for the conversation to continue, without having to fine-tune the mail server settings on the Koha machine to match the addresses of the branch administrators. While fines can use the calendar to not charge on holidays, overdue notices are sent always. There should be an option like 'nonoticewhenclosed' (similar to nofineswhenclosed) to force the notification system to make use of the calendar.