Koha 21.11: Simplification of Account Offset Types

by Hebah Amin-Headley on Jul 6, 2022

Bug 22435 streamlines the types of offsets recorded in the account_offsets table.

An offset tracks changes to a balance on an account, like when the charge is created, overdues increase each day, a lost book is found, or a borrower makes a payment toward an existing fine. This allows library staff to see the history of a charge in the borrower accounting information.

This history has always been available in patrons’ transactions details, but you could only view one offset at a time, burrowing through the details to construct a payment history. Now the display is more intuitive, showing clearly whether an amount is an increase or decrease, the history of any payments on a debit, and relevant transaction information all on one screen. This will be particularly useful for troubleshooting complicated transaction history, like this fine with partial payments and a voided one in the mix - you can still click out to more detailed payment information, but the sequence of actions and overall balance on the fine is clearly visible in one place.

The other ripple of this change may affect some reports, particularly any reports related to cash drawer transactions. With the change to account_offsets in 21.05 that brought the table in line with double entry accounting principles, some cash register reports needed to adjust the offsets in those reports to only grab the lines where the credit or payment applied to the fine, or debit, entry. That line of a report looks something like

and account_offsets.type in (‘Payment’,’Credit Applied’)

In 21.11, we want that wording to say

and account_offsets.type=“APPLY”

Application of a credit itself doesn’t limit to payment transactions unless the report does in other parameters, like specifying payment types to include or only certain types of credits, which most cash drawer reports are already set up to do. If you already have a detailed cash drawer report that joins with the account_offsets table and includes offset types, the only thing that should need to change is the offset type to ‘APPLY.’

If you are comfortable editing reports, the change is small and simple. However, if you’re not, please put in a ticket, and we'll help you fix it.

More 21.11:

Koha 21.11: Upgrade Hub
Koha 21.11: Release Notes