Video Tutorial on Using the Offline Circulation Tool with Koha

by Kelly McElligott on Dec 29, 2017

In this Koha tutorial we will show you how to use the Offline Circulation Tool that was created by Kyle Hall for Windows.

https://youtu.be/nt11y-zl2rI

To download the program to install on your computer – please visit: https://github.com/bywatersolutions/koha-offline-circulation/releases 

Steps to Use the Offline Circulation Tool:

1. Go to the website above and down the file which has the .exe. Save it to your computer and then once downloaded and run the program.   
2. The Koha Offline Circulation Icon will appear on your desktop- double click this to open the program.
3. The left hand of the screen is what you will be using.  There are three tabs available:  issues, returns, history.

   Issues / Checkouts

   1. To begin, you must scan in a patron’s barcode and hit accept.  
   2. Below the Borrower card number area, there is the Item Barcode area- here you will scan in the item that borrower is checking out.
   3. Hit Add items after each scan of a barcode. At the end of the transaction with the patron, click OK.
   4. The first transaction when you use the offline tool, you will be prompted to save the file.  
   5. After you save this file, it will allow you to continue with the next patron in the checkout process. Any subsequent transactions will be saved to this file.
   6.  I have included a screenshot of the process being done a few times and then I saved the file.  This can be done with File- Save.  You will want to save the file at the end of the day also.

6. Returns:
   1. Scan in a barcode under the Returns tab and hit enter.
   2. This will store all the previously scanned barcodes.
7. History:Here is where all the transactions that have been performed during the time this program was open will be stored.  When you close out for the day- make sure you save the file.  The next day, the first transaction will again need to be saved, but this history will show everything that has happened during the time it was opened.  

If you are using a borrower file :

1. Once you open the Koha Offline Circulation, go to Settings
2. Choose- Select Borrowers DB file and retrieve it from your computer.
3. Then proceed with transactions.  When you scan a barcode of a patron, their details will populate on the right hand side.
4. The rest of the process is the same as above.

Once your internet has been restored:

1. Open up your Koha Staff Client
2. Go into the Circulation Module
3. Choose to “Upload offline circulation file (.koc)
4. Here you will be prompted to choose the file you saved during your offline circulation process and upload it.
5. If you have multiple files, you can choose to “add to offline circulation queue” or “apply directly”
6. Apply directly will process the transactions and show all the transactions that happened during the file process.

For more tutorial videos- visit or subscribe to our Bywater Youtube Channel!