ILLiad Staff Web Client Administration
The Administration section of ILLiad's Staff Web Client gives you complete control over how your staff interact with the system. From managing user permissions to customizing forms and field names, these tools help you create an ILLiad experience tailored to your library's unique workflows and security requirements.
Getting to Administration
To access the administration features, click on the Administration option in your ILLiad Staff Web Client navigation menu. You'll need administrator-level permissions to access these features. The administration interface opens with five main tabs, each controlling a different aspect of system configuration.
Administration Components
Staff Profiles
Staff Profiles are the foundation of user management in ILLiad. Think of profiles as role templates that define what different groups of staff can see and do. Every staff member must be assigned to a profile, which then determines their interface layout, field access, and permissions throughout the system.
Use profiles to create consistent experiences for staff in similar roles while maintaining security and efficiency. Common profiles include student workers, circulation staff, ILL specialists, and supervisors.
Layouts
The Layouts tab lets you customize how forms appear for each profile. You can show or hide fields, reorganize sections, and create streamlined interfaces that match your workflows. This powerful feature ensures staff see only the information they need, reducing clutter and confusion.
Layouts work hand-in-hand with profiles - each profile can have its own unique layout for every form in the system. This means your student workers can have a simplified view while supervisors see all available options.
Restricted Fields
Security meets usability in the Restricted Fields tab. Here you control which database fields are completely hidden from specific profiles. Unlike layouts (which just hide fields from forms), restricted fields are blocked at the data level - they won't appear in searches, reports, or anywhere else in the system.
This feature is essential for protecting sensitive information like patron personal data, financial details, or internal notes while still allowing staff to perform their duties effectively.
Field Customizations
Every library speaks its own language, and Field Customizations let ILLiad speak yours. Rename any field in the system to match your local terminology. Whether you call it a "Request ID" instead of "Transaction Number" or prefer "Pages Needed" over "PhotoJournalInclusivePages," this feature makes the system more intuitive for your staff.
These customizations appear everywhere - in forms, grids, search results, and reports. It's one of the most effective ways to reduce training time and prevent errors.
Print Templates
The Print Templates tab manages all printed output from ILLiad, from book bands and pull slips to mailing labels and notices. While the actual template editing happens in Customization Manager, this interface lets you see all available templates, when they were last updated, and what purpose they serve.
Understanding your print templates helps ensure consistent, professional output for all your ILL operations.
Planning Your Configuration
Before diving into administration, take time to plan your approach:
- Map Your Roles: List all the different types of staff who use ILLiad and what tasks they perform
- Identify Security Needs: Determine which information needs protection and from whom
- Document Workflows: Understand how requests flow through your department
- Gather Feedback: Ask current users what works well and what causes confusion
Best Practices
Start Simple: Begin with basic profiles and gradually add complexity as needed. It's easier to add features than to take them away.
Test Thoroughly: Always test configuration changes with actual users before rolling them out broadly. What makes sense to administrators might not work for front-line staff.
Document Everything: Keep notes about why you made specific configuration choices. Future administrators (including future you) will appreciate understanding the reasoning behind settings.
Review Regularly: Set a schedule to review your configuration, perhaps annually or after major workflow changes. Remove outdated settings and adjust for new needs.
Coordinate Changes: When making significant changes, coordinate with staff schedules. Avoid major reconfigurations during busy periods or when key staff are unavailable for testing.
Getting Help
The administration features are powerful but can feel overwhelming at first. Remember:
- Changes to profiles and layouts take effect on next login
- You can always revert changes if something doesn't work as expected
- The Default profile serves as a fallback and reference point
- Test with a small group before implementing changes system-wide
Take advantage of ILLiad's flexibility to create a system that truly works for your library. With thoughtful configuration, you can reduce training time, prevent errors, and make daily operations smoother for everyone.
Next Steps
Ready to start configuring? We recommend this order:
- Set up your Staff Profiles first to establish roles
- Customize Layouts to streamline workflows
- Configure Restricted Fields to ensure data security
- Adjust Field Customizations to match your terminology
- Review Print Templates to understand output options
Remember, you don't need to configure everything at once. Start with the most pressing needs and build your configuration over time.