A guide to BNC Webform data entry and code list references
- Tom Richardson
- Zalina Alvi (Unlicensed)
- Tim Middleton
Go directly to a Tab's entry:
Purpose:
It's not always clear what's wanted in a specific field in Webform. Metadata between companies is traded because it's needed and those needs develop over time. Conventions develop – varying slightly between trading partners — and are normally discussed or published as guidelines. However, the typical Webform user is developing book metadata from scratch without a trading partner, so they can't possibly know the conventions, definitions, and why's of an industry.
With this in mind, the general purpose of this page is to provide the following:
- a short pragmatic answer about what goes into a field, i.e., a quick reference guide
- a quick way to access the full ONIX code list for, or that may support, an entry
Those two things are probably enough for most Webform users: what's wanted and a solution to limited drop-down menus. Drop-downs are incomplete because they lack the "Notes" section that explains the codes. As well, a full code list that appears, complete, on a single page can be quickly scanned in its entirety. Seen that way, most code lists become self explanatory in a way that a drop-down just can't support. You won't need to reference it all the time but if you're ever unsure, a look here and at a code list may be all you need.
The other purpose of this page is to provide a guide to the specific ONIX tag and manual entry that this information will be sent as, which may be helpful if a trading partner asks you to confirm this, or if you're trying to understand your ONIX feed.
How to use this guide:
- This document assumes you are using ONIX 2.1 and is organized in Webform page order, generally going top to bottom, left to right, and named by its tab reference.
- All text values you enter should be in "mixed case" following normal conventions for capitalization of titles and names. DO NOT USE ALL CAPS.
- Unless prompted or marked as Mandatory? it's fine to leave fields blank. For example, if the book is not part of a Series then leave "Series" blank – DO NOT USE "N/A" or other values, as retailers will display it to consumers.
- If a number is requested, just supply a number without anything else. ISBNs are always supplied WITHOUT hyphens in all cases. Numbers are computer friendly and text unexpected.
- Each code list number links to a separate page. It would be best to open in a new tab (right click on a PC or CMD click on a Mac).
General Info
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISBN 13 | Enter your ISBN-13 as assigned by Library and Archives Canada. NO HYPHENS supply a 13 digit number Webform's ONIX output will include List 5 values for 03 ISBN-13, 15 GTIN-13 and for 978 ISBNs only - 02 ISBN-10 | All records No hyphens | 5 | PR.2.7 Product identifier code PR.2.9 Identifier Value |
| Autofilled in ONIX output | Based on the ISBN-13 entered, Webform includes as product identifiers:
| All records | 5 | PR.2.7 Product identifier code PR.2.9 Identifier Value |
| RECORD REFERENCE | Enter your ISBN-13 here as well. (The Record Reference must be a unique value and is used to identify individual records. The ISBN-13 is a convenient way to maintain that) | All records | PR.1.1 Record reference number | |
| All records enter a value in TITLE – Enter the 'main' book title (without subtitle) in the "Title" box. If the title begins with a prefix (The, A, An, etc.) enter the Prefix and the balance of the title split between the Title Prefix / WO Prefix. (Retailers will use the WO Prefix value for indexing.) If the title doesn't have prefix, simply leave the two fields blank and use "Title" on its own. | All records | 15 | Code "01" |
| General Information | ||||
| SUBTITLE | The book's subtitle goes here. See Title above. | if it appears on book | PR.7.14 Subtitle | |
| NOTIFICATION TYPE | Default to "03" (This is used to define the "quality" of information. Early pre-publication information may change and by giving "02" you warn of that. Most Webform users have a book-in-hand so "Confirmed information" is appropriate for the lifetime of a book. Using other codes should be updated to 03 on publication. Do not use 04 as it's an ONIX 3.0 value.) | All records | 1 | PR.1.2 Notification or update type code |
| WORK IDENTIFIER | Use this when you've published this "work" (single title) in more than one format (multiple ISBNs). If you sell the same "work" in multiple formats retailers can link records because this field contains an identical code unique to that work. Select "01 Proprietary" and fill in a shared value (you create it) in the box beside it and use the same value for all the affected ISBNs. It should be a unique code – a string of characters without spaces to be used by computers. (Some companies use the ISBN from their first published format – use appropriate code) | Optional but expected | 16 | PR.7.15 Work identifier type code PR.7.17 Identifier value |
PRODUCT FORM | For print books Product Form is a "binding" type and normal values are BC=paperback or BB=hardcover Other "B_" codes can be used for other formats but these 2 are by far the most typical to use. Use with Product Form Detail. For all digital books use "DG" Use with EpublicationType | All records | 7 | PR.3.1 Product form code |
| EPUBLICATION TYPE | Digital books only: 002 is PDF / 029 is EPUB Each file type is normally assigned it's own ISBN (the same as paperback and hardcover) Do NOT use "000" Content Package as it's out-dated concept. Always tell retailers the type of file they are processing. | Required for digital books | 10 | PR.4.2 Epublication type |
| PRODUCT FORM DETAIL | Tip: "print" book codes start with "B", Digital codes start with "E" , Audio starts with "A" and so on. The letters match the first letter of the Product form in most cases. Print: B102 is a trade paperback and North American retailers need to differentiate between mass market paperbacks (sized for racks) and the "trade" edition. Mass market books are a special market type so the expectation is that B102 is used. Hardcovers can clarify their cover – eg jacketed, laminated, cloth using codes from range B400 to B500. Digital: recommended for differentiating between "reflowable" (E200) and "fixed format" (E201) though 029 epub is usually assumed to be reflowable and PDF are assumed to be fixed format. | Required for paperbacks, otherwise optional but expected | 78 | PR.3.2 Product form detail |
| BARCODE | Major retailers want to know where the barcode is on print books and the typical answer is that you have an EAN barcode on the back cover: Use List 6 code "10" (If a price block is provided as part of the barcode then use "11" for a USD price or "68" for a CAD one. What's a price block? A second smaller barcode with price information and it's not required. If it's there and marked with zeros, then you still don't have price block – there has to be price information in the second barcode that matches the price you show in your metadata for that currency.). Webform only supports a single instance so if you have multiple barcodes specify the standard ISBN-13 based EAN barcode typically found on the back cover. Do NOT provide a Barcode code value for digital products. A retailer has no need or means to scan a barcode as part of processing a file download. | Print books only | 6 | PR.2.10 Barcode indicator |
| PRIMARY CONTENT TYPE | The use case this supports is a book format where "what's inside" isn't obvious – digital products or analogue recordings – to define what it is. For your typical epub that would be List 81 code 10 "Text (eye-readable)". Webform offers a single instance for this, so choose the main content type. This wouldn't be typically supplied on a print book. | Optional and typically for digital products | 81 | PR.3.11 Product content type code |
| TITLE OF SERIES | See below for Number Within Series. Leave blank if there's no series and that is typical for small publishers. Series generally make more sense for large publishers with many related titles and provide a means of secondary marketing. Series numbers are sometimes applied to provide order, esp in Europe. Webform's ONIX output supports the NoSeries indicator if Title of Series is left blank. | All records see Comments as leaving blank is meaningful. | PR.5.6 Series title PR.5.9 "No series" indicator | |
| PUBLISHER NAME | See next tab "Imprint" as well. The Publisher Name is the name of the company that signs contracts and whose name appears on the Title page and Copyright page. Imprint Name is based on the branding that appears on the outside of the book. For many companies Publisher and Imprint are identical. Webform's ONIX output carries a List 45 code "01" confirming the name provider is the Publisher. | All records | 45 | PR.19.7 Publishing role code |
| LANGUAGE OF TEXT | Most will use 'eng' This code actually defines the language market a retailer should sell to (it's how Amazon would define their Spanish vs English section), but the language the book is written is usually the same as the book's language market. Webform's ONIX output uses List 22 role code "01" Language of Text and most users will select List 74 language code "eng". See more. | All records | PR.11.3 Language role PR.11.4 Language code | |
| NUMBER WITHIN SERIES | See above for Series Title. Use only if Title of Series is provided and the series carries a number. Use numbers here only. | Optional | PR.5.7 Number within series | |
PUBLICATION DATE | The date this ISBN was first published (not the "work" – see Year First Published below) and the date of record for this ISBN. Dates in ONIX are YYYYMMDD – no hyphens, slashes or marks. | All records | PR.20.5 Publication date | |
| NUMBER OF PAGES | The approximate number of pages – normally the number from the last numbered page, but if there a two or more sequentially numbered sections (eg xviii + 344) add the sequences together. Digital products: While a page count might not exist in a digital product this remains the most meaningful "size" for consumers. Either use the page count from a print edition or provide an estimation based on a standard character or word conversion. | All records | PR.12.1 Approximate number of pages | |
| YEAR FIRST PUBLISHED | If this ISBN is based on a work that's been previously published, you can provide the year that the "work" was first published to aid in identification. . | Optional | PR.20.3 Year first published | |
| PUBLISHING STATUS | Most will show 04 "Active" or 02 "Forthcoming". There are two status values in ONIX and they should be considered together. The Publishing Status provides the book status for the company named as publisher. See Supply Detail tab "Product Availability" for the status for the company supplying the book to retailers. For many Webform users the company may be the same but both status values are important to provide a complete picture to the supply chain. Retailer metadata must be updated when the status changes. | All records | 64 | PR.20.1 Publishing status |
| NUMBER OF PIECES | Most will leave blank. If this ISBN comes in 2 or more physical parts – say a paperback split into Volume 1 and Volume 2 but sold as single ISBN – then this is a count of the number of paperbacks that come as part of this ISBN. This is important information for retailers to know if the product should be sold as two books combined – but it's very exceptional. | Optional | PR.3.9 Number of Pieces | |
| FOR SALE WITH EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS | Most will check off "World" (List 49). If you only have limited rights then check off the list of countries (List 91 individual country codes) you have rights or are marketing the book in. Try to avoid a long list if possible, you can limit the list to countries you are actually marketing the book in – just be sure to include Canada's List 91 value of "CA" (assuming you're selling here). Webform's ONIX output supports a single instance of "exclusive rights". | All records | PR.21.1 Sales rights type code PR.21.2 Rights country PR.21.3 Rights territory | |
| CITY OF PUBLICATION | If your title page shows the publisher name with the city and country (see below) of publication, then listing it is recommended as it will help identification of the book. If you don't list them on the title page then it's simply optional in the metadata – it will still aid in identification of the publisher. | Optional | PR.19.16 City of publication | |
| COUNTRY OF PUBLICATION | See City of Publication above. | Optional | 91 | PR.19.16 Country of publication |
| EDITION NUMBER | Most will leave blank. An edition is noted in metadata when there are changed or updated versions of a book issued with different ISBNs. So "edition" marks that the content of the work has had substantial changes and published in different versions, normally as sequentially numbered editions. This is important for retailers and libraries to track. ONIX supports a NoEdition marker to show that a single "version" of the work has been published and this describes most Webform users. Do not supply "1" unless there are other editions (changed content) as different formats or bindings with the same content are all of the same "edition". See More Webform's ONIX output will show the <NoEdition/> marker if left blank. If a number is supplied then the other edition should also be listed in the Related Product tab. | All records see Comments as leaving blank is meaningful. | PR.10.2 Edition number PR.10.5 "No edition" indicator | |
| COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE | A single ISO 3166-1 country code from List 91 designating the country of final manufacture of the product. (This functionality is provided as a workaround in ONIX 2.1. ONIX 3.0 has specific provision for country of manufacture as a separate element.) Note: this is provided for retailers reference and cross border shipping where it would be relevant. It typically isn't provided for a POD product unless there is only one location, then whatever country that printing happens in. | Mandatory for physical products | 33 | PR.15.3 Other text type code "code 99" |
| SEE Website TAB | NOTE: Website entries appear in different places within an ONIX record – placement of information within an ONIX record is "meaningful". Webform supports distinct Website entries for
| Optional | 73 | PR.19.12 to PR.19.14 PR.16.15 to PR.16.17 |
Imprint
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAME CODE TYPE | Most select "01" Proprietary. See next label | Recommended | 44 | PR.19.2 Name code type |
| NAME CODE VALUE | A self-selected "code" value associated with the Imprint Name you provide. It's simply a tool to allow retailers to track changes to imprint names which can change for marketing reasons. A consistent code will help confirm that the imprint remains related to a previous imprint name, while a new code confirms it's a new and different imprint. See more. | PR.19.4 Name code value | ||
| NAME | Imprint Name goes here, but for most small publishers the Imprint Name is the same as Publisher Name. See more. | Mandatory | PR.19.5 Imprint of brand name |
Contributor
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlabeled - a sequence number is added | Auto-filled based on sequence in the list. The order of the contributor list in Webform is meaningful as each entry will be labeled with a sequence number used by retailers to control display order. | All records should support at least one contributor entry. If the product has no specific author (a calendar might be an example) then use the Publisher as a Corporate contributor. | PR.8.1 Contributor sequence number | |
| First name (bef key) | General instructions: Each Contributor entry supports a specific (single) person OR A "Corporate" entry is supplied – never both. If a husband and wife are the joint authors, give each a separate entry even if the book cover combines them If the contributor is a "person" then enter everything before their "last name" as "First name (bef key)" If there are name parts that you're not sure are part of a last name (de von, etc.) then define the "last name" as how the retailer should index the author. | PR.8.8 Person name part 2: names before key name | ||
| Name (key) | Enter the "last name" of a person (defined in previous entry) here. If the person is identified by a singular name (Cher is an example) then enter it here as it's the "key" name and leave the "First name" blank | PR.8.9 Person name part 3: names before key name | ||
| Person name | auto-filled based on previous entries | PR.8.5 Person name | ||
| Person name inv. | auto-filled based on previous entries | PR.8.6 Person name inverted | ||
| Corporate | Use this if the contributor isn't a person but a named group – the corporate sponsor (a company) or an editorial group might be examples – then enter that group here but do not fill out the "person" related tags (above). | PR.8.26 Corporate contributor name | ||
| Role | Most use A01 author / A12 Illustrator / B01 Editor / B06 Translated by Select the most appropriate role code here – use the full code list and read the notes. While you should select the most appropriate code, some retailers privilege "authors" over other types and map many codes to "author" resulting in, as example, the caption writer appearing before the Photographer as Author code. TIP: Be accurate but using atypical codes to try to attract attention can have the reverse effect. | Required in all Contributor entries | 17 | PR.8.2 Contributor role |
| Country | If needed to support marketing, select the Country code associated with the author. In Canada a "CA" is used to identify a Canadian author and identifies the product for inclusion in 49thshelf.com or Canadian best seller lists. | Optional, Recommended for Canadian authors | PR.8.33 Country code | |
| SEE Website TAB | If the author has their own website and you want to link to it for its marketing potential you can add it in the Website tab. A separate interface there allows you to associate a contributor with a website, normally identified as "06" Contributor's own website, "07" Publisher's website related to specified contributor, or "09" Third-party website related to the specified contributor. NOTE: Website entries appear in different places within an ONIX record. Webform supports distinct Website entries for
| Optional | 73 | PR.8.28 to PR.8.30 Contributor Website |
Text
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAIN DESCRIPTION | Information about HTML use is here. Simple HTML designed for use within ONIX metadata feeds is strongly recommended. Webform defaults to showing a Text Format of "02" HTML. If HTML use is a problem submit simple tag-less text using double page returns for paragraphs. For most books a well chosen excerpt is one of the best support – though for children's picture books or other highly illustrative or designed books several sample interior images may be a better choice. Webform offers a single entry to handle reviews. Retailers will publish them following "fair use" guidelines so short quotes are best with the quote author, journal name and date as available. Separate quote blocks as paragraphs. Nonfiction or collections by multiple authors are often best served with a Table of Contents and can include each Chapter and Section Heading or the individual title and its author for collections. Unfortunately not all retailers will use them. General guidelines: All books are different so the exact mix of what you supply can vary – you're under no obligation to supply both the Main Description and the Back Cover Copy, for example, and if one is largely a duplicate of the other there's little point. A Table of Contents should provide information to the potential buyer. Length is best judged by looking at similar books but few buyers will read long extended copy, though the excerpt is an exception to that rule. Few retailers will allow unlimited space and descriptions and bios above 300 words are preferred with 600 words exceptional. An excerpt would be best well under 2000 words. Not every retailer displays everything. | All records should include a Main Description | Code "01" | |
| TABLE OF CONTENT | Optional, recommended if meaningful | Code "04" PR.15.3 Other Text Type Code Code "02" PR.15.4 Other text format PR.15.5 Other Text | ||
| BACK COVER COPY | Optional if Main Description is supplied. | Code "18" PR.15.3 Other Text Type Code Code "02" PR.15.4 Other text format PR.15.5 Other Text | ||
| BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE | Information about the author is expected if it's appropriate. | Code "13" PR.15.3 Other Text Type Code Code "02" PR.15.4 Other text format PR.15.5 Other Text | ||
| EXCERPT FROM BOOK | Optional, recommended if meaningful | Code "23" | ||
| REVIEW QUOTE | Optional, recommended if available. | Code "08" PR.15.3 Other Text Type Code Code "02" PR.15.4 Other text format PR.15.5 Other Text |
Supply Detail
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons |
These are used to create a second supplier or select which supplier is available on screen. | |||
| SUPPLIER NAME | The company that supplies products to retailers and receives payment from them. If you self-distribute this typically matches the Publisher Name. If you have a print distributor name them here. For digital products, retailers typically contact and pay the publisher direct making them the supplier even when another firm handles the actual file distribution. | At least one supplier is named for all records. | PR.24.6 Supplier name | |
| SUPPLIER ROLE | Most choose 01 "Publisher to retailer". This provides a basic definition of who the retailers are dealing with, choose the most appropriate one. | All suppliers | 93 | PR.24.13 Supplier role |
| PACK QUANTITY | Print retailers want to know how many books are in a carton. If unknown or print-on-demand, use "1" | Print books only | PR.24.44 Pack or carton quantity | |
| PRODUCT AVAILABILITY | Most choose 20 "In stock" or 10 "Not yet available". This provides information about the Supplier's ability to provide the product and is intended to work in tandem with Publishing Status (General Information tab). It applies to both digital and print books. For digital books it refers to the supplier's ability to provide a file for the retailer to sell. For print books it references physical stock available to retailers. Product status metadata at retailers must be updated when it changes. | All suppliers | 65 | PR.24.22 Product availability |
| RETURN CODE TYPE | For print books supplied to North America choose 02 "BISAC Returnable indicator code" | Print books only - Mandatory for Indigo submissions | 53 | PR.24.18 Returns conditions code type |
| RETURNS CODE | Choose the appropriate code to define your return policy in North America. If you haven't developed one choose "C" to show retailers should contact you. Do NOT use "S" as it's for mass market products and allows retailers to pulp unsold copies, returning covers as proof. | Print books only - Mandatory for Indigo submissions | 66 | PR.24.19 Returns conditions code |
| ON SALE DATE | For digital products this controls the date that sales begin – usually the same as Publication Date. For print products most leave blank. (In print: this is an embargo date which can function only by the publisher working closely with retailers. If asked to supply one use the publication date) | Digital: All suppliers Print: Optional, leave blank recommended | PR.24.35 On sale date | |
| EXPECTED SHIP DATE | For an On Sale Date is to work, retailers need to receive files or stock appropriately in advance to allow them time to process the product for sale. This is optional for digital products, but you should supply digital files in advance of the On Sale Date following retailer guidelines. | Optional, but recommended for print products using On Sale Date. | PR.24.34 Expected availability date (ship date) | |
| Price | Every Supplier entry must support at least one price entry. | |||
| Button |
Click here for every new price you need to add. | |||
| Price type | For North America choose 01 Recommended Retail Price excluding tax. We've noted that many self published authors choose Price Type "03" – possibly thinking this references Agency Price (code 41) . In the full code (link 58 to the right) 03 is clearly specified as "In countries where retail price maintenance applies by law to certain products: not used in USA". This code does not apply in Canada either. Always consult the full code list where the Notes section contains information on use. | Mandatory for each Price row | 58 | PR.24.49 Price type code |
| Price | One supplier can support multiple prices, normally different currencies matched to different countries. | Mandatory for each Price row | PR.24.63 Price amount | |
| Currency | Most use CAD "Canadian dollar" / USD "US dollar" | Mandatory for each Price row | 96 | PR.24.64 Currency code |
| Discount type | For North America choose "02" Proprietary discount code | Expected by North American retailers | 100 | PR.24.58 Discount code type code |
| Discount code | A code used to track discount information. See more. | Expected by North American retailers | PR.24.60 Discount code value | |
| Tax code | For North America most leave blank. See more. | Never supply tax information on a price excluding tax. Use for European VAT taxes. | 62 | PR.24.66 Tax rate 1, coded |
| Taxable amount | For North America most leave blank. | Never supply tax information on a price excluding tax. Use for European VAT taxes. | PR.24.68 Amount of price taxable at tax rate 1 | |
| Tax amount | For North America most leave blank. | Never supply tax information on a price excluding tax. Use for European VAT taxes. | PR.24.69 Tax amount at tax rate 1 | |
| Class of trade | USA only. Sometimes asked for by retailers as an alternate way of carrying a discount code. See more. | Optional | PR.24.56 Class of trade | |
| Country | Confirms the country using the price, typically matched to currency code. If retailers are required to use a foreign currency (say a USD price is provided for use by Canadian retailers) then the Country Code would specify "CA". | Recommended: Use a country code matched to the Currency code. | PR.24.65 Country Code |
Subject & Audience
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American retailers, including Canadian ones, expect a BISAC main subject on all records. Think of it as the best category in a bookstore for this title and a main subjects should be as specific as possible. Codes are hierarchical so FICTION / Romance / Contemporary is self-defined as Fiction and Romance but if the bookstore supports it, the best retailer subject category would be "Contemporary Romance" in Fiction. Webform supports a single BISAC subject entry. See more, including web pages that may be easier to navigate than Webform's drop down at bisg.org We strongly recommend that you read and understand the guidelines they provide. | All records | Outside Code List | PR.13.1 BISAC main subject category |
| Most leave blank. A subject region code references the book's subject or it's setting – the region it is about. Think of it as highlighting a title to a bookseller or librarian in that region as a title with content of special interest to the region code provided. (Where an author lives isn't a book's regional subject code, but highlight where the author lives in biographical notes.) Be as specific as possible. A book about Cape Breton will benefit from a Region Code but there's little value in specifying North America unless the book is truly has continental wide content about North America. Webform supports a single BISAC region entry. See more as part of the BISAC Subject section, including web pages that may be easier to navigate than Webform's drop down at bisg.org. We strongly recommend that you read and understand the guidelines they provide. | Optional but recommended if appropriate. | Outside | Code "11" PR.13.9 Subject scheme identifier PR.13.10 Subject code PR.13.13 Subject heading text |
| Most leave blank. Used by UK realtors. See more here Guidelines for BISAC about using the most specific subject possible apply for BIC as well. Note that the drop down + buttons can be opened for more specific subjects. You may find getting a full BIC Subject list helpful for understanding your options. NOTE: BIC Subjects are being replaced by Thema Subjects | Optional but recommended if selling in the UK | Outside | Code "12" |
| BIC VERSION | Most leave blank. Supply if you know the version of BIC you are using. | Optional | Optional | PR.13.6 Subject scheme version |
THEMA SUBJECT | A new international subject system, similar to BIC. See more here Guidelines for BISAC about using the most specific subject possible apply to Thema as well. Note that the drop down + buttons can be opened for more specific subjects. You may find a full Thema Subject list helpful. | Recommended all records | Outside | Code "93" PR.13.5 Main subject scheme identifier PR.13.7 Subject code PR.13.8 Subject heading text |
| THÈMES ÉLECTRE | Most leave blank. This is a subject code system used to support French language retailer, only recommended if selling to appropriate retailers for support of a French langauge book. | Optional | Outside | Code "28" PR.13.5 Main subject scheme identifier PR.13.7 Subject code |
| KEYWORDS | Use a semicolon ";" as the delimiter between keywords and key phrases. Recommended as used by retailers. We strongly recommend reading BISG's Best Practices for Keywords in Metadata as it provides clear guidelines for what retailers need to support subject based searches. A SEO approach using keywords that don't describe the book's subject is NOT recommended and will likely cause your keywords to be ignored. | Recommended all records | 27 | PR.13.9 Subject scheme identifier PR.13.13 Subject heading text |
| AUDIENCE CODE | All records must have a primary audience code. Trade books (general audience) are covered by values 01 to 03. If a book shouldn't be JUV or YA then it's "General Trade". Audience and Audience Range are seldom displayed to consumers but they are used by retailers and librarians to isolate book lists as part of a broad category. | All records | 28 | PR.14.1 Audience code |
| Use if Audience is JUV or YA. Most provide Code "17" Interest Age. As noted in Audience, this value is used primarily by retailers and librarians and a narrow 3 year range is expected in most cases. Do not provide ranges like 0 to 99 as they can actually prevent accurate selection of your book. If necessary an open ended FROM statement can be used even if it's not a best practice recommendation. NOTE: The following options are specific to data entry on Webform and will create a correctly formatted Audience Range ONIX output. (Our programming will create a correct "exact" value in ONIX if you use it as below but this is not a description of how the standard works.)
| All Juvenile or Young Adult titles should carry and Audience Range | PR.14.7 Audience range qualifier PR.14.8(1) PR.14.10(2) Audience range precision PR.14.9(1) PR.41.11(2) Audience range value |
Measure & Extent
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEIGHT | HEIGHT is the length of the book's spine Estimates can be provided prior to publication but you should update the metadata once the estimates are confirmed. All physical products need to provide the size that the retailer receives – normal book measures as above but if the product being sold is in packaging then the size of the product as delivered to the retailer. Use the units most requested by your trading partner – centimeters and grams or kilograms is a safe default. There is no need to provide measures for digital download products as files have no dimensions. | Required for all physical products | 48 | Code "01" PR.22.1 Measure type code |
unit drop down select | 50 | PR.22.3 Measure unit code | ||
| WIDTH | Required for all physical products | 48 | Code "02" PR.22.1 Measure type code | |
| unit drop down select | 50 | PR.22.3 Measure unit code | ||
| THICKNESS | Required for all physical products | 48 | Code "03" PR.22.1 Measure type code | |
| unit drop down select | 50 | PR.22.3 Measure unit code | ||
| WEIGHT | Required for all physical products | 48 | Code "08" PR.22.1 Measure type code | |
| unit drop down select | 50 | PR.22.3 Measure unit code | ||
| DURATION | FOR AUDIO BOOKS ONLY – The running time for the entire product. (Note that you can select other values in the dropdown but this field is locked to "Duration" for audiobooks). | Required for audio products (physical or digital) | 23 | Code "09" PR.12.4 Extent type code |
| unit drop down select | As requested by your trading partner but we understand Audible.com requests the value as Code "25" minutes. | 24 | PR.12.6 Extent unit | |
| FILE SIZE | FOR DOWNLOADABLE PRODUCTS ONLY. Normally the best measure understood by consumer is a page count (same as the one on the General Information tab), but file size may be helpful to retailers. See unit drop down for options | Recommended for digital products. | 23 | Code "22" PR.12.4 Extent type code |
| unit drop down select | Codes 18 Kbytes or 19 Mbytes expected (you can also use Code 17 Bytes, but that atypical). | 24 | PR.12.6 Extent unit |
Illustration
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYPE | If your book doesn't include illustrations (it's just text) leave this tab blank. If the "Type" code fully describes the illustrations there's no need to use description – a type code and a number are much more useful as metadata. Webform only supports a single code so if your book contains multiple types of illustrations use "00" and provide a description. Webform uses the Illustration composite rather than PR.12.7 or 12.8 elements to provided the metadata. | Required for illustrated books | 25 | PR.12.9 Illustration or other content type code |
| DESCRIPTION | If the Type Code is "00" is used, or the code doesn't fully describe the illustrations, a short statement (under 100 characters) can provide additional information. | Optional | PR.12.10 Illustration or other content type description | |
| NUMBER | Number only – and it represents the number of illustrations described by the "Type" code | Expected for illustrated books | PR.12.11 Number of illustrations |
Related Product
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELATION CODE | Related Product information is optional, but strongly recommended in the following use cases. Related Product is one of the most important data points for retailers as it provides a way to associate the current record's ISBN and product record with another ISBN and its product record. The primary uses would be:
A detailed explanation of Related Product and Edition is here. Retailers who have records for the related product ISBN only need that ISBN reference, but most retailers specialize in print or digital sales. Therefore Product Form plus Product Form Detail (print ISBN) or Product Form plus Epublication Type (digital ISBN) are provided to supplement the retailer's information and clarify the related product ISBN. Webform supports three instances of Related Product information and other codes can be supported though we'd recommend the above ones first. | Mandatory if Related Product provided. | 51 | PR.23.7 Relation code |
| ISBN 13/EAN | ISBN-13 is mandatory if Related Product provided. No hyphens in ISBN! | 5 | Code 15 | |
| PRODUCT FORM | Recommended for all Related Product entries | 7 | PR.23.16 Product form code | |
| PRODUCT FORM DETAIL | Recommended for print product ISBNs | 78 | PR.23.17 Product form detail | |
| EPUBLICATION TYPE | Recommended for digital product ISBNs | 10 | PR.23.27 Epublication type code |
Website
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General instructions | Websites are associated with specific functions described in an ONIX record. Webform supports three options:
Retailers will not link to a website selling a book they offer for sale. | |||
| # Contributor Website role Website | Each Contributor listed in the Contributor tab can have their own website listing. Click on the Pencil to begin.
| Recommended if available | 73 | PR.8.28 Website purpose PR.8.30 Link to website |
| PUBLISHER'S WEBSITE | A single entry listing the Publisher's website.
| Recommended if available | 73 | PR.19.12 Website purpose PR.19.14 Link to website |
| PRODUCT'S WEBSITE | A single entry listing a website devoted to the book being described in the ONIX record.
| Recommended if available | 73 | PR.16.15 Website purpose PR.16.17 Link to website |
Prize & Promotion
| Webform label | Comments | Mandatory? | ONIX Codelist | ONIX Manual reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Button | Webform supports multiple instances of Prize entries – start each with the +New button. If you list a prize as an initial achievement code and it moves up the chain (long to short list, short list to winner, etc.) then we recommend that you update the entry. Don't list an award twice (an exception would be actually winning an award twice normally in separate years or judged by separate juries. There has to be some reason for retailers and consumers to see it twice) | |||
| PRIZE NAME | The Prize name goes here. Try to follow the standard name commonly associated with it to make it easy for retailers to group | Recommended all products when appropriate. | PR.17.2 Prize or award name | |
| PRIZE YEAR | YYYY year entry for when prize was awarded | Optional but expected for most prizes. | PR.17.3 Prize or award year | |
| PRIZE COUNTRY | A single Country Code for the country where the prize was awarded. | Optional but expected for most prizes. | 91 | PR.17.4 Prize or award country |
| PRIZE CODE | Code specifying the achievement | Optional but expected for most prizes. | 41 | PR.17.5 Prize or award achievement code |
| PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN | A free text area to record information about promotions and other information of interest to retailers. It is not typically displayed to consumers, so the intended audience is your trading partners. The expected size would be 1000 characters or less (not a hard limit). The author will be appearing in the following cities: | Optional | PR.26.1 Promotion campaign information |