Describing a store’s shelf configuration

The first thing needed to fit a booklist to your store is the physical configuration of your shelves. The length of each shelf in your store and an identifier for each is all the information required, and the information is written in quick shorthand for Shelf Control purposes.

Within Shelf Control, the significant term used to discuss a bookstores’ shelf configuration is ‘ShelfUnit’. A ShelfUnit is defined as one face of a set of shelves which are all of the same length and vertically positioned one above the other. This definition is the basis for deciding when a set of books wraps to the next shelf below, and is critical to keep in mind. ShelfUnits have three important pieces of data associated with them: ShelfUnit Name, Number of Shelves, and Length of a Single Shelf, in feet. These are generally written in abbreviated form. For instance, a set of 5 shelves all four feet long would be written as ‘Unit1, 5, 4’. Some examples covering different situations should make this clear.

Examaple 1: A Single ShelfUnit

In the first example, a single bookcase on a wall with 5 shelves each 4 feet long would be a single ShelfUnit. Books would run along the top shelf, and once that shelf was filled the books would wrap to the second shelf, and then to the third shelf, and so on. The ShelfUnit name, number of shelves, and length of a shelf would be written as: UnitOne, 5, 4 or FirstUnit, 5, 4. The name must be unique but any name is acceptable, including numbers (e.g. 1,2,3 etc.). The number of shelves and length of a shelf are defined by the physical measurements of the ShelfUnit.

Example 1 illustrated: The flow of books follows the arrows.

Example 2: Back to Back Shelves

To extend the idea of ShelfUnit in a second example, consider a similar bookcase (5 shelves high, each 4 feet long) positioned in the middle of a room such that books were displayed on BOTH sides of it. You might have used the term gondola for this arrangement, and other names do exist, but for Shelf Control it would be considered two (2) ShelfUnits placed back to back. These might be called ShelfUnit A and ShelfUnit B, even if they are physically constructed as one. Books would run along the top shelf of ShelfUnit A, and once that shelf was filled the books would wrap to the second shelf of ShelfUnit A, and then to the third shelf, and so on. Once ShelfUnit A was filled, assuming the store had no other ShelfUnits, the books would then be shelved on the top shelf of ShelfUnit B, and once that shelf was filled the books would wrap to the second shelf of ShelfUnit B, and so on.

Example 3: A Wall of Books

As a final example of the idea of ShelfUnit, consider a bookstore which has 3 bookcases side by side against a wall, each with 5 shelves all 10 feet in length. This could be considered in various ways, depending upon the wishes of the bookstore. For instance, they might be considered to be a single ShelfUnit in which the books ran 30 feet along the top shelf, before wrapping to the second 30-foot-long shelf, then wrapping to the third 30-foot-long shelf, etc. Alternatively, they might be considered as 3 separate ShelfUnits, each with a unique name, each with 5 shelves which are all 10 feet long.

Example 3 illustrated: a group of 3 bookcases configured two separate ways. On the left, as one ShelfUnit with 30 foot shelves, designated Unit1, 5, 30; and on the right as 3 ShelfUnits, designated Unit1, 5, 10 and Unit2, 5, 10 and Unit3, 5, 10. The dashed arrows show the flow of titles along the shelves.

Example 4: Unequal shelves upon a wall

It is very important to make sure each ShelfUnit contains shelves which are the same length. For instance, if a store contains a wall which has 5 shelves on it but the bottom three shelves are of different length than the top two, say 8 foot as opposed to 4 foot, they should be designated as 2 different ShelfUnits, say ShelfUnit ATop and ShelfUnit ABottom. Example 4 illustrated: The shelves at right should be broken up into 2 separate ShelfUnits. The top two shelves might be designated ShelfUnitATop, 2, 4 and the bottom three shelves might be designated ShelfUnitABottom, 3, 8.

Below is an example floor plan for the Alloken University bookstore. The bookstore manager has cleverly named each ShelfUnit by the order in which the bookstore shelves it’s books. At AU, each ShelfUnit is 4 shelves tall. So for example, Accounting 101 would start on the top shelf of "ShelfUnit 1" and Biology 101 might start at the bottom of "ShelfUnit 1", with some sections overflowing to the top shelf of "ShelfUnit 2". Each ShelfUnit is filled top to bottom in the order specified.

Notice "ShelfUnit 8". AU likes to stock merchandise here instead of textbooks so will not provide it in their shelf configuration for Shelf Control. Similarly, if a ShelfUnit in your bookstore is not to be used for Shelf Control, even if it is in the middle of your store, simply skip it when providing data to Shelf Control. There is no need to even enter its name or placement, Shelf Control does not need to know about it.

When using CSV files each field should be separated by a column. Each row will have the following contents: Shelf Name, Number of Shelves, and Shelf Length (feet)

AU's shelf plan will look like this in the CSV file uploaded via Shelf Control.

The ShelfUnits on the walls are 5 feet long while the ones in the middle of the store are 8.5 feet long.

Should you have any questions concerning submitting your shelf configuration, please don’t hesitate to contact Alloken, we can assist you to make sure Shelf Control works for you.