| Oracle® Retail Merchandising Cloud Services Batch Schedule Release 16.0.21 Exxxx-0x |
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| Oracle® Retail Merchandising Cloud Services Batch Schedule Release 16.0.21 Exxxx-0x |
|
Previous |
This chapter is a brief introduction to Oracle Retail batch processing. It defines basic terms and concepts, describes batch processing phases, and explains how to interpret the batch schedule program list.
Batch processing is the execution of a group of batch programs (jobs). The results are returned without user intervention. Batch programs are commonly used for the following reasons:
To process large volumes of transaction data
To interface with external systems
To perform internal maintenance
Batch programs can process very large quantities of data quickly and efficiently. Batch programs can perform some updates that could be performed through online transactions, but much more quickly and with less impact on system performance. Batch processing is usually scheduled for times when systems are idle or least busy.
Batch programs can be run automatically using batch scheduler software. The batch scheduler allows batch jobs to be set up in a specific order, with restrictions attached to any program as needed. If an error occurs with a batch program, an administrator must correct the error and manually rerun the batch program that failed.
Oracle Retail batch programs are of several types:
Upload programs bring data from external systems into the Oracle Retail database. For example, the sales upload program uploads daily transactions that occur at the point of sale (POS) for processing by the Oracle Retail Management System (RMS).
Download programs extract data from RMS and format it so it can be used by external systems. For example, the posdnld program extracts new and changed information about an item/location for downloading to the point of sale.
System maintenance programs perform tasks such as updating the system date. For example, the dtesys program increments the system date at the end of each batch cycle.
Functional maintenance programs process data specific to a functional area. For example, the mrt.pc program creates individual transfers for an approved Mass Return Transfer.
Because of the impact on production systems, it is not always possible to run batch programs during business hours; however, there is a window of opportunity during each day or night when online systems are not being used. This time frame is the batch window. For example, a retailer with stores throughout the continental U.S. might require its online systems to be available from 8 AM Eastern Standard Time, when its East Coast offices open, until 9 PM Pacific Standard Time, when its West Coast stores close. This allows an eight-hour batch window for processing all batch jobs.
Order is critical when running batch programs. Some tasks need to be performed before others. A batch schedule ensures that every time batch processing is performed, the correct tasks are performed in the proper order.
The batch schedule is a program list with batch phases and pre/post dependencies for each batch job. For each individual user, the schedule is a suggested starting point for the installation. Some programs are specific to products that may not be installed, so these programs may not be used at all.
The total batch schedule is divided into phases. Each phase must be completed before the next phase can begin. Within a phase, there may also be programs that depend on the completion of another program within that phase, so programs within each phase may need to be run in a particular order.
The integrated Merchandising batch schedule combines the batch schedules of all Merchandising applications into a single schedule program list. The batch program list (later in this document) shows the batch dependencies among the Merchandising applications.
The integrated Merchandising batch schedule combines the batch modules for the following applications:
Oracle Retail Merchandising System (RMS)
Oracle Retail Trade Management (RTM)
Oracle Retail Sales Audit (ReSA)
Oracle Retail Invoice Matching (ReIM)
Oracle Retail Price Management (Pricing)
Oracle Retail Allocation
The columns of the program list provide details about each batch program, as follows:
Table 1-1 Program List Details
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
|
Program name |
Name of the program or script |
|
Functional area |
Functional area of the application for which the batch program is run |
|
Threaded |
Whether the program is threaded (Y/N) |
|
Driver |
Program driver |
|
Phase |
Phase during which the program is run |
|
Pre-dependency |
Programs that must be completed before the program can be run |
|
Post-dependency |
Programs that must be completed before the program can be run |
|
Timing |
How often the program is run (for example, daily, weekly, monthly, ad hoc) |
|
Restart/Recovery |
Whether the program uses restart/recovery (R=Yes, N=No) |
|
Run Parameters for Program |
Command syntax to run the program |
For example, the following shows the information in the program list about an RMS phase 3 program named dealday:
Table 1-2 Program List - dealday
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
|
Program Name |
dealday |
|
Functional Area |
Deals |
|
Threaded |
Y |
|
Driver |
Location |
|
Phase |
3 |
|
Pre-dependency |
dealinc, dealfinc, prepost dealday pre |
|
Post-dependency |
prepost dealday post, salmnth |
|
Timing |
Monthly |
|
Restart/Recovery |
R |
|
Usage |
dealday userid/passwd |
The program list is grouped in the following order:
RMS, RTM, and ReSA programs
Pricing programs
ReIM programs
Allocation programs
RMS extracts for Retail Predictive Application Server (RPAS)
The extracts for RPAS are programs that are part of the RMS application.
