5 Using Batch IDs in Revenue Assurance Manager

This chapter describes how to use batch IDs are used in Oracle Communications Billing and Revenue Management (BRM) Revenue Assurance Manager.

Before reading this chapter, you should:

You should also be familiar with the following:

Tracking EDRs by Using Batch IDs

In pipeline batch rating, each batch file received from the mediation system is assigned a batch ID, which is stored in every EDR derived from the file. Each EDR also receives a unique event ID.

Note:

The KeepExistingBatchIds registry entry in FCT_PreSuspense module controls the way batch IDs are set. For details, see "Setting the Default Batch ID Behavior".

During rerating and recycling, the EDR receives a new batch ID, but the original batch ID is retained in a different field. Retaining the original batch ID in the EDR makes it possible to determine the revenue impact of EDRs for each batch that is received from mediation, even if some EDRs are rerated or recycled.

Revenue Assurance Manager uses the following fields to track EDRs as they are processed by pipelines and as they are rerated or recycled:

  • DETAIL.BATCH_ID

  • DETAIL.ORIGINAL_BATCH_ID

  • DETAIL.ASS_SUSPENSE_EXT.SUSPENDED_FROM_BATCH_ID

For example, BRM receives a batch file with batch ID Mediation087. All EDRs for events in the file are assigned this batch ID. The batch rating pipeline processes EDRs from this batch loads their data into the BRM database.

Later, some of the EDRs from this batch and a second batch, Mediation099, are rerated. During rerating, the two sets of EDRs from different batches are given the new batch ID ReratingBatch007. When the individual EDRs are given the new batch ID, their original batch IDs are moved to the ORIGINAL_BATCH_ID field.

Table 5-1 contains selected data from an EDR in the batch after rating:

Table 5-1 Rating EDR Data

Event ID Duration Charge Batch ID Original Batch ID

189

180

3

Mediation087

Mediation087

Table 5-2 contains the data for the EDR after rerating:

Table 5-2 Rerating EDR Data

Event ID Duration Charge Batch ID Original Batch ID

189

180

5

ReratingBatch007

Mediation087

Keeping Track of Rejected EDRs by Using Batch IDs

When a batch file is processed, some of its EDRs may not be able to be rated because of missing data or another reason. These rejected EDRs can be processed by Suspense Manager and recycled back into the rating pipeline. EDRs that are being rerated can also be rejected and sent to recycling.

When Suspense Manager recycles the rerated EDRs back through the pipeline, they receive new batch IDs based on the recycling batch. Their original batch IDs remain to reflect the mediation batch they started in. The suspended-from batch ID field (DETAIL.ASS_SUSPENSE_EXT.SUSPENDED_FROM_BATCH_ID) stores the ID of the batch in which the EDR was rejected. This could be the original batch or a rerating batch.

For example, two batches (MED1 and MED2) are received from the mediation system and processed by the batch rating pipeline. Some EDRs from each of the two batches are rejected and then recycled as part of batch RCL1. In addition, some EDRs from the original two batches are rerated as part of batch RRT1. Some of the EDRs in that rerating batch are rejected and then recycled as part of batch RCL2.

Table 5-3 summarizes how the three different batch ID fields change as EDRs are rated, rerated, and recycled.

Table 5-3 Batch ID Changed Fields

Pipeline Process Value for BATCH_ID Value for ORIGINAL_BATCH_ID Value for SUSPENDED_FROM_BATCH_ID

Rating Batch MED1

MED1

MED1

MED1*Foot 1 

Rating Batch MED2

MED2

MED2

MED2*Footref 1

Recycle Batch RCL1 (containing suspended EDRs from MED1 and MED2)

RCL1

MED1/MED2

MED1/MED2

Rerating Batch RRT1 (containing EDRs from MED1 and MED2)

RRT1

MED1/MED2

RRT1*Footref 1

Recycle Batch RCL2 (containing suspended EDRs from RRT1)

RCL2

MED1/MED2

RRT1

Footnote 1 The value of the suspended-from batch ID is ignored in rating and rerating. Because it is left blank, it is assigned the value of batch ID.

By linking the control point in the original mediation pipeline to the control point in the recycle pipeline that processed the rerated EDRs, you can determine the revenue impact for each of the mediation batches and identify the revenue leakage in your system.

Setting the Default Batch ID Behavior

The KeepExistingBatchIds registry entry in FCT_PreSuspense module controls whether the values for batch IDs in EDR records are preserved as originally set by the input module.

  • A value of True preserves the batch ID in each detail record of the batch input file.

  • A value of False (the default) sets the batch ID of each record to the batch ID contained in the header record of the batch input file.