Working with Batch Definitions

A batch definition is used to define the batch jobs and parameters, and the type of rules included in the batch. A batch can contain one type of rule only. Valid types of rules are:

metadata
data
batch
open batch

Note:

Only an administrator can create batch definitions.

You can create a batch definition that includes data load rules from a different target applications. This enables you to use a batch that loads both metadata and data, or to create a batch of batches with one batch for metadata and another batch for data.

If you want to work with data load rules that have been associated with a metadata application, Oracle Hyperion Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition supports the loading of metadata from a flat file. For more information, see

The Batch Definition features consist of three regions:

Batch Definition detail—Enables you to add and delete a batch definition. If adding or modifying a definition, specify the definition name, target application, process method, return control method, and wait parameters.
Batch Definition parameters—Enables you to derive period parameters based on the Import to Source, Export to Target, POV period, and to indicate data extract parameters. The parameter definition is unavailable for the batch types "batch" and "metadata (rules)."
Batch Definition jobs—Enables you to add and delete jobs in a batch. Based on the type of batch, specific types of rules are allowed.

To add a batch definition:

On the Setup tab, under Batch, select Batch Definition.
In the Batch Definition summary section, click Add.

Use the blank Name and Target Application fields in the Batch Definition summary grid to enter a batch name or target application on which to search.
In Batch Definition detail section, select the Definition tab.
In Name, specify the name of the batch definition.

The name must contain only alpha, numeric or underscore characters. Do not enter spaces or any other character.
From Target Application, select the name of the target application.
From Type, select the type of rule for the definition.

Available types are:
- metadata
- data
- batch
- open batch—file-based data sources
- open batch multi-period file-based data sources that include starting and ending periods.
If you are including multiple target applications, make sure the "type" of rule is consistent by type. For example, a batch of type "batch" cannot include a data rule. It can include only batches. A batch of type "data" cannot include batches.

The Open Batch type is used only for file-based data sources and does not contain any batch jobs. When you run this type of batch, the process reads the files automatically from the openbatch directory and imports them into the appropriate POV based on the file name. When the open batch is run, the master folder is emptied.
From Execution Mode, select the batch process method.
- Serial—Processes files sequentially, requiring that one file complete its process before the next file starts its process.
- Parallel—Processes files simultaneously.
  
  Note:
  Files are not grouped by location in parallel mode.
For batch processing run in parallel mode, complete the following fields
- Wait for Completion—Select Wait to return control only when the batch has finished processed.
  
  Select No Wait to run the batch in the background. In this case, control is returned immediately.
- Timeout—Specify the maximum time the job can run. FDMEE waits for the job to complete before returning control.
  
  The Timeout can be in seconds or minutes. Enter a number followed by a S for seconds or M for minutes.
In Open Batch Directory for an open batch type, specify the folder under Home\inbox\batches openbatch where the files to be imported are copied. If this field is blank or null, all files under Home\inbox\batches\openbatch are processed.
In File Name Separator for an open batch, select the character to use when separating the five segments of an open batch file name.

Options:
- ~
- @
- ;
- _
Select Auto Create Data Rule to create the data rule automatically for file-based data loads.

Note:

The Auto Create Data Rule option is available when the rule type is "open batch".

When FDMEE assigns the data rule name, it checks whether a data rule with the name "Location_Category" exists. If this name does not exist, FDMEE creates the data rule using the following file naming conventions:
- Rule Name—Location_Category
- Description—"Auto created data rule"
- Category—Category
- File Name—Null
- Mode—Replace
Optional: In the Description field, enter a description of the batch definition.
Click Save.
Optional: In Batch Group, select the batch group to associate with the batch.

For more information, see Adding a Batch Group.
Optional: In Number of Parallel Jobs, specify the maximum number of parallel processes submitted by a batch at any time.

This option is used in conjunction with the Wait for Completion and Timeout fields.

If Wait for Completion and a time-out period options are set, but the number of parallel jobs is not, then FDMEE waits for all batch jobs to complete and then returns control.

When the number of parallel jobs count is set, and the Wait for Completion/time-out modes are enabled, the system submits the specified number of jobs for processing at one time. If the wait time is reached before all the jobs are complete, the system exits the batch processing procedure.

The Wait for Completion setting is not for each subset, but for the whole batch. For example, let's suppose you have 20 jobs where the number of parallel jobs is set to 4 and the time-out period is 10 M. If only 15 jobs are completed in 10 M, the system still exits.

If No Wait is specified, the system submits all jobs and returns control submitted immediately without waiting for any running processes to finish.
Optional: In Before Batch Script, enter the name of the custom script to run before the batch.

You can browse and select or, upload a custom script on the Select screen by clicking .

Note:
If the custom script is run in a "Before Batch Script" attached to a batch definition, store parameters in a custom table or file so that the parameters can be read.

The custom script can be written in Jython or Visual Basic script.
Optional: In After Batch Script, enter the name of the custom script to run after the batch.

You can browse and select or, upload a custom script on the Select screen by clicking .

The custom script can be written in Jython or Visual Basic script.
Click Save.

To add batch definition parameters:

On the Setup tab, under Batch, select Batch Definition.
In Batch Definition, under Batch Definition Detail, select the Parameter tab.
In Parameters, select Import From Source to import the data from the source system, perform the necessary transformations, and export the data to the FDMEE staging table.
Select Export To Target to export the data to the target application.
Select POV Period to derive the period parameters based on POV settings.

If the POV period is selected, the period key start and end period fields are disabled.

This field is only available for a data load batch.

When setting up a batch, you can choose the POV to drive the period, or enter the periods explicitly. If you select the POV, it is pulled from the Default POV Period setting in System/Application, or User settings.
Specify dates in the Start Period and End Period to derive period parameters through which the data is processed.

Use the date format based on the locale settings for your locale. For example, in the United States, enter the date using the format MM/DD/YY format.

If the Start Period and End Period fields are selected, the POV Period field is disabled.

This field is only available for a data load batch.
In the Import Mode drop-down, select the mode to extract data all at once for an entire period or incrementally during the period.

Option are:
- Snapshot—Extracts everything for the selected source set for an entire period.
  
  Note the following behavior of Snapshot mode:
  - When the source data for the selected period has never been run, data is extracted from the source.
  - When the source data for the selected period has been run, data is extracted from the FDMEE staging table, and not from the source. This means that if a user has two locations that extract from the same Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) source, data is extracted from the source only once (and the first time only).
    
    For example, if you load data to Oracle Hyperion Financial Management from the Oracle E-Business Suite for a selected period, but you run the integration to ARM for the same source and period, use what is in the interface tables since data is only extracted the first-time from the source. This result in a significant performance gain for any subsequent data loads. The first extraction takes the longest, but any other subsequent extractions are fast.
- Incremental—Extracts those records that were added after the prior data extract
  
  Note:
  When using incremental mode to pull data from Peoplesoft, note that the system determines the records to pull based on the most recent PROCESS_INSTANCE entry on the Peoplesoft General Ledger tables. For example, if a job is scheduled at 8:00 am to run at noon, and a user executes a job at 10 am, then only the records posted at 10 am are pulled for an incremental run. If records are not pulled over using incremental mode, then the user should run a full refresh to get all records.
- Full Refresh—Performs a clean extraction from the source system, thereby clearing any existing data rows in the appropriate FDMEE staging tables for a given source Ledger (or Business Unit) and source period.
  
  When defining the file name for an open batch that uses multi-periods, specify the starting and ending periods in the file name, for example, 10~Filerule~Jan03~Mar03~FR.txt.
  
  When defining the file for an open batch that uses a single period, specify the period in the file name, for example, 10-OBFilerule-Jan03-FR.txt.
  
  Note:
  
  The import mode options (Snapshot, Incremental and Full Refresh) are only applicable to Data Rules in a Location using a Standard Import Format. Data Rules in a Location with a Source Adapter Import format always perform a full data extraction (similar to Full Refresh) directly into the TDATASEG_T table.
- Append—Existing rows for the POV remain the same, but new rows are appended to the POV. For example, a first time load has 100 rows and second load has 50 rows. In this case, FDMEE appends the 50 rows. After this load, the row total for the POV is 150.
- Replace—Replaces the rows in the POV with the rows in the load file (that is, replaces the rows in TDATASEG). For example, a first time load has 100 rows, and a second load has 70 rows. In this case, FDMEE first removes the 100 rows, and loads the 70 rows to TDATASSEG. After this load, the row total for the POV is 70.
Note:

If you run data load in Full Refresh mode in the Account Reconciliation Manager (ARM), select all locations that have data. Otherwise, FDMEE contains data for locations not selected in ARM (but ARM does not). This results in a discrepancy between what is in FDMEE and what is in ARM.

This field is only available for a data load batch.
Select Extract Exchange Rate to extract the exchange rate.

See How Currencies Are Processed.

(This option is not applicable for file-based source systems).
For Oracle Essbase, Oracle Hyperion Planning, and Options for the Financial Management applications, in the Export Mode drop-down, select the mode of exporting data.

Options for Essbase or Planning applications:
- STORE_DATA
- REPLACE_DATA
- ADD_DATA
- SUBTRACT_DATA
- OVERRIDE_ALL_DATA
This field is only available for a data load batch.

Options for the Financial Management applications:
- Accumulate
- Replace
- Merge
- Replace by Security
For Essbase or Planning, from the Plan Type drop-down, select the plan type of the application.
Click Save.

To add a batch job:

On the Setup tab, under Batch, select Batch Definition.
In Batch Definition, under Batch Jobs, click Add.

In Rule Name, specify the rule name associated with the batch job.

You can also select the to navigate to and select the rule name.
In Job Sequence, specify the order in which to sequence the batch.
Click Save.