Methods of Grouping Transactions for Processing

You can group transactions into physical batches to improve performance.

Use any of these methods for grouping transactions:

• Tell the application to determine the most efficient way to process batches according to the number of credits to be processed.

• Import batch information from the source application.

• Set the Number of Batches parameters.

• Specify the batch number by participant.

The Application Determines Batch Processing Method

The application can intelligently determine the calculation batches based on the number of credits to be processed. It determines the optimal number of batches and batch sizes (number of participants) to be included in each calculation batch, based on the volume of credits to be processed and the number of included participants. Here's how to enable this method:

1. In the Setup and Maintenance work area, use the following:

   • Offering: Sales

   • Functional Area: Incentives

   • Task: Manage Parameters

2. In the Manage Parameters page, select Use number of batches and batch size determined by application for the Calculation Batch Processing parameter.

3. Save your changes.

Importing Batch Information from Source Application

In the Manage Parameters UI, the Batch Processing Parameters region, select the Use batch information provided at the transaction level option for Classification and Crediting Batch Processing and for Rollup and Calculation Batch Processing. The application preserves the batch number as it moves each transaction from one entity to another, for example, from transaction to credit or credit to earning.

Note: Ensure that transactions belonging to the same participant all have the same batch number.

Setting Number of Batches Parameter

Use the Manage Parameters task in the Setup and Maintenance work area to set the Number of Batches parameters. Select the Use batch size determined by the application option for these parameters:

• Classification and Crediting Batch Processing

• Rollup and Calculation Batch Processing

Participant Batch Configuration

To balance the processing of workloads, administrators can configure classification, crediting, rollup, and calculation processes to group participants by transaction volume into specific numbered batches. This feature maximizes processing performance even with skewed transaction data or large volumes of data. For example, you can put participants who receive hundreds of thousands of credit transactions every week into separate batches, one for each participant, for processing. You can then put other participants who receive fewer transactions together into another batch.

If you provide a batch number for a participant, then the application uses that batch number to group participants. All participants that have the same batch number are grouped together for processing. If you don't provide a batch number for all of the participants, then the application divides the transactions for the remaining unnumbered participants equally into different batches. The Number of Batches value determines the number of those batches.

Here's now to provide a batch number for a participant:

1. In the Setup and Maintenance work area, select the Manage Parameters task.

2. Select the option Use batch information provided for participant from the list for either or both of these parameters:

   • Classification and Crediting Batch Processing

   • Rollup and Calculation Batch Processing

3. Save your changes.

4. Navigate to Participant Assignments, Manage Participant Batch Groups.

5. You can use the search to find participants to be assigned to a batch.

6. For each participant, you can enter a batch number for any or all of the applicable processes:

   • Calculation

   • Classification

   • Rollup

   • Crediting

   You can use any number for your batch number, as long as it's a positive integer.