Monitoring Batch Processes

A monitor batch process may be used to transition a business object into its next state by executing the monitor algorithms associated with the current state of the entity. The use cases for performing the monitor logic in batch are as follows:

  • The record may be waiting for something else to occur before transitioning. The monitor algorithm may be coded to determine if the condition is satisfied and initiate the transition then. For example perhaps when entering a state, a field activity is generated and the record should exit the state when the field activity is complete. The monitor algorithm can check the status of the field activity.

  • Perhaps a record is added or updated manually and the next step in the BO lifecycle includes a large amount of processing such that the logic should occur in batch. In this case the BO status is configured with an explicit reference to a batch control (referred to as "deferred"), which indicates to the system that the monitor algorithms should not be performed automatically (but should be deferred to batch). Later when the batch process runs, it selects all the records to process to progress the records.

    Note: When a status includes a deferred batch control, it may also be configured to allow a user to manually transition the record to the next state rather than waiting for batch. When a user manually transitions a record that includes monitor algorithms, those algorithms are not executed.

  • Perhaps a record is added or updated in batch, but a subsequent step in the overall lifecycle should be processed later. This may be accomplished by ensuring that the batch control linked to the state to process later does not match the batch control that added or updated the record.

  • Monitor processes may also be used to periodically perform some logic related to the record without actually transitioning the record.

Note that only the parent business object may refer to a deferred monitor batch process. However, any business object in the “inheritance” chain may be configured with monitor algorithms, which will all be executed.

The base package provides a periodic monitoring batch process for each maintenance object that supports a configurable BO lifecycle. The process periodically executes the monitoring algorithms associated with the current state of an entity, excluding states explicitly referencing a deferred monitoring batch process that is for a different batch control.

A deferred monitoring process selects records whose current state references this particular batch control as their monitor process. Deferred monitor process is only needed when an object has different use cases for monitoring the same type of records with different schedules. In this case only one periodic monitor batch should be configured. Other monitors should be configured to restrict by batch control so that there is no overlap in processing.

Note: MO option configuration. The maintenance object includes options to indicate the batch controls delivered for periodic and deferred monitor batch controls.

Your business rules will dictate the execution frequency of each monitoring process and the order in which they should be scheduled. Refer to Monitor Background Processes in the background process chapter for more information about the parameters supported for this type of batch process.

Note: Updates to the business object. When the monitor algorithms indicate that the business object should transition, the monitor batch processes are responsible for ensuring the business object is transitioned appropriately and that the appropriate exit, enter and monitor algorithms are executed. Please note that the business object is not updated using a call to the maintenance object service and therefore by default the business rules plugged in to the business object are not executed. However, it is possible for an Enter algorithm, Exit algorithm or Monitor algorithm to indicate that the other algorithms should be executed by the batch process. If the “force post processing” indicator is set to true, then the batch process invokes the BO Post Processing, BO Audit and MO Audit algorithms.