2 Reports and Batch Jobs

The batch job submission and execution includes:

  1. Setting Parameters. See also Using Parameter Sets to Populate Job Parameters

  2. Running a Job

  3. Checking Job Status

  4. Stopping Job Execution, if necessary

Setting Parameters

TMS populates some parameter fields with default values. After the first time the report is executed, the parameters entered when you last ran the report become the default values. You can save your parameters for future use. See "Retrieving a Parameter Set".

The column of boxes on the right indicates if you can enter a wildcard (%) to search for a valid value for the field. If a box is selected, you can use wildcards.

Fields displayed in red are mandatory; you must enter a value in them.

General Parameters

Many reports include, under General Parameters:

  • Output: Select a format. Options include PDF, RTF, XML, HTML, and XLS.

  • Display Parameters: Select Yes to display the values of the report-specific parameters in the report output.

Job-Specific Parameters

Many reports or batch jobs have parameters that are unique to the report, and that you can use to customize the report output to suit your needs more closely.

If there are job-specific parameters for your report or batch job, they appear under the Job Specific heading in the Report Submission window.

Context-sensitive online help is not available directly from Report or Batch Job Submission windows. However, you can get information about job-specific parameters as follows.

Online Help To get job-specific information online, do the following:

  1. Go to any window that is not a Report or Batch Job Submission window.

  2. Click Help, choose Help, then select More. The TMS online help window opens, displaying information about the window you are on.

  3. If you cannot see the Contents, Index, and Search buttons, click the navigation icon:

    This graphic shows the navigation icon.

  4. Use the Table of Contents, Index, or Search to find the report.

  5. Click the report's hyperlink.

Report Template is a job-specific parameter in many reports. If your company has created a custom template, it appears in the list of values. The Oracle Template is the default template. See "Customizing Report Templates." for information on creating and setting up templates.

Scheduling Parameters

Some jobs have parameters that allow you to schedule the job to run in the future:

  • Frequency. To schedule a single job execution, leave this field blank. To schedule execution on a regular basis, select one of the following from the list: Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Every.

    If you choose Every, you can define the interval at which you want the job to run. Two additional fields appear:

    • Frequency Length. Enter the interval you want to have pass between job executions. For example, if you want the job to run every week, enter 1 here and enter Week in the Unit field below. A list of values is available; press F9.

    • Unit. From the list select one of the following: Hour(s), Day(s), Week(s), or Month(s). A list of values is available; press F9.

  • Clock. From the list, select one of the following: Midnight, Noon, Now. Enter the time of day you want the job to run.

  • Date. From the list, select one of the following: Today, Tomorrow, Monday…Sunday.

  • Report Server Name. The system displays the name of the report server that last ran the report. You can use the same one or enter a different one. If you are running the report or other job for the first time, you may need to click in the line below to make the other parameters appear.

You must then select Job, then choose Submit or click the Submit icon.

Using Parameter Sets to Populate Job Parameters

To save time and ensure consistency in the batch jobs you submit, you can save the parameters you enter for a particular batch job and use them again at any time. You can save a parameter set so that it is only available for your use, or make it available for all TMS users of this database.

You need to save and retrieve parameter sets from the same window, Save/Retrieve Parameter Sets. This section discusses each of these operations. You cannot delete parameter sets from TMS.

Saving a Parameter Set

To save a parameter set for a batch job, start by selecting that batch job in the TMS navigator. Then follow the steps below:

  1. Choose Job, then select Save Parameter Set, or click the Save Parameter Set button (see Appendix C). The Save/Retrieve Parameter Sets window opens. If you entered any settings in the batch job fields, TMS copies these into the fields in the Save/Retrieve Parameter Sets window as well.

  2. Enter values for each field you want to include in this parameter set for this batch job.

  3. Enter a name and description for the parameter set.

  4. Select the box on the right if you want other TMS users to be able to use this parameter set. Clear the box to be the only person with access to this parameter set. Shared parameter sets are available to all users with access to this batch job at this TMS database instance.

  5. Save. TMS saves the parameter set for this batch job.

Retrieving a Parameter Set

Retrieving a parameter set populates the selected batch job with a list of settings for each field in the batch job. You can retrieve a parameter set for a particular batch job once you have selected that batch job in the main TMS window. To retrieve a saved parameter set:

  1. Choose Job, then select Retrieve Parameter Set, or click the Retrieve Parameter Set button (see Appendix C). The Save/Retrieve Parameter Sets window opens.

  2. Query for the parameter set you want. You can query for the name or description of the parameter set itself, or for one of the specific parameters in it.

  3. Click the Retrieve button. TMS populates the batch job window with the saved parameters. You can still change any of these parameters before executing the job.

Running a Job

To run the job immediately, select Job, then Submit, or click the Submit icon (see Appendix C for a listing of all icons and their purpose).

To schedule a job to run in the future, see "Scheduling Parameters."

Checking Job Status

TMS provides information about the status of submitted batch jobs in two places: the main Submission window displays an icon that shows the status of the most recently submitted job, and the Job Status window provides more information about each batch job you have submitted from this TMS database.

Checking the Status of the Last Job Submitted

TMS enables you to determine the status of the current job by examining the Gear icon, which appears in the lower right corner of the Job Submission window once you submit the job. This icon changes with a job's status according to the selections in the table below.

Job Running

Displayed while the most recently submitted job is still running.

Description of job_run.gif follows
Description of the illustration ''job_run.gif''

Job Successful

Displayed when the most recent job is completed successfully.

Description of job_suc.gif follows
Description of the illustration ''job_suc.gif''

Job Failed

Displayed when the most recent job fails. Check the error messages in the Job Status window to see why a job failed.

Description of job_fail.gif follows
Description of the illustration ''job_fail.gif''

Checking Job Status in the Job Status Window

The Job Status window displays more information about every batch job you have submitted using this data from this instance. Figure 2-1 shows a sample row from this window.

Figure 2-1 One Row in the Job Status Window

Description of Figure 2-1 follows
Description of ''Figure 2-1 One Row in the Job Status Window''

Choose Job, then Status or click the Status button (see Appendix C) to open the Job Status window. The window displays the most recently submitted jobs first, but you can query by any of the fields that appear in the window:

  • Label – The name of the batch job as it appears in the TMS user interface. For example, Activate Preliminary Data.

  • Job Status – ENTERED (while the job is still running), SUCCESS, or FAILED.

  • Module – Module of the batch job.

  • Server Job ID – The Reports service you used to run the job.

  • Execution ID – The unique identifier for this job execution in this database.

You can stop a batch job in process (that is, one with Job Status ENTERED) by selecting its row and clicking the Stop Job button.

Stopping Job Execution

To stop TMS from executing a job, either before a scheduled execution or during execution:

  1. Select Status from the Job menu or the Status icon (see Appendix C) to open the Job Status window.

  2. Highlight the job you want to stop.

  3. Click Stop Job.