Batch Maintenance

The batch maintenance screen (Client or Job Batch Details) allows you to create and maintain batches. It is displayed automatically whenever you add a new Job or Client batch via the home screen, and can subsequently be invoked from the home screen in order to edit a batch created previously.

Client batch details with constraints tab

The Client or Job Batch Details region displays high-level details of the selected batch:

  • BatchID - The ID of the batch, assigned when the batch was first processed or saved (read only).
  • Description - A brief description of the batch (editable).
  • Created By - The ID of the user who created the batch (read only).
  • Created On - The date on which the batch was created (read only).
  • Processed Records - The number of records in this batch so far processed.

All batch updates are subject to switch settings, maintained in Star PDM, which determine how batches are processed; e.g. whether and how changes to Client or Job Partner and/or Manager cascade down to relevant Job and/or WIP records. For details, see Setup.

All changes to a batch are audited, with all changes being written to the standard Audit Trail (Star database table tblAuditTrail).

Toolbar

The batch maintenance toolbar presents the following options:

  • New Line - Adds a new line to the grid in the Constraints tab.

  • Process - Activated when Items are selected in the Items tab.

    When you click Process, the selected Items (if any) are processed according to both the conditions configured in the Constraints tab, and those configuration switch settings that govern batch processing.

    If your implementation of StarPM: Mass Update is configured to cascade changes to Client or Job, Partner or Manager to relevant Job and WIP records in the database table (see Setup/Star Database Settings), then you may be prompted either to specify the date from which WIP records should be updated (see Processing Batch Updates). If you click Save and Proceed without first selecting a date, all WIP records in the database table are updated.

  • Save - Saves any unsaved changes to the batch details.

    A Batch Changes Saved dialog is displayed, confirming the Batch ID. Click OK to close the dialog.

  • Delete Line - Deletes any constraints currently selected in the Constraints tab.
  • Home - Returns you to the home screen, automatically refreshing the contents of the batch grid in that screen.

Constraints

Constraints allow you to either:

  1. Restrict batch updates to include only records that match selected criteria (Filter Constraints),
  2. Update selected Criteria (e.g. the Partner and/or Manager assigned to a Job or Client) with new values (Update Constraints), or
  3. Restrict updates according to selected Criteria and update selected Criteria (Both Constraints).

Update Constraints affect only the specific batch type's primary database table. Filter Constraints affect filtering on all tables in the pre-defined list set in the database: refer to the Database schema.

Constraints tab

To define a batch update Constraint:

  1. Add a new row to the Constraints grid.
  2. Click within each column sequentially to activate drop-down controls and select the following values:
    • Type - The type of Constraint to be applied:
    • Filter - Filter the batch update Items (see below) to include only those that match a selected Criterion.
    • Update - In the selected database Table, update a selected Criterion with a new value.
    • Both - Filter the batch update Items to include only those that match a selected Criterion, and update that Criterion with a new value.
    • Table - Only active if the Constraint Type is Filter. Select the database table in which the Constraint will be applied, either Job or Client.
    • Field - Select the specific field within the selected table to be updated, e.g., Job or Client.
    • Comparison - Select the appropriate equality operator, either Equals or NotEqual.
    • Criteria - Click in this column to activate a drop-down from which to select the specific Comparison criterion. The values available for selection are dependent on the Field selection.
    • New Value - Only active if the Constraint Type is Update or Both. Select the new value to be assigned to the selected Field. The values available for selection are dependent on the Field selection.

Items

Once you have defined the batch Constraints, the Items tab displays every Job currently included in the batch according to those Constraints: i.e. the database records that, if selected for inclusion, will be affected by the update.

In this tab, you can select/deselect any or all Items for inclusion in the update.

Items tab

To narrow the list of Items displayed, use the standard filter controls.

Changes made here cannot override the batch Constraints.

The columns displayed in the Items grid will vary according to the current Batch Type.

Selection for Inclusion

To select individual Items for inclusion in the update, select the checkbox in the Select All column on each appropriate row.

To select all Items for inclusion in the update, select the checkbox in the Select All column header.

To deselect Items for inclusion, simply deselect the checkboxes in the Select All column as appropriate.