In this webinar, our experts showcase a variety of demo use cases of how different components of the...
Many processes in Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations can be automated – as either individual tasks or multiple tasks grouped into a batch job. Batch jobs are created for tasks like processing reports, coordinating schedule maintenance, and creating and sending documents such as invoices. Batch jobs are monitored from a system administration perspective, use custom or standard D365 classes, and run concurrently or sequentially using decision trees.
Microsoft’s October 18 release provides new productivity features for batch management. In today’s post, we will first review basic configuration steps for creating a batch job from System administration, and then we’ll explore options for creating batch jobs on-demand in D365 Finance and Operations modules.
Prerequisites
Please read the following articles from Microsoft, as this information covered is used when creating new batch jobs:
Let’s get started!
1. Go to System administration > Setup > Batch group
Batch groups are associated with tasks within a Batch job. Multiple batch servers can be used to support processing.
2. Go to System administration > Setup > Active periods for batch jobs
Active periods for batch jobs is a new, optional feature in Platform Update 21 that provides more detailed control of the time periods during which a batch is processed. For example, a batch may have a recurrence to run hourly every day. For an example depicted in the screenshot above, by assigning the NIGHT Active period, the hourly recurrence will be limited to run only between the hours of 8 PM and 4 AM (GMT).
1. Go to System administration > Inquiries > Batch jobs > +New
A batch job can contain one or more tasks that have a common schedule, recurrence, and alert configuration. Let’s look at the different options on this screen:
Status
Batch Job
Functions
2. Go to System administration > Inquiries > Batch jobs > BATCH JOB > View tasks > +New
3. Create one or multiple tasks for the job, associate to a Company account (legal entity), assign a Class name (standard or custom), and associate to a Batch group.
Note than you have the option to use HAS CONDITIONS to identify dependencies between tasks, such as sequence or a task tree based on status of processed tasks. In this example, the Purchase Order Invoice task must have a status of Ended to initiate processing of the Sales Order Invoice task. Conditions can also be used to determine if a different task should run based on the results of a previous task. For example, if the first task’s status is Ended, the second task will run, but if the first task’s status is Error, the third task will run.
Parameters provide options for record selection and will open the standard form associated with the selected Class name (SalesFormLetter_Invoice in the above screenshot). As shown below, from Select, filters can be applied using the default fields, additionally selected fields, or use Joins to allow filters from other tables. In this example, a join has been created to the BRKShipmentEntryDetail table.
4. Close this form to return to the Batch job and then define Recurrence, Alerts, and Change status.
5. Go to System administration > Inquiries > Batch jobs > BATCH JOB > Recurrence
Definitions of the RECURRENCE PATTERN
6. Go to System administration > Inquiries > Batch jobs > BATCH JOB > Alerts
You have the option to create Alerts based on resulting status.
7. Go to System administration > Inquiries > Batch jobs > BATCH JOB > FUNCTIONS > Change status
Set the status of a new job to Waiting to initiate processing at the next recurrence interval. Or set the status of an active job to Withhold to edit.
Go to System administration > Workspaces > System administration. Here you can monitor existing jobs.
As mentioned, from within many D365 forms, we can initiate batch processing on a one-time or recurring basis. Some examples include:
Keywords to look for are Batch or Run in background. Here we will take a look at the Accounts receivable invoicing process and available batch options.
Go to Accounts receivable > Invoices > Batch invoicing > Invoice
Notice the Batch button in the lower right corner of the screen above. Clicking this opens the Batch processing screen (shown below), which gives access to the same Batch job options as explained above, such as, Recurrence, Alerts, and Batch group assignments. We do not, however, have the option here to add multiple tasks to one Batch job or to define any conditional processing. When creating the batch here, we will essentially be adding one task to one batch job, either on a one-time basis, such as for Account structure activation, or on a recurring basis, such as for Invoice generation.
Clicking OK will result in this message:
And the Batch job has now been added to the Waiting batch jobs queue. It can be maintained from System administration > Batch jobs.
Well, there it is… everything you ever wanted to know (or at least a whole bunch) about batch jobs in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.
Happy Dynamics 365'ing!