PostalOne! Mail.dat Client Batch Processing
Contents
1. The following settings in the GENERAL and DATABASE pages of the Mail dat Wizard support batch processing by saving generated file sets to the Jobs Repository avoiding the creation of subfolders beneath the Jobs Repository saving the file sets in zip format to conserve disk space and automate the order of file processing during validation and upload and deleting the individual Mail dat files to reduce Jobs Repository clutter GENERAL Mail dat Location Match the Jobs Repository folder in the Settings window Batch Configuration tab of the Mail dat Client Example C Postall1 Jobs DATABASE Do not check Save Mail dat database in unique folder e DATABASE Check Zip Mail dat database e DATABASE Check Delete Mail dat database after zipping Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 8 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Figure 1 Database page settings that support batch processing S4 Mail dat 11 1 Wizard Database Page 4 of 13 Database Vv Mail dat it Intelligent Mail Range Table V Piece Detail Table Seed Name Table r V Save Mail dat database in unique folder B 6 6 M Use Job Number for folder name SOFTWARE A BOWE BELL HOWELL Company Required fields Postal0ne Required fields 4 Back Next gt X Cancel Help Configure the Client You ve done your homework and know what you w2. bell howell PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Overview Can you upload Mail dat files to PostalOne consistently Is your volume of work exceeding the number of hours in your day Then it s time to introduce you to the unattended or batch processing capabilities of the Mail dat Client using examples that you can adjust to meet your needs We discuss the following topics Click a topic to go directly there e Conventions page 2 e What Is Batch Processing page 2 e What You Need page 2 e Example page 3 e Get Your Metrics page 4 e Example page 4 e Choose Your Method page 6 e Work the Wizard page 7 e Configure the Client page 8 e All Modes page 9 One Time Mode page 10 e Scenario 1 page 10 e Scenario 2 page 12 e Automation Batch Processing page 13 e Receipt Polling page 16 e Batch Processing Workflow page 19 e Testing Testing page 19 e Ready to Go page 21 e References page 22 Versions of the PostalOne Mail dat Client and the Mail dat Wizard used in preparing this document were available on August 31 2009 Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h Il Email tech bccsoftware com bell wy NOWE Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 2 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Conventions The examples in this document use the following conventions e Files folders and command line entries appear in this font e Sample input data appears in italics Buttons l
3. but may have to reduce the time in which runBatchUpload bat can run should the variance be too great Not as Good Set runBatchUpload bat to run seven times beginning at noon for different lengths of time based on workflow patterns It checks for new uploads at the start of each session Table 1 This approach would be necessary if there were varying amounts of available processing time It works as long as each session completes its processing before the next session begins But suppose that four jobs of 45 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes and 1 hour 15 minutes were available at the start of one run with the next one scheduled to start three hours later Processing would require three and a half hours half an hour too long Reduce this possibility by running fewer sessions per day reducing the checks for available uploads as well or by matching the starting times more precisely to demand Table 2 Metrics for Batch Processing planning Requirement Metric Source e Evaluate readiness to use batch Success Rate e Mail dat Client gt Upload Met processing in production rics System Success Rate Allocate sufficient unattended e Processing Time History e Mail dat Client gt Upload Met upload time rics Average Submission Time Export this report to Excel and extrapolate total upload times This report does not display upload times well for small uploads e Obtain upload times per upload in the Mail dat Client Validt
4. Because a high failure or rejection rate failure and rejection are different we ll explain later reduces your savings Batch processing identifies the jobs that do not upload but it does not fix and resend them That s up to you which means there is time spent troubleshooting and resending jobs that you d hope to devote to other things Even resending jobs during the next unattended session could Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 3 create backlog issues so whether you choose to resend jobs interactively or in the next unattended session the higher the failure or rejection rates the less you save Example Part of What Is Batch Processing cited the illustration of a workstation running unattended for 16 hours replacing two workstations running interactively for eight hours What if jobs totalling four hours of upload time fail validation Time must be spent on troubleshooting and correction and the four hours of upload time must be accommodated Whether this is done during the day or at night that represents four hours of upload time that could have been put to alternative use Up to four hours of new uploads may be delayed But since your PostalOne uploads run like a fine tuned machine are you ready to begin You need e PostalOne user name and password e Windows workstation with the followi
5. Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 4 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Get Your Metrics How much time do you spend uploading files to PostalOne How is your upload time distributed When are the windows of opportunity for unattended uploads Answering these and other questions is the objective of this step Table 2 presents some issues to consider when choosing a batch processing strategy and the related Mail dat Client tools Export reports from the Upload Metrics page to CSV files for further analysis More detailed information on the size upload time and outcome of each upload is available through the Validation Upload History page However it is the most time consuming to obtain and cannot be exported Why are these metrics important For a number of reasons including these e You will be more able to document the benefits of batch processing The more precisely you can describe your current process the easier it is to find the benefits of change You are not alone You must schedule batch processing around other events that occur both during office hours and overnight Office hour events include the time required to review and correct failed uploads or to run other interactive applications while overnight events include such things as system backup and the PostalOne maintenance cycle ANEW JOB MUST NOT BEGIN BEFORE THE OLD ONE ENDS To impleme
6. Enter the Windows user name and password under which this task will run Click Next Click Finish to end the wizard Technical Support 800 624 5234 A h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 15 Each weekday at noon the Scheduled Task runBatchUpload_auto opens runUploadBatch bat runUploadBatch bat checks the Jobs Repository and processes whatever it finds moving each file to the appropriate output folder Upon completion the system sleeps for 30 minutes then checks the Job Repository again This alternate cycle of checking processing and sleeping continues until 9 AM the next day or until the last queued job is complete runUploadBatch bat exits runBatchUpload_auto runs the next weekday at noon e In our example this method reduces the daily opportunities for process overruns from seven one at the end of each Scheduled Task to one should processing of the last queue of jobs run past noon Figure 3 Batch Configuration tab with Automated Batch Processing Settinos xl Settings General Batch Configuration Receipt Files Required Username Password Password is case sensitive Username IQMAILER Password eee eee et Upload Run Time 1260 minutes Sleep Time 30 minutes B Batch File Locations Jobs Repository c Postalijlobs sts S S S S C S C rowse Rej
7. a b Cc Change the task name to runReceiptPoller_auto Select Daily as the frequency Click Next 17 Assign a starting day and time a b C d Enter a starting time of 12 PM Select Weekdays to exclude the PostalOneP maintenance window Accept today s date as the start date Click Next 18 Enter the Windows user name and password under which this task will run 19 Click Next 20 Click Finish to end the wizard Each weekday at noon the Scheduled Task runReceiptPoller_auto opens runReceiptPoller bat runReceiptPoller bat checks the PostalOne servers for new status receipts and downloads whatever it finds to the Receipts Repository Upon completion the system sleeps for 30 minutes then checks PostalOne again This alternate cycle of checking downloading and sleeping continues until 9 AM the next day or until the last queued receipt is downloaded runReceiptPoller bat exits runReceiptPoller_auto runs the next weekday at noon Figure 4 Receipt Polling settings setenas xi Settings General Batch Configuration Receipt Files Required Receipt Files Receipts Repository c Postalt Receipts Browse e Receipt Format C XML ASCII Delimiter Space C Tab Other amp Receipt File Name StatusReceipt G Receipt Poll Run Time i260 minutes Sleep Time 50 minutes Cancel Technical Support 800 624 5234 Email tech bccsoftware com Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhow
8. serial numbers with less chance of compromised performance Running Scheduled Tasks at each workstation significantly increases available starting times by how much depends on how each machine is configured Apply the process used to implement batch processing to its evolution and you will have a useful tool for years to come References For more details on the Mail dat Wizard see your Mail Manager product s User Manual and online Help Obtain the latest user manuals in PDF format from the Bell and Howell Customer Portal https portal bccsoftware com support techManuals aspx For more information on the Mail dat Client including a table of configuration file settings and information for Solaris users see Chapter Five of the Postal Service Mail dat Technical Specification http ribbs usps gov intelligentmail_guides documents tech_guides PostalOneMaildatTechSpec pdf Version 6 7 of the Guide was used to prepare this document For an introduction to the Mail dat standard including links to licensing information and detailed version specifications visit IDEAlliance http www idealliance org industry_resources production_and_supply_chain mail dat Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net
9. 34 A h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 14 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing These settings are in addition to those made in All Modes page 9 Our example continues to be seven jobs that run from noon to 9 AM 1 2 3 4 5 6 Log in to the Mail dat Client Click Settings Click the Batch Configuration tab Assign a Run Time of 1260 minutes 21 hours 60 minutes hour and Sleep Time of 30 minutes Always express these times in minutes Run Time Length of time each day that the watch folder is monitored e Sleep Time Interval between watch folder checks Click OK Log out of the Client Now set up the Scheduled Task 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Access the Windows Control Panel The exact sequence will vary depending on your version of Windows and your desktop settings Double click Scheduled Tasks Double click Add a Task The Scheduled Task Wizard opens Click Next An application selection page opens Click Browse Browse to the C Posta11 folder Select runBatchUpload bat Click Open A new page appears a Change the task name to runBatchUpload_auto b Select Daily as the frequency c Click Next Assign a starting day and time a Enter a starting time of 72 PM b Select Weekdays to exclude the PostalOne maintenance window c Accept today s date as the start date d Click Next
10. ant The Mail dat Wizard is sending files It s time to set up the Mail dat Client Follow these steps 1 Follow the steps illustrated in A I Modes to set up connectivity user information and input output folders 2 Doone of the following e Follow the steps illustrated in Scenario 1 of One Time Mode to upload a designated job or jobs on a designated day and time e Follow the steps illustrated in Scenario 2 of One Time Mode to implement batch processing when consistent amounts of time per processing period are NOT available Follow the steps illustrated in Automation Batch Processing to implement batch processing when consistent amounts of time per processing period ARE available 3 Follow the steps illustrated in Receipt Polling to automate the receipt of status information from the PostalOne servers Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 9 4 Follow the steps illustrated in Batch Processing Workflow to take the configuration for a spin All Modes All modes require you to assign folders for logging input output and receipt polling A log folder See step 5 is required for both interactive and batch processing 1 Log into the Mail dat Client Click Settings 2 3 Click the General tab 4 If required enter a Proxy Server Address and Port Number 5 Click Browse to select a L
11. ard or storing Wizard output to a temporary folder and moving it to the Jobs Repository manually or with a script c If using Automated Processing Mode save several small Mail dat file sets to the Jobs Repository In the Mail dat Client set the Run Time to 60 minutes and the Sleep Time to 10 minutes Set up a one time Scheduled Task to start in 10 minutes When it begins generate more Mail dat file sets to the Jobs Repository Do they process Technical Support 800 624 5234 Email tech bccsoftware com bell howell Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 21 d If using Automated Processing Mode run the previous task but see the effects of having new work available at the last Jobs Repository check Do the available jobs process to completion beyond the stated Run Time if required e If using Automated Processing Mode increase the Run Time and Sleep Time until they reach production values 5 Develop a procedure for processing jobs in the Rejected Files and Failed Jobs folders Rejected Files jobs do not appear on the Validation Upload History page consult the Validation Log file Or re validate them interactively to reproduce the issue then correct and resubmit Ready to Go Combine consistently error free file sets with appropriate configuration and scheduling and you are on the way to more efficient use of the time and resources used with PostalOne and the Mail dat Cli
12. atus receipts the answer is a qualified Yes Status receipt files document an upload s milestones such as being loaded into the database and postage statement generation Eventually they will reflect USPS actions such as MPU Edits and Postage Statement Reversal While configuration and scheduling resemble that of batch processing receipt polling introduces additional issues of file format and naming Receipts can be text or XML files and naming options differentiate receipts by such things as Job ID and upload date Receipt polling can run in parallel with batch processing Like batch processing one receipt polling session must not begin unless the active one ends However you cannot Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 17 edit runReceiptPoller bat to obtain receipts for specific jobs such as in the example from One Time Mode page 10 Here s a way to configure receipt polling for the sample job running weekdays from noon to 9 AM Let s run receipt polling in parallel 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 Log in to the Mail dat Client Click Settings Click the Receipt Files tab Click Browse Designate C Postal1 Receipts as the Receipts Repository Select ASC as the Receipt Format Retain the default Delimiter Note This is arbitrary The format you assign depends on the application using t
13. e gov usps mdr client controller CmdController uploadMode ABCDO001 zip ZYXWO0002 zip Save the modified batch file to a new name such as runBatchUpload_once bat Optional Log in to the Mail dat Client and validate these jobs so you can address issues that would prevent the scheduled upload Now use Scheduled Tasks to set up the off peak upload 5 o o Ng 10 12 13 14 15 16 Access the Windows Control Panel The exact sequence will vary depending on both your version of Windows and your desktop settings Double click Scheduled Tasks Double click Add a Task The Scheduled Task Wizard opens Click Next An application selection page opens Click Browse Browse to the C Postal1i folder Select runBatchUpload_once bat Click Open A new page appears a Modify the task title as desired It defaults to the file name less extension in this case runBatchUpload_once b Select One time only as the frequency of operation c Click Next Assign a starting day and time a Enter 6 PM as the starting time b Accept today s date as the start date c Click Next Enter the Windows user name and password under which this task will run Click Next Click Finish to end the wizard Technical Support 800 624 5234 ow h ll Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 12 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Scenario 2 Now apply Sc
14. ected Files C postalijRejected Browse Failed Jobs c postall Faled Browse Successful Jobs cjPostalijPassed kar i G Automated processing is not always viable What if your system is available for 21 hours on Monday and Thursday 16 hours on Tuesday and Thursday and not at all on Friday Consider the following possibilities e Less than five day availability same amount of time each day Monday Tuesday and Thursday for 21 hours each day Retain the Run Time and Sleep Time configurations in Figure 3 set up one Scheduled Task for each available day e Differing availability usable common factor 7 hours on Monday and Friday 14 hours on Tuesday and Thursday 21 hours on Wednesday If the greatest common factor 7 hours close to overnight of the available processing times is of sufficient Technical Support 800 624 5234 ow h Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 16 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing length use it as the Run Time in this case seven hours or 420 minutes Set up Scheduled Tasks as follows e f one starting time is common to all days one daily Scheduled Task may be able to cover seven hours processing time In this example Tuesday and Thursday would require an additional Scheduled Task each Wednesday would require two e If there are no common starting times each day requires its own Scheduled Ta
15. ed Task and click Properties The task s Properties page opens Its Settings tab includes options concerning task completion and task relation to power management policies Considering disabling the Stop the task if it runs for option The USPS recommends that to end a session first click the window in which the process is running and type Ctrl C If that fails open Task Manager and select the Processes tab Select javaw exe click End Process and click Yes to confirm If the task does not run unattended and all other settings are correct power management settings may be the cause Try enabling the Wake the computer to run this task option Automation Batch Processing Each implementations of Scenario 2 has its drawbacks Configure our example as one Scheduled Task and only the jobs available at noon upload that day Using multiple Scheduled Tasks increases the frequency of Jobs Repository checks but requires precise scheduling to avoid data corruption should one upload session start before the previous one ends Is there another way Suppose you could schedule unattended processing in a way that uses one Scheduled Task checks the Job Repository throughout the day and accommodates variable workflow Enter the Mail dat Client Automatic Batch Processing mode Now setting up ONE Scheduled Task accomplishes what required multitudes before It s easier to prevent tasks from overrunning each other as well Technical Support 800 624 52
16. ell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 19 Batch Processing Workflow Configuration complete it s time to try a dry run Regardless of mode here are the steps 1 Generate the Mail dat files sending them to the Jobs Repository This must be finished before the Scheduled Task begins if you don t use Automatic Batch Processing Note You may want to log the files sent to the Jobs Repository the processing outcome and follow up measures This helps in quantifying your savings and tracking customer work 2 Once the Scheduled Task completes check the outcome by inspecting the contents of the output folders The check need not be immediately that s the unattended part e Files in the Passed folder uploaded Use Status Receipts to track their progress through PostalOne e Files in the Rejected folder never made it to full fledged validation It s often a matter of data entry such as an erroneous CRID Fix the errors in the Mail dat Wizard and try again e Files in the Failed folder went through validation and did not upload Addressing the cause may require directly editing the Mail dat files or re creating the presort 3 Check the Receipts Repository for updates on jobs that uploaded Validation procedures within PostalOne may raise new issues 4 Upload revisions either interactively or during the next unattended session The fewer Failed and Rejected files you find the greater
17. enario 1 to automating all jobs sent to the Jobs Repository using the requirements from Example page 4 seven jobs a day 21 hours available start time noon longest job needs two hours First verify that the batch processing file DOES NOT include specific files 1 2 Use a text editor to browse to C Postal1 Jobs and open runBatchUpload bat Delete Mail dat hdr or zip file set names from the last line of the runBatchUpload bat file gov usps mdr client controller CmdController uploadMode Now use Scheduled Tasks to set up unattended uploads 3 CO St Oe O 11 12 13 14 Access the Windows Control Panel The exact sequence will vary depending on both your version of Windows and your desktop settings Double click Scheduled Tasks Double click Add a Task The Scheduled Task Wizard opens Click Next An application selection page opens Click Browse Browse to the C Postal11 folder Select runBatchUpload bat Click Open A new page appears a Change the task name to runBatchUpload_1 b Select Daily as the frequency c Click Next Assign a starting day and time a Enter a starting time of 72 PM b Select Weekdays to exclude the PostalOne maintenance window c Accept today s date as the start date d Click Next Enter the Windows user name and password under which this task will run Click Next Click Finish to end the wizard Technical Support 800 624 5234 ow h
18. ent But periodic re evaluation is necessary both to monitor compliance with your original goals as well as to accommodate change such as growth software enhancement and new postal requirements There could be changes in both the number and size of jobs leading you to re evaluate e Method of batch processing used e Frequency and duration of Scheduled Tasks e Type of Internet connection e Hardware upgrades to storage RAM and CPU e Networking Example You ve run Automatic Processing mode for a year and a half the required processing time has exceeded the time available Contractual obligations make upgrades to your workstation and Internet connection unlikely but a second workstation is available Here is a solution 1 Upgrade Mail Manager to a networked version 2 Install placing postal data files on local drives and job data folders on the server 3 Install the Mail dat Client to each workstation with local input output folders 4 Configure Scheduled Tasks locally as well 5 Save Mail dat files to the local Jobs Repository Using the server to store job data and Mail Manager program files while storing postal data locally facilitates centralized management of Posta One Job IDs and Intelligent Mail Full Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 22 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Service compliance in assigning
19. fter hours All Modes gt One Time Mode Scenario 1 page 10 Automate my upload process completely 3 If automating which line best describes my situation e have the same amount of uninterrupted processing time available each day All Modes gt Automation Batch Processing Automation Batch Processing page 13 e have varied amounts of uninterrupted processing time available each day 4 If uninterrupted processing time varies do the available times have a usable common factor e Yes will use the factor as my Run Time and configure Automatic Processing Mode All Modes Automation Batch Processing multiple sessions e No will use multiple sessions of runBatchUpload bat without assigning a Run Time or Sleep Time in the Batch Configuration tab of the Mail dat Client Setup dialog All Modes One Time Mode Scenario 2 page 12 The bullets beginning with All Modes are the batch processing methods that match your answers They don t mean much to you yet let s address that The Client supports the following modes of operation e One time validation and upload Specify a location and start time This is useful for processing long jobs at off peak hours Automated Batch Processing Monitors a hot or watch folder for available work at designated intervals and processes what it finds Controlled beginning Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fa
20. he files Delete the default Receipt File Name of StatusReceipt to prevent receipt file overwrites When Receipt File Name is blank the default naming convention combines the Mail dat files Job ID Historical Sequence number and upload date time followed by the Receipt Format file extension The Receipt Polling Configuration Configuration and Setup section of the Postal Service Mail dat Technical Guide section 5 2 5 1 of version 6 7 includes other file naming options Assign a Receipt Poll Run Time of 7260 minutes 21 hours 60 minutes hour and Sleep Time of 30 minutes Always express these times in minutes e Run Time Length of time each day that the watch folder is monitored e Sleep Time Interval between watch folder checks Click OK Log out of the Client Now set up the Scheduled Task 10 11 12 13 14 15 Access the Windows Control Panel The exact sequence varies depending on both your version of Windows and your desktop settings Double click Scheduled Tasks Double click Add a Task The Scheduled Task Wizard opens Click Next An application selection page opens Click Browse Browse to the C Postal1 folder Technical Support 800 624 5234 4m h ll Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 18 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing bell lt gt howell 16 Select runReceiptPoller bat Click Open A new page appears
21. inks and icons not labeled as such appear in Bold What Is Batch Processing Batch processing is unattended processing It automates PostalOne file validation and upload reducing the time spent on interactive work Do you have a time consuming job to upload Use the one time option to send it overnight Do you want to automate validation and upload Set the daily start time duration break time and folder assignments then you re ready Think of it this way Two workstations uploading Mail dat jobs using interactive mode for eight hours a day is the rough equivalent to one workstation working in unattended mode for 16 hours a day after hours The workstation running in unattended mode is available for other tasks during peak office hours This illustrates the potential of batch processing to free resources for different use saving both time and money It s a Secure mode of processing storing the encrypted user name and password with the Mail dat Client installation providing automated access to Posta One without a security certificate Although batch processing is available for both Windows and Solaris this document focuses on Windows implementation because BCC Mail Manager products are Windows based What You Need It s vital to establish a consistently high percentage of successful uploads BEFORE you implement batch processing on more than a small experimental basis using the Test Environment for Mailers TEM Why
22. ion Upload History page You can not export this data Accommodate tasks such as e Local and PostalOne e Local IT and management system backup and the updat network maintenance e PostalOne Help Desk ing and resubmitting of jobs that schedules e DMM Advisory did not upload unattended e Personnel availability RIBBE Start and end each day s pro Usage requirements for cessing at appropriate times PostalOne workstation Run unattended processing on the appropriate days The requirements and related metrics in Table 2 are intended as a starting point Add whatever metrics and measurement methods you need to obtain a satisfactory description of your upload process Should you be new to Mail dat and PostalOne or if you anticipate growth not reflected in current metrics you will have to incorporate projections as well Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 6 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing Metrics in hand it is time to determine a batch processing method Choose Your Method Now apply the metrics you have obtained to the choice of an unattended upload method You should be able to answer the following questions 1 Will change my current process Yes No If you answered Yes continue with the other questions 2 What changes will make e Upload time consuming jobs a
23. ll Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 13 This is how Scenarios 1 and 2 compare Scenario 1 At 6 PM on the assigned date the Scheduled Task runBatchUpload_once opens runUploadBatch_once bat runUploadBatch_once bat processes the assigned files moving each to the appropriate output folder Upon completion runUploadBatch_once bat exits runBatchUpload_once never runs again e Scenario 2 Each weekday at noon the Scheduled Task runBatchUpload_1 opens runUploadBatch bat runUploadBatch bat checks the Jobs Repository and processes whatever it finds moving each file to the appropriate output folder Upon completion runUploadBatch bat exits runBatchUpload_1 runs the next weekday at noon What if a daily check is insufficient Set up Scheduled Tasks like Scenario 2 to run more than once each day but not frequently enough to risk conflicts Your first attempt might set up tasks to run every three hours at noon 3 PM 6 PM 9 PM midnight 3 AM and 6 AM As usage patterns emerge adjust the schedule accordingly This is an alternative to Automated Processing should different days have different windows of opportunity for batch processing This is how the batch processor that supports Mail dat 08 2 uploads works Note To see other configuration settings either check the advanced options checkbox before clicking Finish or right click a Schedul
24. me allocated for Status Receipt polling adequate for the number of uploads Is the Status Receipt file format appropriate Is there a process in place for logging each job and its milestones as it makes its way through the PostalOne system Does batch processing produce a net savings in time and resources after re processing Failed and Rejected jobs Do the net savings in time and resources meet the goals defined Here are a few suggestions for testing 1 Configure the Mail dat Wizard for each test job as discussed in Work the Wizard page 7 Use the Validate Only option in the Mail dat Client to predict the outcome of batch processing before invoking a Scheduled Task Leave the jobs that fail validation alone part of the testing is to verify the disposition of jobs to the appropriate output folders Run the Success Rate report weekly to gauge improvements in or maintenance of quality Test during the day at first for short periods For example a Runasingle job similar to Scenario 1 in One Time Mode page 10 at a designated time such as 1 PM b If using One Time Mode to automate general processing first test the ability to process the Jobs Repository content at the assigned days and times Monitor which input files are processed at which times and if overruns result Do not go live until you can process jobs in a way that avoids overruns This may mean changing the times that you run a job through the Mail dat Wiz
25. ng software e Mail Manager with Mail dat option OR Mail Manager FS e PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch mode uses the following files e runBatchUpload bat Validates and transfers Mail dat jobs to PostalOne e runReceiptPoller bat Obtains status reports from PostalOne servers e run client_credentials bat Changes the user name and or password e mdrsettings conf Contains configuration and scheduling information The examples in this document do not edit this file directly e Calling program The examples in this document use Windows Scheduled Tasks e High speed Internet connection e Method of recording job sizes and upload times What Is Batch Processing defined the motive for implementing batch processing It is to achieve maximum efficiency in the use of resources that upload electronic documentation to PostalOne Stating that motive in more quantifiable terms makes it easier to measure your success For example I want to limit interactive use of the Mail dat Client to one person on one workstation for one hour a day Or need to make the Mail dat Client workstation available for Task ABC from 9 to 11 AM Or Fd like to upload jobs taking two hours or more jobs larger than xx megabytes overnight But there are different approaches available which is best for you To answer that question it is vital to quantify your current process That is the objective of the next step Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h ll
26. nt batch processing use a program such as a scheduler to call batch files included with the Mail dat Client runBat chUpdate bat for Mail dat file sets and runReceiptPoll bat for status receipts These files can run simultaneously However to avoid data corruption do not start a new upload session or a new receipt polling session while a previous one is still running Knowing as much detail as possible about starting patterns and upload times will help you develop a schedule that minimizes this risk The following example illustrates the impact of design on the risk of process overruns Example Your longest upload takes two hours You upload seven jobs per day Jobs are NOT made available at an even rate throughout the day Good Set runBatchUpload bat to run from noon until 9 AM runBatchUpload bat checks for new uploads at noon and every 30 minutes thereafter Any uploads discovered are processed before the next 30 minute wait begins Automation Batch Processing page 13 describes how to do this If you can always commit the workstation to the same amount of processing time this is the best concept to follow because it combines periodic checks for available work with fewer opportunities for overruns You can use a scheduler to accommodate different Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 5 starting times
27. og File Location such as C Postal1 Logs This folder stores logs generated for Client activities and is required for interactive mode as well Note The path names displayed in Settings follow the Solaris Unix convention of separating folder levels with a forward slash where Windows path names use a backslash 6 Select your Time Zone from the drop down box 7 Click the Batch Configuration tab 8 Do not change the Username or Password unless the new account can use the USPS Business Customer Gateway and Electronic Documents Exchange 9 Use the associated Browse button to designate a location for each of the following folders e Jobs Repository Input folder Cc Postal1 Jobs e Rejected Jobs Jobs that terminate prior to validation If submitted interactively a FATAL ERROR message would appear C Postal1l Rejected e Failed Jobs Jobs that fail validation C Postal1 Failed e Successful Jobs Jobs that uploaded to PostalOne Cc Postall1 Passed 10 Click OK to save your entries 11 The next steps depend on the form of batch processing used e See Scenario 1 of One Time Mode to set up a job or jobs for one time unattended processing Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 10 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing e See Scenario 2 of One Time Mode to set up unattended processing when con
28. sistent Run Times are unavailable e See Automation Batch Processing to set up automated processing for jobs saved to the Jobs Repository Figure 2 Log File and Time Zone Settings OO hm Settings Batch Configuration Receipt Files Required Proxy Server Address Enter address here Port Number enter 6 Log File Log File Location C Postal1 Logs Browse G Time Zone Zone jest z G One Time Mode These settings are in addition to those made in All Modes page 9 In these scenarios the Mail dat Client resides in the folder Cc Postal1 The Mail dat Client is configured to look for jobs in the Cc Postal1 Jobs folder Scenario 1 You used the Mail dat Wizard to generate the jobs ABCD0001 zip and ZYXW0002 zip These were for two different customers hence two different ULCs The Wizard saved them to the Cc Postall Jobs folder They are large time consuming jobs to upload and you would rather do so outside of peak office hours starting at 6 PM Technical Support 800 624 5234 ow h Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 11 First modify the batch processing file to include the ABCD0001 zip and zYXxw0002 zip files 1 2 Use a text editor to browse to C Postal1 Jobs and open runBatchUpload bat Edit the last line of runBatchUpload bat to process the specific jobs For this exampl
29. sks one each for Monday and Friday two for Tuesday and Thursday three for Wednesday Differing hours of availability no usable common factor What if your available run times were 17 hours 19 hours and 23 hours To use all available hours the largest Run Time you could use would be 60 minutes one hour Then you would need to start a new Scheduled Task every hour which defeats the purpose of Automated Processing You have these choices e If it is sufficient to meet demand set the Run Time to the smallest alternative in this case 17 hours or 1 020 minutes OR e Delete the Run Time and Sleep Time from the Batch Configuration tab and use Scenario 2 from One Time Mode There will be one Jobs Repository check at the beginning of each Scheduled Task Note Implementing the second and third bullets may require similar numbers of Scheduled Tasks However the second approach should result in more Jobs Repository checks and offers more control over process duration through the Run Time setting Users of the third option will have more hands on responsibility for managing the input of jobs into the Jobs Repository as the only ways this option ends is either by user intervention or after it has processed all discovered jobs regardless of time allotted on an operations plan Receipt Polling There are multiple levels of processing as a job navigates Posta One Can we monitor an upload s status without going online With st
30. x 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing 7 and end over longer run times results in more frequent checks with less likelinood of session overruns Basic configuration is done almost exclusively through the graphical user interfaces of the Mail dat Client and Windows Scheduled Tasks The exception is One time validation which requires adding filenames to the end of a batch file Note Another command line requirement is to use the run client_credentials_tool bat file to change the user name and password in the mdrsettings conf configuration file when doing so outside of the Client You can edit the rest of this file with a text editor but the user name and password fields are encrypted Now you might be wondering Does any of this affect how run the Mail dat Wizard The next section answers that question Work the Wizard In a nutshell batch processing works like this You send your data to a designated hot or watch folder A utility monitors that folder If files are there the utility processes them then relocates them based on the processing s outcome The role of the Mail dat Wizard is to generate Mail dat files and place them in the appropriate folder for processing Our examples use C Postal1 Jobs as the hot folder or Jobs Repository It must be the folder stipulated in the Mail dat Client Settings dialog Batch Configuration tab Jobs Repository field See Figure 3
31. your savings will be Testing Testing So everything s set up does that mean that it s time to go live Maybe maybe not Are you certain that you ve met the objectives broadly defined in What Is Batch Processing and quantified in What You Need You did quantify your goals right If you ve used batch processing to submit test files to the USPS and passed you know that your data is good and you made batch processing work If you passed in interactive mode you know that your data is good but you have yet to try unattended uploads In either instance the ultimate challenge is scheduling Your schedule must protect your data by starting and stopping the batch processing files at appropriate times You ll want to Technical Support 800 624 5234 Aw h l Email tech bccsoftware com bell w owe Fax 585 272 9141 www bellhowell net 20 PostalOne Mail dat Client Batch Processing verify that your unattended upload schedule meets your goals and preserves your data before implementing it in production The TEM is available for that purpose You ll be ready to go live when you can answer Yes to the following questions Do my files appear in the correct input folder Do Scheduled Tasks begin on time and run on designated days Does the amount of time allocated to each Scheduled Task meet demand Do the assigned starting times for each Scheduled Task enable one Task to end before the next one starts Is the ti
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