How To - Create and use batch jobs in TM

What is a Batch Job

A Batch Job is a single job that can be connected to many components. It will appear in the due list as a single job. However, signing out this job will add a job history record to many components (similar to the multi-sign function).

Creating a Batch Job

A new button has been added to the toolbar of the Maintenance → Due module called 'New Batch Job'

It is also possible to create Batch jobs directly from the Inventory -> Components module using a right click menu option (this automatically applies the selected components to the created batch job)

Creating a Batch job presents a detail view that is similar to a ONE job (one field for Job Description) where the user can specify everything as if they are creating a ONE job, except that it will be possible to define an interval as well as a due date.

It is only possible to assign a date based interval, not a running hour based interval (as all attached components would need to have identical running hours, permanently, to be able to reliably use batch jobs).

Note: When creating a batch job, it is possible to copy a standard Job description, name and job type to the batch job using the copy button on the toolbar.

In the lower half of the batch job window there is a grid for viewing and selecting the components to be attached to the batch job.

Clicking this button:

Will present a list of components for the appropriate unit.  From this list, the user can select one or several components to attach to the batch job.

The remaining fields should be familiar to all who have used TM Master for maintenance.

There are however a few restrictions for batch jobs in addition to there being no option for a running hour interval.

A batch job cannot be a class job and it cannot be critical (due to the nature of being attached to several components).

The batch job will be shown listed as a normal job on the Component details à Jobs tab, but the text should be  greyed out.  Double clicking this line in the component details window will open the main batch job details.

Signing out a batch job

Batch jobs are shown in the due list in exactly the same way as normal component jobs.  There is however a check box filter to exclude everything from the due list except batch jobs which are due (within the chosen date in the due list)

Signing out a batch job is very similar to multi-signing, with the exception that it is possible to add a specific service report text for any of the connected components.

The signing out window is almost identical to the normal signing out details, with the exception that the attached components are listed in a grid in the lower portion of the window.

On the left-hand side of this list is a column of check boxes.  This is primarily for the user to keep track of which of the components have been handled so far, but it is also important when trying to add a service report comment for a specific component. 

If the user wishes to add a comment for one specific component then they are required to tick the component in the list first and save the batch job history record.  This is required so that a separate history record is reserved for the comment.  Once this is done the user can right click on the specific component line and choose the ‘Edit History’ option

The user will then be presented with the window below for entering a service report comment just for that specific component.

When a batch job is signed out, all component connections that have not had a specific comment applied, will receive the data applied to the main batch job history record (which will be checked for mandatory fields when signing out).

It is not possible to sign out several batch jobs at once (multi-sign not allowed if a batch job is selected in the grid)

It is possible to partly complete a batch job history (the same as we can currently do for normal component jobs), by saving and closing the sign out window (for example, if I set the progress to 25% and then save and close). This will create a temporary history to be stored in the database for the batch job itself.

Deleting Batch Jobs

Batch Job connections to components can be deleted in two ways

• Open the batch job itself and delete the component from the list of connected components
• Open the component detail view and delete the job from the jobs tab

Deleting the batch job itself can only be done from the right click menu directly in the due list

A new user right has been added for deleting batch jobs (Jobs → CanDeleteBatchJob)

Deleting a batch job will delete all the connections to the components.

Deleting a connection to a batch job creates an appropriate change log entry.