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pnightingale
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Are your recurring tasks recurring?

2 minute read time.

Recurring task management (GESABA) is a great feature. We can set up tasks to run automatically after hours or on some other predetermined schedule. This means no dialing in after hours to execute the tasks. No kicking yourself because you forgot to run the Stock Accounting interface yet again.

The only problem with not having to manually run the functions is: out of sight, out of mind. We still need to regularly monitor that the recurring tasks are not just recurring, but also finishing successfully.

Where do we do this and what should we be looking for? Head to Query Management (AREQUETE). To start, check out the Status for each Task Code.  For each line, you can click the action card and select Parameters to see which ones were used or Log to review the activity or errors generated by the running of the tasks.

 Here are the definitions of the Status codes with some tips on what to look for:

  • Standby: the request has not yet been started.
    • Have these tasks been sitting there for a long time?
    • Are there multiples of the same task waiting in line?
  • In progress: the request is in the process of being executed.
    • Are the tasks taking longer than usual?
  • Finished: the request has finished without errors.
    • Even though there were no errors, check out what was generated by the running of the task.
    • If nothing was generated, check the dates, sites or other parameters that were used by function
      • Click the lines’ action card and select Parameters which will show you the setting for that run.
      • To change them for future executions, click Parameters under Recurring task management (GESABA).
  • Aborted: the request was interrupted.
    • Why was it stopped and do I need to get this task restarted or rescheduled?
  • Error: the task has terminated on an error.
    • Review the Log as soon as possible.
    • It is easier to deal with an error while the transactions are fresh in everyone’s minds.
    • Resolving the errors will speed up the processing as the program doesn’t have to keep going over these problem transactions.
    • Check the Sage Knowledgebase for assistance in resolving these errors.
  • Held: the request is part of a group in the process of execution or it is blocked manually by an interruption.
    • Is this in process to run or do I have an interruption to investigate?
  • Kill: A user has requested the termination of the request.
    • Why was it killed and do I need to reschedule this task?
  • Immediate: the task has been submitted for immediate processing (via the intermediary of a file)
  • Warning: the task ended on a non-blocking error code (GERRBATCH variable<100).
    • Review the Log to determine the origin of the warning.
  • in reply to heather sauceda

    Hi Heather,

    This question would be better brought up in the Forum section where it will have better visibility and hopefully generate more replies.

  • Has anyone built a way to schedule recurring tasks based on criticality and dependency? The common theme here seems to be related to it takes too much time or it never completes. In theory you would need to know and understand just how long a task takes to complete in order to properly set the times etc... We built a report in SEI which list all the parameters of the tasks etc... because we have over 185 tasks and yes this is far too many! I would like to know if there is a way to flag a task non-critical and if the system is constrained just don't run the non-critical task of course without someone having to go into SAGE and shut the task down. Tasks like allocations in my mind are not critical if a PC planner or shipping agent can just hit the allocation button etc... yet they are clogging the system. I guess what i am asking is, are there best practices and is there already a list if you will of task dependencies? 

  • in reply to JTL

    Hi,

    Here are a few things to do:

    Take a look at the Parameters on the recurring task. You should clear the Processing date and then click OK. Otherwise, it will always run with that processing date and never pull new data.. Then, fill in the Relative date grid.

    Are you running it for all sites or just one? This too is in the parameter section. Make sure it is either running for all or if one is selected, make sure it is a valid site.

    Can you run this manually?

    Let me know who this turns out

  • Hi Pam

    Very informative, thank you!

    I also read your post on "Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly…our recurring tasks keep running" but I am still struggling with a recurring task that meets your criteria above:

    "Standby: the request has not yet been started.

    Have these tasks been sitting there for a long time? - Yes
    Are there multiples of the same task waiting in line? - Yes"

    And this has to do with the recurring task for FUNSTKACC.

    Any suggestion what I can do next to troubleshoot?

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