Process Scheduler/Process Monitor
Purpose: Use this document to better understand the Process Scheduler/Process Monitor within ctcLink.
Audience: Staff running reports
The primary role of Process Scheduler is to support the PeopleSoft application environment. With a PeopleSoft application, you might want to perform certain processes (such as running programs, batch programs, reports, and so on) in the background of the online system. Running reports, posting journal entries, loading benefit enrollment forms, and calculating payroll deductions are all examples of processes that you might want to perform independently of the PeopleSoft application.
Using Process Scheduler can streamline your business practices by enabling you to take advantage of the distributed computing environment at your site, whereby you can schedule performance-sensitive jobs to run on a powerful server while the online system is still available to end users.
Process Scheduler enables you to:
- Schedule recurring processes
- Create jobs (groups of processes)
- Schedule a process request to run on any date or during any time interval that your business requires, such as monthly, daily, hourly, or by the minute
- Submit a job to run several processes and conditionally schedule successive processes based on the status of a previous process in the job
Navigation: PeopleTools > Process Scheduler > System Process Requests
The Process Scheduler Request page enables you to submit a job or process to run. This page is commonly integrated into applications to support process requests that you make from a PeopleSoft application by clicking Run.
When you select the Run button, the Process Scheduler Request page appears, showing all of the jobs and processes that you have the security to run.
- The Process Scheduler Request page displays. The Process Scheduler Request page enables you to specify variables, such as where a process runs and in what format the process output is generated. You can set:
- Server name
- Run date, run time, and time zone
- Recurrence
- Output type
- Output format
- Output destination
- Distribution
- In the Process List sections, use the drop-down arrows to select the Type and Format to produce desired results.
-
Type options include:
- File
- Printer
- Web
- Window
-
Format options include:
- CSV
- HP
- HTM
- LP
- PS
- SPF
- XML
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Type options include:
- Select the OK button.
- Make note of the Process Instance number that will be available on the displayed page.
- Select Process Monitor link to display the Process Monitor page.
- From the Process List tab, select the Refresh button until Run Status reads ‘Success’ and Distribution Status reads ‘Posted'.
- On the Process List tab, select the Details hyperlink or use the drop-down arrow to select the desired Actions option.
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Actions options include:
- Update Process
- Delete Request
- Details
- Parameters
- Message Log
- View Log/Trace
- Update Process
-
Actions options include:
Process Detail Page
Process Detail allows you to view the status of all jobs and processes attached to the main job.
Process Section
- Instance: This is the instance number for when this process ran
- Type: This is the type of process that ran
- Name: This is the name of the process that ran
- Description: This is the description of the process that ran
- Run Status: This is the status of how the process ran (refer to table above for run status definitions)
- Description Status: This status describes whether or not the process has posted or not
Run Section
- Run Control ID: This shows the users run control that they used to run the process
- Location: Server location
- Server: Server name
- Recurrence: The recurrence name if this process is on a recurring schedule
Update Process Section
Request Choices: Hold Request, Queue Request, Cancel Request, Delete Request, Re-send Content or Restart Request
Date/Time Section
This section tells you when the process was created, when it could start running as well as the beginning and ending time that the process ran
- Request Created On
- Run Anytime After
- Began Process At
- Ended Process At
Actions Section
In the Actions section there are links that lead you to more information about the process that can help inform you about what has occurred with the process
- Parameters
- Message Log
- Batch Timings
- View Log/Trace
- Transfer
- The actions available depend on the current status of the process:
| Current Status | Valid Actions |
|---|---|
| Blocked | Hold, Cancel |
| Cancelled | Delete |
| Error | Delete |
| Hold | Delete, Cancel, Restart |
| Initiated | Cancel |
| No Success | Delete |
| Pending | Hold, Cancel |
| Processing | Cancel |
| Queued | Hold, Cancel |
| Restart | Hold, Cancel |
| Success | Delete |
| Warning | Delete |
Process Request Parameters
Process Request Parameters tell you what the code is that ran the process.
Message Log
The Message Log will give you messages about how the process ran. Selecting the Explain button gives more details about the message.
Batch Timings
Batch Timings are provided to monitor your application engine programs' performance. The Process Scheduler - Batch Timings page applies to the Statement Timings data stored in the (table) option.
View Log/Trace
When you select View Log/Trace, you can view log files that provide information regarding how the process performed. For example, the Send Messages process has an output file that gives each student ID.
It is worthwhile looking at the log files. Sometimes the logs will provide additional information.
The Process Monitor only stores data for 30 days, so you want to review and save any process information before it's deleted.
Navigation: PeopleTools > Process Scheduler > Process Monitor
After you submit a job using the Process Scheduler Request page, use Process Monitor to review the status of scheduled or running processes. You can view all processes to see the status of any job in the queue and control processes that you initiated. Process Monitor consists of two pages: the Process List page and the Server List page.
Use the Process List page to monitor the process requests that you submit. If a process encounters an error, or if a server is down, you can find out almost immediately. You can also see what processes are queued to run in the future.
Use the Server List page to view information about each of the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server Agents that is defined in the system.
Enter or select information in the fields on the View Process Requests page.
Field Definitions:
- User ID: The Empl ID of the user who ran the process
- Type: The type of process that was run
- Last, Date Range or All: Three options are available from the dropdown menu (last, date range, all)
- Days, Hours, Minutes, Years: Four options are available from the dropdown menu (days, hours, minutes, years)
- Server: What server the process was run on
- Name: Name of the process that was run
- Instance: The Process Instance number (*If the Range link is selected, the Instance field becomes the Instance From field.)
- Range: If the Range link is selected, the link becomes the Instance To field. Enter the range of Instance numbers
- Run Status: Refer to table below
- Distribution Status: Refer to table below
- Save on Refresh: Select checkbox if you would like the process list to be saved on refreshing
Note: If you use the same Run Control ID for multiple processes, allow each process to finish running before starting another set.
| Run Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Blocked | The running of this process has been blocked, which indicates that this process is waiting for one of the following: the number of active occurrences of this process to drop below Max Concurrent value, a process is recognized as mutually exclusive to complete, or a dependent file to be located. |
| Cancel | Indicates that a user has requested to cancel the scheduling of a process request. |
| Cancelled | Indicates that the server agent has successfully canceled the request after it has started. |
| Error | Indicates that the program associated with the process request encountered an error while processing transactions within the program. In this case, delivered programs are coded to update the run status to Error before terminating. |
| Hold | Indicates that a user has requested that the scheduling of a process request be put on hold. |
| Initiated | Indicates that a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server has acknowledged the new request. At this time, PeopleSoft Process Scheduler validates the parameters that are associated with this request and submits the command line to start a process. |
| No Success | Indicates that the program encountered an error within the transaction. No Success is different from Error because the process is marked re-startable. (Application Engine is the only delivered process type that is re-startable). |
| Pending | Status assigned to an item of a new PSJob request. This indicates that this item is waiting for a previous item in the job before PeopleSoft Process Scheduler releases this item. When the previous item has completed successfully, PeopleSoft Process Scheduler changes the status of the item to Queued. |
| Processing | Indicates that PeopleSoft Process Scheduler has successfully initiated the program. A status of Processing indicates that the program is running. |
| Queued | Status assigned to a new process request. The process request remains Queued until a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server picks up the new request. |
| Restart | Indicates that a process, which encountered an error, is attempting to restart. |
| Success | Indicates that the program has successfully completed. |
| Warning | A warning status is available to use in a job definition. A job definition may continue or stop when a process encounters a warning. The warning status must be set using PeopleSoft Application Engine. Set the AE_APPSTATUS field to 1. |
| Distribution Status | Displays the distribution status for each individual job and process. Valid states are: N/A, None, Generated, Not Posted, Posting and Posted. |
Navigation: People Tools > Process Scheduler > Process Monitor
Multiple processes can be combined into a JobSet. In order to review the details of how each process within your JobSet ran, you must first select the link under the Process Name column. After a job is submitted using the Process Scheduler Request page or your scheduled job is triggered, use Process Monitor to review the status of scheduled or running processes.
- Enter the User ID that you want to find. (For the purpose of this example, CTC_GFULMER is used).
- Select the Refresh button.
- You will see the processes that CTC_GFULMER has run.
- Select the Process Name (you will do this for all JobSets-instead of selecting Details).
- You will be able to view the processes that ran in the JobSet.
- Select the process to view process details.
As part of PeopleSoft Process Scheduler, Report Manager provides several different methods of viewing reports, based on the level of access granted. Some reports that are generated after running a process can only be viewed under Report Manager.
Navigation: Reporting Tools > Report Manager or Process Monitor page (PeopleTools > Process Scheduler > Process Monitor)
- Select the Report Manager link on the Process Monitor page.
The report may display in two different areas. See below for instructions.
- Select the hyperlinked name of the Report you wish to view. Ensure pop-ups are enabled.
- If selecting from the List tab, select the hyperlinked name of the Report in the Report column.
- If selecting from the Administration tab, select the hyperlinked name of the Report in the Description column.
- As soon as the process is run, the report will display based on the Type and Format selected.
- Select the Go back to Process Requests link to return to the Process Monitor page.
