Manage automated tasks

All the operations that can be carried out with Promodag Reports can also be automated: data imports, report generation, periodic compaction of the database, etc. However, it is preferable to organize these batch processing files methodically to obtain the best possible result and simplify their management.

General operation of batch files

A batch file is a text file generated by the Task Automation option in Promodag Reports. It can be launched automatically by a scheduled Windows task if the user has chosen to create one in this same option.
The actions contained in a batch file are always executed in the same order, regardless of the order in which they were saved: data purge, imports (tracking logs, IIS files, storage size), compaction, reports. Of course, you have the choice to insert all or part of these actions in your batch files.

Management principles

1. It is highly recommended to use a single user account to run Promodag Reports in interactive mode and in "batch mode", i.e. through a batch launched by a scheduled task. This avoids the vast majority of permission-related errors that almost inevitably occur when using multiple accounts.
2. Data should always be imported on a daily basis. It is much easier to catch up with a failed import a day later than a week later!
3. Rather than creating a batch each time you create a new custom report, create a batch for each runtime period: one for daily reports, another for weekly reports, and a third for monthly reports. This method will allow you to avoid the unbridled increase in the number of batches and their associated scheduled tasks.

Combining multiple batch files

By default, each batch runs independently of the others. This can be annoying if you want to make several batches run in sequence, for example a purge of old data after daily imports. To do this, simply create a text file and insert command lines indicating the path to the Promodag Reports executable followed by the path of the batch files as a parameter:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Promodag\Reports11\Repex64.exe" /BatchFile=<Batch1.prb>
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Promodag\Reports11\Repex64.exe" /BatchFile=<Batch2.prb>
Then rename this file by replacing the .txt extension by .cmd. Finally, create a new scheduled task in the Windows Task Scheduler with the same characteristics as those created via Promodag Reports and point it to this cmd file.

How important are notifications?

Promodag Reports can send email notifications each time a batch ends. This message shows a summary of the actions performed, their duration and status (OK, warning or error) as well as the trace file generated by the application containing the details. You can set this option in the Email and Notifications tab of the Tools > Options menu. It is strongly recommended to activate it so that you can monitor the progress of data imports and the correct configuration of the tool on a daily basis.

Automate your tasks, simplify your life!

We hope this article will help you get the most out of Promodag Reports and its advanced automation features. If you are not yet familiar with our reporting tool, feel free to download it for a free 45-day evaluation and use our contact form if you wish to send us a message or submit a technical support request.