rattail-manual/docs/features/people/entry/batches.rst

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Batches
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Batches are a sort of hybrid of import/edit/export. They assume a
certain "data set" will be brought into a dedicated workspace, using
whatever (sometimes custom) logic, then the user previews the
"results" before committing to it. See also :doc:`/data/batch/index`.
For instance one common type of batch is for new Customer entry.
Maybe there is a web form which some users fill out to enter new
Customer records, but in fact those go into a "queue" / batch and are
not truly injected to the system proper until the batch is reviewed
and executed by some (possibly more highly authorized) user. This can
be helpful not only for workflow optimization but also custom data
validation, and/or preventing duplicates from entering the system.
Another type might be for a periodic import to "sync" 2 systems which
do not normally stay in sync. For instance if your POS and CRM do not
stay in sync all the time, but maybe once a month you export the data
from one system to Excel file, for import to the other. It is of
course possible to make a Rattail "importer" (or "exporter" depending
on your perspective) which could automate this. But for sake of
better visibility and instilling confidence in the logic, you might
prefer a batch.
In the above example the process might be like:
* export data from CRM to Excel
* upload file as new batch in Rattail
* preview the changes; execute the batch
* which generates yet another file, e.g. CSV
* which you then import to the POS
There are many possibilities here; for instance more likely the batch
writes directly to POS when executed.