Background Tasks

Purpose

Monitor the progress of and identify errors for functionality that takes a long time to process, whilst working on other system functionality.

For example, the Background Tasks window will open automatically when generating Proposed WO's with multiple Profiles, when synchronisation and inheritance functionality is triggered in the Asset Tree and Type Tree, and when recalculating User Rights for a batch of Users.

Where to find

This system functionality is automatically available for:

Generate Proposed Work Orders
Synchronise Asset Type model items with inherited items in the Asset Tree
Synchronise an Asset model item with its corresponding Asset Type model item
Synchronisation Maintenance
Accept Development of an item in an Asset Type model
Reject Development of an item in an Asset Type model
Accept Development of an item in an Asset model
Reject Development of an item in an Asset model

How to... View Background Task Messages

1. Click Analysis and Monitoring - Background Tasks then .
The Background Task Messages window opens

2. A Message’s Status indicates the progress.
For example, “Busy”.

3. Click to view or change details for a Background Task.

Data fields

These data fields are displayed on the Background Task Messages window.

Field	Description/Setting
Task	The description of the Task that is running in the background.
Message Header	Generated by the Background Task.
Message Body	Generated by the Background Task.
Status	Possible values are: “Pending” “Busy” “Completed” “Cancelled by user” if the Background Task was cancelled by a user while it was processing “Aborted” if the Background Task Status was “Pending” before it was cancelled by a user. Task details are not available. “Aborted” by the system
Progress Percentage	The progress is calculated as [(Number done/Total) * 100].
Total	The total number of records to be processed.
Number Done	The number of records that have been processed.
Error Count	The number of records with errors that were detected during processing
Duration	The duration of the Background Task is displayed in hours and minutes.
Start Time	The date and time at which processing commenced.
Last Updated On	The date and time at which processing the message was displayed.
Message Severity	Possible values are “Information”, “Warning” and “Error”.

Please note!

The Background Task Messages window opens automatically for specific system functions, for example when Generating Proposed Work Orders, creating Work Orders from Proposed Work Orders or when synchronising Assets.
By default a User can only see their own Background Tasks.
If a User needs to view, delete or cancel another User’s Background Tasks then the applicable Rights must be assigned to the User for Sites to which the Right applies.
The number of Background Tasks that can run on the server at any given time is specified in the configuration file and can be updated by the system administrator.
Contact the Support Helpdesk for more information.
Synchronisation Maintenance is scheduled to run at regular intervals to ensure that changes for an Asset Type are applied to all Assets that are based on the Asset Type.

Unique descriptions for Background Tasks

An edit box opens for specific system functions that allows the user assign a unique Description for the Background Task that is being executed.

The Background Task Description is displayed under Message Header on the Background Task Messages window.

User Rights

The following User Rights apply to Background Tasks.

If the User has this Right	and this Right	The User can...
View		View Background Tasks initiated by the User.
View Other Users Background Task Messages	Run a Dues List Generate Work Orders from Dues List Synchronise Assets Approve/Reject Development Changes for Assets Approve/Reject Development Changes for Asset Types Change (Role Rights and User Rights)	View Background Tasks initiated by other Users.
Delete Other Users Background Task Messages	As above	Delete Background Tasks initiated by other Users.
Cancel Other Users Background Tasks	As above	Cancel Background Tasks initiated by other Users.

What can I do?

These non-standard tools are available in the toolbar on the Background Task Messages window.

Click…	To…
x	View details about the error in the error message.
	Open the affected item’s edit window for the item with an error message.