DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BATCH AND REAL-TIME SYSTEMS

Information Time Frame

Batch structures collect transactions into businesses for processing. Under this approach, there's
constantly a

time lag among the factor at which an monetary occasion happens and the factor at which it's far
contemplated withinside the

firm’s accounts. The quantity of lag relies upon at the frequency of batch processing. Time lags can
range

from mins to weeks. Payroll processing is an instance of a regular batch device. The monetary

events—the software of worker labor—arise constantly at some stage in the pay period. At the stop of

the period, the paychecks for all personnel are organized collectively as a batch.

Real-time structures manner transactions in my opinion for the time being the occasion happens.
Because statistics

aren't grouped into batches, there aren't anyt any time lags among prevalence and recording. An
instance of

actual-time processing is an airline reservations device, which procedures requests for offerings from
one

tourist at a time whilst she or he waits.

Resources

Generally, batch structures call for fewer organizational sources (together with programming prices,
laptop

time, and person training) than actual-time structures. For instance, batch structures can use sequential
documents stored

on magnetic tape. Real-time structures use direct get right of entry to documents that require greater
high-priced garage devices,

together with magnetic disks. In practice, however, those fee differentials are disappearing. As a result,
enterprise companies generally use magnetic disks for each batch and actual-time processing.

The maximum great aid differentials are withinside the regions of structures improvement
(programming)

and laptop operations. As batch structures are commonly less difficult than their actual-time
counterparts, they

FIGURE

2-27 RECORD LAYOUT DIAGRAM FOR CUSTOMER FILE

Customer File

Key

Customer

Number

Customer

Name

Street

Address

City State Zip Code Credit Limit

TABLE

2-1

CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BATCH AND REAL-TIME PROCESSING

Data Processing Methods

Distinguishing Feature Batch Real-Time

Information time body Lag exists among time while the monetary occasion

happens and while it's far recorded.

Processing takes region while the monetary occasion

happens.

Resources Generally, fewer sources (e.g., hardware,

programming, training) are required.

More sources are required than for batch

processing.

Operational performance Certain statistics are processed after the occasion to

keep away from operational delays.

All statistics bearing on the occasion are processed

immediately.

sixty eight PART I Overview of Accounting Information Systems

generally tend to have shorter improvement durations and are simpler for programmers to maintain. On
the opposite hand,
as an awful lot as 50 percentage of the overall programming prices for actual-time structures are
incurred in designing the

person interfaces. Real-time structures ought to be friendly, forgiving, and smooth to paintings with.
Pop-up menus,

on-line tutorials, and unique assist functions require extra programming and upload substantially to the
fee of

the device.

Finally, actual-time structures require committed processing capability. Real-time structures ought to
deal with

transactions as they arise. Some kinds of structures ought to be to be had 24 hours an afternoon
whether or not they are

getting used or not. The laptop capability committed to such structures can't be used for different
purposes.

Thus, imposing a actual-time device may also require both the acquisition of a committed laptop or an

funding in extra laptop capability. In contrast, batch structures use laptop capability most effective while

this system is being run. When the batch task completes processing, the freed capability may be
reallocated

to different applications.

Operational Efficiency

Real-time processing in structures that cope with massive volumes of transactions every day can create
operational

inefficiencies. A unmarried transaction may also have an effect on numerous unique accounts. Some of
those accounts, however, won't want to be up to date in actual time. In fact, the mission of doing so
takes time that, while improved via way of means of masses or heaps of transactions, can purpose great
processing delays. Batch processing

of noncritical accounts, however, improves operational performance via way of means of removing
needless sports at

important factors withinside the manner. This is illustrated with an instance later withinside the chapter