The document discusses using batch Apex jobs to improve the user experience by offloading long-running or complex processes asynchronously. It provides examples of scenarios where batch Apex would be useful, including updating 324k accounts, nulling a field on 142k opportunities, and changing record types on opportunities. The document also includes sample batch Apex code to implement these scenarios and discusses testing and monitoring batch jobs.

1. 8/31/2012
Using Batch Jobs to Improve
the User Experience
Safe Harbor
I've always said to anyone that will listen to me
(which is not very many) that software is an art
form. It attracts artists.
Just look at any software company and the
amount of musicians, artists, carpenters, etc…
working there that create code for a living and
create other things in their down time.
- Steve Lacey
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2. 8/31/2012
A developer can now employ batch Apex to
build complex, long-running processes on the
Force.com platform.
- Force.com Apex Code Developers Guide
Complex, Long Running tasks
• Pre or Post processing tasks
• Account reassignments
• Price book updates
• Custom or Transactional Objects
Governor Limits are Your Friends …
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3. 8/31/2012
Scenario 1
• 324,476 Accounts
• 142,105 Opportunity records
• 1 NEW record type
Administrative Use
• Nulling out a field
• Arghhhh!!!!!
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4. 8/31/2012
Developer Objects
• Batch Process(es)
• Something to fire it
– Trigger
– Schedule
– VisualForce Page
• Test Class
Batch Process
• Start – Define the records to
process
• Execute – “Long, Complex…”
• Finish – Post processing
– e-Mail status
– Schedule a repeat job, etc
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5. 8/31/2012
APEX Code
global class BatchOppLineZero implements Database.Batchable<SObject> {
global final string query;
global boolean process_on;
List<OpportunityLineItemSchedule> schList = new List<OpportunityLineItemSchedule> ();
private string query1 = 'Select Id, scheduledate, revenue from OpportunityLineItemSchedule';
global BatchOppLineZero () {
if (system.Test.isRunningTest()) {
this.query = query1 + ' where scheduledate >= :chkDate';
} else {
this.query = query1 + ' where scheduledate >= :testDate';
}
}
*
*
APEX Code
Start Method
global Database.queryLocator start(Database.BatchableContext ctx){
Date myDate = date.today();
Date chkDate = date.newinstance (mydate.year(),mydate.month(),1).addmonths(-3);
return Database.getQueryLocator(query);
}
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APEX Code
Execute Method
global void execute(Database.BatchableContext ctx, List<Sobject> scope){
schList = (List<OpportunityLineItemSchedule>)scope;
for (OpportunityLineItemSchedule lis:schList) lis.revenue=0;
update schList;
}
Scenario 1
n opportunity records need to be updated
• Record type needs to be changed
• OwnerId updated
– Should be the account owner
– Default for account location if owner is
inactive
• Opportunity type should reflect account
property
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Execute Method – scenario 1
global void execute(Database.BatchableContext ctx, List<Sobject> scope){
oppUpdate = (List<Opportunity>)scope;
List<Account> accList = new List<Account>();
Set<Id> accId = new set<id>();
ID recTypeId;
List<RecordType> recList = new List<RecordType> ([Select Id, Name from RecordType]);
for (RecordType rec:recList) if (rec.name=='Ad Revenue') recTypeId=rec.id;
ID pitOwnerID, denOwnerID, laxOwnerID;
List<User> repList = [Select ID, name, Property__c, IsActive, Sales_id__c from User];
MAP<string,User> repMap = new MAP<string,User>();
MAP<Id,User> repActiveMap = new MAP<Id,User>();
for (User u:repList) {
repMap.put(u.UserNumber__c,u);
repActiveMap.put(u.id,u);
if (u.name == ‘PIT Owner') pitOwnerID=u.id;
if (u.name == ‘DEN Owner') denOwnerID=u.id;
if (u.name == ‘LAX Owner') laxOwnerID=u.id;
}
for(Opportunity o:oppUpdate) accId.add(o.accountid);
Map<Id,Account> accMap = new Map<Id,Account> (
[Select Id, ownerid, property__c from Account where id in: accId]);
for (Opportunity o:oppUpdate){
o.description = 'This opportunity is used to track Ordered Ad Revenue';
Account acc=accMap.get(o.accountid);
if (acc !=null) {
o.Opportunity_Type__c = acc.Property__c;
User rep = repActiveMap.get(acc.ownerid);
if (rep.IsActive) {
acc.ownerid = rep.id;
} else {
if (acc.property__c == ‘PIT' && pitOwnerId !=null) o.ownerid = pitownerid;
if (acc.property__c == ‘DEN' && denOwnerId !=null) o.ownerid = denownerid;
if (acc.property__c == ‘LAX' && laxOwnerId !=null) o.ownerid = laxownerid;
}
if (recTypeId !=null) o.RecordTypeId = recTypeId;
}
}
update oppUpdate;
}
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APEX Code
Finish Method
global void finish(Database.BatchableContext ctx){
AsyncApexJob a = [SELECT id, ApexClassId, JobItemsProcessed, TotalJobItems,
NumberOfErrors, CreatedBy.Email
FROM AsyncApexJob WHERE id = :ctx.getJobId()];
string emailMessage = 'We executed ' + a.totalJobItems + ' batches.';
Messaging.SingleEmailMessage mail = new Messaging.SingleEmailMessage();
String[] toAddresses = new String[] {a.createdBy.email};
mail.setToAddresses(toAddresses);
mail.setReplyTo('noreply@salesforce.com');
mail.setSenderDisplayName('Batch Job Summary');
mail.setSubject('Opportunity batch update complete');
mail.setPlainTextBody(emailMessage);
mail.setHtmlBody(emailMessage);
Messaging.sendEmail(new Messaging.SingleEmailMessage[] { mail });
}
}
Testing your Batch
@ISTest
public with sharing class TESTBatchOppLineZero {
static testMethod void TESTBatchOppLineZero()
{
List<Account> actList = new List<Account>();
*
*
Test.startTest();
Database.executeBatch(new BatchOppLineZero());
Test.stopTest();
system.assertEquals(…..)
}
}
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Governor (and other) Limits
• 5 active jobs
• Can’t call a batch from a batch
• 1M lines of code, 250k daily batches, 10k DML
statements
• “One at a time”
• Subject to available resources
• Check the docs
Scheduled Jobs
• After hours processing
• Daily / weekly / monthly jobs
• Asynchronous triggers
• Future jobs
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10. 8/31/2012
Why Not Real Time?
• External processing
– Third party updates
– Delivery Status
• Just in time
• Balance resources
• Look at the business and its needs
APEX Code
global class BatchStageImportScheduler implements Schedulable {
global void execute (SchedulableContext ctx)
{
BatchStageImport batchImport = new BatchStageImport();
ID batchprocessid = Database.executeBatch(batchImport);
}
}
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11. 8/31/2012
APEX Code
global void finish(Database.BatchableContext ctx){
*
*
*
// Schedule a job for 5 am tomorrow…
Datetime sysTime = System.now();
sysTime = sysTime.addDays(1);
String chron_exp = '' + 0 + ' ' + 0 + ' ' + 5 + ' ' +
sysTime.day() + ' ' + sysTime.month() + ' ? ' + sysTime.year();
BatchStageImportScheduler BatchSched = new BatchStageImportScheduler();
// Schedule the next job, and give it the system time so name is unique
System.schedule('BatchStageImport' + sysTime.getTime(),chron_exp,BatchSched);
}
}
Monitoring Jobs
• Check status
• Cancel jobs
• Error(s)
Your name -> Setup -> (Administration Setup)
Monitoring -> Apex Jobs (or) Scheduled Jobs
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12. 8/31/2012
Better User Experience
• Asynchronous Triggers
• Improved data quality
– Enrichment
– Cleansing
• Don’t make the customer wait
Next Steps
• Investigate the Business Rules
– Maybe this is not for you
• Make sure you test
• Don’t make the customer wait
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13. 8/31/2012
Questions?
Mike Melnick
mikem@asktwice.com
770-329-3664
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