Batch Processing Demystified

Batch processing, or batch jobs, refers to a computer’s ability to process multiple sets of data at once without any human interaction. The word batch refers to performing multiple actions at once as opposed to one action at a time. In some ways, it is a program that reads and generates a report from a massive dataset and allows organizations to automate repetitive tasks. It frees up the time of an organization for more important matters.

Batch processing boosts the productivity of an organization and helps efficiently and quickly manage large amounts of data. It prioritizes processing and completing data jobs, whenever it is necessary. The jobs are scheduled by software and run according to those parameters. Batch jobs don’t require user intervention. This is different from real-time processing, which requires constant attention from a user. 

In other words, it allows users to perform tasks on groups of files that are similar rather than just one file at a time. 

Examples of batch processing

One example of a batch job can be the electricity bill generated at the end of the month. The generation of electricity bills is a batch process that happens once per month. Electricity providers do not generate bills every day, but rather process the electricity usage for the entire month and generate the invoice.

In banks, batch processing is used to process transactions. Banks are one of the industries where batch processing is most used. Each time a transaction happens, it gets processed in batches instead of individually. This helps to save a lot of time and resources.