Ways in which ICT is used

What is batch processing? Sometimes we have a lot of data to process and it is all of a similar form(e.g. we might have to calculate the pay for 10,000 employees - the calculations we have to do for each employee are very similar) In cases like this, we can prepare the data into a set or 'batch' and hand it over to the computer to be processed in one go. Once we have prepared the batch of data, no user input is required - the computer works its way through the data automatically.

Continued This type of data processing is known as batch processing. An advantage of this type of system is that the processing can occur when the computer is not being used for anything else (e.g. at night). The job is setup, people go home, and when they return the next morning the work has been done.

Applications of batch processing: 1. payroll. 2. billing system.

PAYROLL The 'payroll' of a business is the system used to calculate the salary (how much they are paid for their work) of each employee. The inputs to a payroll system are: Employee code (used to lookup the employee's other details, e.g. name, bank account, etc.) Hours worked Rate of pay (e.g. $25 per hour)

Continued The processing involves the following calculation: Pay = Hours Worked X Rate of Pay The outputs from a payroll system are: A printed payslip (given to the employee to show how his/her pay was calculated) A cheque, or an EFT payment directly into the employee's bank account

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How is a Payroll Processed? The payroll is usually processed once a week or once a month(depending upon how often the business pays its employees). 

Continued This means that batch-processing is ideal for payroll processing: Working hours data is collected into a batch The data can be processed in one go at the end of the week/month The same calculations will be performed on all the data No user input is required during the processing The processing can be done during quiet times when the computer system is not being used for other things (e.g. at night)

Diagram D NEW INFORMATION FROM TIMESHEETS INFORMATION FROM THE EMPLOYEES FILE OUTPUT REPORTS AND ERROR REPORTS MAKE BACK-UP COPY OF THE FILES BATCH PROCESSING UPDATE EMPLOYEES FILE OUTPUT THE PAY SLIPS

BILLING SYSTEM Companies send out their bill/invoices on pre-determined date, all the information is gathered together and then processed in one go (batch). Consider an electricity bill: The input are: customer details (address), charge per kW (unit) of power, previous readings minus old readings taken from electricity meter, bank account details (if using direct debit), etc.

Continued The processing done is calculation of: number of units of electricity used (i.e. new reading minus old reading), customer’s cost (i.e. units used times charge per unit), monthly payments made ( if using direct debit), outstanding amount owed or carried over to next bill, etc.

Continued The output are: bill showing all the details, updating of customer file, production of request for payment if not through direct debit, etc.