Difference between revisions of "Auto Upload"

Latest revision as of 23:29, 17 January 2020

Overview

Auto Upload is a function that runs the Get Data process on a schedule. The main purpose of Auto Upload is to remove the manual running of the Get Data process and to move the processing to a non-productive time such as overnight.

Prerequisits

Before setting up auto upload action the following steps first

Enable Workspaces for Auto Upload

Make sure that each workspace you wish to run is enabled for Auto Upload

To do this, go back to the Main Menu, click Workspace, then edit your workspace and make sure the Enable Auto Uplaod is ticked

Test the Auto Upload can be run manually

Test the Auto Upload manually to ensure it is running correctly. For more information, see Test the Auto Upload can be run manually.

How to set up Auto Upload

To setup Auto Upload, please follow these instructions. Note that these instructions are dependant on the version of windows you run and may vary slightly. It is also highly recommended that you get your IT personnel to setup the scheduled task.

Click Start, then Control Panel, then Administrative Tools, then Task Scheduler;
In the Task Scheduler form, select Create Basic Task;
Enter a Name for the task (for example BudgetLink Get Data) and click Next;
In the Task Trigger form, select the period for the Auto Upload to occur and click Next;
In the Daily form, enter the Start date and time that the first Auto Upload will occur and click Next;
In the Action form, select Start a program and click Next;
In the Start a Program form, click Browse… and select the AddonsLink.GetData.exe file in the System folder and click Open. The path will display in the Program/script field. Click Next;
In the Summary form, select Open the Properties dialog for this task when I click Finish and click Finish;
In the General tab, select Run whether user is logged on or not. If you do not have Administrator rights then click Change User or Group… and change the user to be the Administrator. Click the Actions tab;
In the Actions tab, click Edit. The Edit Action dialog box will appear.
In the Settings tab, tick the checkbox Stop the task if it runs longer than: and choose 2 hours in the dropdown next to it;
In the Settings tab, tick the checkbox If the running task does not end when requested, force it to stop;
In the Program/script field, ensure that the path is a UNC path and not a mapped drive. A UNC path begins with the server name. Click OK to close the Edit Action dialog box and click OK to close the Properties dialog box. Enter your password if required.
To test the Auto Upload process, select Task Scheduler Library to the left of the Task Scheduler form. Select the Auto Upload task and click Run.

Notes

When choosing a time to run the auto upload process, ensure your chosen time does not conflict with backups or other system processes.

When browsing to the AddonsLink.GetData.exe file, ensure that the path is a UNC path and not a mapped drive. A UNC path begins with the server name.

For older versions of BudgetLink, you will need to browse to the Excel.exe and include the UNC path to the Auto Upload.xls file located in the system folder.

Test the Auto Upload Scheduled Task is configured correctly

Once the Auto Upload Scheduled tasks is configured, we recommend you test it. For more information, see Test the Auto Upload Scheduled Task is configured correctly.

Troubleshooting the Auto Upload Scheduled Task

If the Auto Upload scheduled task does not run or does not finish, see Troubleshooting Auto Upload Problems.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 Auto Upload is a function that runs the [[Get Data]] process on a schedule. The main purpose of Auto Upload is to remove the manual running of the [[Get Data]] process and to move the processing to a non-productive time such as overnight.
+== Prerequisits ==
+Before setting up auto upload action the following steps first
-== How to test to ensure Auto Upload can run ==
+==== Enable Workspaces for Auto Upload ====
+Make sure that each workspace you wish to run is enabled for Auto Upload
-[[File:AutoUploadFile.png|300px|thumb|right|The Auto Upload.xls file within the system folder of BudgetLink]]
+To do this, go back to the Main Menu, click Workspace, then edit your workspace and make sure the Enable Auto Uplaod is ticked
-BudgetLink requires the Auto Upload function to be switched on before this process will work. Once switched on, we recommend you test out that it is configured correctly and can run. You can do so by following these steps.
-# Ensure that BudgetLink is closed;
-# Locate the '''Auto Upload.xls''' file in the BudgetLink '''System''' folder and double click to open;
-# BudgetLink will then open, start the Get Data process and then close when the Get Data process is complete.
-<br clear=all>
+==== Test the Auto Upload can be run manually ====
+Test the Auto Upload manually to ensure it is running correctly. For more information, see [[Test the Auto Upload can be run manually]].
 == How to set up Auto Upload ==
@@ Line 30: / Line 27: @@
 # In the Daily form, enter the '''Start date and time''' that the first Auto Upload will occur and click '''Next''';
 # In the Action form, select '''Start a program''' and click '''Next''';
-# In the Start a Program form, click '''Browse…''' and select the Auto Upload.xls file in the BudgetLink System folder and click '''Open''';
+# In the Start a Program form, click '''Browse…''' and select the '''AddonsLink.GetData.exe''' file in the System folder and click '''Open'''. The path will display in the Program/script field. Click '''Next''';
-# The path of the Auto Upload.xls file will display in the Program/script field. Click '''Next''';
 # In the Summary form, select '''Open the Properties dialog for this task when I click Finish''' and click '''Finish''';
 # In the General tab, select '''Run whether user is logged on or not'''. If you do not have Administrator rights then click '''Change User or Group…''' and change the user to be the Administrator. Click the '''Actions''' tab;
 # In the Actions tab, click '''Edit'''. The Edit Action dialog box will appear.
+# In the Settings tab, tick the checkbox '''Stop the task if it runs longer than:''' and choose '''2 hours''' in the dropdown next to it;
+# In the Settings tab, tick the checkbox '''If the running task does not end when requested, force it to stop''';
 # In the Program/script field, ensure that the path is a UNC path and not a mapped drive. A UNC path begins with the server name. Click '''OK''' to close the Edit Action dialog box and click OK to close the Properties dialog box. Enter your password if required.
 # To test the Auto Upload process, select '''Task Scheduler Library''' to the left of the Task Scheduler form. Select the Auto Upload task and click '''Run'''.
@@ Line 42: / Line 40: @@
 * When choosing a time to run the auto upload process, ensure your chosen time does not conflict with backups or other system processes.
-* When browsing to the Auto Upload.xls file, ensure that the path is a UNC path and not a mapped drive. A UNC path begins with the server name.
+* When browsing to the '''AddonsLink.GetData.exe''' file, ensure that the path is a UNC path and not a mapped drive. A UNC path begins with the server name.
-== Required folders for auto upload ==
-In order for newer versions of windows to run excel spreadsheets as a scheduled task, the following folders must exist. The default windows setup may not have created them. Otherwise, it is possible that the task launch but excel will not run any code or macros (e.g. you will see excel.exe in the task manager but it will be using 0% CPU).
-This folder is required for Microsoft Excel 32-bit
-'''C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop'''
-This folder is required for Microsoft Excel 34-bit.
-'''C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop'''
-== Required DCOM settings for auto upload ==
-In order for newer versions of windows to run excel spreadsheets as a scheduled task, the related DCOM components must be created correctly. Otherwise, it is possible that the task will not even launch (e.g. you will not see excel.exe in the task manager).
+* For older versions of BudgetLink, you will need to browse to the '''Excel.exe''' and include the UNC path to the '''Auto Upload.xls''' file located in the system folder.
-To configure DCOM, follow these steps.
+== Test the Auto Upload Scheduled Task is configured correctly ==
-# Start Component Services using the windows Start menu, typing run, and running '''mmc comexp.msc /32''' for 32-bit excel or '''dcomcnfg''' for 64-bit excel;
+Once the Auto Upload Scheduled tasks is configured, we recommend you test it. For more information, see [[Test the Auto Upload Scheduled Task is configured correctly]].
-# Navigate to Component Services, then Computers, then My Computer and click on DCOM Config;
-# Find '''Microsoft Excel Application''', right-click on it and choose '''Properties''';
-# In the Security tab, under Launch and Activation Permissions, select '''Customize''', click '''Edit''' and add the required account or user group;
-# In the Security tab, under Access Permissions, select '''Customize''', click '''Edit''' and add the required account or user group;
-# In the Security tab, under Configuration Permissions, select '''Customize''', click '''Edit''' and add the required account or user group;
-# In the Identity tab select '''The launching user''' and ensure the user used for the scheduled task is correct;
+== Troubleshooting the Auto Upload Scheduled Task ==
+If the Auto Upload scheduled task does not run or does not finish, see [[Troubleshooting Auto Upload Problems]].
 == Related Topics ==
-[[Get Data]]
+* [[Get Data]]
+* [[Troubleshooting Auto Upload Problems]]
-== Questions ==
-* What happens if the Task does not end?
-** Should Settings - Stop the task if it takes longer than 1 hour ?
-* If the task is already running then Stop the existing instance