Auditor Help: Scheduling Tasks

  Note: Scheduling functionality is available in the Auditor Professional version of the Ecora software. It is NOT available in Auditor Basic. If you are interested in the Auditor Professional edition, please contact a sales representative.

The scheduling function allows you to set Ecora's software to run automatically any time you choose. Run collection tasks or generate reports after work so they are ready at the start of the day so you can review data before a noon meeting, or at the end of each quarter to prepare for regular audits. Within an international 24 x 7 enterprise, schedule tasks can be set to run at different times for multiple locations, so that reports are available for local, multi-site use at appropriate times. Create schedules for automated archiving and disaster readiness procedures or schedules with tasks triggered by the completion of other tasks.

Scheduling a Simple Task

1. Run the Ecora software.
2. Click on the Scheduled Tasks tab in the left pane of the main interface.
   
3. Click New Task... (or select an existing task from the list and click Edit...).
   
4. In the New Task dialog box, select the type of task you are creating and click OK.
5. Enter a name for the new task name and click OK.
6. According to the task type you selected, follow the instructions for:
     Data Collection
     Documentation Report
     Change Report
     Baseline Report
     Consolidated Change Log
     Fact-Finding Report
     Archiving
     Database Archiving
     Auto Import
     Patch Database Updates
     Load Remote Task
   
7. Once you have created the Auditor task, Windows Scheduler opens.
8. On the Task tab, verify the program directory and comments.
   
9. Choose the user for the Run as field and, if necessary, use the Set Password... button to enter a password if one is required for administrative access.
   Note: Not all Ecora software utilizes this field in this manner. If in doubt, try running without changing the default.
10. Verify that the Enabled checkbox is active for the task with run as scheduled.
11. Click on the Schedule tab.
    
12. Click New to create a schedule or select an existing one from the drop-down list.
13. Set the day, time, and frequency for the task.
14. Click in the Show Multiple Schedules checkbox if you wish to view more than one task.
15. Click on the Settings tab.
    
16. On the Settings tab, set any time limits for the task, Idle Time required, or Power Management preferences.
17. Click Apply.
18. Click OK.
19. Proceed with other Auditor or scheduling tasks (see below).

Other Scheduling Tasks

1. Click on the Scheduled Tasks tab in the left pane of the main interface.
2. Expand the tree to navigate tasks in the left pane.
3. Select an existing task from the right pane.
4. Use the menu over the right pane or the right-click menu to access the following commands.
• Click Parents... to create a complex task with dependent tasks. Parent tasks complete BEFORE the "child" tasks begin.
• Click Copy... to duplicate the selected task (typically to edit slightly).
• Click Rename Task... to edit the task name.
• Click Schedule... to access Windows Scheduler with this selected task's settings loaded and make any desired changes.
• Click Delete to remove the selected task completely. You will be prompted to confirm deletion.
• Click Run Now.../Terminate to start or halt the selected task (singly or with any subordinate tasks associated). If prompted, enter credentials to run the task.

Scheduling a Complex Task

Complex tasks are those with more than one task involved, typically with a dependency among the related tasks. For example, a data collection tasks must complete before a documentation report can be generated from that data. For this reason, you might combine tasks according to their dependencies. Auditor uses the concept of a "parent" task to indicate a task that must complete before a "child" task can begin (as in the data collection before report generation example).

1. Click on the Scheduled Tasks tab in the left pane of the main interface.
2. Navigate the task tree in the left pane to locate a task you would like to include in a complex task (as the task dependent on a parent task).
3. Select the existing task from the right pane and click Parents... to associate this task with a parent task that will complete first.
   
4. Select a task in the left pane and click > to select that task as the parent and click OK.
   
5. Proceed with other Auditor or scheduling tasks.

  See also Creating Selection Sets for Scheduled Tasks.
See also Scheduling Jobs with Non-Auditor Tasks

  Tip:  Task files, *.ttd, can be modified in a text editor.