Learn how to generate a batch in this step-by-step guide. This help guide will practice generating a batch process for Will Call tickets.
Recommended Reading Before You Start
Instructions
Generating a General Batch
The batch process in Arts People involves system generated reports and processes that can be set up automatically, pulling information from select criteria when you need it. The batch process feature is typically used by the box office to print the various types of tickets, but batches can be run for other data too such as donations, retail or online retail purchases, and membership rewards.
- Select Database and then Batch Processing from the left navigation menu.
- The Batch Process page provides you with batches for tickets and other batch types. When a batch type is selected, the system will provide you with a description of this process as well as data options to select from such as exporting the data, printing labels, or un-batching. Let’s say we want to print all the Will Call tickets before the show. We want to run a batch process so we can print them all at once. Select Will Call.
- The page refreshes with a description of this process and the options to select for our show. In the Batching Tickets section choose a season from the dropdown options. Then select Get Shows.
- Select your show and performance. When finished, select Batch Tickets.
- In the Batch Ticket Printing section, you will see our batch in the list. Make sure that we are pulling from the correct season. When finished, select Print Batch from the row.
- A PDF of all the tickets will be displayed for you to print.
Other Batch Types
DONATIONS
This program allows you to create a batch of donations to make it easy to acknowledge the most recent contributing donors for their donation and provide them with tax information. First batch and export the donations. This will download a file to use for mail merge into a personalized document such as a form letter. Once you create a batch you can use the links at right to download your batch and other options. Note that this batch includes the original installment of a recurring donation, but will NOT include subsequent recurring installments. Also, the count present will be # of donors to acknowledge, not donations. If a donor donates more than once in the batch the count will reflect the one donor, but all their donations will be included in the batch.
Typically you will want to leave this batch in place when done, so next time the batch will include all donations since this batch. If you UNbatch then you will get these donations again next time.
RETAIL (online or all)
This program allows you to create a batch of ONLINE or ALL retail sales so you can fill your patrons orders for retail purchased items. Click on 'Batch and print retail' to create your batch, which will then appear on the right side. Then you can export the batch information which you can them merge into a custom invoice, letter, etc. You can also print labels directly from the batch.
Typically you will want to leave this batch in place when done, so next time the batch will include all online retail purchases since this batch. If you UNbatch then you will get these retail sales again next time.
DATA EXPORT
This batch program gives you the option of Batching purchase information, or batching people information. Each batch you run will appear to the right and you have various options.
- People Batch gives you the options of exporting people, exporting organizations, exporting the join relationships between persons and organizations, and exporting email addresses.
- Purchase Batch gives you options of exporting purchase data, or exporting tickets.
Data Export batches are intended for database operators who understand relational databases. Note that individual tickets become part of the same batch as their overall purchases.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
This program builds a list of members who are or will soon be ready for renewal (both rolling and annual memberships). These include:
- all members who are expiring within the number of days specified on the Membership setup page in the "Automatic renewal days" column ,
OR - who have already expired within 365 days of the current date;
AND - have not yet renewed;
AND - are not part of an existing batch.
It will export a merge list for you to contact these people. You can also do it automatically, by email.
Once you have created your batch, your batch will appear at right with options. You can use the options to have the system send emails, print labels, etc. You can export batches including or excluding those patrons who have since renewed:
- "Export complete batch" - Exports a mail merge file of all members due for renewal, regardless of whether they've now renewed or not.
- "Export only non-renewed" - Exports a mail merge file of all members who have not yet renewed. Use this if you are reusing the batch and want to avoid those members who have already renewed since the batch was created. So if you wish to contact patrons multiple times, you can simply re-export the batch without those that have renewed, and get the non-renewed members to send them another reminder.
- "Email non-renewed" Use this option to send email reminders to those members within the batch that have not yet renewed. This email can be customized in the Setup System Messages Emails area. If you wish to send additional email reminders, just click this link again on an existing batch, and it will email only those members in that batch who have still not yet renewed.
- "Email non-renewed via household" - as above, but will also suppress sending emails to those members who have a linked household member who now has an active membership of the same type.
IMPORTANT - a starting batch
First, it is important to note that if you have never created a batch in a specific category above, then the first batch you run will include ALL of those patrons/transactions from prior to that batch run date. So if you plan to start running batches regularly, be sure to start by creating a first batch of all those previously so the next batch you run will be only those patrons from the recent period SINCE that first batch.
GOING BACK TO AN EXISTING BATCH
If you need to pull the data file or labels from an existing batch, just click into that batch type and previous batches will display on the right with links. Do not unbatch any batches unless you later want to get them again in a future batch you run.
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