Processing Entity Batches

Modeling How-To's > Modeling Activities > Processing Entity Batches

Processing Entity Batches

Entities move from activity to activity as a batch, but are processed at each activity individually.

The model used for this example, as well as all of the modeling "how-to" examples, can be found in the ProModel Solutions Café (http://www.promodel.com/solutionscafe/howto/). A video demonstrating this solution can be found here.

Solution

If possible, treat the entire batch as an entity and, for the activity time, enter N * [Time] where N is the number of entities comprising the batch and Time is the processing time for each entity in the batch. If you need to model the activity for each individual entity in the batch, do the following:

Make sure you have created the entity batch at a previous activity (see Batching or Entity Consolidating Activities).
For the Out Buffer specify a capacity large enough to accommodate the largest batch size.
Click on the Batching button.
For the batching Before Activity select Unbatch.
For the batching After Activity select Rebatch (this automatically reconstitutes the batch to the way it was before being unbatched).
In the Time field of the Activity dialog, enter the time for processing each individual entity in the batch.

Example

A stack of up to 20 loan approval documents of quantity N(15, 5) is processed through three activities for approval, recording and filing. Documents are processed individually at each step, but are moved as a batch. Because you want to track individual statistics on each document, you have decided you want to model each individual document being processed at each step.

Solution

This example shows the use of Unbatch and Rebatch before an activity so that entities move as a batch but are processed individually at the activity. Remember that the batch must be created using a Batch option somewhere upstream prior to the first activity specifying Unbatch.