A large-scale trading enterprise accumulates all customer sales receipts throughout the business day and runs a single automated computer program at midnight to update its main inventory records. Which computerized data processing method is the firm using, and what is its primary characteristic?
- Batch processing, where transaction records are collected over a period and processed together to update master files.Answer
- BPoint of sale processing, where merchant payment terminals automatically dispense physical cash to update real-time stock levels.
- CCredit note processing, where home trade adjustment documents act as the central electronic storage media for transaction files.
- DArticles of association processing, where internal company governance rules dynamically organize database records.
Answer
Batch processing, where transaction records are collected over a period and processed together to update master files.
Batch processing involves collecting source documents or transaction data over a specified period (e.g., daily or weekly) and running them together as a batch to update master records. In the given scenario, accumulating sales receipts during the day and executing a single update program at midnight is the textbook application of batch data processing.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Batch Processing in Computerized Business Data Systems