3.4 Billing Systems

Overview

Demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of how utility bills are produced

from a batch processing system employing master and transaction files.

Examples of Utility Bills

• Electric bill• Gas bill• Water rates• Heating bills

Electric meter

How the bill is calculated

• Every 3 months• A person reads the present household

readings by visiting and recording the information on a special data capture form

• Back at the head office the past reading is subtracted from this present reading and the number of units used calculated

• The bill = the number of units used * unit charge

Batch processing

• Collecting batches of data to be processed• Processing a batch usually at a time when the

processor is less in demand (at night)• No human intervention is required• Suitable for applications that need a high

volume of data processed• Not suitable for applications requiring

immediate feedback

Billing process flowchart

Meter readingforms

Errorreport

Cards batched

Transaction file

Master file

Error report

Customerbills

Sorted Transaction

file

Updated Master file

Cards sorted

Bill calculated

Definitions

Master file The main file to store all the data in a computer system. This is merged with the transaction file to update the information.

Transaction file A file which stores the new data to be merged or updated into the computer system.

Batch processing system Collecting data over a period of time and then processing it all in a batch that is convenient in terms of time and processing available.