Registration Waitlist Notification Process

Overview

The Batch Waitlist Notification (SFRBWLP) process emails students on the waitlist informing them that they have an opportunity to register for the class.   Upon notification, a student has 24 hours to change from waitlisted to registered.  If they do not make use of the opportunity offered before the 24 hours is up their place on the waitlist is drop/deleted and reassigned to the next person waiting in line.

Batch waitlist works with existing Banner registration processes and configurations including waitlisting and time ticketing.   This document focuses on the notification setup and operation only.

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Additional information

The notification process runs for a single term.   Since SOU can be waitlisting for up to 3 terms, the process must be run for each term.  Waitlisting occurs at different times for different parts of term within a term.  The notification process should be started for each term when the earliest waitlist period begins and be terminated for the term after the last waitlist period ends.

The process runs in sleep-wake.    Sleep-wake is monitored by a unique combination of process name and printer name.   This means we may have up to 3 printers specified, one per term sleep wake is executing for.  SOU has special printers dedicated to this.

A sleep-wake process is submitted through job submission, executes its logic, then instead of ending, it remains connected to the database, “sleeps” for a period of time, and, after checking a flag, either repeats the logic or terminates.   If a process running in sleep-wake terminates abnormally, it appears to sleep-wake as if it is still running.   It must be manually stopped before being restarted.   You can resubmit it without manually stopping it, but it will execute once and end rather than going into the sleep-wake cycle.

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The Automated Waitlist Term Control (SOAWLTC) page

Configuration controlling waitlist notification is set up in SOAWLTC.   This must be done once per term prior to activating the notifiication process for that term.  These configurations are in effect for all parts of term within a term.

You may access the page from the Banner menu or Search.

Accessing the Page Using the Banner Menu

1. Log into Banner
2. Click on the Applications  icon on the left navigation bar
3. Expand the Banner menu
4. Expand the Student menu
5. Expand the Registration menu
6. Expand the Registration Waitlist menu
7. Select Automated Waitlist Term Control (SOAWLTC)

Accessing the Page Using Search

1. Log into Banner
2. Start typing “soaw” into the Search box on the main Welcome screen.
3. This will pull up a list of items that have “soaw” in the name.  Select Automated WaitlistTerm Control (SOAWLTC) from the list..

Entering / Viewing Notification Term Setup

Key section

On the first page of the SOAWLTC page you enter key values which control the data you will see on subsequent pages.

1. Choose term by entering the term code or selecting from the Term dropdown list
2. Optional: To set up a new term identical to a previous term
   1. Enter the previous term’s code or select it from the “Copy from Term” dropdown list
   2. Press Save
3. Press Go

Detail sections

The details sections of SOAWLTC are presented as separate tabs on the second page of the admin page.  Enter information for the term in the key section.

1. Enter the configuration data as follows:
   • On the Waitlist Term Control tab
     • Automatic Waitlist Notification – checked
     • Show waitlist position on Student Self-Service – unchecked
     • On-line Waitlist Notification – checked
     • Waitlist Notification Deadline – 24 hours
     • Resend Deadline – 1 hour
     • Student Notification – checked
     • Student Notify Letter – REG_WL_EMAIL
     • Registrar Banner ID – 940508848 (non-person, name “Raider Student Services”, email “studentservices@sou.edu”.
     • Email Host – smtpuse1.elluciancloud.com
   • On the Waitlist Error Checking tab – Replicate SOATERM registration error checking.
   • Waitlist Course Selection tab – do not use
   • Waitlist Priority Rules tab – do not use
   • Waitlist Exclusion Rules tab – do not use
2. Click the Save button to save your changes.
3. Click the exit (“X”) icon in the upper left to exit or the Start Over button in the upper right to return to the Key section.

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Operating the Waitlist Notification (SFRBWLP) process

The Waitlist Notification process (SFRBWLP) manages the notification records and sends email notifications to waitlisted students to tell them when they can move from waitlisted to registered.  SFRBWLP is initiated via GJAPCT (Process Submission Controls page) and terminated via GJASWPT (Sleep Wake Maintenance page).   It should begin running prior to the start of the first waitlist period for the term and continue running until after the end of the last waitlist period for the term.

Special consideration:  For sleep-wake jobs are uniquely identified by the combination of process name and printer name.   To run the notification job for more than one term, a separate printer must be assigned for each term.   We have three printers defined for use with this process to pair with the parameters for the most current, next most current, and must future-ward terms.  

By convention, NOPRINT_RSS_WL1 will always used for the earliest (or only) term with waitlist notifications to send.   If there are two or more terms with waitlist notifications to send, NOPRINT_RSS_WL2 will be used for the next term future-ward.  If there are three terms, then NOPRINT_RSS_WL3 will be used for the term farthest in the future.   

Despite convention, there is no reliable way in Banner’s Sleep Wake Maintenance page to associate a specific printer with a term so it is strongly recommended that when starting the process for a new term, ending for a finished term, or restarting because of system outage, all terms be stopped first, then the needed terms be started.

Stopping the process

The Waitlist Notification process is stopped by going to the Sleep-Wake Maintenance (GJASWPT) page and changing the “continue to run” flag from Y (yes) to N (no). The next time the process executes it will see that it is not supposed to continue so instead of sleeping it will terminate.   It must be repeated for each term that could be running.

Accessing the page using the Banner menu

1. Log into Banner
2. Click on the Applications icon on the left navigation bar
3. Expand the Banner menu
4. Expand the General menu
5. Expand the Job Submission (*GENJOB) menu
6. Open the Sleep Wake Maintenance (GJASWPT) page

Accessing the page using Search

1. Log into Banner
2. Type “GJASWPT” into the Welcome screen and press the Enter key

Stop the processes

Key section

Specify process and printer – this must be repeated for every printer in the list

1. Enter “SFRBWLP” or choose it from the Process list
2. Choose printer from the Printer list
3. Click the Go button

Detail section

Do the following to stop the selected printer

1. Verify Continue to Run is N.  If it is not N, change it to N, then click Save.
2. Click Start Over, then repeat choosing the next printer in the list until all printers have been done.

Notes: (1) Not all printers (NOPRINT_RSS_WL1, NOPRINT_RSS_WL2, NOPRINT_RSS_WL3) may be listed.  If one is not, it has not been used yet so you don’t have to stop it.   After that printer has been used for submitting a term, it will appear in the list.  (2) If the system is shut down or SFRBWLP aborts, Continue to Run will be Y even if the job is not running.  Before you can restart SFRBWLP in sleep-wake, you much change the Y to N and save, then you can go back to job submission and re-launch the process.

Starting the process

The process is started from the Process Submissions Control page (GJAPCTL).   Parameters are entered there for SFRBWLP.  Remember to repeat these steps for every term with a currently active waitlist period.

Accessing the process using Search

1. Log into Banner
2.  Start typing “sfrbwlp” into the search box on the Welcome screen
3. When enough is displayed to identify this process, click to select from the list.

Accessing the process from GJAPCTL

1. Open GJAPCTL
2. From the Process list, locate and select SFRBWLP

Running the process

Key section

The Key section specifies which process you are running.  You should arrive here with SFRBWLP pre-populated in the Process field.

Enter the following information:

• Process: if this is blank or has the wrong value, enter SFRBWLP.
• Parameter Set: If you wish to reuse previously saved parameters, choose a set name from the Parameter set list, otherwise leave blank.

Click on the Go button to move to the Printer Control section

Printer Control section

The Printer Control section allows you to choose which printer to use, the number of lines to print per page, and the time to submit the job.

Enter the following information:

• Printer: For SFRBWLP, SFTP is recommended.  Type SFTPor select it from the Printers list
• Leave all others fields with their default values

Use the mouse to click into the Parameter Values section.

Parameter Values section

The parameter values section displays a list of parameters used to control the notification process.   As the cursor passes through each parameter, help text about that parameter will appear below the list of parameters.   Click the Search icon in the Values field to see the list of valid values if one is available.

Enter the following information:

• Term Code: Enter the term students are registering/waitlisting for.
• Printer ID:  Choose NOPRINT_RSS_WL1, NOPRINT_RSS_WL2, or NOPRINT_RSS_WL3
• Note:  if registration is only currently happening for one term, use NOPRINT_RSS_WL1.  If  registration is happening for 2 terms, use NOPRINT_RSS_WL1 for the earlier term and NOPRINT_RSS_WL2 for the second.  If registration is occurring for 3 terms, use NOPRINT_RSSWL1 for the earliest term, NOPRINT_RSS_WL2 for the next earliest term, and NOPRINT_RSS_WL3 for the most current term.  You cannot use the same printer for two or more terms with waitlist notifications running simultaneously but there is no issue with using a specific printer for a currently active notification term that was once used for a different term so long as that term is no longer active for waitlist notification.
• Run in sleep/wake mode: Y
• Sleep interval: 300 (Note:300 seconds is 5 minutes)
• Print Control Report: Y

Submission section

The Submission section allows you to save your parameters for future use and to submit the process.

Enter the following information:

• Save Parameter Set as: If you wish to save the parameters to use again, check this box.  Recommend: check the box.
• Name: If you have checked the Save Parameter Set as box, enter a name for the parameter set. If you did not check the Save Parameter Set as box, leave Name blank.  Recommend: WL_NOTIF_ (use appropriate term code).
• Description: If you have checked the Save Parameter Set as box, enter a description for the parameter set. If you did not check the Save Parameter Set as box, leave Description blank. Recommend: Sleep Wake  (use appropriate term code).
• Hold/Submit: Select the Submit radio button.

Click the Save button in the right lower corner of the page to submit the job.  Click Start Over to repeat these steps for each term with waitlisting occurring.

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Supporting pages and processes

SFIWLNT – a Banner query page which allows you to review all of the notification emails that have been sent.  Mandatory keys are term and CRN.  Enter these, then click Go.

SFIWLNE – a Banner query page which allows you to review notification emails which were not sent because of errors.   Term and start date are required.   To get everything for the term, use a date prior to the start of the term.

GTVLETR – the Banner page where letters and emails are defined.  This is query only.  Contact IT at banner@sou.edu if a new letter type is needed.

SOAELTL – a Banner page where a letter code is defined as an email type.  This is query only.   Contact IT at banner@sou.edu if a new letter is to be defined as an email type.

SOAELTR – this is where the email text including variables are maintained.   The registration management group has maintenance access.

SFPWAIT – this process can be used to purge the waitlist after waitlisting ends for a term.    It is run through Banner job submission (GJAPCTL).    SOU currently does not use this process.

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Notes

• If SFRBWLP is already running in sleep wake, or Banner “thinks” it is running in sleep wake because it shows as running in GJASWPT even if there is no running process, the job can be submitted and it will run once, then terminate rather than going into sleep wake.   It is therefore important to use GJASWPT to stop the job if you suspect it might not be running and wish to restart it.   No harm will be doine if it actually is running but you choose to restart it.   It will run the next “wake” cycle, then recognize that it is supposed to terminate and it will stop gracefully.
• When the “turn” offered to a student to move from waitlist to registered expires and the student is still on the waitlist, their waitlisted registration will be DD-deleted.   If there are spaces on the waitlist they may re-waitlist or if there are more open seats in the class than there are students on the waitlist, they can register.

• GJASWPT currently has a known defect.   When you choose the second printer for the first job, you get a false error indicating the code selected is invalid.   Acknowledge it by clicking in the red box with the #1 in the top right, then click “Go” again and it will let you in.