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
Cards batched Error
Meter reading
forms
report
Transaction
file
Cards sorted

Sorted
Transaction Master file
file Bill calculated

Updated
Error Master file
Customer
bills report
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.