ActiveBatch Workload Automation vs. Dancing Numbers

Any large business or organisation that wants to manage their workload effectively and with the least amount of room for error might choose the ActiveBatch Automation tool. Being a consultant I feel that It aids in task automation and has the flexibility to change in response to varying company requirements. It helps to save huge time by doing all the repetitive tasks on daily basis. During the patching activity the schedulers can be stopped. It also help by alerting us if any system/job is down so that SLA can be saved. Overall ActiveBatch Automation stands as a dependable cornerstone for ensuring the seamless operation of our tasks.

Incentivized

Dancing Numbers is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses needing an easy-to-use, cost-effective accounting solution, particularly during transitions from manual bookkeeping or other software. It’s especially useful for firms with basic accounting needs or limited expertise, offering automation for routine tasks. However, it may not be suitable for large enterprises with complex financial operations, businesses requiring advanced customization, or those in highly regulated industries. It also might fall short for companies with extensive international operations or high transaction volumes.

• Makes scheduling easy to understand, follow, and rerun jobs when necessary.
• Allows for cross-team coordination of scheduled tasks which reduces errors.
• Makes stopping jobs easy when needed for server/database downtime.
• Scripting enables us to easily change email addresses for failed job alerts.
• Nested plans/jobs make creating and changing dependencies simple.

Incentivized

• Bulk Data Import
• Bulk Data Export
• Bulk Data Delete
• Data Conversion
• Software Integration

• String handling / parsing. I find myself using PowerShell to do a fair amount of text parsing (particularly if manipulations are needed) - not necessarily a bad thing, but certainly a place where ActiveBatch could be improved.
• Debugging - or lack of it! With no stepping debugger, it can be a longer process than many other programming / scripting environments: rather than simply stepping through and observing state changes, I find myself inserting logging steps to excess, then having to clean them up once the error is found.
• The perennial - Documentation! While a near-universal complaint for *any* software, ActiveBatch's developer documentation is somewhat spotty - just where I need detail, I find summary-level info. There is lots of documentation (as there should be for a tool with such a wide range of applications), but it is in mixed formats (some PDF, some CHM), and the descriptions of specific fields within job steps is often little more than I can get in a tool-tip in the GUI. Allowable ranges, expected formats for string data, and similar helpful details are inconsistent.
• The KnowledgeBase at ASCI's web site often has examples which answer the questions I have, but not always - and not always under the search terms one would think to use.

We can easily add new plans/jobs in our batch schedules. Also, coordination with reporting and QA jobs is simple to do. Building schedules, restarting jobs, triggering dependencies is easy to understand. The system is very stable and allows us to easily see overall processing times.

Incentivized

I’ve been using Dancing Numbers for a few months now, and overall, it’s been a great experience. The platform is user-friendly and intuitive, making it relatively easy to navigate even for someone with a moderate level of accounting knowledge. The automated data entry and reconciliation features are particularly helpful, saving us a significant amount of time and reducing manual errors.The integration with various accounting systems is a big plus, allowing us to seamlessly connect with our existing tools. Customer support has been responsive and helpful whenever we’ve had questions or needed assistance.However, there are a few areas where Dancing Numbers could improve. While the core functionalities are strong, some advanced features feel a bit limited compared to competitors. Additionally, the pricing structure could be more flexible to accommodate different business sizes and needs.Overall, Dancing Numbers is a solid choice for businesses looking to streamline their accounting processes with a reliable tool, though there’s room for enhancement in certain areas.

My colleague contacted them directly, I only know hearsay on this but it was not good.

Incentivized

The workload automation solution is based on the specific needs of an organization, as well as the features, capabilities, and costs of various solutions. A thorough evaluation process and consideration of these factors can help ensure the selection of a solution that aligns with overall business objectives and meets the specific needs of the organization.

Incentivized

• ActiveBatch can automate intricate procedures and minimise manual involvement, which can boost an organization's production and efficiency.
• Organisations can save money by using ActiveBatch to automate operations, which lowers the expenses of manual labour and potential mistakes.
• Implementing ActiveBatch could come with hefty up-front expenses including licencing, instruction, and consultancy fees, which could have a short-term negative impact on ROI.