Because the FRS is an interactive system, the time between closing out a month and opening a new one is measured in minutes rather than days. This makes scheduling much tighter than with a batch system.
Deadlines become more critical.
System monitoring is extremely important because reruns are inordinately difficult if not impossible. The decentralization of data input presents its own set of problems. Interactive batches must be tracked and accounted for. Reviews must be conducted to ensure that all batches are included before proceeding with the month end closing. This chapter will discuss what is required to ensure a successful month end closing.