If a user receives a locked record message, often the user ID of the person locking the record will be shown. It is best to check with that user and ask that they exit the record causing the lock before pressing Enter to continue. If the user has received a locked record message during the update process, you may want them to have an administrator check the batch to be sure the update completed.

The processing speed on DPN is extremely quick as anyone who has ever updated a very large batch of closings can attest. During the update process files are read, updated, and released very quickly. Typically an update will not be the cause of a locked record message. You may receive a locked message record during an update if your update is attempting to read and write information to a file that is in use by another. For example, if an agent is being changed through file maintenance and you are updating sales for that agent. If a person is in the process of changing that agent, your update can not be completed until the person changing the agent has released the record.

What can you do to reduce or eliminate locked record messages? Encourage users who handle file maintenance for agents to process these changes quickly. Do not become distracted by other persons or work when they are making changes to agents. Do not go into an agent to make a change, find you need additional information and keep the agent record open while you research. Exit the change option without making any changes. Research and return to the agent file maintenance option when you have all of the information to complete the change.

Do not go into the company parameters or system parameters through the change option during normal working hours. The company parameter file must be read for all updates to get the next batch number. System parameters house the "rules" for that system and must be read during any update – thus if any user is even looking at the parameters in "change" mode during the day, this can affect the update.

It also never hurts to remind users to review their updates prior to updating. There are a few very simple verifications that can be completed in a minimal amount of time and result in saving hours of investigation should an update contain incorrect information:

• When entering new sales, count the number of files. Confirm that the count of the files corresponds to the number of sales on the edit. This quick procedure can eliminate updating duplicate sales within the batch.
• When closing sales, run a tape on the checks you have received. Be sure the total of the checks is the total of the debit shown to the depository bank account.