Top 11 Batch Scheduling Software in 2024: Vendor Benchmark

According to automation stats, IT departments lose

• 30% of their time on basic tasks
• 10-25% of their time on repetitive computer tasks

One way to overcome this challenge is to automate the management of these basic and repetitive tasks with enterprise batch scheduling software. Selecting the right batch-scheduling software can be tricky since 

• solutions in various categories, such as workload automation (WLA), job scheduling software, and batch scheduling tools, can schedule batch tasks
• each category includes tens of vendors
• there are numerous batch-scheduling use cases against which vendors can be evaluated
• migrating current batches needs to be considered since most companies already have batch scheduling systems in place.

Therefore, we recommend buyers focus on a few market-leading tools and perform a detailed due diligence. In this article, we evaluate the common and distinct features of 10 solutions for easy and data-driven decision-making.

What are batch scheduling market leaders?

*Ratings are based on reviews on Capterra and G2. We sorted companies according to their ratings, except Redwood, Stonebranch, Fortra and Activebatch, as they are sponsors of AiMultiple.

How did we choose the market leaders?

Batch scheduling tool providers include workload automation tools, enterprise job scheduling software, and vendors specifically focusing on batch scheduling solutions. We shortlist the following vendors based on these 3 parameters:

1. Number of employees on LinkedIn: We included vendors with 100+ on Linkedin since higher numbers are correlated with higher-earning companies that can support larger staff to support their products.
2. Focus: We included all vendors that claim to offer batch scheduling solutions on their websites.
3. Market leadership: Market leaders earn the most revenues and build the most popular products. Since most products in this domain are from private companies, we need to rely on metrics that are correlated with revenues. Products with more customers tend to have more B2B reviews and generate more revenues. Therefore, we selected vendors with the highest number of reviews on different B2B review platforms.

Check out AIMultiple’s data-driven and comprehensive lists for more:

• Batch scheduling software
• WLA tools
• Enterprise job scheduler
• IT automation software
• Windows job scheduling software
• SAP job scheduling software

Which batch scheduling features do market leaders provide?

Below, we listed general features for leading products based on their public claims:

Once buyers prepare their shortlists, we recommend they evaluate all shortlisted companies according to their workload, objectives, and company goals.

Vendor evaluation can focus on the key features listed below. While product capabilities in features like deployment environment are given above, different buyers will prioritize different capabilities in features like usability. You can review our detailed explanations of features to prepare for your evaluation.

5 Core capabilities for batch scheduling software benchmarking

1- Batch scheduling functionality

Event-based scheduling

Event-based scheduling, also known as event triggering, is the capability to initiate batch jobs by specific conditions automatically. These events can result from software applications, databases, or other IT systems. 

For example, batch scheduling tools can perform file processing once a certain file is dropped into a particular directory. 

Event triggering capability can improve efficiency and effectiveness by: 

• Reducing manual intervention
• Saving time for higher-value tasks 
• Minimizing errors resulting from manual interventions 
• Responding to changing business conditions in time. 

Constraints-based scheduling

Constraints are requirements that batch scheduling software must consider to schedule and execute batch processes. The main constraints include: 

1. Resource availability: This constraint ensures that the software schedules manual tasks when the necessary resources are available. For instance, servers must be available to run errands. 
2. Job and task dependencies: This constraint ensures that batch scheduling software executes the subsequent task if the primary task is completed so that it satisfies dependencies and follows the correct order. It is an essential aspect of batch scheduling software as 50% of batch tasks are found to be dependent. 

Date/time scheduling

Date/time scheduling is the feature allowing users to set time-related details for executing tasks. With this capability, users can specify the start and end date, frequency, and time allocated for the processing. Also, the date and time scheduling feature can include features such as daylight saving time and setting different time zones.  

This feature ensures consistency and increases operational efficiency by providing an automated and predictable task execution. 

Load balancing

This feature allows batch scheduling software to distribute large volumes of batch jobs and data across different servers based on how busy they are. As a result, load balancing capability can improve performance and efficiency by:

• Optimizing resource utilization 
• Increasing processing speed
• Improving scalability. 

2. Usability

Monitoring batch tasks

Best batch scheduling tools offer real-time monitoring capabilities to increase visibility over batch processing of tasks and enable employees to identify issues when they occur. This way, businesses can reduce downtime and any other errors. 

Real-time monitoring for batch scheduling software typically includes features such as:

• Task status tracking: This feature shows the status of each task, whether it is running, completed, or failed.
• Performance monitoring: With this feature, administrators can evaluate the performance of the batching process. For instance, they can estimate how long they take to complete and how many system resources they consume.
• Alerts and notifications: Some tools offer real-time monitoring systems that alert relevant parties if they encounter an error. 

Resource management

Resource management allows batch scheduling software to manage and allocate resources such as storage and applications to optimize effective and efficient task execution.  

Resource management can be achieved through these steps:

1. Monitoring by monitoring resource usage and performance metrics. 
2. Allocation by assigning specific resources based on constraints such as requirements or resource availability.
3. Optimization by monitoring resource utilization, identifying bottlenecks, and dynamically adjusting resource allocation. 
4. Balancing by constantly assigning resource usage across the system. 

3. Integrations

ERP Integrations

Organizations heavily rely on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to manage their business processes, such as accounting, human resources or inventory management. Batch scheduling software must integrate with ERP systems to access the recorded data, such as customer orders, and use this data to schedule and execute tasks in batches. 

For example, batch scheduling software integrated into ERP can generate a purchase order if inventory levels fall under a certain threshold set by users. With such integration, batch scheduling tools ensure accurate and consistent data exchange, reduced risks for errors, and improved efficiency and scalability due to automation. 

API integration

API integration allows batch-scheduling software to integrate with other software systems, databases, and applications through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). For example, batch scheduling software can extract data from a database, process this data, and then load it back into the database by using APIs.

API integration capability automates data and service exchange between different software, which can: 

• Reduce manual efforts and errors  
• Ensure consistency and accuracy. 

4. Deployment environment options

There are generally three main deployment environment options provided by vendors to install and use batch scheduling software:

• On-premises environments: The batch scheduling software is installed and runs on servers and hardware within the organization’s data center.
• Cloud environments: With this option, the batch scheduling software is hosted and run in a cloud environment. Examples: AWS Batch or Alibaba Batch Compute
• Hybrid environments: This option combines both on-premises and cloud deployments. Examples: ActiveBatch, Redwood RunMyJobs or Control-M

Learn more details about deployment options for automation tools, such as multi-cloud vs. hybrid-cloud. 

5. Low-code capability

Low-code capability enables batch-scheduling software users to perform tasks with minimal programming skills. A low-code tool offers a visual drag-and-drop feature, user friendly workflow interface, pre-built components, and other easy-to-use tools to design and customize batch-scheduling software. The market leaders we listed at the top offer low-code batch scheduling solutions. 

What are other capabilities batch scheduling tools offer?

Market leaders stand out by offering other capabilities that reduce human intervention to batch scheduling activities, such as: 

Custom alerts

Custom alerts capacity to configure and notify users about specific incidents and conditions. Doing so improves system performance and reduces the risk of potential issues. Some of the incidents or conditions custom alerts can be applied includes: 

1. Job-status changes: Users can configure alerts to notify them when a job status changes, such as when a job is submitted, starts or completes processing, or fails.
2. Job failures: Users can receive alerts when a job fails to complete successfully, allowing them to take immediate action to resolve the issue.
3. Resource availability: Alerts can be configured to monitor resource availability, such as when a server or database becomes unavailable or reaches capacity limits.
4. Job delays: Users can receive alerts when a task is delayed or takes longer than expected, allowing them to take corrective action to minimize the impact on other assignments or processes.
5. System performance: Alerts can be configured to monitor system performance metrics such as CPU and memory usage, disk I/O, or network latency, allowing users to identify potential issues and optimize system performance.

Auto-remediation

Auto-remediation is the software’s ability to identify and resolve issues by implementing corrective actions and verifying the resolution. Auto-remediation reduces manual intervention and ensures system availability. This capability can be achieved if batch scheduling software can: 

• Constantly monitor to detect issues
• Send notifications to relevant users 
• Analyze the problems to understand the root cause behind them.

Shortlisted batch scheduling tools

Here are the detailed pros and cons of top 10 batch scheduling tools:

1. ActiveBatch

ActiveBatch is an enterprise job scheduling and workload automation solution that can help with batch scheduling. Check out how ActiveBatch workload automation works:

Pros:

• Scheduling features: Users specifically mention ActiveBatch as a centralized system to monitor, manage and schedule for various platforms, applications, and Database. For example, the job scheduling functionality receives 9.5 out of 80 user reviews on G2. ¹

• Ease of use: User mention the ease of use and intuitive interface for ActiveBatch. In fact, 16% of all ActiveBatch reviews pulled from B2B review platforms consider the tool easy to use.

• Integration: ActiveBatch users rate favorably for extensive integration options the tool provides to connect with popular apps and scripts (e.g. PS1, BAT or CMD). For instance, G2 reviewers score ActiveBatch integration 9.1 in general.
• Additional capabilities: ActiveBatch users rate additional capabilities above average, such as alerts and notifications as 9.3, analysis and visualization as 9.6 and error logging as 9.4 (See Figure 2).

Cons:

• Learning curve: The software may have a steeper learning curve for complex workflows and advanced features.

2. Redwood RunMyJobs

Redwood RunMyJobs is a job scheduling and workload automation software that can be useful for batch scheduling since it can automate batch processing. See how Redwood can create a simple process automatically:

Pros:

• Jobs scheduling: On G2, Redwood has the highest score for jobs scheduling features with 9.8 out of 59 reviews. ³
• Multi-platform scheduling: On Trustradius, Redwood RunMyJobs has the highest score for the ability of managing an entire process across various platforms with 9.6 (See Figure 3).
• Additional capabilities: Redwood obtains 9.4 for alerting and notifications, 9.4 for logging and 9.6 for analysis and visualization (See Figure 3).

Cons:

• Format issues: One major problem users reported was the limited format options with the reports and data files. ⁴ 

3. Stonebranch UAC (Universal Automation Center)

Stonebranch provides Universal Automation Center (UAC), a comprehensive workload automation tool with batch scheduling capabilities. This platform grants complete management of workflows across various systems and business apps, irrespective of data location. Featuring an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, users can effortlessly design workflows and oversee their company’s entire operational load.

Pros:

• Integration: Stonebranch offers integrations with diverse systems and applications. On G2, reviewers rate integration to apps as 9.0 and API integration 8.9. ⁶

Cons:

• Analytics and visualization: Some reviewers on PeerSpot asked to improve analytics and reporting features. ⁷

Discover top Stonebranch alternatives to assess pros and cons of each tool against each other.

4. Fortra JAMS

Fortra’s JAMS is a workload automation tool that provides batch scheduling and job scheduling features.

Pros:

• Job scheduling: Jams users on G2 rate jobs scheduling features as 9.4. ⁸

• Additional capabilities: Jams users can set alerts and run logging to ensure regulatory compliance, although these features do not score more than 8 as JAMS alternatives do (See Figure 4).

Cons:

• Access to server: Most of the users complained about connectivity issues to JAMS server on browser. ⁹ 

5. BMC Control-M

Control-M is a workload automation platform provided by BMC Software to automate and manage complex IT operations.

Pros:

• Integration: Control-M received high score for application integration with 9.5 out of 48 reviews on Trustradius (See Figure 5).
• Monitoring: 49 Control-M users rated monitoring capability, a comprehensive dashboard to track performance and predictions, as 10 (See Figure 5).
• Additional capabilities: Users verify that control-M offers workflow management, proactive workflow and error alerts (See Figure 5).

Cons:

• Ease of use and set-up: Some users mention that tool can be complicated to adopt at first since it requires dedicated administration and training. On G2, the tool obtains 8.8 and 8.4 for ease of use and ease of set-up. ¹¹

Explore more on Control-M alternatives to identify its shortcomings and strengthens.

6. AWS Batch

AWS Batch is a batch management tool that can plan, schedule, and execute batch computing workloads.

Pros:

• Scalability: Users mention the most is the ability to run millions of jobs at once with no data loss. ¹³

Cons:

• Limitations: AWS Batch is limited to the AWS environment so users with different services may not benefit from the tool. ¹⁴
• Analysis & visualization: Unlike other additional features, AWS Batch users do not vote favorable of analysis and visualization capability (See Figure 6).

7. Tidal

Tidal is a workload automation software that helps orchestrating workflows with comprehensive batch scheduling and job dependency management.

Pros:

• Ease of use: Tidal users on G2 rate ease of use of the tool as 9.3. ¹⁶

• Multi-platform scheduling: As Figure 6 shows, Tidal allows users to integrate with various applications and manage their processes entirely across these systems.

Cons:

• Analysis & visualizations: Although Tidal dashboard is helpful to analyze and visualize, users recommended to improve the graphical interface and statistical reporting for robustness and smooth work. ¹⁷

8. AutoSys Workload Automation

AutoSys is a WLA tool that can be applied to schedule batches, manage complex workflows, and trigger tasks.

Pros:

• Ease of use: On G2, AutoSys obtains 8.9 for its ease of use. ¹⁹On PeerSpot, 6 out of 10 reviews mention that the tool was easy to use with an intuitive interface and user friendly set-up. ²⁰

Cons:

• Quality of support: Community support and technical service is rated as 8.3 which is under the average for all WLA tools on G2. ²¹

Explore more on AutoSys and its alternatives.

9. Azure Batch

Azure Batch is a platform, enabling users to run and manage large-scale parallel and high-performance computing (HPC) applications in the cloud.

Pros:

• Scalability: Azure Batch allows users to run a variety of tasks and process job batches in parallel frequently. ²²

Cons:

• Ease of use: On G2, Azure Batch performs under the average (9.1) with 7.9 score. ²³
• Limited environment: For Azure platform users, its native integration with the apps and services in Azure environment can be a pro but it prevents purchase from non-users.

Learn how to use azure scheduler for batch and job scheduling, and what are its top alternatives.

10. Visualcron

Visualcron an automation and integration tool for Windows that can support a wide range of job types and scheduling options.

Pros:

• Visualizations: Visualcron users on PeerSpot mention that the tool offers intuitive and rich visualizations to be used in analysis and reporting. ²⁴

Cons:

• Ease of use: Visualcron has the lowest ease of use score among all batch scheduling software on G2, with 8. ²⁵

Transparency statement

AIMultiple serves numerous technology vendors, including Stonebranch Redwood which provides Active Batch, RunMyJobs, and Tidal.

Further reading

Learn more on batch processing and batch automation:

•  40+ Best Batch Processing Applications You Must Know
• What is Batch Automation? Identify Benefits & Challenges

External links

• 1.  “ActiveBatch user reviews.” G2. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 2. “ActiveBatch features.” Trustradius. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 3.  “Redwood user reviews.” G2. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 4. “Redwood Reviews.” PeerSpot. Revisited January 7, 2023.
• 5. “Redwood features.” Trustradius. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 6. “Stonebranch reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 7. “Stonebranch reviews.” PeerSpot. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 8.  “JAMS user reviews.” G2. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 9. “JAMS Reviews.” PeerSpot. Revisited January 7, 2023.
• 10. “Jams features.” Trustradius. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 11. “Control-M reviews.” G2. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 12. “Control-M features.” Trustradius. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 13. “AWS Batch reviews.” G2. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 14. “AWS Batch reviews.” G2. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 15. “AWS Batch features.” Trustradius. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 16. “Tidal reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 17. “Tidal reviews.” PeerSpot. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 18. “Tidal features.” Trustradius. Revisited June 6, 2023.
• 19. “AutoSys reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 20. “AutoSys reviews.” PeerSpot. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 21. “AutoSys reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 22. “Azure Batch reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 23. “Azure Batch reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 24. “Visualcron reviews.” PeerSpot. Revisited June 7, 2023.
• 25. “Visualcron reviews.” G2. Revisited June 7, 2023.