Where is the good old cron information ?

[chrismfz]

Back in the old days I had an email informing me about suspensions, terminations, which service with link, customer names, invoice IDs and everything.

Something like

 

Cron Job Report for Monday 19th December 2016 @ 10:00:02

 

5 Unpaid Invoice Payment Reminders Sent to Invoice Numbers 11309,11310,11371,11372,11373

 

3 Overdue Invoice Reminders Sent

 

- Sent First Notice to User -customer here-

- Sent Second Notice to User -customer here-

- Sent Third Notice to User -another customer here-

 

1 Services Suspended

- SUCCESS: package name here - domain-here.tld - customer name (Service ID: 500 - User ID: 551)

 

I instantly knew the invoices, the terminations, suspensions, with the IDs, service names etc. Now ?

 

 

Now, I am getting a fancy mail with 0 information.

 

With no links, no service IDs, invoice IDs or anything else. And pressing the View Full summary I see exactly the same things inside whmcs. (In the automationstatus.php)

 

Why you made the information worst to see ? 2 Domains expired. just show them to me. Don't make me searching the half whmcs menu to see 2 domains. Which two ?

Overdue suspensions 2. Which 2? Why I should search inside-out to see which two? It was available inside the cron mail for years. Since 3.x versions that I was working with.

Now where are they ?

 

Are you planning to make automationstatus.php an upgrade with links and show the invoices, suspensions, everything or just we

[twhiting9275]

This swapped out in 7.0, I believe, not 7.1

If you look at WHMCS Automation overview (admin ->utilities -> system -> automation status , yes, they buried it), you can kind of get the output you're looking for.

Unfortunately, you're correct, there really is no information here, none.

 

This really does need to be addressed. What tickets were closed? Why? What invoices had overdue fees added? Why? Staff absolutely need this information, I fully agree!!

I can't count the times I've had to reopen tickets when they were closed because clients weren't replying, and the issue wasn't resolved. This was absolutely useful.

[WHMCS Edward]

In Version 7, we've been working to make the cron activity more accessible and easier to interpret.

 

We've added features like the Automation Status admin dashboard widget, Automation Status page itself and the Module Queue.

 

With the new cron report, there's less scrolling to get the information you want (particularly for our larger customers), and the Automation Status and Module Queue features allow you to see and drill down into failed actions a lot more easily.

 

We're open to honest constructive feedback and are very interested to hear what would make the new cron automation features even more useful to you.

 

Thanks!

-Eddy

[chrismfz]

Hello Eddy.

 

You hid information that was much easier to see / check with 6.x cron job, and now this kind of information doesn't exists in Automation status too.

 

For example in the old cron I see

1 Services Suspended

- SUCCESS: Package name- domain.com - Customer name (Service ID: 630 - User ID: 362)

 

In the new one I see:

Overdue Suspensions

2

Suspended

 

But I don't know what just whmcs suspended.

In Automation Status I also can't see anything.

 

Overdue Suspensions

2 Suspended

0 Failed

 

I don't know for example which 2 services just got suspended. There is a link for failed, a link for the suspensions would be nice too.

And for everything else like the old cron.

 

Invoice reminders sent, I can't see what, to whom, invoice IDs etc. Just a number, that 3 invoices generated.

 

The same for Domain expiry for example. I see just a number, Domain Expiry 2 Expired.

Which 2? I can't see. The same goes for everything basically. Tickets, Terminations, Cancellation requests.

I only see a number, not the ID, the domain, a client name a link to what happened to which person.

[KevAtkinson]

I have to agree with the above, you have upgraded everyone to a much less 'informing' system. Now I have to hunt around the system for the data which used to be there for me to digest from one page. I can't see how anyone who beta tested this didn't complain about the lack of data.

[xyzulu]

Hello Eddy.

The same for Domain expiry for example. I see just a number, Domain Expiry 2 Expired.

 

Happened to me the other day as well.. took me ages to find the domain that had expired (was actually a mistakenly entered expiry date). I'm ok with the changes in 7.x but this is a step backwards when things are logged without useful information or a way to easily retrieve it.

 

Expired domains is just one thing that should be logged and accessible from the admin panel in some way.

[WHMCS Edward]

For example in the old cron I see

1 Services Suspended

- SUCCESS: Package name- domain.com - Customer name (Service ID: 630 - User ID: 362)

 

In the new one I see:

Overdue Suspensions

2

Suspended

 

I'm interested to understand more about what you do with this list? You can always view the Suspended accounts by navigating to Clients > Products/Services > Search/Filter > Status = Suspended.

 

The same for Domain expiry for example. I see just a number, Domain Expiry 2 Expired.

Which 2? I can't see.

The prior cron report did not include a list of the domains which had expired either. In-fact, we didn't even list the number that expired, so in this particular instance we are providing information that was not available to you previously.

 

To locate the domains which expired you would just navigate to Clients > Domain Registrations, filtering for the Expired status and sorting by the Expiry Date column.

 

-Eddy

[twhiting9275]

Eddy,

What is done doesn't really matter here, the fact is that this information was removed from the results, in the effort to make it more 'pretty', more 'condensed'.

I can understand the frustration here. Sometimes people really just do want to keep on top of things... For example, the old way:

 

2 Overdue Invoice Reminders Sent

- Sent Second Notice to User xxx

- Sent Second Notice to User xxx

 

I can mail these individuals from Outlook, make sure there's nothing I missed, touch base with them, make sure all is OK

 

Inactive tickets, I used to follow quite heavily. Sometimes the client just needs a nudge, it seems that this was removed as well.

 

Being less informative isn't helpful. yes, we can login to WHMCS to get this information, but it's buried under click after click when it used to be right there, in our faces.

[wanener]

Hello again

thanks for keeping thread up and post your problems

dear WHMCS stuff's

current Email or even automation log is not good at all

it lake of important functions that old system have

and that is the report of what happened in cases

like

which user get reminder for what invoice ?

which service suspension failed and need manual suspensions ?

in my case we have products that they dont have any module and we just add them manually to keep accounting and invoicing for users

when the due date arrive we have to manually suspend these service !

today i find a server that must be suspended days ago and we don't even get notified that this service must be suspended and there is not log of why there are 17 pending and failed suspensions and we have only 5 service in automation queue that they a re fro SolusVM WHMCS module that stopped working after upgrade to v 7 !

where is the Other 12 Failed actions and what are they ?!

 

this need to be addressed very super fast as this could cause hundred of installed system admins lost their track of what happened with their services

 

thanks

[Damo]

I'm interested to understand more about what you do with this list? You can always view the Suspended accounts by navigating to Clients > Products/Services > Search/Filter > Status = Suspended.

 

 

The prior cron report did not include a list of the domains which had expired either. In-fact, we didn't even list the number that expired, so in this particular instance we are providing information that was not available to you previously.

 

To locate the domains which expired you would just navigate to Clients > Domain Registrations, filtering for the Expired status and sorting by the Expiry Date column.

 

-Eddy

 

Eddy we use that information at a glance. Now we have to log in, and navigate (many clicks) just to get information that we would previously had known in the email. We don't spend our day in WHMCS and the previous email contents had all the information we needed - it had been that information for a long time and is part of our workflow. At the very least WHMCS could provide an option for the condensed email (i.e. for your larger customers) or an information email (i.e. all your other customers).

[Gazza]

I preferred the old cron email info, more informative and used to receive the info on my phone so could see at a glance what needs to be done.

don't need any of these fancy cron emails which are really of no use. I don't have time to search around WHMCS for the info

At the very least WHMCS could provide an option for the condensed email (i.e. for your larger customers) or an information email (i.e. all your other customers).

fully agree, it would be useful

[ITWolfy]

Eddy we use that information at a glance. Now we have to log in, and navigate (many clicks) just to get information that we would previously had known in the email. We don't spend our day in WHMCS and the previous email contents had all the information we needed - it had been that information for a long time and is part of our workflow. At the very least WHMCS could provide an option for the condensed email (i.e. for your larger customers) or an information email (i.e. all your other customers).

 

I have to agree with the users here on the forum. The old Cron did not look so pretty but it really saved time and the info was on hand instantly. Now a staff member is wasting time where he could just click in the email on the customer ID link.

 

Why, not make it an option? Like the user mentioned, above.

Fancy Cron with NO info (Tick)

Ugly Cron with all the info you need (Tick)

[ScottN]

Finally upgraded to WHMCS 7.1 this week. The daily "WHMCS Cron Job Activity" looks all fancy, but now I've lost useful information. Before, it would list who was sent late notices, who was suspended, etc., Now the new "fancy" report just tells you the numbers (number suspended, sent late notices, etc.). There is a link to "view full summary" but that just takes you to a fancy web page inside WHMCS, that tells you exactly the same information -- there is no link to click to give you any details (who was suspended, who was sent late notices, etc.)

 

I thought I must be missing a setting or something, but now after finding this thread, I see this is all by design?? What is the benefit of this new cron summary (other than it looks pretty)?

 

Requested constructive criticism: Summaries are fine, but it should contain links to the DETAILS. The old report completely served my needs, the new one is absolutely useless (might as well turn it off).

 

Can you bring back the old cron summary?

 

- Scott

[concs198]

I have the exact same issue and what is more my automation status says 15 failed terminations but when I go to module queue it lists none there.

 

So how can I find which failed?

[markw78]

I finally made the jump from Version 6.x to 7.1. I can see how the new email is more easily viewable. However, I agree that some useful information was lost. In addition to what has already been mentioned, what I see missing is FAILED credit card transactions. You tell me how many were successful. Great, I do need to know about money coming in. But, I want to see the failed transactions as well - I need to see what money is NOT coming in. This information is also missing from the admin home screen now as well. You added a synopsis of tickets needing responses, which is great... but you took out the list of the next five invoices due - including which ones are past due. I want to see what money is owed and what money is due to me in the next day or two - without having to click into other screens.

[laxbobber]

Since my jump from 6.x to 7.1 I have been disappointed with the daily "WHMCS Cron Job Activity". We really enjoyed (and sometimes relied on) the details in those emails. Now we have these blocks of counts which have a nice design but no utility. Even worse, the equivalent blocks in WHMCS are just as useless. On the Automation Status screen it tells me "2 Failed" under "Overdue Suspensions" but when I click the two failed link I get a "Module Queue" screen with 0 items.

 

Are there plans to bring back the old cron details?

 

Bob

[WHMCS ChrisD]

Since my jump from 6.x to 7.1 I have been disappointed with the daily "WHMCS Cron Job Activity". We really enjoyed (and sometimes relied on) the details in those emails. Now we have these blocks of counts which have a nice design but no utility. Even worse, the equivalent blocks in WHMCS are just as useless. On the Automation Status screen it tells me "2 Failed" under "Overdue Suspensions" but when I click the two failed link I get a "Module Queue" screen with 0 items.

 

Are there plans to bring back the old cron details?

 

Bob

 

Hello Bob, if you are not seeing anything in the module queue this would indicate that the failed suspensions do not have a module installed, my recommendation would be to check the activity log using a failed suspension search.

 

Lastly, please transition any non-module based products over to Auto-Release to ensure that you are able to see these in the module queue

[Giannis]

The information being sent on old cron email was very helpfull.

With a single email i had all the information and details that i needed about suspension, invoices, tickets etc.

The new email is just a summary of what was done.

You should consider changing it to the old one format.

 

Thank you

[Giannis]

I got the following answer on my ticket related to this issue.

 

"Any additional information related to which specific products/services were suspended would now have to be found by searching in the Activity Logs.

If you have any further questions/issues, please let me know."

 

But i think this is not the right approach. I do not want to login to WHMCS admin area to see check the logs when prior this update i was able to see this info from the email.

 

What are we asking here is to have back the information as the one attached.

This information being sent by email is very helpful and gives to admin a total view of what was done and in DETAILS.

 

I believe that you should reconsider bringing back the old format of Email or at least have an option for those that need this kind of information.

 

Thank you

[xyzulu]

You will probably want to open a feature request If you want your suggstion to be seen by the developers.

[twhiting9275]

There's no point in opening a feature request. This should never have been removed in the first place, and it'll never be re-added.

That's how things work here, certain individuals refuse to admit they did something wrong and force their way on everyone else.

[Gazza]

There's no point in opening a feature request. This should never have been removed in the first place, and it'll never be re-added.

That's how things work here, certain individuals refuse to admit they did something wrong and force their way on everyone else.

Fully agree with you, it should have never been removed as the old cron information was a useful addition and saves me logging into whmcs admin and search through the admin. its so time consuming now, not everyone sits on a pc logged into whmcs 24/7.

Probably going on death ears but please bring it back or someone develop an alternative.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Gazza

[Strats]

Please bring back the old cron. The new one is pointless, it's just a simple email without any useful info. The old cron email was really useful, it was a complete report of what was happening at the system. Please bring back the old cron.

[@UncensoredHost]

It's worse than I thought. I came searching for an explanation of why my 7.1 daily cron activity email was all zeroes despite the fact reminders, and payment confirmations were sent. I surmise this is correctable? However I must agree optional levels of information delivered in this email are needed.

I often used this report as quick and convenient confirmation of expected and/or previously scheduled task(s). I would like the option to do so again.

 

Hello Bob, if you are not seeing anything in the module queue this would indicate that the failed suspensions do not have a module installed, my recommendation would be to check the activity log using a failed suspension search.

 

Lastly, please transition any non-module based products over to Auto-Release to ensure that you are able to see these in the module queue

[kang28ivan]

same with me, I've wits with this problem also I've set a cron accordance with the instructions but no results always get a notification WHMCS Daily System Cron Attention Needed what happend with WHMCS? lates update bad cron system