Save 5 Hours a Day by Integrating RPG to Excel & SQL Server
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The document introduces the RPG2SQL Integrator, a tool that helps businesses integrate data from multiple platforms, such as IBM i and SQL Server, thereby improving data processing and reporting efficiency. It discusses various use cases across different industries, highlighting how the integrator eliminates manual data entry and improves real-time data access. Additionally, it outlines system requirements and provides examples of commands used for exporting and importing Excel data.
Save 5 Hours a Day by Integrating RPG to Excel & SQL Server
- 1. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.© HelpSystems LLC. All rights reserved. Save 5 Hours A Day by Integrating RPG to Excel & SQL Server Provide Real-Time IBM i Access to Remote System Data from RPG
- 2. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Your Presenter Richard Schoen Director of Document Management Technologies
- 3. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server • HelpSystems overview • Common use cases for IBM i data integration • RPG2SQL Integrator overview • Demo • Q&A Agenda
- 4. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server HelpSystems Family of Brands
- 5. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Document Management Solution Overview
- 6. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Document Management Solution Overview
- 7. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Document Management Solution Overview
- 8. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Document Management Solution Overview
- 9. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Key Information Lives on Many Platforms Business Need Integrate data across platforms Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Different platform databases don’t talk to each other: – DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, Postgres, Dbase, Microsoft Access • Data comes in from vendors and customers in various formats – Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, CSV Files, Flat Files, etc. • RPG2SQL Integrator brings these platforms together.
- 10. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Lowering the Cost of Processing MultiPlatform Data Business Need Utilize multiplatform data with IBM i apps Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Eliminate data replication • Stop spending time massaging data and merging with IBM i-based business applications. • Stop re-keying data • Reduce the risk of data validation mistakes • Automate the manual processes used to re-distribute processed information • Reduce the need for specialized PC business analysts to create PC formatted output in Excel and other formats • Eliminate time-consuming and cumbersome manual processes for uploading and reformatting data • Lower labor costs and streamline data processing and reporting
- 11. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Manufacturing Use Case Business Need Manufacturing businesses run many disparate systems Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • ERP runs on IBM i • Shop floor data collection runs on AIX system with Oracle database • Send shop floor orders to the data collection system as they are generated on IBM i • Return info from data collection system to IBM i • Get real-time interaction between systems
- 12. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Reporting and Data Visibility Business Need Consolidate and access data from multiple platforms for reporting Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Speed up decision-making with adequate reporting • Creating simple text reports is not enough • Management and power users need data in more complex formats • Internal team skills may be IBM i-focused • Utilize existing development team resources to generate high-quality complex reporting • Teams might already use a data access tool such as Sequel for reporting
- 13. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Grocery or Retail Store Use Scenario Business Need Consolidate and report on retail point-of-sale data Solution: RPG2SQL • Accounting systems runs on IBM i • Point of Sale (POS) system runs on Windows Server and uses SQL Server database • Move transactions to IBM i at end-of-day • Merge transaction data into the accounting system • Write IBM i reports to perform daily reporting • Leverage existing core IBM i development staff to build reporting
- 14. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Property Management Use Case Scenario Business Need Simplify complex government tax reporting Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Accounting system runs on IBM i • Complex reporting spreadsheet template is received from state tax authority • Data MUST be reported back using state-supplied template • Template contains multiple sheets and protected cell areas • Need to accumulate data for entire year and report back to state • Users were manually re-keying information from IBM i into the spreadsheet template each month-end • Automate the entire spreadsheet generation and reporting process
- 15. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Casino Executive Reporting Use Case Scenario Business Need Give the executives what they need to manage Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Accounting and casino systems run on IBM i • Management wants multi-tab complex spreadsheets for month-end and periodic reporting • Spreadsheets can’t be simply generated by an SQL query—existing RPG business logic was involved • Accumulate data in the spreadsheets across multiple tabs • Automate the entire spreadsheet generation and reporting process • Regularly generate management spreadsheets using existing RPG development staff
- 16. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Hospital Use Case Scenario Business Need Provide one view of patient data across systems Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Hospital software and financials run on IBM i • Several other systems run on different database platforms • Need to interchange patient data between systems automatically • Show data from one central IBM i application • Utilize existing RPG development skill sets
- 17. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server What is RPG2SQL Integrator ? • RPG and COBOL programs can read and write to any database • Supports any ADO, OLEDB, or ODBC data source • Interact directly with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets • Supports Excel formatting • Insert, update, and delete records • Run SQL-stored procedures • Do selective data copying or replication • Use Excel import and export commands for RPG and COBOL
- 18. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Real-Time Access to SQL Server and Other Databases Business Need Interactive and batch program access to any database Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • RPG or COBOL applications can use any database with an ODBC driver • Embed service program calls into existing RPG programs • Subfiles, interactive, and batch mode applications • Sub-second response time
- 19. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Read and Write Excel Files 19 Business Need Interactive and batch program access to Excel files Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • RPG or COBOL applications can create and use Excel spreadsheets • Embed service program calls into existing RPG programs • Subfiles, interactive, and batch mode applications
- 20. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Export from IBM i Files to Excel Business Need Quickly Export IBM i Data Files to Excel Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Excel Export Command: SQLXLSEXP • Select any physical file to export • Select record range to export • Select field column range to export • Export field names as column headings • Append or replace Excel output file • Select worksheet name
- 21. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Excel Export Command Example SQLXLSEXP INFILE(QIWS/QCUSTRPGSQ) OUTXLS('c:rjstempqcustcdt.xlsx') OUTSHEET(*ACTIVE *REPLACE) HEADER(*COLHDG) LOGMSG(*YES) HOST(*CURRENT) RCDFIRST(*FIRST) RCDLAST(*LAST) FLDFIRST(*FIRST) FLDLAST(*LAST)
- 22. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Import Excel Data to IBM i Files Business Need Quickly Import to IBM i Data Files from Excel Solution: RPG2SQL Integrator • Excel Import Command: SQLXLSIMP • Select spreadsheet to import • Spreadsheet column names must match PF • Use first row of Excel as column names • Append or replace file data on import • Select worksheet name • Skip blank rows
- 23. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Excel Import Command Example SQLXLSIMP INXLS('c:rjstempqcustcdt.xlsx') INSHEET(*ACTIVE) OUTFILE(QIWS/QCUSTRPGSQ) OUTMBR(*FIRST *REPLACE) HDRROWS(1) LOGMSG(*YES) HOST(*CURRENT) BLKROW(*SKIP)
- 24. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server System Requirements IBM i Server RPG Program RPG2SQL Service Program PC Server Component
- 25. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server System Requirements • IBM i library: V5R4 and above • RPG2SQL service programs and sample code • PC server component: Windows • At least one PC server instance is required • Appropriate database ADO, ODBC, or OLEDB drivers on PC server • Microsoft Excel loaded on server (if interacting with Excel workbooks) • ILE RPG Application bound to RPG2SQL Service Program
- 27. UP NEXT... Questions and Answers Please enter your questions in the chat log
- 28. © HelpSystems. Company Confidential.5/26/2016 28
- 29. Save 5 Hours A Day By Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server Thank You for Attending For More Information: 2016 HelpSystems User Conference June 20–23: http://www.helpsystems.com/shiftit Website: http://www.helpsystems.com/rjs Telephone: Sales: 800-328-1000 Support: +1 952-933-0609 Technical Experts: richard.schoen@helpsystems.com greg.schmidt@helpsystems.com
Editor's Notes
- #2: Good Morning Everyone and welcome to our live webinar. Today is Thursday May 26th I’m Richard Schoen coming to you from our offices in Eden Prairie MN I’ll be the moderator today for our webinar titled: Save 5 Hours A Day by Integrating RPG to Excel and SQL Server This webinar will provide an introduction to our RPG2SQL integrator integration technology which allows customers to integrate their IBMi RPG and COBOL applications with other data sources without the re-keying of data. We have lots of information to cover today so let’s get started.
- #3: As I mentioned I am Richard Schoen, Director of Document Management Technologies at HelpSystems. I am part of the technical solutions group at HelpSystems bringing topics like this to our customers and prospective customers. I have over 27 years of background with IBMi, Windows and Linux platforms, managing and delivering forms and documents and integrating these systems.
- #4: Our agenda today will hopefully provide a good introduction to HelpSystems, RJS and our integration generation solutions. We’ll provide a quick company overview of HelpSystems and its history. Then we’ll talk about the common business reasons companies move to electronic forms output generation. Then we’ll provide an overview of our iForms electronic form generation software. Then we will provide a short demo of the iForms software designer. We will end with a few minutes of Q&A and a couple of polling questions. Feel free to enter your questions in the chat window as we go and I will address them towards the end of the webinar. Select “All Presenters” so the questions are directed to me. We’ll also plan to complete our session in 30-40 minutes so you have plenty of time to make your next important meeting. Also todays event will be recorded and you will receive a link after the webinar to share with anyone in your organization who couldn’t attend todays session.
- #5: HelpSystems has been in business for over 32 years providing system management, business intelligence and security solutions for IBMi, Windows, Linux and AIX platforms. The RJS document management and system application integration products joined the HelpSystems product brand portfolio in 2014. The core RJS products focus on helping companies implement paperless process to capture, manage, deliver and secure their critical documents. A secondary area of focus has been integrating IBMi and PC system data using our various system integration technologies. Today’s webinar focus will be on the RPG2SQL Integrator Excel and database integration technology for IBMi.
- #6: Our solution covers 3 core areas of a business Document Management Forms Management Process Management, which includes System and Data Integration
- #7: Document management – This focuses around capturing and managing scanned paper documents, electronic reports from IBMi and other systems, mfg drawings, email, inbound faxes and other electronic documents such as photos, videos and more. We can manage any document that can be created in a PC format.
- #8: Forms management – Forms management covers two different but important areas. Input forms – We can take any paper based form and turn it into an online version where data can be captured. This is a great way to capture data right away without re-keying. Output forms – generating high quality business output documents such as invoices, purchase orders, statements, bills of lading, checks and more to reduce paper usage.
- #9: Process management, system and data integration – Our Webdocs software contains a built-in document routing system to provide the ability to electronically route documents to the right people for review and approval as well as facilitate electronic signature capture. Signatures can be captured via desktop software or web based forms that can be sent out via the web. We also offer several IBM to PC system integrations technologies such as the RPG to SQL Integrator product which is the topic of todays webinar. RPG2SQL allows customer to easily integrate processes and data across multiple data platforms.
- #10: All businesses have the need to generate standard daily business forms and documents for output. As mentioned on the previous slides, many companies are still using pre-printed forms and have not made the move to generate their documents with electronic overlays for printing, sending via email, or archiving. Others are using old, outdated, or unsupported form technologies that need a refresh such as IBM Advanced Function Printing (AFP). With software such as iForms, form designs can be quickly created and can contain graphical elements such as static text, database fields, barcodes and images.
- #12: Manufacturing businesses run many disparate systems to provide product manufacturing assistance, order tracking, shipment of product and more. Often the ERP systems for these companies are IBM i based and need access to data on other platforms
- #13: Need to be able to consolidate and access data from multiple platforms for reporting and other daily metrics.
- #14: Retail business where point of sale data lives on a Windows based system but the customer wanted to aggregate data centrally to IBMi for accounting, reporting and other metrics analysis. Most of their reporting expertise was centered on IBM i
- #15: Customer owns several properties and has to do monthly and annual tax reporting to the state. The state mandated they use a specific complex Excel workbook template with multiple sheets.
- #16: Customer needed to do complex daily executive reporting involving existing RPG application code and some interesting business rules.
- #17: Customer is a hospital with medical record information residing on several different platforms. Needed a tool to be able to integrate data from other platforms with their home grown IBM i medical records system
- #18: All businesses have the need to generate standard daily business forms and documents for output. As mentioned on the previous slides, many companies are still using pre-printed forms and have not made the move to generate their documents with electronic overlays for printing, sending via email, or archiving. Others are using old, outdated, or unsupported form technologies that need a refresh such as IBM Advanced Function Printing (AFP). With software such as iForms, form designs can be quickly created and can contain graphical elements such as static text, database fields, barcodes and images.
- #19: All businesses have the need to generate standard daily business forms and documents for output. As mentioned on the previous slides, many companies are still using pre-printed forms and have not made the move to generate their documents with electronic overlays for printing, sending via email, or archiving. Others are using old, outdated, or unsupported form technologies that need a refresh such as IBM Advanced Function Printing (AFP). With software such as iForms, form designs can be quickly created and can contain graphical elements such as static text, database fields, barcodes and images.
- #20: All businesses have the need to generate standard daily business forms and documents for output. As mentioned on the previous slides, many companies are still using pre-printed forms and have not made the move to generate their documents with electronic overlays for printing, sending via email, or archiving. Others are using old, outdated, or unsupported form technologies that need a refresh such as IBM Advanced Function Printing (AFP). With software such as iForms, form designs can be quickly created and can contain graphical elements such as static text, database fields, barcodes and images.
- #25: IBM i library – V5R4 and above RPG2SQL Service Programs and Sample Code PC Server Component - Windows At least one PC Server instance is required Appropriate database ADO, ODBC or OLEDB drivers on PC Server Microsoft Excel loaded on server if interacting with Excel workbooks ILE RPG Application bound to RPG2SQL Service Program
- #26: IBM i library – V5R4 and above RPG2SQL Service Programs and Sample Code PC Server Component - Windows At least one PC Server instance is required Appropriate database ADO, ODBC or OLEDB drivers on PC Server Microsoft Excel loaded on server if interacting with Excel workbooks ILE RPG Application bound to RPG2SQL Service Program
- #27: Now we’re going to take a quick look at a few live examples of integrating RPG2SQL integrator with some sample RPG applications. -Quick intro sample – read/write Access database -Subfile sample to read data from SQL Server in real-time -SQLXLSIMP and SQLXLSEXP to illustrate import and export of data
- #28: OK, now we’re going to take time for a little Q&A. I will also show a poll with a couple of questions we can share with the group. When entering questions, please remember to Select “All Presenters” so your questions are directed to me. Can I call the document generation process from a .Net, PHP or .Ruby application ? You would utilize the iForms REST API to call form generation from a platform other than IBMi. The REST API is supported from any platform that can make a URL call. This includes business process automation tools such as our AutoMate software. If all my data isn’t in my IBMi spool file or PC ASCII text report can I grab information from my database and use it on my form ? Yes, a form template based on a spool file or text file can also draw in additional information from database table(s) as needed. Ex: If the original report has customer number in it we can go grab name, address, email address and more from the customer database. Or if we want to use the company number to select the logo we can do that as well. How would I generate documents from databases other than DB2 ? In the designer you can specify any database that is available. As long as it has a database driver available, iForms can use it. Simply specify the driver of choice and create an SQL statement to grab the data needed for your form document. Can I filter pages from a spool file or records from a database during form generation ? Yes, you can use soft coded form parameters to drive filtering within a database query of when selecting pages from a spool file for processing. You can also use our Report Splitter to burst documents before processing with iForms. Can I print any PDF document with iForms ? Yes, you can print generated and static PDF documents directly from the IBM i via an output queue or using any Windows print driver. In fact we also have a hybrid scenario where we can render as PCL, Postscript and even AFP with the appropriate Windows drivers and then either print directly to a Windows printer or the data can be re-spooled to an output queue as a *USERASCII file for printing. This is a nice way to integrate iForms documents in the middle of an existing process that still uses special output such as AFP.
- #29: Make sure to mark the date for our 2016 user conference titled: ShiftIT which will take place here in Minneapolis from June 20th – 23rd. Go to helpsystems.com/shiftit to register. We look forward to connecting with you face to face and talking with you about your automation issues in 2016.
- #30: Thanks for attending our webinar today. We hope you learned some helpful information to allow your company to start thinking about real-time integration of your important IBM i, SQL Server, Oracle, Excel and other platform data with your IBMi applications. Make sure to mark the date for our 2016 user conference titled: ShiftIT which will take place here in Minneapolis from June 20th – 23rd. Go to helpsystems.com/shiftit or reach out to your sales rep and they can provide registration info. We look forward to connecting with you face to face in 2016. And of course if you have any additional questions on our forms, document management or other system integration technology, feel free to reach out to our sales team, Greg Schmidt or me and we will be happy to address your questions or provide a more in-depth technical demo. You will also receive a link to this recording so you can share this webinar with those in your company who could not attend today’s session. Again thanks for attending todays webinar. Have a great day and enjoy the rest of your week. Pause for a moment. Stop screen sharing Save polling answers.