First you need to tell this list what version of BPCS and what version of
Operating Sustem AS/400/iSeries/System/i is involved, because there has
been significant evolution. Some replies valid only for a range of versions.
It would also help to know which applications involved. For example, run
the program SYS800 at least through the screen that identifies list of
applications implemented at the company. SYS800 contains the largest
single collection of business rules that govern how a version of BPCS
functions. Not all, there are also lots of business rules in the General
Ledger interface, Inventory Transaction Effects, and BPCS Security.
It might also help to know about modifications the installation has had,
that add to the data base over & above vanilla BPCS.
There are classes in this stuff, from multiple different providers. There
are manuals that can be purchased for a few hundred dollars each, from 3rd
party places. If the company is still on Infor tech support, there is a
wealth of information on the SSA tech support site. IBM has a Red Book
specific to BPCS.
If you get manuals that are version specific, you can rapidly identify what
files, not defined there, must be associated with modifications.
There are existing conversion tools on the market, from SSA and 3rd party
places, to help with converting some BPCS data. Most of the tools, but not
all, are specific to migrating BPCS from one version to another, and to
copy selected BPCS data through other forms, such as for EDI, data
collection, or web facing. Could be some of these tools already have much
of what you need.
See if they have BPCSDOC file on-line, and if so, look at member SSALOG00
which is a logic guide, including naming conventions for the files, fields,
and other objects. BPCS "data base" is not just file/tables. BPCSDOC (on
my version of BPCS) is a source code file, in which each member is a
separate document.
BPCSDOC, and other info sources, can guide you to which programs manage
master file maintenance, and where source code for help text is stored,
which includes a wealth of information on the function of each field in
each file, but not as good as getting one of the real manuals, that is
specific to data base structure ... many manuals are specific to using BPCS
as it is designed to be used, not providing the type of info you are
looking for.
See if they have the application XRF operational, which can get at a
cross-index of how the files are used, among other things.
There are occasional BPCS user conferences around the world, not as many as
in years past. Depending on your schedule, it may be worth you attending,
although taking formal BPCS classes, and boning up on real manuals, would
probably be better utilization of your time.
Years ago, when I had much more leisure time than I now have, I created a
web site with relevant info ... many links no longer any good, but the
outfits named are still out there ... can be located via any search engine.
http://radio.weblogs.com/0107846/stories/2002/11/08/bpcsDocSources.html
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Al Macintyre
20 year veteran of messing with BPCS
40 year veteran of working on IBM midrange
Hello! I am a contract Business/Systems Analyst who has been called upon
to analyze data requirements of an Oracle installation, and identify how
the tables/data elements in an existing BPCS database can best be mapped
for importation into Oracle. I need to extract the BPCS data as flat
files. Any BPCS Admin. documentation the client ever had is long gone.
Can anyone suggest how/where I might learn the basics of BPCS' database
structure, table names, relationships, etc.?
Thanks so much!
midrange.com
