RE: Reporting

Bonnie;
I have found AS/400 Query is the easiest for users.  The only requirement I
make is that if it is going to be used on a regular basis, it be turned
over to the IS Department to write in RPG.  This cuts down on system
overhead.  But if it is a one shot deal, then the User knows what they
want, so we let them.  Security was an issue but we worked through it.  We
also provide "samples" for our user to go by.


Jerry Revell
Franklin Equipment Company

-----Original Message-----
From:   Ed Chabot [SMTP:echabot@marlinfirearms.com]
Sent:   Wednesday, February 27, 2002 9:39 AM
To:     mapics-l@midrange.com
Subject:        RE: Reporting

Bonnie,
We have investigated different options in the past, such as ShowCase, etc.
and could not justify the cost based on the number of users that would
actively use the product.  We then went and wrote a course on AS/400 Query
and had the "power user" from each of about 5 departments attend the class.
They went through workshop-like exercises, etc.  We had issues with
authority and access to certain files and could not justify the expense of
coming up with an authorization scheme that was configurable by user, etc.
Perhaps, we just don't know enough about AS/400 authority to make it work.
In the end, we have one person in the Accounting department that writes
some
of her own queries (she was already cleared to see any and all company
data,
so security and authorization was not an issue).  We do download data
extracts for a couple of users and have setup other downloads to be run by
the user without our intervention or help. Typically, we write the queries
and put them on the user menu for them to run.  If the record selection
gets
too weird for the user to handle, we write an RPG program. The one user
that
is writing her own queries is pretty good at it and requires a minimum
level
of support, but I have to say that she's the exception.  HTH.
Ed Chabot
The Marlin Firearms Co.

-----Original Message-----
From: mapics-l-admin@midrange.com [mailto:mapics-l-admin@midrange.com]On
Behalf Of Bonnie Cameron
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 8:47 AM
To: mapics-l@midrange.com
Subject: Reporting


Our company currently uses ShowCase Query for accessing Mapics data (where
the Mapics inquiries and reports are inadequate.)  Although we offer
in-house training on the software, we constantly find ourselves supporting
much of our user base as often a user needs information who has not taken
the class (or took the class some time ago and doesn't recall how to use
the
software.)  In addition, we spend a fair amount of time supporting logic
questions and problems.

I am wondering what tools some of the companies represented in this forum
use and how you handle reporting in general...do you totally leave it up to
users to create their own inquiries or does IS actively support this
effort,
etc.

Thanks in advance for your responses,

Bonnie Cameron
Polaris Industries
Roseau, MN
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