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Mark:
I think that the sentence, "we
have a large % of not-so-computer-literate users (and that's another completely
different issue)" is not right. Your collection of "not so computer
literate users" and their collection of machines and software is the real
issue. All of those people have not enough training. The entire
problem vanishes if you standardize on software and training. At that
point, it would be easy to improve everyone's situation with once change applied
to 1,000 places instead of dozens of changes applied to dozens of places.
In my experience, you will be
lucky (not clever) if you can solve this problem with technology. I
suspect that the moderate application of some hard work will fix this in a much
more satisfactory way.
Richard Jackson
mailto:richardjackson@richardjackson.net
www.richardjacksonltd.com
Voice:
1 (303) 808-8058
Fax: 1 (303) 663-4325
I am doing this already in
creating the CSV file on the AS/400 and emailing it to the user. My
issue is that we have a large % of not-so-computer-literate users (and that's
another completely different issue) who have no idea of what to do with a CSV
file, how to format once they do manage to open in Excel, Lotus, etc.
Specifically what I am looking for is a solution that will take an AS/400 PF
and convert it on the AS/400 into a specified format Excel, Lotus, Works, etc.
so it can be emailed (again from the AS/400).
Thanks to all who have
responded so far, given me some ideas, food for thought, will let everyone (no
I didn't say Y'all THIS time) know what I finally end up
doing.
Mark Allen
IS Manager
Kelly's
Kids
markallen@kellyskids.com
I have a similar process, needing to output
AS400 data to pc users (customers). We standardized on .csv which is easily
readable by Excel & Access. My RPG writes a flat file in QTEMP, with
column headings in first record, followed by records of data. Make the
column headings equal to the max length of data in each field. Then
CPYTOIMPF cmd will take the AS400 native file and create a .csv in a
directory named by cust id. Then I either FTP it to the user (you can
capture the IP address they are at during their interactive session from
within a clp) or e-mail it. Most of my users prefer e-mail. They only have
to click on the attachment to open it (and if they have set .csv files to be
opened with Excel) the spreadsheet opens. Then they can do their Excel
things, print, save, change, etc. We let users send data to the AS400 in the
same .csv format, and CPYFRMIMPF works great. A little tricky with NULL
fields, and have to edit the heck out of every single column (dates like
29/29/29 and dollar amounts like 128.b9). But it runs by itself & users
only need to know how to open e-mail or find
the ftp'd file.
Jim Franz
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 4:53
PM
Subject: Re: Generating PC file
formats from AS/400 data
Mark,
I am having the same problem, so I have been doing some
research. Gumbo software has a program called Spool-A-Matic that
will transform spool files into .TXT, PDF, and RTF files right on the
AS/400. If you are using J.D.Edward there are utilities in the FastR
report tool that will create PC Files. Another option is ShowCase
Strategy software, this software makes it easy to pull info down and
configure it into any of the formats you mentioned.
>>> markallen@kellyskids.com 08/08/00 12:13PM
>>>
We have recently stated sending data to our sales reps in
the field as CSV
files. It is running completely on the AS/400,
no problems with that.
However, there are a number of our reps who have
little to no PC expertise
and they are having major issues (which in
turn is causing us more work)
importing/opening the data in their
"program of choice".
What I am looking for is a way (on the AS/400)
to generate the file as an
Excel spreadsheet (.XLS), Lotus (.123) or a
MS Works worksheet and database
(.WKS, .WDB) so they can avoid the
import function, having to resize columns
to fit existing data,
etc. Want them to be able to just double click on the
attachment
and voila, data is there and formatted in their program
of
choice.
Any ideas????
Mark Allen
IS
Manager
Kelly's Kids
markallen@kellyskids.com
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