Category: IBM
How Spool File Converters Can Help Your Business
Posted on June 01, 2013at 12:02 pm
Is your business using AS/400 (System i) to its full potential?
Could you be making better use of your data extracts? Maybe you’re wasting time performing tasks that could be automated – and as we all know, wasted time is wasted money.
Spool file conversion software can make life much easier for you. And the most powerful AS/400 spool file converter on the market is CoolSpools, produced by well-established global System i experts Ariadne Software (www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk).
Here’s a quick look at what CoolSpools could do for you…
What is a spool file converter?
Simple! A spool file converter is a piece of software that takes your spooled System i files and coverts them from a hard-to-understand data extract into an easy-to-read document, in the format of your choice e.g. spool file to PDF.
What formats can CoolSpools export to?
With CoolSpools software, you can perform System i file conversion to a number of popular formats. Want to convert spool to Excel? Consider it done. Convert spool to PDF? Not a problem. Export your AS/400 data extract to XML? Piece of cake! CoolSpools’ reliable software makes it all so simple.
How much control do I have over the converted files?
Plenty. If you need conditional formatting and color-coding in your System i Excel files, that can be automated. Need images, text formatting and other style features in your iSeries PDFs? CoolSpools can do it. Want to split your System i PDF into multiple documents? Tell CoolSpools where to split, and it’ll split it for you. CoolSpools can also merge the System i PDF and Excel files it creates with your existing documents – even if they weren’t created in CoolSpools.
Sounds impressive. But how does a spool file converter help my business?
By creating documents direct from your AS/400 data extract, the accuracy and integrity of your data is assured. By automating the document production process, you’re saving time – and therefore you’re saving money. And the incredible levels of flexibility and customization offered by CoolSpools means that you can get the information you need, in the format you need, whenever you need it.
Output the latest sales figures to an AS/400 Excel spreadsheet. Produce an attractive AS/400 PDF to present to clients, complete with company branding. Import iSeries XML into web applications rather than manually entering data. You can do all this – and much more – with the easy-to-use CoolSpools software.
This is really just scratching the surface of how CoolSpools’ powerful information management software will boost your productivity. Find out more at www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk.
Accuracy and Presentation: Both Easy with AS/400 Spool File Conversion
Posted on May 23, 2013at 12:00 pm
When compiling reports, documents and presentations, it goes without saying that accuracy is imperative. If your reported stats and data are flawed, not only could it lead to professional embarrassment, you could also be responsible for bad business decisions – with potentially costly consequences.
If your business uses an IBM System i (AS/400) environment, there are powerful System i file conversion tools that can take your AS/400 spool and convert it to several different formats. Using such a spool file converter, accurate data is assured.
But don’t forget – as well as accuracy, great presentation is essential. And it’s here where Ariadne Software and CoolSpools shine.
Ariadne (www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk) are well-established global experts in all things System i. Their CoolSpools software offers a simple and reliable way of converting AS/400 spools to PDF, AS/400 Excel, AS/400 XML and more. Here’s why presentation matters – and how CoolSpools gets it right.
Documents that aren’t easy to read don’t get read
Businesspeople are busy. They need information quickly, accurately and in a way that they can digest fast. If your converted spools need a degree in cryptology to follow, they’ll be ignored. Manually manipulating the AS/400 output is one solution, but it’s incredibly time-consuming.
With CoolSpools, you have complete control over the formatting. Need to convert spool to Excel? No problem – and you can easily add styles and conditional formatting to make your System i Excel files easy to follow. Want to convert AS/400 to PDF? Easy! And you can create an index to make your document so easy to follow. You can also split your System i PDF or Excel files into multiple documents, combine them with existing documents, and tell CoolSpools what to leave out and what to leave in – making sure the recipient gets all the info they need, and only the info they need.
Stay on brand and retain your corporate identity
In today’s business world, branding is paramount. While it may be of little importance in your role, the marketing team will explode with rage if the documents you present don’t adhere to brand guidelines – especially they are to be circulated outside the business.
CoolSpools will ensure your converted spools won’t offend your brand police. If you covert spool to PDF, it’s so easy to incorporate images and logos in JPEG or GIF format, as well as ensuring you’re using the correct typefaces. Not only will the recipient of your iSeries PDF be impressed with the accuracy of information – they’ll also be delighted you’ve stayed on brand!
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to CoolSpools, the complete information management system for IBM System i.
For more information on how you can convert spool to PDF, AS/400 Excel or iSeries XML using CoolSpools’ simple spool file conversion software, and the many other wonderful features CoolSpools can offer you, visit www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk.
Migrating to OS V6R1 or V7
Posted on May 01, 2013at 7:47 am
IBM is withdrawing support for version V5R4 of the operating system on September 30 this year, and it will be no surprise to users that V5R4 will have been available longer than any other IBM i OS release, because the upgrade to V6R1 or above involves an object conversion.
If you are migrating to V6R1 or IBM i V7 of the operating systems prior to the deadline later this year, we have included the information you will need regarding versions, conversion and licence keys below:
V6R1-Ready Version
You do not need a special version of our software to run on either OS/400 V6R1M0 or OS/400 V7R1M0 (IBM i 6.1 or 7.1). However if you are running CoolSpools version 5 or earlier then you will need to be at the latest fix/PTF level, for further information please see:
http://www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk/FAQ0023.htm
Object Conversion
Like all programs created on an earlier version of OS/400, you will, of course, need to ensure that CoolSpools programs are subjected to object conversion as part of your upgrade to V6R1M0 or V7R1M0 from a release prior to V6R1M0.
You can either use the STROBJCVN command against our product libraries or, if you are restoring objects to a new system, use the option to carry out conversion on the restore operation (RSTOBJ … FRCOBJCVN(*YES) etc.).
See the IBM Information centre for further details:
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v6r1m0/index.jsp?topic=/rzahc/rzahcprogramconversions.htm
Licence Keys
You should only need new license keys when the serial number and/or LPAR of your system changes as part of a hardware swap or upgrade. So, if all you’re doing is upgrading the operating system, no new license key should be needed.
However, it does happen occasionally that customers find they are told their license keys have expired after an OS/400 upgrade. We believe that happens if a scratch install is done or if library QUSRSYS (where OS/400 stores its license keys) gets overwritten or restored as part of the upgrade. If that happens to you, you just need to re-enter your original license keys by re-running the ADDLICKEY command you were sent when you first purchased the license.
If you no longer have a note of your license key(s), just contact our support team at support@ariadnesoftware.co.uk and ask for a reminder.
Good luck with your upgrade!
IBMi25 year anniversary
Posted on April 29, 2013at 7:53 am
We would like to congratulate IBM on their 25th anniversary
It started as a simple idea: create an application system for midsized business.” First in a series of videos to celebrate the 25th anniversary of IBM i. Features insights from IBMers Frank Soltis, AS/400 Chief Architect, and Steve Will, IBM i Chief Architect, on how integration and investment protection were the foundation for the industry’s most successful midrange system.
IBMi25 first video @ http://bit.ly/142PWuN
Is This The Most Powerful Spool File Converter Yet? Convert Your AS/400 Spooled Files With CoolSpools
Posted on April 24, 2013at 9:45 am
If you work within an AS/400 environment, wouldn’t it be great if you could take your spooled files and use them to communicate information across multiple channels? Wouldn’t you like to convert spool to PDF, or convert spool to Excel, and have the output files perfectly formatted and ready to go?
IBM experts’ Ariadne’s CoolSpools software (www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk) can provide your users with the right information, at the right time, in the right format. This powerful spool file converter can convert spool to Excel, iSeries PDF, iSeries XML and many other popular file formats. It provides a simple, reliable way to take an AS/400 data extract and turn it into end-user friendly documents whenever and however you need it.
But CoolSpools is no mere spool file converter. It offers powerful functionality that puts it way ahead of other AS/400 spool conversion tools. Here’s how it can help you transform the way you share information…
Split your spooled files into several documents
If you’re converting spool to Excel, for example for financial reports, you might want to split your System i Excel output files by date, region or product. Or perhaps you’d like to output AS/400 to PDF, but split into several System iPDF files. CoolSpools can split your AS/400 data extract into multiple documents – and each can be emailed to different recipients.
Merge and combine files
Maybe you need to merge several of your AS/400 PDF files into one document. You might want to append your converted AS/400 PDF to an existing PDF – one that wasn’t necessarily produced using CoolSpools. Or perhaps you’d like to add your newly-created AS/400 Excel file as a new worksheet in an existing Excel file. CoolSpools makes all of this simple – and as far as we’re aware, no other System i file conversion software offers you this functionality.
Format files however you like
After converting spool to Excel, you might need to format the document with color, borders, fonts or conditional formatting. CoolSpools can handle all of this, without having to reopen your Excel document to manually amend it. And after you convert spool to PDF, do you need to incorporate images such as corporate logos, watermarks or contact forms? CoolSpools has it covered.
Populate your website with AS/400 XML output
CoolSpools can do more than convert AS/400 spools for end user documentation. Its powerful iSeries XML conversion can output data that can be used to populate your website. No need to reprogram – just import the AS/400 XML direct.
So, do you need to convert spool to Excel? Convert spool to PDF? Or output XML? CoolSpools can do all of this and more – as well as formatting the output in a way that suits you.
And remember, CoolSpools software is created by Ariadne Software, well-established global experts in providing System i solutions – so you can trust it to be reliable as well as powerful.
Find out more at http://www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk.
Paperless Office with the AS/400 and CoolSpools
Posted on April 19, 2013at 8:31 am
If your business uses an IBM System i server (formerly and more commonly known as the AS/400 series), you can convert its spooled files to a wide variety of other popular document formats, which can then be easily shared and viewed electronically. However, to produce these documents, you need the right information management software.
Introducing CoolSpools, a powerful spool file converter. CoolSpools is a flexible product designed by Ariadne Software (www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk), who are a well-established, global provider of information solutions for System i environments.
CoolSpools software makes converting AS/400 spool files to Excel, PDF, XML and other document types a simple, reliable task.
Here are just some of the ways using the CoolSpools spool converter can make sharing, distributing and understanding information so much easier…
Convert spool to Excel
Outputting AS/400 Excel is perfect if you need to produce and share sales data or other financial reports. CoolSpools software offers powerful manipulation tools to make your System i Excel documents readable and understandable, such as splitting your spooled files into multiple Excel tabs or multiple Excel documents. CoolSpools even supports formatting your AS/400 Excel documents for easier reading, with colors, fonts, shadings, borders and even conditional formatting all supported.
Convert spool to PDF
CoolSpools can also output AS/400 PDF documents. But it does so much more than simply convert your spool file to PDF. You can set parameters to split your PDFs into multiple documents, using criteria such as customer number or region. You can append your System i PDF to an existing PDF, even if it wasn’t created by CoolSpools. And you can even password protect your iSeries PDF, so sensitive data will only be seen by the people you want to see it.
Output spool file as XML
You can also convert AS/400 to XML, then use your iSeries XML files to import data into web applications. By producing AS/400 XML from your spooled files, you won’t have to input or reprogram the data – saving you time and money.
Of course, all document formats converted from your iSeries spools can easily be shared and viewed digitally – so why bother with paper?
So to save time, save money and finally banish paper documents to the trashcan of history, take a look at CoolSpools’ powerful System i file conversion solutions.
Find out more at http://www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk.
What is a Spooled File?
Posted on April 09, 2013at 10:39 am
Spool is an acronym for simultaneous peripheral operations on-line.
Spooling is a function of your computer system that saves data for later processing or printing. The system saves this data in a spooled file.
CoolSpools (www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk) is the complete information management solution for IBM System i. With CoolSpools you can manage spooled files. Our software converts the spooled file to Excel, PDF and XML. This ultimately saves your time and money by moving your business away from paper-based documents and by distributing information via electronic formats.
CoolSpools is easy to use but immensely powerful. It helps you give your users and customers the right information, at the right time, and, just as importantly, in the right format. Our solutions address issues such as:
• sending documents to customers by email without having to change print programs
• publishing company reports on a corporate server so they can be archived and accessed easily from a PC
• producing Excel files from the System i without having to rely on users or operators to run file transfers
E-reading and the environment
Technologically, the world is moving to a place where documents are created on computers, distributed via computers and digested on computers. This trend can be seen in the lean towards tablets and e-books over paperbacks, and is quickly becoming the way we read and share our data. While there are still many of us who would rather read a printed document than looking at the same document on a computer monitor, the main benefits of CoolSpools are the money saved, the easy access you have to your spooled files and the positive impact on the environment by refraining from printing unnecessarily.
There is a direct correlation between the amount of trees that have to be cut down and the amount of money it costs you, and the initial cost for CoolSpools, is usually far surpassed by the savings in reduced paper for most businesses. Kenneth Mohn of Large US Dairy informed us that the use of CoolSpools had resulted in the company spending 20% less on paper.
Here at CoolSpools, we care about the environment, saving money and increasing efficiency. If you want to understand how our solutions can help your business, please contact us at www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk/contact, email sales@ariadnesoftware.co.uk or call us on +44 (0)1625 547 962.