Utilizing Report Distribution

Here we'll examine another AJS timesaving feature, report distribution. While report-distribution capabilities aren't new to the product, they can now be utilized from the iSeries Navigator GUI.

An AJS report-distribution list contains a group of spooled files, along with their recipients and information about how each spooled file should be distributed. Once the list is created, it can be assigned to one or more scheduled jobs. This is designed to ensure that only reports created by their associated jobs are distributed.

When using AJS from iSeries Navigator in V5R3, you'll notice a new folder, called Notification, and two subfolders, Recipients and Report Distribution Lists (see Figure 1).

Now let's get into the "who" and "how" associated with spooled-file distribution. Prior to creating a report distribution list, you should define your recipients-the "who" of report distribution. A recipient can be associated with an output queue, a list of e-mail addresses or both-the "how" in report distribution. One or more recipients can be assigned to each spooled file in the report-distribution list. During the report-distribution process, the spooled file is duplicated into the recipients output queue and/or sent as a PDF attachment to the recipients e-mail addresses-this is new in V5R3 (see Figures 2 and 3, respectively).