Use the Job Stream programs to improve the use of your computer resources. It lets you establish a list of reports to be printed at month end. This list is called the "job queue". You can start the Job Stream and the system will print each report on the job queue without requiring an operator's attendance.

You add reports to the Job Stream by indicating the Selector number and Selector Line number that you would normally enter to run the report. On the Job Stream, you can put the same report in the queue several times, each time using different report options. Thus, you can have the Aged Accounts Receivable Report with the Detail option, then the same report with the Summary option.

The month closing task can be greatly improved if you prepare for closing by 4:00 or 5:00 PM, back up the system, then start the Job Stream. When you return in the morning, check to see that all reports have been generated, then begin the Month End Update. This is a much better allocation of system resources than printing during an operating day.

The job stream reports can be output to the Spooler area on the disk rather than to printers. This is ideal if you have enough available disk space to retain all the reports printed during the month closing activity.

The Job Stream will print reports on several printers, but only one report will print at a time. They do not print simultaneously.

The Job Stream can only be in progress on one terminal at one time. If another terminal should attempt to start the job stream, the terminal will receive a message that the job stream is already in progress on another terminal.

You can interrupt or cancel the job stream. If the reports are in progress, you can use a secondary terminal to either halt printing temporarily, or to cancel the job.

Select this program to begin printing the reports you have set up on the job queue.

Make sure that the destination of your printing is ready. If it is a printer, make sure that an adequate supply of paper is loaded and aligned. If it is the Spooler, check the spooler display and delete as many unneeded spooled reports as you can. You need to free up as much of the allotted disk space as possible.

If the job stream is already running on another terminal, you will be prevented from starting the job stream on your terminal.

There are no report options for this program. Press (RETURN) to proceed.

Select (D)aily or (M)onthly jobs, or (END)

When you set up the job queue, each report was given a frequency code. Those codes beginning with "D" indicate a "daily" job, the other indicate a "monthly" job. This simply allows you to set up parts of the job queue to be printed more often than just at month end.

Enter "D" to start a daily job, or "M" to start the month end job stream. If you select "M", the program skips the next step and begins printing.

Select desired JOB NUMBER, (RETURN) for all, or (END)

Again, referring to the frequency codes, daily jobs may be set up with codes equal to D0, D1, D2,...D9, or simply D. So, when you choose to print a daily job, you have as many as eleven daily jobs from which to select.

If you press (RETURN), all daily jobs are printed.

You may press (END) to return to the Selector without starting printing.

Once started, the printing will continue until all reports on the job queue have been completed.

As with any report, you may interrupt printing by holding down the (CTRL) key and depressing the (B) key. Then you may choose to continue printing or halt the report.

When a report in the job queue has been halted with a (CTRL)(B), the next report on the job queue will begin.

To properly interrupt or cancel printing, use either the Interrupt Job Stream or Cancel Job Stream programs.

If an error should occur, or if a report is halted with a (CTRL)(B) request from the operator, you need to know this before you continue processing under the assumption that all job queue reports are completed.

Use the Job Stream Display program to list on the video screen the status of the job stream printing. In a column headed "Completion Date and Time", you will see a date and time if the report was completed. If an error occurred you will see an error message. If the program was halted you will see "Operator Requested Exit".

If the job has been interrupted or canceled, this is also displayed on the status screen.

Select this program when you want to temporarily interrupt the job stream. The report that is currently printing will be halted.

To re-start an interrupted job, run the Job Stream Start program. When you re-start the job stream, the first report to be printed will be the report immediately following the one interrupted.

Do you want to interrupt the job in progress? (Y)or(N)

Respond with "Y" to interrupt the job stream. The report currently printing is halted. Return to the Selector.

Respond with "N" and the job continues. Return to the Selector.

Job Stream is currently not active!

If you attempt to interrupt a job when the job stream is not active (Start Job Stream has not been run, or the entire job queue has been completed), you will receive this message, then return to the Selector.

To continue with the job stream after it has been interrupted, choose Start Job Stream again. You must be at the terminal that first initiated the job stream.

Select this program to cancel the job stream currently in progress.

The report that is printing is halted. The job pointer is reset to the beginning of the job queue so that when you choose to re-start the job stream, it begins to print the first report on the list, rather than starting up where it left off, as with the Job Stream Interrupt.

Do you want to cancel the job in progress? (Y)or(N)

Respond with "Y" to cancel the job stream. The report currently printing is halted. Return to the Selector.

Respond with "N" and the job continues. Return to the Selector.

Job Stream is currently not active!

If you attempt to cancel a job when the job stream is not active (Start Job Stream has not been run, or the entire job queue has been completed), you will receive this message, then return to the Selector.

After the job stream is canceled, you cannot re-start the printing at the point in which it was halted. Running the Start Job Stream function will start the printing at the beginning of the job queue.

You can create a list of up to 90 reports to be printed by the Job Stream program. Then, when you run Start Job Stream, the system will run the reports consecutively without requiring an operator's attendance.

To add a report to the list of reports to be printed, enter the selector number and selector line number of the report. This list is called the "job queue".

Each report on the job queue has its own set of Report Option values, independent of the values that are set up for the report when you run it from the Selector. This means you can put the same report on the job queue several times, each with different option values.

You can designate a printer number for each report. If you do not specify a particular printer (leave the field blank), then printing defaults to the destination you choose when you start the job stream.

You may (A)dd, (C)hange, or (D)elete a record, or (END)

Select "A" to add a report.

Enter line# (1-90), or (END)

View the 15 lines displayed and select an empty line on which to add a report. If all 15 are used, select a number 16 through 30, or 31 through 45, etc., to call up the next screen. Eventually, you should be able to find an empty slot. If all 90 lines are taken, there is no space to add a report, and you will have to delete one to add one.

Press (END) to return to the "(A)dd, (C)hange, (D)elete..." prompt.

Frequency

You can put in a frequency code that indicates when the report will be printed. If you run the Job Stream during each month end, you can specify to have this report printed each month, only once per quarter, semi-annually, or just annually. Here are the optional frequency codes:

M Each Month end
FQ Fiscal Qtr end CQ Calendar Qtr end
FS Fiscal Semiannual CS Calendar Semiann.
FY Fiscal Year end CY Calendar Year end
1 End of period 1
2 End of period 2...etc, thru
12 End of period 12

D Daily
D1 Daily job #1
D2 Daily job #2...etc, thru
D9 Daily job #9

The system can recognize from the "as of" date and the current accounting period whether or not a report is to be printed, based on the frequency code.

Skip

You might have a need to skip the printing of any report the next time you start the Job Stream. Rather than deleting the line from the job queue, enter a "Y" in this field. This way, you won't lose the job stream information for the report, at the same time, the report is not printed.

Remember to come back to this field to remove the "Y" after running the Job Stream. Otherwise, the report will continue to be skipped each time the Job Stream is started. Leave this field blank if you do not want the report to be skipped.

Selector#

What selector number do you choose to run the report? Use Selector Password Maintenance (Change Passwords on Selectors) located on the System Control menu to determine the correct selector number. Enter this two-digit number here. Currently, there are only 58 possible selectors to choose from.

(Selector) Line#

While looking at the sub-selector screen, the Month End selector for example, which selection number do you choose to actually start the report? Enter this number here. There are a maximum of 20 lines on any selector.

Program description

The system takes your entries for Selector number and Selector Line number and checks if a report program truly exists at that location. If so, it displays the title of the report as it appears on the selector screen. If not, you must enter another Selector number and Selector Line number.

Printer#

You may choose to direct the output of this report to a specific printer number. Enter any valid printer number 1 through 7. When the job stream is printing, this report will print to the designated printer regardless of the destination chosen when you start the job stream.

Leave this field blank and the report will print to the destination specified when you start the job stream.

Forms halt

Some reports in the job queue may require a change of forms before printing. Enter a "Y" to force the program to halt temporarily before starting this report. You can then change the forms in the printer before allowing the job stream printing to continue.

Leave this field blank if a temporary halt to change forms is not required.

Report Options

At this point, a new screen appears displaying the Report Options for this report. These options are identical to the options available when you run the report from the Selector. The one difference is that you need not select the printer destination for each report.

(S)et up options, or (RETURN) to continue

Enter "S" to set up the report option values for this report AS IT IS RUN BY THE JOB STREAM. These values are independent of the values set up when you run the report from the Selector. The cursor moves to the top of the list of options and allows you to key in new values or press (RETURN) to keep the values that already appear.

After reviewing the report option values, you may press (RETURN) to skip past entry of these values.

When all option values are entered, you return to the prompt "Enter Line#". You are in a position to add another report to the job queue.

You may (A)dd, (C)hange, or (D)elete a record, or (END)

Select "C" to change a report.

Enter line# (1-90), or (END)

View the 15 lines displayed and select the line you want to change. If it is not displayed among the first 15 reports displayed, select a number 16 through 30, or 31 through 45, etc., to call up the next screen. Eventually, you should be able to find the report you want.

Press (END) to return to the "(A)dd, (C)hange, (D)elete..." prompt.

You may now change any of the fields that were described during the instructions for adding a report. The cursor leads you through each field where you may change the value of the field or press (RETURN) to retain the value displayed there. The Report Options appear for you to review or change. Return to the prompt "Enter Line#" after changing the report.

You may (A)dd, (C)hange, or (D)elete a record, or (END)

Select "D" to delete a report.

Enter line# (1-90), or (END)

View the 15 lines displayed and select the line you want to delete. If it is not displayed among the first 15 reports displayed, select a number 16 through 30, or 31 through 45, etc., to call up the next screen. Eventually, you should be able to find the report you want.

Press (END) to return to the "(A)dd, (C)hange, (D)elete..." prompt.

The selected report is marked as **DELETED** from the job queue. Return to the prompt "(A)dd, (C)hange, (D)elete...".

You may (A)dd, (C)hange, or (D)elete a record, or (END)

Press (END) to end the function and return to the Selector.

Use this program to display the current status of the job stream. It will indicate which reports have been completed, or if the job stream is not currently active.

The program displays the first 15 lines of the job queue. Note the reports that are set up to be printed. It displays the frequency, skip flag, selector number, selector line number, program description, and designated printer number for each report.

Completion Date and Time

It is with this column that you will determine the current status of the job stream. Reports that have been completed will have a date and time listed, such as "NOV 26, 1986 13:16".

A report in progress will have the phrase "IN PROGRESS".

If the job has been interrupted, the phrase "INTERRUPTED" appears.

If a report has been halted with a (CTRL)(B) you will see "OPER REQUESTED EXIT".

If a report halted due to an error you will see the error message such as, "ERROR 28 AT LINE 5610".

Press (RETURN) to display add'l lines, or (END)

If more than 15 reports are on the job queue, you may need to press (RETURN) to display any additional reports. You can press (END).

Press (RETURN) to re-display, or (END)

When all reports on the job queue have been displayed, you can press (RETURN) to re-display. If the status has changed, then the new information is displayed.

Press (RETURN) to re-display, or (END)

Press (END) to end the function and return to the Selector.

You may want a hard copy printout of how your job queue is set up. This program produces such a printout.

There are no report options for this program. Press (RETURN) to start the report.