The IEXL product has been designed to simplify the creation of Excel spreadsheets directly on the AS/400, ISERIES or I5 (Referred to as I5 after) using RPG Programs. There is no need for further PC packages or Database communications setup to use the IEXL product. The system uses Apache POI software to generate the excel spreadsheets which is supplied as part of this product.

At its most basic the product can be used to simply transfer a data file into an excel spreadsheet. If required, using its inbuilt functionality it can be used to set fonts, styles, headings, colours, etc to generate more professional looking excel spreadsheets. The software can be used by any person that can access data files.

If for example a user runs a Query on a weekly basis that generates an output file it may be of use to have this data transferred to Excel. This can be achieved by creating a schedule job that would read the Query file using the IEXL product.

On the more complex side a user may receive an existing I5 report that may be of use as a spreadsheet but retaining the I5 report format. This can be achieved by the IS department modifying the existing program that generates the report. As the report is generated, a work file is created with the same data as the report, placed in the associated spreadsheet column. Taking this approach means you do not have to create new programs but make a simple modification to an existing program.

The IEXL product can also be used to display the generated spreadsheet directly on your screen. You may want to modify a subfile program so the user can have the ability to load the data into Excel and have that displayed immediately.

However the option exists to simply transfer the data file to Excel and use its functionality to process the data.

As long as the file exists on the I5 it could have been created by RPG, COBOL, JAVA, SQL, Query, etc it can be uploaded to Excel with the IEXL software.

Whichever of the above suits your needs you can then e-mail the generated spreadsheet to both internal and external people. Using the inbuilt e-mail capabilities of I5 (SMTP) and RPGMAIL (Supplied as part of the product) you specify which spreadsheet is sent out and who it is sent to.