Loading Messages and Work Files

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When migrating or copying custom COBOL programs, it is often necessary to also migrate messages and work file definitions (aka metadata).

First, dump the messages and work file definitions using the following syntax:

metadumpmsg <productline> <messagecategory>

metadumpwrk <productline> <programcode> <workfilename>

 

For example, metadumpmsg prod ZC186 and metadumpwrk prod ZC186 ZC186_ERROR-RPT

The messages will be dumped to a file <messagecategory>.msg.

The work files will be dumped to a file <program_workfile>.wrk.  Work file names can be found in workdef.

 

After all the metadata elements are dumped, copy them to the other server/productline.  Using a command line utility or LID, navigate to the location where you placed the files, then run the commands to load them.

 

Loading messages syntax is metaloadmsg <productline> <filename>.msg

Loading work syntax is metaloadwork <productline> <filename>.wrk

Data Security Best Practices: 7 Tips to Crush Bad Actors

In an increasingly connected world, data protection is more critical than ever due to the rise in cybercrime and the complexity of network access. In 2023, cyber attacks surged by 72%, with the average data breach costing nearly $4.88 million. To mitigate these risks, the Lookout Cloud Security Platform team shares an article on MSSPAlert.com highlighting 7 best practices in data security to crush bad actors and adopt robust data security within your organization.

Key practices include:

  1. Encryption: Protects data by limiting access through real-time encryption, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive information.
  2. Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Involves monitoring and controlling sensitive data to prevent unauthorized access or loss, helping organizations comply with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.
  3. Data Backups: Regularly backing up data offsite ensures recovery in the case of breaches or disasters.
  4. Data Masking: Generates fake but usable data for testing purposes, protecting sensitive information from exposure.
  5. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adds an extra layer of security by requiring multiple forms of verification before granting access.
  6. Zero-Trust Adoption: Emphasizes continuous verification of user identities and limiting access to necessary permissions, countering traditional security assumptions.
  7. User Activity Monitoring: Utilizes behavior analytics to detect unusual activity, helping identify potential threats from both external actors and internal users.

By following these practices, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of data breaches and enhance overall security.

 

For Full Article, Click Here

Enterprise Resource Planning Technology Trends As We Move Toward 2025

Business strategies are continuously realigned and adjusted based on influences and changes in technology. In enterprise resource planning (ERP), there are many advancements and changes each year. Kevin Beasley, Forbes Council Member and CIO at VAI, shares an article highlighting the emerging ERP trends to note as we enter 2025.

Industry-Specific Functionality. “An ERP system is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. Food, healthcare and manufacturing are just a few examples of the industries that need specific solutions to address their unique challenges. Industry-specific ERP is necessary for the healthcare sector to manage patient data, ensure HIPAA compliance and simplify revenue cycle management. Inventory control and tracking are essential for food and beverage businesses to adhere to food safety laws. There are numerous moving parts in manufacturing since they must manage production, acquire supplies and complete orders. ERP serves as a single hub to link all these aspects of the company and thereby acts in service and betterment of whole industries.”

An Integration With The Internet of Things. “The Internet of Things (IoT) has many potential uses and is expected to become more significant in influencing our world as the number of devices linked to the internet rises by utilizing later technologies in existing 5G and future 6G telecommunications and changing the ways in which we work, live and communicate with one another.”

Powering Industrial ERP With AI. “AI is expected to see an annual growth rate of 36.6% from 2023 to 2030, and it is inevitable that AI and machine learning will be integrated deep into ERP systems as they develop. AI-driven ERP deployments will completely transform how companies run in 2025 and beyond. These technologies facilitate enhanced decision-making processes, advanced predictive analytics and the automation of repetitive jobs by integrating robotics. The massive volumes of data produced by ERP systems today require data scientist expertise and can take a long time to be analyzed. Using AI to analyze the data will yield insightful information that can enhance business results in dramatically reduced time.”

Cybersecurity. “The realization that security is essential to tech-driven success will push businesses to aggressively fortify their cybersecurity posture. Partnerships with managed service providers will be essential in navigating this environment to develop and sustain resilience against cyber risks, particularly as the application of AI in operations continues to advance. AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, able to anticipate and eliminate cyber threats before they have a chance to inflict damage, will become standard. Proactive defense mechanisms will become the focus, with AI constantly learning and adjusting to new threats.”

Cloud ERP. “Unlike traditional systems that are installed on on-premises servers and data centers, cloud ERP is provided online and shares power consumption, cooling requirements, security and operations functions with all the tenets of the cloud. This reduces each cloud tenet’s carbon footprint by sharing these resources. Businesses can adapt to their evolving needs thanks to their nearly unlimited scalability and anytime, anywhere access. Cloud ERP also reduces expenses by eliminating upfront hardware purchases and IT maintenance. Rather, these companies receive a reliable subscription service that maintains the security and modernity of the system. All things considered, cloud ERP is a major development in modern business management since it offers businesses a scalable, cost-effective and secure alternative.”

 

For Full Article, Click Here

IPA Linking a filter to a user or task

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If you want to use filters with a user, you can enable filtering when you create a user. Follow these steps below:

 

Enabling users for filtering

  1. Open a user and then select the “Is Filter Enabled” check box.
  2. Click Save.

 

Enabling tasks for filtering

  1. Open a Task and select a User Task.
  2. Select the “Is Filter Enabled” check box when you link a task to a user.

Note that a user must also be filter-enabled to use filtering associated with tasks.

 

How organizations can upgrade an ERP system that’s no longer working for the business

These days office technology is mainly run through enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that handles critical functions such as inventory management, customer service, billing, and financial reporting. While it’s important to have an ERP system in place, it is a risk to have an outdated or wrong system running for your particular business. Josh McHugh-Cullen, Regional Account Executive at ECI Software Solutions, share an article on IT Brief Australia on how organizations can upgrade their ERP systems to one that works better for their business. The article discusses strategies for organizations looking to upgrade or replace an ineffective ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. It emphasizes the importance of assessing current business needs and evaluating the limitations of the existing system. Below, McHugh-Cullen shares what businesses should look for when selecting the right ERP solution:
  1. Cloud-based flexibility. “Cloud-based ERP systems offer flexibility that traditional on-premises systems can’t match. These systems provide remote access, which is particularly valuable for office technology providers with distributed workforces or multiple locations. In addition, cloud-based solutions offer scalability without the need for costly infrastructure.”
  2. Industry-specific features. “Office technology providers should look for ERP systems to meet their sector’s needs. Key functionalities include equipment leasing management, service scheduling, and consumables tracking. A tailored ERP solution reduces the need for custom development so that industry-specific workflows are handled efficiently.”
  3. Intuitive and user-friendly interface. “A complex and hard-to-use ERP system can result in low user adoption and employee resistance. Businesses can minimize risk by choosing a system with an intuitive interface that reduces training time and encourages more significant usage across the organization.”
  4. Strong vendor support and customization options. “Vendor support can determine the success of an ERP system. Businesses should seek a vendor that provides strong post-implementation support, regular updates, and comprehensive staff training. Additionally, the ERP should be customizable to meet the business’s specific needs without requiring heavy coding or IT intervention.”
  5. Automation as an efficiency driver. “ERP systems with built-in automation can streamline inventory replenishment, billing, and service dispatching processes. Automated systems can collect and validate meter readings, generate invoices, and handle financial reporting, reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.”

 

For Full Article, Click Here

Fixing a Scheduled LBI Report Instance Parameters

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Often times a user is responsible for updating dozens of LBI report schedules that generate daily, weekly, and monthly report instances.

A parameter might have been set incorrectly and is now generating the incorrect data for a bunch of instanced reports that now are useless and no one noticed until several report instances existed.

Today we are going to go over how to easily fix those report instances assuming one has admin access and crystal reports installed.

Here is an example of a report a user was viewing that contains no bursting data for that user because it has the incorrect parameters:

First thing to note is the Report ID and Instanced ID as highlighted below.

Let’s now export the report as a Crystal report as shown by the arrow below.

Open the exported report in Crystal and press F5 >> Prompt for new parameter values >> OK

This should pull up the incorrect saved parameters. Change it to the proper values and press OK to generated the report with data. (you may be prompted for credentials, you’ll need some sort of db read access).

After the data is generated go to File >> Save and make sure “Save Data with Report” is highlighted:

Now go to the report instance that you exported this from and click details:

Under Report Actions >> Republish >> Choose File >> Find the updated crystal report, select >> Save

Now view the report again and see if it shows the correct data. Do this for the rest of the reports.

Numerous organizations choose to leverage Lawson consultant teams to oversee their Lawson Security and LBI systems. These expert teams provide managed services at a predictable monthly rate, offering extensive knowledge and specialized expertise. This solution is ideal for larger organizations, while smaller entities seeking efficient management without the need for full-time on-site staff can also benefit. Nogalis delivers these services, and additional details can be obtained by contacting us through our dedicated contact page.

The million-dollar question: To customize ERP or not?

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, when implemented and utilized correctly, can significantly impact your business processes. While not every ERP system is the same – many include customizations or are catered to specific industries – there is still great value in their out-of-the-box forms. So how do you know how much customizations or if you need any customizations? Is the out-of-the-box system set up already good enough for your company? Radhika Ojha, Senior Editor at ERP Today & WIS – SCM/EAM Analyst, shares an informative article to help determine if you should customize your ERP system or keep the system defaults. Ojha highlights that while customization can offer tailored solutions to fit specific business processes, it can also introduce complexities and challenges. Businesses must assess their unique needs against the potential drawbacks of customization, such as increased costs and extended implementation times. One key point made is that excessive customization can lead to difficulties in maintaining and upgrading the ERP system. Additionally, Ojha notes that companies often struggle with the balance between adapting the ERP to their needs versus adapting their processes to the ERP’s capabilities. The author discusses how customizing an ERP can result in vendor lock-in, making future migrations and updates more complicated. Furthermore, the article suggests that businesses should adopt a strategic approach to customization, determining which aspects of the ERP can be modified without compromising its integrity. Companies are encouraged to involve stakeholders early in the decision-making process to align the ERP system with business goals effectively. The implications of customization on data integrity and reporting capabilities are also explored. Ojha concludes that the choice to customize an ERP system should not be taken lightly, highlighting the importance of long-term planning and flexibility in the decision-making process.

 

For Full Article, Click Here

Lawson GL190 – Another job currently processing – GLMONITOR

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In Lawson, your users may be experiencing a GL190 job in recovery.

 

You may be getting this error:

This is due to the GL190 job being ran when another GL190 job is running in the same jobqueue.

 

Locate the job in recovery (notice the Job Queue below *********):

Go to GLMONITOR, inquire on GL190 program. This will bring back all jobs in recovery here, only delete the one you plan on recovering, then do so for the remaining.

Once the GLMONITOR is cleared of that specific job, lets recover it and see if it completes (make sure no other GL190 jobs are active).

 

That’s it, hopefully this helped resolve your issue!

To prevent your ERP project from failing, stop undertaking an ERP Project

Implementing a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a huge project to undertake. When done right, an ERP system could positively boost your business processes. When done wrong – which unfortunately happens more often than not – additional time, money and resources hit you hard. You should be fully prepared for any roadblocks and obstacles that occur during an ERP project. Chris Lewis, Vice President of Solution Consulting, shares an article on ERP Today that discusses the common pitfalls associated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations. It begins by highlighting that many organizations view ERP projects as a necessary step, often without fully understanding the implications. Lewis argues that instead of rushing into a comprehensive ERP overhaul, companies should assess their unique needs and address specific issues first. Organizations frequently underestimate the complexity involved in ERP projects, which can lead to failures and budget overruns. It emphasizes that companies must prioritize clear communication and alignment among stakeholders before initiating any ERP project. The importance of defining measurable goals and outcomes is underscored, as is the need to ensure that all employees understand the changes and their roles within the new system. Lewis suggests that organizations should consider alternative solutions, such as modular or smaller-scale implementations, that can be more easily managed and adapted over time. This approach allows businesses to remain flexible and responsive to changing market demands without becoming overwhelmed by a large-scale implementation. Additionally, Lewis advises companies to invest in change management strategies, providing training and support to users to facilitate smoother transitions. Involving end-users early in the process can help identify potential resistance and address concerns proactively. The article also highlights the importance of choosing the right technology partner, as their experience can significantly impact the project’s success. Lewis underscores the need for continuous evaluation and adaptation throughout the ERP implementation process. Rather than viewing ERP as a one-time project, organizations should adopt a mindset of ongoing improvement. By doing so, they can enhance their operational efficiencies and ultimately achieve better business outcomes. The conclusion reiterates that a strategic, focused approach is crucial for ERP success, rather than a blanket implementation of new systems.

 

For Full Article, Click Here

All Batch Jobs Unable to Log In

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We recently had an issue with a new install where all batch jobs were going into recovery with the error “Unable to log in <username>”.  The can often be attributed to an incorrect password in the BATCH privileged identity, but in this case it was due to a typo in lajs.cfg.  The “RUNUSERKEY” field was misspelled.  So, if you ever encounter this issue, you can save yourself some time and get a couple of sets of eyes on the lajs.cfg file!  After making the change, reboot the Lawson server or stop/start services. You should now be able to log in.